Smartscreen windscreen intermittent wiper controller

[Robert 352]

Has anybody any experience of fitting the Smartscreen windscreen intermittent wiper controller?

http://www.smart-screen.co.uk/

It seems to be getting some good reviews on some of the other forums and seems also to be priced fairly competitively. I can find no references yet on this forum.

Robert

[geeksteve]

Electronics-wise it's a pretty simple thing to make. I imagine most of the ones on the market are probably ok as a result of that. I'd be tempted to let price determine your choice a little bit.

Steve

P.S. My wipers don't need any encouragement to be intermittent

[Macleesh]

I seem to recall there was a relay from a Maestro that was plug and play on our cars that gave intermittent wipe. Don't have details to hand but may be worth thinking about.

[TrustNo1]

Thats very expensive you can get similar for less than £20.

[Robert 352]

The Maestro was not a car that was exported and sold here so I doubt I can find that relay here, but if anybody can identify the relay used I would be most interested. Just as if there is some other alternative available for less than £20 then do please give me some clues.

Thanks

Robert

[Washdog]

I think the plug and play option is the Lucas 6DA wiper controller.
Ian

[Toledo Man]

Maplin do an intermittent wiper kit HERE but that's as much use as the Maestro for Robert.

Is there an equivalent of Maplin or Radio Shack in NZ?

[Robert 352]

I am sorry that Steve’s wipers don’t need any encouragement to be intermittent! I would like to say that the use of wipers here at all is usually highly intermittent but latterly the amount of rain falling is far ahead of what we normally get. We have already had more than twice our normal annual rainfall and it is only 7 months into the year.

I have, while all you chaps were snoring your heads off, done a quick search through the internet. The Lucas 6DA wiper controller gets a number of mentions on how one might fit it. The Maplin kit gets a mention or two on some of the other forums but interestingly all comment seems to lead back to the Smartscreen device which is sold through the likes of Moss (and others).

From what I read on those forums there is a lot of positive comment on the fitting and operation of the Smartscreen package. I acknowledge that it is considerably more expensive than say a Maplin kit (or if I could find one here, a Lucas 6DA). These latter items still have to be adapted in some way and in the case of the Maplin an extra switch provided whereas the Smartscreen and I think the Lucas 6DA are triggered by the on/off function of the slow speed wiper operation.

The Smartscreen is almost a fit and forget, almost a plug-in and should not be beyond those of us who are technically challenged by things that involve bits of wire, electrons and the need to connect things in the right order. And the cost delivered to the door here is considerably less than a tank full of fuel.

I think the closest Radio Shack to us is Los Angeles ‘bout 13 hours away on a direct flight. Too far to swim that is for sure. And Maplin – it’s a name I have not come across before either.

Price is certainly part of the consideration but as you folk know it is not the only factor. Some will pay what others regard as over the odds for oils, filters and so on. The idea of being able to buy something all but plug it in has some real appeal.

I shall continue with my research and let you know the outcome – in due course.

I shall also be interested in any further comment or suggestions.

Robert

[WDRVM]

Hi Robert.

I don't know if it's any help to you, or if you've already read about it, but there's some interesting info on this page- http://www.cjw-consulting.co.uk/intwipers/intwipers.htm with regards to wash/wipe and Lucas 6DA wiper control and alternative part number Lucas AAU 7087A (same part apparently). The page maybe a little outdated, I'm not sure, but I'm sure the info is still good.
Also says on that page that the TR7 used that particular wiper control, and from a quick scout around t'interweb so did the Delorean! Not sure if that's any help but perhaps you may be able find a used one/spare.

Anyway best wishes and good luck in your search/research.

[straylight]

it is a good place to learn about electronics !

http://www.circuitstoday.com/automatic- ... ol-circuit

easy circuit to build, cheap as chips, all parts available online or through jaycar (oz radioshak equivalent)

go on, give it a go !

stu

[Robert 352]

That link provided by WDRVM was most interesting. I have now spent several hours poking around the internet, looking at diagrams, downloading photos, bookmarking possible suppliers. All good stuff.

Stu - you winding me up? I looked at that circuit diagram and it took me back many years to when I used to try and make radio control equipment as a school boy. Nothing ever worked for me for I am sure I got the arrows the wrong way round or else I could never figure out the colour code on those resistors.

Nothing ever worked! For me!

And years later as the Production Manager of a company which manufactured electronic equipment I very soon learned that there was a real skill to soldering, soldering things together which would work reliably.

Okay so you have laid down a challenge. But I am not even sure that we have retailers who supply electronic components here any more. Dick Smith's were the last that I knew of, but now when I go in there all they want to do is sell me a new phone!! (I don't need a new phone - I have not figured out how to make the voice mail work on the phone I have now. The buttons are too small)!

There will be another thread started 24 years hence on my "new" "intermittent" project.

Robert

[Mad Mart]

it is a good place to learn about electronics !

http://www.circuitstoday.com/automatic- ... ol-circuit

easy circuit to build, cheap as chips, all parts available online or through jaycar (oz radioshak equivalent)

go on, give it a go !

stu

I've just started to teach myself Electronics so this will go on the list of PCBs to build Stu. I'm also going to build a fuel injector tester.

[Robert 352]

For those of you who hanker after an intermittent wipe operation on your Dolly then I can report that the Smartscreen controller works very effectively.

Yes it is considerably more expensive than the kit of parts referred to elsewhere on this thread but the Smartscreen controller does I think offer a couple of functions which these kits do not.

The intermittent wipe facility is activated by pulling back on the intermittent wipe switch on the steering column and the delay is set by how long you take to pull back on the switch for a second time. From then on the intermittent wipe will repeat itself until you pull on the switch for a third time (or turn the ignition key off). It is all quite cunning and becomes quite instinctive once you have used it several times. There is no need for any additional switches nor is there a need to have some device to set the timing delay.

I installed mine behind the glove box on a little panel which I have made up to hold the relay which switches on my "overdrive on" light. The photograph shows it sitting on the bulkhead just to the left of the heater box, with the wiper arm above it and the microswitch on the right which is used to spring the glove box lid open. All of this is hidden once the glove box case is refitted.

20140816-4867Pw Smartscreen installation.jpg (131.77 KiB) Viewed 2355 times

The feed comes from the live side of the brake light switch on the brake pedal. I pulled one of the connectors back out of the wiring harness which feeds up the steering column to the wiper switch (all done according to some very comprehensive instructions provided with the unit), made a further connection via a new connector fitted into space vacated by the connector I pulled out and the third as per the instructions.

Not too difficult even for a simple soul like me.

Robert