Miata Mailing List: October 1995, Message #143
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   From: jaimev@netcom.com (Jaime C. Villacorte)
Subject: Review: Brainstorm's power window "one-touch" switches
   Date: Wed, 4 Oct 1995 20:47:48 -0400

A while back, I read Steve Ling's post about one-touch power window
modules (attached below) and decided to get a pair for my 94B. I
finally got around to installing these in my car today.

To quote Steve, these are what the modules do...

   "For the curious, these are added under the center console completely
   out of sight. When you press a window button, the window continues in
   that direction on its own. Tap both buttons and you are free to work
   the top up or down while the windows take care of themselves."

Yes, I know...you may be thinking..."Geez, is this the laziest Miata owner
or what? - he can't even press down on the power window button for a
few seconds." And you know, you're right. I am lazy :-) Actually, I just
don't like keeping one hand off the steering wheel, for multi-seconds,
especially when I'm most likely to put the window up or down - right
when I enter or exit a freeway ramp.

I ordered these from Brainstorm for $17.50 each or $35 for the pair,
plus 5.50 for UPS ground shipping, for a total of $40.50. The modules
are "P/N HPS-3000K", just like the modules described in Steve's post
below.  They came with *generic* installation instructions for any
power windows. No Miata specific instructions were included.

Fortunately, I had my shop manual handy, and I found the right wires
to cut. I installed both modules in the space under the front center
console, directly in front of the shifter. They fit quite well under
there. I could have stuck them under the center console, just behind
the power switches, but I already have a little microwave transmitter
box (from my Clifford 800-IQ alarm) already stuck there.

I "tapped" the existing power window wires just past the connector which
leads into the center console. These are the color wires of my car
that I tapped into:

Direction    Wire color          Wire color
            (Driver's side)    (Passenger side)

UP          Green/Red           Red/Black
DOWN        Green               Red/Green

Overall, I'm quite happy with them. The only (slight) gripes that I
had was that the modules came with no specific Miata wiring
instructions, and that on retrospect, I *may* have been able to get
these directly from A1-Electric for $15 each instead of $17.50.


   - jaime villacorte         jaime@tcville.es.hac.com or jaimev@netcom.com    
                                   Hughes Aircraft Co, EOS,  El Segundo, CA
              Miata License Plate list: http://mmdshare.ucsd.edu/Plates.htm


----(Steve Ling's original message) ----

] From archive-owner Sat Jul  8 03:25:25 1995
] From: sling@netcom.com (Steve Ling)
] Subject: Re: one-touch power
] Date: Sat, 8 Jul 1995 03:23:56 -0400
] 
] To: miata@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu
] 
] To quote Paloma@cs.ucsd.edu (Cindy Paloma)
] 
] >Has anyone installed a one-touch power window module?  Where did
] >you get it from, and how was the ease of installation?  I noticed
] >in the latest MCA catalog that Brain-Storm now offers such a product.
] >Has anyone tried it yet, or am I going to be a guinea pig?  ;-)
] 
]  I think I was the first on the net to try this. I installed mine 
] about two years ago. Bought them from a place called Automation that 
] used to be in the Miata mag. 
] 
]  For the curious, these are added under the center console 
] completely out of sight. When you press a window button, the window 
] continues in that direction on its own. Tap both buttons and you are 
] free to work the top up or down while the windows take care of themselves. 
] 
]  The units I installed work both up and down. Every factory system I 
] have seen only works down (liability!!!). The units sense an 
] increase in the current to the motor and stop the window. I can 
] stick my arm into the window and hit the up button. The window will 
] stop after pressing up against my arm. 
] 
]  I tracked down a new source for these for someone on the net a 
] while back. Let's see if it's in my closet here (clunk, bang, crash...)
] Ah, here it is...
] 
] *************************************************************************
] To: Multiple recipients of list
] From: Steve Ling on Tue, 18 Oct 1994 2:36 PM
] Subject: Product Review -- One-touch module
] 
]  Product: One-touch power window modules (p/n HPS-3000K)
]   Source: A1 Electric (310)217-0491
]     Cost: $15 for each window, plus shipping
] 
]  I bought a set of these from Automation last year (for $70!). They have
] since been discontinued, but I contacted the manufacturer Electric Life
] (214)245-3850 and they directed me to A1 Electric who bought the existing
] stock (several hundred).
] 
]  The module is a plastic box maybe 1x2x3 inches (guessing from memory)
] with 6 wires. After removing the center console, the module is spliced
] into the existing power window wiring. It is attached to the underside of
] the console with double-stick tape. One module is required for each
] window. Once the console is reinstalled, there are no visible changes to
] the car.
] 
]  The operation of the device is simple. It senses a press of the power
] window switch and then holds that switch setting using a relay. It senses
] the current flowing to the motor and opens the relay when the current
] increases (indicating the window is closed, or your arm is being
] crunched). The unit works in both the up and down direction. To lower the
] window part way, press the down button once to start the window moving
] down, then press the down button again to stop it at any position. (Yes, I
] took one apart. Once an engineer, always an engineer.)
] 
]  I had some early reliability problems with one of the modules, but I was
] able to repair it myself (bad solder joint on the circuit board).
] 
] *************************************************************************
] 
]  For all I know, Andy may have seen this message and bought up all 
] the stock from A1 Electric last year. It was a damn good price. 
] 
]                                 [][][]
]   Steve Ling           "During the race, try to drive a little faster than
]   sling@netcom.com      is enjoyable; you cannot go really fast without
]   San Jose, CA          frightening yourself occasionally" -- Paul Frere