Autopage alarm brain relay chatter

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demastrie

Member - Posts: 9

Joined: October 30, 2002

Posted: November 30, 2002 at 2:07 PM / IP Logged

I hate to ask for help, but here I go anyway.

I recently installed an Autopage 750LCD alarm in my wife's 1999 Nissan Altima. I had it 90% hooked up and everything was working fine. The car remote started and the alarm worked as advertised. Today I went out to finish the last of the installation, which was to add a relay to control the dome lights and to tie into the door pin common (I had only been connected to the driver's door switch). I tied into the door pin common, tested the system, and everything was good. I then added the dome light relay. When I tried testing the system, there came a chattering relay noise from within the alarm brain. I examined my connections and noticed that I had connected the relay coil ground to the diesel start delay input, not the dome light 300ma output. I corrected the connection, but the chattering problem continued. I undid my dome light changes--no help.

The brain isn't completely dead. The alarm sets, the car remote starts (but no longer stays running--runs for about 30s, shuts down, restarts), and I can get into the programming mode.

Any input on how I might rectify this? Is this a common failure mode? Does anyone know where I can get a replacement brain for less than the $210 that I spent on the whole alarm?

I don't think that I'm entitled to any warranty benefits, since I'm not a professional installer (although I was an avionic technician for a major airline for 15 years and have done much more complicated wiring jobs than this).

Velocity Motors

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Joined: March 08, 2002

Location: Manitoba, Canada

Posted: November 30, 2002 at 2:58 PM / IP Logged

You never know about the warranty aspect of the policy until you try. I know that the Aladdin a-200 company that I deal with takes back almost any DIY'er fried CPU and replaces it for the cost of shipping. Check to be sure of this before you buy another unit.

Jeff

Velocity Custom Home Theater

Mobile Audio/Video Specialist

Morden, Manitoba CANADA

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demastrie

Member - Posts: 9

Joined: October 30, 2002

Posted: November 30, 2002 at 5:02 PM / IP Logged

I will, Jeff. Thanks. I was one wire connection away from being done with this, too.

The Aladdin was my original first choice for an alarm, but I really wanted an alarm that squawked the temperature and I couldn't find any international versions of the Aladdin for sale. The Autopage was my second choice, and it seems pretty decent, when it's working. Very configurable. One thing I didn't like was that the second output for two-stage unlock was the same as factory security disarm (programmatically selectable). If I want to integrate with my factory system, I lose the option of having two-stage unlock. I suspect I could produce the same effect through some arrangement of relays. I'll have to sit down and work out the logic.

Little matter. This CPU issue is a bigger worry.

--Mike

djfearny2

Silver - Posts: 810

Joined: September 23, 2002

Location: United States

Posted: November 30, 2002 at 11:43 PM / IP Logged

well check this out what you can do is basically unplug all harnesses from alarm and leave off for a few hours than replug all harnesses relearn tach and get back into programming and change what needs to be changed after that you should be ok you used a relay so i dont quite understand what happened that your alarm is making noises now, check the programming and make sure the brain did not turn the wait for light status thing on or anythign like that i have not used ths alarm so i dont know the features try this you should have not killed the brain by doing it like that

Jon

Installer/Help Technician

---coral springs florida---

mecp certification is not always needed. I have it and it has not helped me out at all. my experience out shines it.

securinu

Silver - Posts: 772

Joined: September 15, 2002

Location: United States

Posted: December 01, 2002 at 10:30 PM / IP Logged

i install these all the time and never have had a problem. you said you can get into prog mode try relearning the tach or switch to voltage mode see if that works.

demastrie

Member - Posts: 9

Joined: October 30, 2002

Posted: December 02, 2002 at 2:18 PM / IP Logged

Thanks. I further isolated the problem. The relay chatter only happens when the unit tries to light the parking lights. This is also the point where the car shuts down on the remote start: the car remote starts, responds affirmatively to the pager, then turns on the parking lights. When the parking lights come on, the car turns off. Whenever the parking lights are on the CPU makes a chattering noise.

Here's another interesting point. If I disconnect the parking light wire, I hear a relay in the CPU collapse and the alarm is completely dead. It doesn't respond at all to the pager. This is curious, because the white parking light wire on the five pin connection should only be the N.O. switched contact from the parking light relay.

I normally would suspect crossed wires or some installation, but the system was working for a couple of days before I added the dome light and door pin common connections. I checked every connection with a Fluke meter, so I'm pretty confident that it's installed correctly.

This is what I have tried:

Timed and voltage remote start modes.

I reset the factory settings using 12 valet buttons pushes, etc.

Removed the CPU overnight and reinstalled.

Disconnected door pins switches and dome light relay.

I checked the fuses.

--Mike

securinu

Silver - Posts: 772

Joined: September 15, 2002

Location: United States

Posted: December 02, 2002 at 2:46 PM / IP Logged

what wire did you connect this to in the car ??? and is it + or - ????

demastrie

Member - Posts: 9

Joined: October 30, 2002

Posted: December 02, 2002 at 7:09 PM / IP Logged

It's 12 volts when the parking lights are on. The parking lights flashed when arming and disarming and came on during remote start when things where working.

Another strange thing that I noticed this morning was that the alarm didn't work (no response from pager) if the car's parking light switch was turned on. I'm not sure if this is normal.

securinu

Silver - Posts: 772

Joined: September 15, 2002

Location: United States

Posted: December 02, 2002 at 7:53 PM / IP Logged

this makes no sense the red wire on the 5 pin harness is it connected to the main ignition harness 12 v + constant and are the fuses all good on both power harness's

demastrie

Member - Posts: 9

Joined: October 30, 2002

Posted: December 02, 2002 at 9:20 PM / IP Logged

Yes, the red is connected to 12v constant and all fuses are intact. I did not cut the parking light source wire, so it is in its default position, attached to +12v constant.

I'm beginning to think that some isolation diode internal to the unit is shorted causing the the parking light output relay to be connected to some other relay's coil. Not having a schematic of the internals of the unit, I can't be sure. I'm skeptical at calling it a bad CPU, but I'm running out of other ideas--especially since this thing once worked.

Maybe I'll try sending it to Autopage and have them put it across their test bench or whatever they do for warranty work.

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