FBH cheap DIY timer - Page 2

ajp99 · 20th March 2012, 21:03

Thats close enough

brianw · 20th March 2012, 21:35

Regarding making the connection to the FBH pin three.
When I fitted mine originally after prising out the rubber cap from the plug on pin three and having no access to a plug off of a spare loom I tried a female connector from a Futaba servo lead in the hole.
I could not seem to get a contact like this so i soldered a short length of wire onto the female connector and placed that directly onto pin three of the FBH. I then drilled through the plug from the underneath of the pin three position in order to just give enough clearance so that I could feed the wire from the connector up through the plug and carefully replaced the plug - so that now the short length of wire was protruding from the top of the plug at the pin 3 position. A tiny amount of silicone sealant was then used to seal around the wire in the plug.

Here are the type of connectors I used.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RC-Futaba-...item3cc2900565

HarryM1BYT · 20th March 2012, 22:36

Right guys - just like the best military hardware budgets, I have had to revise the cost now to £25 or £20 for the first one to buy, who can provide me with a bit of feedback on any issues with the install - sorry about that, but it is a tricky build.

I have also revised much of what I wrote at the start of this thread, so please have another read of it. All previous offers to buy one are off and we now start again from scratch. If you still want me to build one for you, PM me. If you feel up to the task of building your own, it is fully detailed and documented above feel free.

UPDATE - My prototype of this unit has now been claimed.

R.Lewis · 21st March 2012, 07:55

An excellent idea. Fitting a FBH is on my to-do list and this so far is the best way to use it seen so far. Am watching this to see how it all works out!

HarryM1BYT · 21st March 2012, 10:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by R.Lewis

An excellent idea. Fitting a FBH is on my to-do list and this so far is the best way to use it seen so far. Am watching this to see how it all works out!

Well worth fitting I think and especially so if you do lots of short journeys, where the engine does not get time to warm up properly. This winter has been my first since installing the FBH and it has been an absolute pleasure to get into an already warm car, when the ambient is -5C.

The cheapest time to buy an FBH will be sometime between now and when it turns cold again towards the end of this year, FBH's fetch a premium price once the winter has already struck.

Possibly now, so far as this timer is concerned, few will be too concerned about their already fitted FBH's - but my concern will be that Wilkinsons might just stop selling this item before everyone is fitted up. So it might be a case of grab one while you can.

R.Lewis · 21st March 2012, 18:54

Thats a very good point. I do 6 mile journey to work and car never warms up. Even when I do thermostat it still won't be fully warm. That and I hate deicing car...

I am tempted to put my name down for one timer kit but I have no idea when I'll be fitting it!

HarryM1BYT · 21st March 2012, 19:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by R.Lewis

Thats a very good point. I do 6 mile journey to work and car never warms up. Even when I do thermostat it still won't be fully warm. That and I hate deicing car...

I am tempted to put my name down for one timer kit but I have no idea when I'll be fitting it!

Well don't leave it too long, I can only make them, while Wilkinsons sell the unit.

HarryM1BYT · 31st March 2012, 09:12

I have found a silly error in the above circuit, which needs to be corrected.

The problem - If the cars battery were to be disconnected, the 1.2v cell would then discharge itself via R2 back into the cars electrical system. The fix is to simply add a diode in series with R2, a 1N4000 is fine for the purpose or one could be removed from the mains PCB of the timer, from which the 1.2v cell is removed. If you look at the PCB you will see 4x black diodes alongside each other, you need to carefully liberate one of those.

It needs to be installed in series with R2, between R2 and the LAN cable, close to the FBH - the white ring on the diode should be on the end nearest to the LAN cable.

I sent the prototype, with above modification included, off last week for evaluation by John.

trebor · 31st March 2012, 09:36

Nice work Harry, a really innovative solution at a low price. A timer on the FBH is a great mod in the cold weather, I already have the one originally developed by Raistlin otherwise I would have put my name down.

HarryM1BYT · 31st March 2012, 10:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by trebor

Nice work Harry, a really innovative solution at a low price. A timer on the FBH is a great mod in the cold weather, I already have the one originally developed by Raistlin otherwise I would have put my name down.

I didn't know anyone else had developed one, have you a link to it?

