Automatic window relay setup

[bennylava]

Hi all, new here. I'm a petroleum engineer and as such I'm not nearly as well versed in electrical as you guys are. I'm an auto enthusiast, and as such fixing up my old cars is a passion of mine. What I'm looking to do, as add automatic windows to my 1987 Chevy Silverado Pickup. It came with power windows from the factory, but these days I'm spoiled to the automatic windows of modern cars. To clarify, automatic windows are power windows, that do not require the button to be held, to go up and down. You just press the button once, up or down, and then let go. No need to hold the switch down the whole time.

I know that its a type of relay setup that I'm looking for here, however I'm not sure exactly what it would consist of. Perhaps someone here could help me out with a DIY method that I could construct out of parts from radioshack?

 

[Comcokid]

The basic of both old and new electric windows is a DC motor on which the voltage is reversed to roll the window up or down. The automatic or toll-booth window operation is a matter of either; a switch w/latch so when the window bottoms-out and the motor pulls more current the latch resets, or, an electronic module that accomplishes the switch latching function, or other means. I don't think they use delay relays as they still go to the full position even when the window is cold and the window moves slowly.

I would obtain an electric window mechanism w/motor for your pickup, then find a model of car that has the electric-window operation you desire. Avoid cars with a complex system. Wire the switch/relay/whatever setup to your electric motor and mechanism.

 

[VEBill]

I wouldn't home brew one. There are subtle safety systems that prevent limbs and heads from being chopped off, or window glass shattering and the shards driven through whomever was in the way. Worst case... ...yes, I know.

You'd probably want to graft a modern system extracted from a junk yard vehicle into your old vehicle. Hopefully they're not too integrated into the CAN bus.

The system on my Mercedes has the express up and down feature on all four windows. It learns where the stops are and apparently has to be retrained if the memory is erased. It must be counting pulses from the mechanism to keep track of where it is. The manual says it has plenty of safety features.

 

[bennylava]

Thanks for the help. Of course now that I've made a thread about it, I found one for sale on Amazon. Although its got a bit of an obscure name, so that's probably why I didn't find it there when I looked. Guess I should have known to look for "window automation system".

http://www.amazon.com/Install-Essen...95682&sr=8-2&keywords=install+essentials+530t

 

[bradrs]

Good luck with the Amazon kit, if you use that. Other random thoughts:

It sounds like this older pickup is something you don't mind spending money on($120 for the auto up/down feature is pretty low on my list), is the truck something you have restored enough or put enough money into to put an alarm in it? If so, you might get a control for the feature you want, with the alarm.

Other thought would be when was that feature first put into Silverados or maybe Suburbans? IF it is available in another version, it might be easier/cleaner if you can transplant the OEM parts, as VE1BLL suggested.

 

[bennylava]

Yeah that's the problem really. I have restored it a good bit, but I'm probably only about 60% finished. I intend to keep the truck forever, with no plans of selling it. So spending the money on the controller is not a big deal. However, unfortunately, I am in between jobs at the moment. My wife makes plenty of money so that I have time to look for a new job without going broke. But I just can't justify frivolous spending like this.

So since this is the electrical engineering forum, what would be the proper DIY setup for doing it? Its likely I could buy the individual components far cheaper than that controller. Perhaps I need to start with a breadboard?