problems with aftermarket remote central locking.

[Christ]

Ok so after 3 years of it sat gathering dust im trying to get this Nova on the road again. lol

I found the universal remote central locking kit that I got off ebay that has been sat for about 2 years. I fitted it today but have a few problems.

When I press the lock button, it unlocks the door and when I press the unlock button it locks the doors. Is that just a case of swapping the two wires round (blue and green I think they are)?

The other thing is the remote wont work outside of the car, it barely works on the passenger seat, the remote has to be right next to the black box before it works. I have the black box tie wrapped up beside the fuse box.

At one point today the thing started having a fit and would lock/unlock repeatedly until I pulled the fuse and its fine now.

I will try a new battery tomorrow to see if that works...

[Jeff16v]

Sounds like just a case of parting the wires and swapping them over for lock/un lock.
Is there an antenna attached to the central locking box? Perhaps feed the Hungry remote new batteries

[Nova_Tek]

As above really... I'd try doing a wire swap first see if that solves it and try a new battery for the remote. Make sure the antenna wire isn't mangled around other wires. Also a lot of these remote locking/alarms etc don't like to have their antenna cut or lengthened.

[Jeff16v]

ps: do you do confessions?

[Christ]

OK, will try what you say tomorrow.

There was a spare red wire, very short that wasn't shown on the wiring diagram coming out of the black box, Im guessing thats the antenna wire..

thanks guys.

[Christ]

ps: do you do confessions?

Haha, yes mate just send me a Pm. lol

[mowgli]

he's been coveting his neighbours ass mostly.

[Jeff16v]

he's been coveting his neighbours ass mostly.

Snigger.

[windfreek]

did you sort it out, as is best with all alarm wires, fix them at a 45' angle and nowhere near other wires, and as Nova_tek said dont modify the antenna wire, it wont help, usually its the antenna is too close to other wires, or the remote battery is flat, with a spanking battery my autostart works from 400ft away, useful whilst escaping work :d

[Christ]

Ok got an update. Got new batteries fitted but still wont work outside the car. I had the black box tie wrapped onto the heating duct under the steering wheel, which i guess is nearly 45degrees it made no difference, cut the tie wrap so the black box is just hanging in the floor well now and still doesn't work. Even sitting in the drivers seat right next to it it wont work 10/10. Has anyone got any suggestions before I resort to buying another kit off ebay? :(

[Nova_Tek]

Have you wired up the power wires to the control unit properly, sounds like no power going to it.

[Jeff16v]

Does it have a brand on it? Ie. Search online for help. Was it new from a business or private seller? It the antenna just a wire? Can you open it and post pics of the circuit?

[Christ]

Ok, as it was 3 years ago i bought in on ebay i cant remember the sellers name and i dont have the packaging anymore but it looks identical to this kit;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/REMOTE-CENTRAL-DOOR-LOCKING-KIT-VAUXHALL-NOVA-CORSA-/220559871880?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item335a648f88


Im pretty sure its getting power, as it does work sometimes, unless the earth hasn't got great contact, I will take it direct to the battery tomorrow and see if that solves it.

[Christ]

Yes the antenna is just a red wire about 8" long, The box is a sealed unit but I will try and open it tomorrow and post a picture. cheers lads.

[Christ]

Ok, went out and had another look just now, couldn't wait until tomorrow lol. It definately has 12 volts. I took the box apart and took some photos, the solder looks to be quite tarnished and there is a black spot(arrowed).

http://img195.imagevenue.com/loc437/th_45072_rclpcb_122_437lo.jpg (http://img195.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=45072_rclpcb_122_437lo.jpg)


http://img204.imagevenue.com/loc447/th_45075_rclpcb2_122_447lo.jpg (http://img204.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=45075_rclpcb2_122_447lo.jpg)

[Nova_Tek]

Blown component maybe?

[windfreek]

To be fair, the solder over the IC looks, no pun intended, shocking, was is expensive, cuz id just bin it and start again! if yopu like send me the IC's number and manufactuer and i can tell you how to test that..... and forgive me if i annoy you with this, but is the battery definatly in the right way round within the remote?

[Jeff16v]

It looks terrible mate, has it got damp at some stage?