20th March 2012, 21:35	#12
brianw Gets stuck in Rover 75 CDT Connoisseur SE Rover 75 1.8 Auto Connie Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Aldershot Posts: 921 Thanks: 126 Thanked 119 Times in 79 Posts	Connectors to FBH pins Regarding making the connection to the FBH pin three. When I fitted mine originally after prising out the rubber cap from the plug on pin three and having no access to a plug off of a spare loom I tried a female connector from a Futaba servo lead in the hole. I could not seem to get a contact like this so i soldered a short length of wire onto the female connector and placed that directly onto pin three of the FBH. I then drilled through the plug from the underneath of the pin three position in order to just give enough clearance so that I could feed the wire from the connector up through the plug and carefully replaced the plug - so that now the short length of wire was protruding from the top of the plug at the pin 3 position. A tiny amount of silicone sealant was then used to seal around the wire in the plug. Here are the type of connectors I used. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RC-Futaba-...item3cc2900565 Last edited by brianw; 20th March 2012 at 21:36.. Reason: wrong link

20th March 2012, 22:36	#13
HarryM1BYT This is my second home 75 Contemporary SE Mk II 2004 Man. Sal. CDTi 135ps, FBH on red diesel, WinCE6 DD Join Date: May 2010 Location: Leeds Posts: 17,273 Thanks: 2,160 Thanked 2,061 Times in 1,586 Posts	Right guys - just like the best military hardware budgets, I have had to revise the cost now to £25 or £20 for the first one to buy, who can provide me with a bit of feedback on any issues with the install - sorry about that, but it is a tricky build. I have also revised much of what I wrote at the start of this thread, so please have another read of it. All previous offers to buy one are off and we now start again from scratch. If you still want me to build one for you, PM me. If you feel up to the task of building your own, it is fully detailed and documented above feel free. UPDATE - My prototype of this unit has now been claimed. __________________ Harry How To's and items I offer for free, or just to cover the cost of my expenses... http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/foru...40#post1764540 Fix a poor handbrake; DIY ABS diagnostic unit; Loan of the spanner needed to change the CDT belts; free OBD diagnostics +MAF; Correct Bosch MAF cheap; DVB-T install in an ex-hi-line system; DD install with a HK amp; FBH servicing. I've taken a vow of poverty. To annoy me, send money. Last edited by HarryM1BYT; 21st March 2012 at 10:07..

31st March 2012, 09:12	#18
HarryM1BYT This is my second home 75 Contemporary SE Mk II 2004 Man. Sal. CDTi 135ps, FBH on red diesel, WinCE6 DD Join Date: May 2010 Location: Leeds Posts: 17,273 Thanks: 2,160 Thanked 2,061 Times in 1,586 Posts	Update I have found a silly error in the above circuit, which needs to be corrected. The problem - If the cars battery were to be disconnected, the 1.2v cell would then discharge itself via R2 back into the cars electrical system. The fix is to simply add a diode in series with R2, a 1N4000 is fine for the purpose or one could be removed from the mains PCB of the timer, from which the 1.2v cell is removed. If you look at the PCB you will see 4x black diodes alongside each other, you need to carefully liberate one of those. It needs to be installed in series with R2, between R2 and the LAN cable, close to the FBH - the white ring on the diode should be on the end nearest to the LAN cable. I sent the prototype, with above modification included, off last week for evaluation by John. __________________ Harry How To's and items I offer for free, or just to cover the cost of my expenses... http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/foru...40#post1764540 Fix a poor handbrake; DIY ABS diagnostic unit; Loan of the spanner needed to change the CDT belts; free OBD diagnostics +MAF; Correct Bosch MAF cheap; DVB-T install in an ex-hi-line system; DD install with a HK amp; FBH servicing. I've taken a vow of poverty. To annoy me, send money. Last edited by HarryM1BYT; 31st March 2012 at 09:16..

31st March 2012, 09:36	#19
trebor This is my second home Rover 75 CDTi Connoisseur SE & MG ZT Saloon 190 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Coven Posts: 12,523 Thanks: 526 Thanked 1,877 Times in 885 Posts	Nice work Harry, a really innovative solution at a low price. A timer on the FBH is a great mod in the cold weather, I already have the one originally developed by Raistlin otherwise I would have put my name down. __________________ www.midlandsnanomeets.co.uk Robs Car Gallery Coven near Wolverhampton WV9 2000 Cowley Built Rover 75 2.0 V6 Club SE/ Atlantic Blue/ Sandstone/Walnut (daily driver) 2003 Land Rover Freelander 1 TD4 HSE Helsinki Blue/Black Leather (swmbo daily driver)

20th March 2012, 21:03	#11
ajp99 Regular poster Rover 75 2.0cdt conn Tourer (55 Plate) Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Stockport Posts: 59 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thats close enough

21st March 2012, 07:55	#14
R.Lewis Avid contributor Metallic X-Power Grey Mg ZT+ CDTi Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Cambridgeshire Posts: 133 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	An excellent idea. Fitting a FBH is on my to-do list and this so far is the best way to use it seen so far. Am watching this to see how it all works out!

21st March 2012, 18:54	#16
R.Lewis Avid contributor Metallic X-Power Grey Mg ZT+ CDTi Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Cambridgeshire Posts: 133 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Thats a very good point. I do 6 mile journey to work and car never warms up. Even when I do thermostat it still won't be fully warm. That and I hate deicing car... I am tempted to put my name down for one timer kit but I have no idea when I'll be fitting it!