van camp, thermostat controled start

allaire wrote: Hi, I'm a contract disaster inspector for FEMA. I spend more nights than I care to admit sleeping in a vehical at disaster sites. I use to use my Prius and but for its size it was great, I could park it and leave it running with the climate control set and they car would cycle the engine on and off as needed would keep me cool or warm all night and use littke fuel doing so. I needed more room so I've converted a 2002 Chevy awd Astro passenger van with rear air and heat into my deployment vehical. I want to set it up so while I'm overnighting in it a themostat I install in the vehical will trigger the engine to start and run till the cabin reaches the desired temp then shuts off. The van dose not have climate control but thats OK as I can either have the vans heat or AC in the on position when I turn it off to go to sleep, then the thermostat would signal the van to start and stop the engine. I'm thinking this could be done quite straight foward by using relays to trigger the starter with the key in the on position. I have no problem leaving the keys in the ignition while in the van overnight but I'm conserned leaving the ignition system and the fuel pump energized all this time. Although Im not an alarm installer I'm pretty handy and I managed Audiovox owned retail stores back in the '90s where we installed Audiovox Prestige alarms and cell phones. Up for sudgestions how to do this and what would be required, any Ideals????  AND YES I have a CO alarm installed.

The Viper alarm I just installed does what you're looking for. I have the 5904 and has a feature called "smart start" You can set it to come on at a predetermined temperture and the van will remote start when it hits it. I have mine set to turn on for voltage, it monitors that too, so if the car dips lower than 12 volts it starts up to charge the battery.Don't know what the problem is yet... but I know what it's not.

bospet40 wrote: The Viper alarm I just installed does what you're looking for. I have the 5904 and has a feature called "smart start" You can set it to come on at a predetermined temperture and the van will remote start when it hits it. I have mine set to turn on for voltage, it monitors that too, so if the car dips lower than 12 volts it starts up to charge the battery.

This was already suggested, but most likely will not work like the OP wants. Most of the built-in temp controlled starting is only able to be set at roughly 20*F. I'm pretty sure the OP would want it to start well before hitting that low of a temperature. Unless the Viper's have a 50*F (or possibly even higher depending on what the OP is looking for), it will not work.Kenny

Owner / Technician

KKD Garage LLC

Albany, NY 12205

This was already suggested, but most likely will not work like the OP wants. Most of the built-in temp controlled starting is only able to be set at roughly 20*F. I'm pretty sure the OP would want it to start well before hitting that low of a temperature. Unless the Viper's have a 50*F (or possibly even higher depending on what the OP is looking for), it will not work.[/QUOTE] My Viper can be adjusted from -20 to 70+ on the low side in 10 degree increments or the high side from 40+ to 130+ Don't know what the problem is yet... but I know what it's not.

Wow, I didn't realize the Viper's allowed for that high of an adjustment. That might be the best solution then.Kenny

Owner / Technician

KKD Garage LLC

Albany, NY 12205

Great, I'll look into that Viper... Thanks

Thanks everyone for your input. I ended up having a Python 5706P installed then did some modifications to the alarm myself. If interested you can follow that on a related thread, seems like I ended up just with what I wanted https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp~TID~134337~get~last#679153