1990 eclipse, dei 504d

Greetings,

I just picked up a DEI Double-Stage Shock sensor to try on my 1990 Eclipse with OE security.  According to the manufacturer description, the First-Stage is a warning trigger (Green wire), and the Second-Stage is the full alarm trigger (Blue wire).  From the supplied harness, it's evident the two outputs are open collector and can be tied together so the main alarm fires even for a warning.

Since my Security controller doesn't support a warning, the obvious install involves Green and Blue tied together (ie harness loop end at the sensor), however, two questions:

1) If I wanted to create a warning signal, what is typical vehicle behavior when delivering a warning?

2) Is the actual output from both Blue and Green wires just a brief negative going pulse (like the 506T Glass-Break sensor)?

Thanks for any insights!

trevors wrote:

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1) If I wanted to create a warning signal, what is typical vehicle behavior when delivering a warning?>

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Typical vehicle behaviour? The alarm sends out brief chirps in succession to "warn away"

trevors wrote:

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2) Is the actual output from both Blue and Green wires just a brief negative going pulse (like the 506T Glass-Break sensor)?

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Yes the wires pulse momentarily, normally it's up to the brain of the system to interpret the trigger and act accordingly!

Thanks very much!  As an afterthought, I'm guessing the sensitivity control applies equally to both Warning and Alarm functions?

some shock sensors will have a dial for warning and full impact.

some will only have 1

Well, from inspection, the DEI 504D only has a single potentiometer.  I had expected inclusion of paper documentation, but no -- at least the wire functions are imprinted on the sensor case.  Can't complain about the price, so maybe the minimal documentation has its advantages :)!

Thanks -- the one adjustment probably applies to both modes.

Wow!  I was about to ask if the case orientation mattered, but it never occurred to me rigid mounting itself doesn't work!  That would have had me guessing for awhile -- thanks :)!

I just finished installing and testing the DEI-504D:

FWIW -- I ended up taping it against the side of a center dash metal support member and I'm not having a problem with it detecting exterior vehicle shocks.  The sensitivity is set to max and the Green wire is tied off for now.  It's triggering fine via the Blue wire from various places around the car (takes a pretty good thwack, but not too bad).  All I can guess is perhaps the one that requires a soft mounting is pre-"D"?

I plan on devising a "Chirp" equivalent warning for the Green wire to trigger -- should be a fun project :).

Just completed the install by using the Green Stage I wire to control a reed relay to activate the vehicle horn relay.  Turns out the sensor pulse width is perfect for a horn warning -- good job DEI :)!  All connections are now soldered and I'm finding the sensitivity to be excellent at the max setting.  If I decide it's too sensitive, I'll ease it back a little.  (I'm definitely not having a lack of sensitivity issue with the sensor pressed fairly tightly against a mid-dash steel support member.)

trevors wrote:

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A follow up comment on the DEI 504D.  Admittedly, my install has only been finalized for roughly a day, but I think it would be improved with separate adjustments for the Stage I and Stage II sensitivities.  My impression is they are a little too close to each other.  I'd prefer to set the Stage II "Alarm" for a little more aggressive contact, thereby covering more territory with the "Warning".  Just a thought!

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Move it from the metal to somewhere less sturdy and you'll see the difference! Why do you think you have to set it at max?

Thanks, but your earlier input (below) appears to completely negate the results I'm actually experiencing.

t&t tech wrote:

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...,also do not mount this sensor on metal or solid parts it's worthless! Tie it to a large wire harness or any plastic ducts under the dash you can access fairly easily!

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This leaves me unclear as to the validity of your suggestion.  Still, I've tried to identify an appropriate cable bundle or duct that wouldn't complicate opening the dash for maintenance or mod purposes, and haven't been too successful :(.  However, in light of your quoted statement, I'm not clear you're a good resource on this issue.  No offense intended, but quite simply, your original statement didn't hold up.

If others agree that a soft mounting works better than I'm experiencing, I'll do my best to give it a shot :)!

i riptie the sensors to a large wire loom, and they are far better than full on metal.

you can use some double sided tape or velcro and mount the sensor to metal.

So you guys are both saying that a soft mounting will increase the separation between the Stage I and Stage II triggers?  If that's the case, then it's definitely worth trying the velcro mount to metal technique. 

However, just in case there's a misunderstanding, I've absolutely no need for additional sensitivity -- a fairly light rap on either bumper triggers the Stage I "Warning", so that's perfectly fine as is.  Although it does take a stronger rap to trigger the Stage II "Alarm", I would just have preferred there be a larger gap between them.

================================LATER====================================

Wow!  I just reinstalled the 504D with velcro to the same metal support member and the sensitivity difference is dramatic.  From a "fairly light rap" triggering the warning, now barely more than touching the bumper triggers the actual alarm.  Thanks for leaning on me guys :)!   I'm going to adjust the sensitivity and then report back.

Had to roll the sensitivity back perhaps 30 degrees, but now it's giving a warning for a fairly light rap at various points.  My impression is soft mount provides more uniform response around the vehicle, and though I'm not certain it differentiates more between Stage I and Stage II shocks, it might be.

Thanks for the input "t&t tech", you may have exaggerated a little, but your instruction was clearly correct.  Again , thanks both :)!

jcs091570 wrote:

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Just an FYI on the shock sensor harness.. green and blues wires act accordingly the same. Impulses shorter than .08 seconds will trigger warn away, and more than .08 secs triggers full alarm.

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Not sure what you mean when you say the "wires act accordingly the same" -- unless you're referring to the output electrical characteristics (which would surely make sense).  So when you say "impulses shorter than .08 seconds", I interpret you to mean actual shock impulse duration as detected at the sensor front end.  Which I find fascinating since I haven't come across any specs at all on this sensor (among others :(). Do you have a line to the developers :)?

PS.  If the sensor is using duration rather than amplitude as its criterion, that certainly explains why soft mount is preferable to hard mount.  I was expecting it to be amplitude, though at the same time, lack of a mounting tab argued against hard mount design intent.  Ultimately, I guess I was trying to swim against the current :)!

Just installed a DEI 507M Tilt Sensor and 504D Shock sensor on my 2008 xB with OE security controller.  The Tilt is working just fine, but the Shock, though velcro mounted, seems much less sensitive than the one I just installed in my Eclipse.

They are both mounted in roughly the same location, but whereas the Eclipse sensor has its back vertically attached, the xB sensor is attached flat on its back.  Even with the xB sensor sensitivity set to max, the Eclipse sensor dialed pretty well back from max is clearly the more sensitive to external shock.  I'm trying to figure out if this is due to a difference in vibration/shock damping in the xB relative to the Eclipse (probably at least partially true), or if the xB Shock sensor is just less sensitive?  Anybody have any experience with this sensor and the 2nd Gen xB?