What kind of diode to use?

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Security and Convenience
Forum Discription: Car Alarms, Keyless Entries, Remote Starters, Immobilizer Bypasses, Sensors, Door Locks, Window Modules, Heated Mirrors, Heated Seats, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=72521
Printed Date: May 28, 2024 at 4:56 AM

Topic: What kind of diode to use?

Posted By: stonecole
Subject: What kind of diode to use?
Date Posted: February 09, 2006 at 5:08 PM

I'm connecting my door handle lights to come on when I remote start.791xv alarm. This is what I did relay:

86 - ground

85 - parking light wire from alarm brain

87 - parking light wire from alarm brain; 85&87 also to parking light wire of truck, with a diode between to keep door handle light from coming on when park lights are turned on at night.

30 - to door handle lights on truck

87a - to door handle light switch

Everything works find.

Until I seen the diode smoking.:-(

Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance

Replies:

Posted By: KPierson
Date Posted: February 09, 2006 at 7:11 PM

How much current is the light pulling?

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Kevin Pierson

Posted By: stonecole
Date Posted: February 10, 2006 at 2:13 AM

I'll check tommorow and let you know.

Posted By: mo12v
Date Posted: February 10, 2006 at 3:13 AM

Also, which way do you have the Band facing?

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MO

Don't Learn from Others Mistakes
You Might Be the One That Knows.

Posted By: bdl666
Date Posted: February 10, 2006 at 3:49 AM

It sounds like your parking lights are pulling more current that what the diode is capable of handling.

Use two relays one for the parking lights and one for the door handles. That way you won't need the diode as the relays will keep the circuits isolated from each other. And will prevent the parking lights from turning on when the door handles light up( I'm assuming that the door handles come on with the dome light) and vise versa.

Posted By: dualsport
Date Posted: February 10, 2006 at 9:55 AM

Yeah, sounds you were using the diode to power the parking lights, which isn't the best way to go; you'd need a hefty diode to handle the current- diodes should generally be only used for signal isolation, and not used for high power control for things like parking lights.
Add a second relay as mentioned-
posted_image

If the door lights use less than an amp, and the original door light switch doesn't maintain a ground on the line you might be able to use a diode for that, if you don't have a second relay.
posted_image

Posted By: stonecole
Date Posted: February 10, 2006 at 10:45 AM

I did not cut the parking light wires of the truck,I tapped into it.

One wire coming from parking lights with diode (strip toward vehicle parking light wire) to block (+) when park lights are manually turned on. To keep from triggering relay. Want relay to trigger only from park light wire from alarm brain.

Posted By: stonecole
Date Posted: February 10, 2006 at 11:07 AM

Dualsport,I like the two sanerios you gave I'll try one or both when I get a chance.

mo 12v, I had the band to park light vehicle side to block (+), but I guess the diode couldn't handle it.

Thanks for the replies, keep them coming. I'll try anyone of them that seems the best until I get it.

Posted By: stonecole
Date Posted: February 18, 2006 at 10:36 PM

Dualsport, I finally got around to hooking up the relays. I used the two relay diagram you provided. Works like a charm. I chose that one because the running board lights and the door handle lights are running together and I don't know how much current it's pulling.

Thanks again.

Posted By: dualsport
Date Posted: February 18, 2006 at 11:14 PM

Good to hear it worked out- posted_image