Variable Duration Intermittent Wiper

[DrJeff]

Here are some photos of the new variable duration wiper unit installed in the kneepad. The unit sits inside the kneepad and has a cable that runs up towards the wiper control unit.

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[DrJeff]

I've been working on this project for a while, but today I finally got the module fully constructed and tested in the car. The Module connects into the stock wiring just prior to the Wiper Control Module. No stock wiring was harmed in the installation of this module!

Here is a link to a YouTube video of the module being demonstrated (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqU6tcaL_lU&feature=youtu.be).

I've never liked the intermittent wiper controls on the Delorean. The fast, normal, and once wiper functions are perfect, but getting the car into intermittent wiper mode is just too confusing. You have to hold the wiper control arm down (in the wipe once mode) for 3 seconds and then the car will intermittently wipe about every 6 seconds. There is no way to adjust the duration of the pause between wipes.

So I created an add-on module that (when fully installed) will poke through the drivers left kneepad. As you might see from the video my kneepads have already been modified to include AC vents (no more AC vents in the doors). The unit includes a wiper dial knob (taken from a 1983 Porsche Targa - I just liked the knob - the electronics didn't work in this application). To switch into intermittent wiper mode you just click-on the dial (it clicks on/off at the most anit-clockwise position). When just clicked on, the wipers will sweep about every 3-4 seconds. You can increase the duration between sweeps by turning the dial further clockwise. At the furthest clockwise the wiper sweeps occur about every 60 seconds. To switch the intermittent wipe off, just turn the dial all the way clockwise. Pretty simple and intuitive. On top of that all the stock wiper functions and controls work as normal - even the 6 second intermittent wipe!

Here are some pictures of the assembled unit.

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The module works by simulating a 'wipe once' at a duration determined by the setting on the new wiper knob. Once I figured out that an additional input (state) device was needed (the stock Delorean doesn't provide enough inputs to allow for an intuitive state machine - and thus the "hold down" method to get into intermittent wipe) I figured I'd go with something that was very intuitive to use and easily adjustable. Trying to use the stock inputs to do variable duration wipe would have meant doing an even more convoluted method - there are just too few input modes.

The module connects in-line with the existing connectors running from the steering wheel control stalks to the wiper control module. I used church window connectors so that you just unplug a connector from the wiper control module, plug it into this unit, and then plug the output of this unit into the wiper control module. The additional black wire is a ground wire that just connects to the same ground as the existing wiper control module. It should have been very easy, but due to the location of the unit there was some swearing involved.

Project cost was $10 for the timer unit, $15 for the church window connector, $10 for the large potentiometer, $15 for the Porsche wiper knob, plastic box was leftover from an iPod Nano. So $50 total. When I get some time I'll write this one up.

[Michael]

If you are using wipers, that means....You are driving in the rain!!!!!
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[dmcjohn]

Sounds great, well done!

[Furry_DeLorean]

This is AWESOME! I may not have driven my D yet but I can imagine these controls sucking. Must try something like this someday.

[Edit] I like the different vent too.

[Ron]

:thumbup:

[Dangermouse]

They don't suck , they are just idiosyncratic ;)

[DrJeff]

a big shout out to Bitsyncmaster and Elvis for helping me understand the functioning of the stock wiper control module.

I've got to think that Delorean decided to pick up the Lucas 6DA intermittant wiper control module (also used in the Triumph TR7 and TR8 ) out of convenience and to avoid trouble. Lucas had to be trying to avoid the Robert W. Kearns (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Kearns) patents and litigation (as told in the movie Flash of Genius (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1054588/)). Variable duration wiper controls were available (here is a 1980's after market unit (http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-CAL-CUSTOM-ZT-102-WIPER-DELAY-INTERMITTENT-WIPER-SWITCH-1980s-/330935150637?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessorie s&vxp=mtr&hash=item4d0d45a82d) on ebay) so it wasn't a technology problem. The existence of an aftermarket wiper control unit in the 80's may well be a signal that enough auto manufacturers had gone with a no intermittent or too simple a system in their stock cars.

I also changed out the Porsche wiper dial knob tonight for one from Ace Hardware. Unfortunately the Porsche knob didn't last more than a dozen spins (cheap rubbish those Porsche). I guess the 30 year old plastic wasn't up to the job. Thankfully Ace had a surprisingly wide selection of knobs to choose from.

