Self Park Wipers

[FatBoy]

I'm sure many of you have already done this but I've just rewired my wipers for 2 speed and self-park.
It was a bit fiddly but pretty straightforward. I'm somewhat surprised that Kirkham don't wire the motor up "correctly" in the first place, all that's needed is the correct switch and a couple of extra wires. Having said that, I guess it leaves us something to do to "improve" our cars.

Paul

[1985 CCX]

Paul,

Fabulous, That car is getting better by the day.......

[franklin]

I did that to mine as I built it and love the feature, definetly worth the little bit of time it took. Kirkhams gave me the wiring diagram when I needed it.

I also added an additional power supply up under the dash. One for the driver and one for the passenger. The plan is to use them for heated jackets on cooler drives in the early spring or late fall.

[patrickt]

This is an interesting issue. The ERA cars go through some unusual gyrations in order to park the wipers (like turning the wiper motor in to a generator). I was surprised to see the Kirkhams don't park at all. Why is this such a difficult problem?

[franklin]

It's not, you just have to use the correct switch and do the wiring correct. Maybe the difference is the switch that ERA uses?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by franklin

It's not, you just have to use the correct switch and do the wiring correct. Maybe the difference is the switch that ERA uses?

Maybe, here's what they write about it:

From 427SC Chassis #227 and GT #2012, the
wiper switch has been changed and a relay added
to the wiper circuit. The relay parks the wipers
when they reach the bottom of the windshield
glass on the passenger’s side by changing the
connections to make the wiper motor into a
generator for a short sweep period. The current
created is shorted out, creating very high drag on
the motor, stopping it quickly.

The original wiper switch did this operation
internally (see above), but unfortunately is no
longer readily available. E.R.A. now uses a
more conventional switch and the relay board to
do the same thing.

[FatBoy]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Why is this such a difficult problem?

As has already been said, it isn't, you just have to use the correct switch, which is available from here:

Wiper Switch

It is then simply a matter of running a few wires from the motor to the switch.

However, I did find that mine parked the wrong end of the sweep. This is easily corrected by rotating the gear drive 180 degrees on its pinion.

Paul

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by FatBoy

As has already been said, it isn't, you just have to use the correct switch, which is available from here:

Wiper Switch

It is then simply a matter of running a few wires from the motor to the switch.

However, I did find that mine parked the wrong end of the sweep. This is easily corrected by rotating the gear drive 180 degrees on its pinion.

Paul

Ahh, but if you should happen to have a switch like mine instead?

[RodKnock]

Paul, thanks for the great idea. Is there a company in the US that has the same switch?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Paul, thanks for the great idea. Is there a company in the US that has the same switch?

It looks like the problem is if you want the fluted rotary knob switch and you want it to park as well. Going to the toggle switch makes it easy.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

It looks like the problem is if you want the fluted rotary knob switch and you want it to park as well. Going to the toggle switch makes it easy.

The other alternative is to NOT use your wipers. I haven't yet. No plans to either.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

The other alternative is to NOT use your wipers. I haven't yet. No plans to either.

Well if you're not going to use them then you definitely want the the fluted rotary knobs to satisfy the originality aficionados. You can just practice turning them off so they're parked in the right spot. Or rig up the "parking circuit" some how.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Well if you're not going to use them then you definitely want the the fluted rotary knobs to satisfy the originality aficionados. You can just practice turning them off so they're parked in the right spot. Or rig up the "parking circuit" some how.

Not that I'm originality freak (see "428Street" , just joshing), but were these fluted rotory knobs on the S/C's or did they have wipers at all?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Not that I'm originality freak (see "428Street" , just joshing), but were these fluted rotory knobs on the S/C's or did they have wipers at all?

I honestly don't know. I was just always fascinated at the lengths ERA had to go to get them to park properly. That's why I jumped on this thread.

[Igofastr]

I wired my mine for "self park," and the danged thing drove right over the mailbox.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Igofastr

I wired my mine for "self park," and the danged thing drove right over the mailbox.

On "Top Gear" a few nights ago the BBC boys were testing out the "self park" feature of one of the new luxury cars. It was an absolute riot.

[FatBoy]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Ahh, but if you should happen to have a switch like mine instead?

Then you're stuffed.

I would have liked the rotary knob, but I couldn't figure out how to get the self park to work. The toggle switch provides power to one of the terminals in the "OFF" position, which keeps the wipers moving until a limit switch on the motor breaks the circuit, making the switch an ON, ON, ON 3-position switch.
I don't know how the contacts in the rotary switch are configured.
I'll call Holden and ask them and report back.

Paul

[FatBoy]

...althernatively, you could just swap the functions of the rotary switch and the one next to it, so that the toggle switch operates the wipers and the rotary switch operates whatever it is that the toggle switch currently operates. That way, you can have self-parking wipers and still retain the original look.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by FatBoy

...althernatively, you could just swap the functions of the rotary switch and the one next to it, so that the toggle switch operates the wipers and the rotary switch operates whatever it is that the toggle switch currently operates. That way, you can have self-parking wipers and still retain the original look.

That would be the heater fan -- I almost never use it either! Well, this is one of those obscure "originality points," a rotary knob that also parks the wipers.

[patrickt]

This is the Wiper Switch from Cobra Restorers. I can't tell whether it self parks or not. It's Part #CP1368