[Christ]

cheers guys, nope it hasn't got wet its been sat in the house in a cupboard for years. The battery is definately in the right way.

It was just a cheap kit and I don't know wether to get the same again or get a better one like cobra or something. Windfreek I will go and get that number now

[Christ]

ptc is the make and i think this is the numer; pt 2272 - l4

but it also has these codes on it

pc37z
kbmc2

[windfreek]

right here it is

http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g460/windfreek/PNG/77791514.jpg
the red line denotes what should have a live feed, even tho i have labled it as 12v it should only be 5v, check that is live and the black line denotes the ground, if those 2 pins are recieving voltage then check the blue VC out is going live when you press the remote fob, that is the carrier signal to throw the relays,

as to the enlarged portion the pins that look a mess are the "coding" for the system, where i have drawn a orange line can you clarify that the 2 blobs of solder are connected or not, it may have been either a faulty join that should have been connected, or an accidental blob that shouldnt be there, does it have continuity across the pair?

if your IC is recieving voltage then chances are its the coding and may have somthing to do with the dodgysolder blob, but i cant guarantee anything, you could try removing the blob, if theres no joy then try joining it properly again

how the pins work is like a combination lock, if the pins are connected to the ground, then its off, if its connected to the VCC trak then its on

eg pins 1 5 6 are VCC
pins 2 4 GND

so the remote code is 15624, as GND numbers come last its that simple

and unconnected pins like in this example, 3 7 8, will have no value


so your code looks like it should be 62578, have a look in your fob, there may be somthing to refer this back to

hope you have some joy!

[Christ]

Ok mate, i really appreciate this help your giving me. Here is a slightly clearer photo of those solder blobs.
(http://img235.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=01683_rcl3_122_203lo.jpg)
[IMG]http://img235.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=01683_rcl3_122_203lo.jpghttp://img235.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=01683_rcl3_122_203lo.jpg
Those two solder blobs are seperate but I am getting continuity between them. If we use your enlarged shot, i get continuity between all the blobs there except (from the middle row down) blobs 1, 3 and 4. I checked for voltage like you said and I get 4.85 at vcc and 4.85volts at vc out when i press the fob.

It might be worth mentioning that pressing the fob now doesnt seem to do anything, I can hear a faint clicking from the control box when I plug the lead into it but apart from that there are no signs of life.

[Christ]

well there is a little sticker on the back of the fob that says ,00504

[windfreek]

does the 4.8 on VC go off once you select the other button on your remote?

[Christ]

the 4.8 at vc out goes off as soon as i take my finger off the button,

[windfreek]

then the IC and remote are obviously working fine, you just neet to track the VC feed all the way thru to the relays now to find the fault, chances are it'll be a transistor thats goosed,

http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/g460/windfreek/PNG/004bdefc.jpg
the 4 red circles are the feeds to fire the relays, i have paired them with yellow circles so just test the pairs to see if they are getting voltage,

if not then the blue circles denote the trigger transistors, just test them also

[Christ]

ok i will have a look at that tomorrow. thanks buddy.

[Christ]

Ok so i went out and had a look today. the car wouldnt start so the battery is a bit low, I dont think thats anything to do with this problem though.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/824/pcbvolts.jpg/
I have written down the voltages I got, I was just using a rivet on the door for ground, I was expecting to get 5volts but I got 12. Whereas yesterday it wasnt really responding to the key fob today it is working again, but still not from outside the car.

great stuff eh.:confused:

[windfreek]

you will only be getting 5v around the IC as usually thats all they can handle, all the other values look fine, now looking at the RF module, (the bit that sticks out 90' to the main PCB) have you tried taking it out and re-seating it again? and also test the continuity from the tip of the antenna to the point where it is soldered to the RF module to make sure the antenna wire isnt broken... beyond that give up all hope and get a new one lol

[Christ]

Ok, final update. Ordered a new identical kit off ebay, plugged it in and it worked first time! Thanks for all the help! If anyone wants a complete unused central locking kit with a duff control box let me know lol.

[Jeff16v]

Glad you got it sorted

[windfreek]

.......If anyone wants a complete unused central locking kit with a duff control box let me know lol.

i vote you should put a sledge hammer thru the duff one and post the photographic results :thumb: