door locks, leaf actuator, relay?

Hi all,

I'm new here I am a 12volt technician for a company and have a good background in audio in general. Anyways to my question, I was looked up different ways to wire switches into systems, I happened to stumble across a how to page. The page explained how to set up your door locks with something that you can wave a magnet over and bam your locks get a pulse and unlock. I believe it was called a leaf actuator and you wired it up to a relay. My understanding is that you wave the magnet over it it closes the connection sends the 12v's through it and triggers the relay to pop the locks. So the question is A) what is the device called and B) what is the proper wiring? Thanks to everyone who responds in advance!

A reed relay is the answer, never used them except with roller shutter doors on trucks.
Works as a microswitch and forget about using anything bar "normal" relays or micro relays for lock motor wiring.
Could you give us a link to this article?

-------------
Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

https://www.reed-sensor.com/Applications/Automotive_applications.htm

I believe it was this one.

OK, they are used as sensors rather than in lock actuation.
Used as a latter day microswitch for positional sensing.
Similar application to a Hall effect switch.
Nothing to do with lock/unlock, more "lock/unlock detection" circuits to trigger dome lights, BCM wake-ups etc.

-------------
Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

Thanks for your response!
However, in theory wouldn't you be able to wire it to a relay? So when the magnet unbalanced the switch it completed the circuit allowing the relay to send the proper signal pulse? I'm proposing:
Unlock wire (switch side) into leaf switch
leaf switch into pin 85
Opposite out of pin 86 (to complete circuit)
Jump pin 85 into pin 87
Unlock wire (vehicle side) into pin 30?

Sorry can't get my head around this it smacks of unnecessary complication, all you need is a timer relay to control your locking.
I don't know where this is going but most aftermarket and all OEM incorporate a master unit or two where there's a microswitch already inside the motor = 5 wire motor.

-------------
Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

Ok just something I had seen and sparked my interest. It could be a cool little fail safe if you ever locked your keys in the car and didn't have keyless entry or only had the one remote on your keychain.

And wouldn't the car thieves love you.

-------------
Amateurs assume, don't test and have problems; pros test first. I am not a free install service.
Read the installation manual, do a search here or online for your vehicle wiring before posting.

Car thieves won't find something they don't know to look for. A reed switch hidden behind a lighting lens, or a plastic portion of grill or bodywork is an interesting idea.

I came up with a 3 relay array that could use a reed switch to activate a relay, then the next relay blocked if the Ground When Armed on the alarm was active, and if not, the final relay activated to pop the locks or door popper. The last relay would require a R/C in the line to the coil to provide a slight delay so the GWA could work.

I'm pretty sure I saw a thread on here about using camouflaged reed switches to actuate door poppers without needing a remote.

Interesting food-for-thought.

I have used the hidden magnetic reed switch many times for customers that had a habit of locking their keys in the vehicle. Hide the switch. On the backside of an exterior lamp housing close to the fuel filler door. Attached a magnet to a cable inside the fuel door so it wouldn't get lost and would reach the switch. Only use a good commercial switch magnet though so it would work within a couple of inches to each other. The cheap ones only work if they are within a half inch of each other.

-------------
sparky

For a magnet, how about a Hide-A-Key with no key inside it? If a thief finds the hide a key, he won't find a key in it, but also won't have a clue why the empty hide-a-key is on the vehicle.

A magnet on a cable that reaches the switch seems pretty easy to figure out. As I said, a thief won't figure out what he can't find. But this seems pretty obvious if he finds it.

Not to mention many modern vehicles have locking gas doors that can only be released from inside the vehicle.

Good idea. Back in the days I did those vehicles, locking gas doors weren't that common. Most of the vehicles I did were work trucks. Many of them were for snow plowing and they seemed to be prone to locking themselves out of a running truck. The magnet wasn't visible unless you new where to look. The hide a key box would likely work and make people think the key was gone.

-------------
sparky

Thanks everyone! I've come to realize that near nothing is impossible when dealing with cars, and I knew this wouldn't be an exception. To me this is just one of those cool little things that you keep on the back burner until one day it's the perfect fix for something, or just a fun project one day when your bored.