[Farrar]

I really like this mod. I was thinking of trying something like this (http://store.qkits.com/moreinfo.cfm/MXA041), but I just decided to be lazy and use Rain-X.

[Mark D]

I've always hated the odd intermittent wiper function... I decided to just not drive in the rain and that solved my problem :biggrin:
For those unavoidable times getting stuck in the rain I just click the stalk upward to the 'slow' setting. Rain-X is a huge help also as Farrar mentioned.

Nice work on the new module though, it never ceases to amaze me what some people are able to build to solve some of these old issues. It would be cool if there was some way to integrate a smaller dial or slider into the stalk itself so you didn't need to drill a hole in the knee pad.

[dmc6960]

My original delay module failed back in 2002. Started doing random one-sweeps at a random time interval from anywhere between 5 seconds and 1 minute. Couldn't get it to stop so I bypassed it by plugging the wires together. A few years later I got a hold of another delay module. This one was a bit weathered from being in an exposed car for a long while (wreck). I put it in my car and after a few attempts it started working again. Then of course, as I'm driving in a downpour, on a freeway in road construction with concrete barriers blocking all shoulders my wipers completely quit. COMPLETELY. That was a painful 15 minutes without wipers until I could pull off and reconnect the harness together and bypass it once again. Ever since then, and since I've started dabbling with programmable micro-controllers as well, I've imagined building a completely new wiper delay unit. One to remove and replace the original unit with. I have been pondering ways to incorporate a variable wipe function without adding any switches. I've come up with one idea but haven't tried it out yet (need to finish my instrument cluster first).

So here it is for anyone who wants to tackle this before me...

Use the wash button as the delay trigger. Push and hold for >1sec to wash windshield. Unit will delay engaging the wash motor for the second while it monitors that signal. If wash button is pushed twice in a row with each push lasting <1sec and the total time during the two pushes is <2sec then engage delay function. With stalk on 0 (off) delay will be set at longest setting, with stalk on speed 1 delay will be in middle setting, and with stalk on speed 2 delay will be in shortest setting. Pushing the wash button just once again will turn the delay off immediately and if the stalk is already in speed 1 or 2 the wipers will begin functioning normally on those settings. This gets you 3 pre-determined intermittent settings whose times of course can be specifically programmed into the controller.

Oh, and one more function of the delay module I don't think was mentioned... It also engages the wipers during the wash. Without the module, You can wash your windshield to your heart's content but the wipers will never actually move until you also engage them in one of the normal methods.

[Mark D]

I get the random one-sweeps every once it a while and it drives me nuts. It only does it recently after I use the intermittent function and then turn it off. Sometimes it's days later and I'll get a random sweep of the wipers. I should probably replace the delay module and it sounds like that would get me back to the normal (if still crappy) intermittent functionality.

What you have planned for new microcontroller setup sounds pretty cool. Funny that you mention the washer button not normally kicking on the wipers. I just discovered this about a week ago after finally fixing the bad pump that was in my car when I bought it. Up until then I'd never had washer fluid at all.

[Farrar]

it never ceases to amaze me what some people are able to build to solve some of these old issues.

Indeed -- it seems like the DeLorean community gets brighter every day! :)

[Bitsyncmaster]

If your going to use a micro.
One push to give you one sweep.
Second push within 30 seconds gives you another sweep but also sets the auto sweep time to the time between those two sweeps you did.
Hold on for a few seconds to turn off the auto sweep.

[dmc6960]

If your going to use a micro.
One push to give you one sweep.
Second push within 30 seconds gives you another sweep but also sets the auto sweep time to the time between those two sweeps you did.
Hold on for a few seconds to turn off the auto sweep.

When you say push, I'm assuming your referring to pushing on the downward "mist" function on the stalk, just like the OEM uses for intermittent activation.

The difficult part with that best I can tell, is that it isn't really a separate switch. Its internally connected to speed 1 on the stalk, and just has a spring loaded "return to off" function mechanically. This lack of separation may be why some people have such a hard time with the stock delay module. Having your wipers legitimately on speed 1 for the "perfect" amount of time will activate the stock intermittent function.

[Elvis]

Funny, I've had this spare module here, taken apart for several years now.

I do have the schematic and thought of how to install a PIC.

Problem always was - activation, setting time and deactivation.
As you already mentioned - first speed - updwards and downwards
is the same switch/wire.

Goals:
No modification of anything but the module. No drilling in the car,
no potentiometers anywhere. In an emergency - unplugging the module
and putting the two connectors together has to work like original.