new method for sleepy eye???

[struckinc]

i know this subject has been beaten to death but mostly about doing the free mod...i would rather making it easier than tapping a button to realign my headlights.i would like to be able to close them normally but open them up to sleepy eye...i have a projector kit and hid installed so i dont want it to open all of the way ever.....kit was made for sleepy eye but i would like to close it sometimes..but any way i was playing on ebay like usual and i came across this ............http://cgi.ebay.com/PIVOT-Pop-up-He...1QQcmdZViewItem

i was reading their install instructions and it hit me..why couldnt we use justa standard volume knob from radio shack to adjust the voltage to the motor from the timer? wouldnt that work the same as this 96 dollar "kit"..they even slip up in the instructions and refer to it as a volume adjust....you can buy a potentiometer, "volume adjust ", from radio shack for like 3 bucks..and this companys install instructions even tells you how to hook it up? any input on this? thoughts? problems with this? let me know what yall think?

[Toshima]

I think you should try it and let me know so I can do it.

[sr20-thoj]

i would like to know also.

[titanium240]

Sounds like a stroke of genius to me, try it out, it'll save the whole community bookoo bucks, and put those pivot controler manufacturers outta buisness!

[e_c]

i found this on another forum, i might also give this a try in the coming weeks, if i do i will include pics

Factory headlight position is controlled by a 'timer' circuit behind the driver side footwell (passenger side on JDM 180sx's). Basically the unit controls down movement only!!! If you unplug the unit you can still raise your lights but not lower them (probably designed as a safety feature if the timer unit ever failed)

The pink wire on the timer loom is 0v when the lights are down and 12v when the lights are up. After being open, the factory timer unit keeps this wire at +12v until the lights retract - the unit then cuts the power keeping them down.

The pivot unit intercepts this pink wire signal after a time determined by a potentiometer of some kind. So when the dial is at 80% the pivot unit cuts the power after 20% of the factory timer period - keeping the lights at 80% open.

This is exactly the same as the cheap-as DYI method of installing a manual switch and flicking it when the lights are at a certain point. I believe the pivot timer uses a standard 555 timer chip and a BJT amp with a potentiometer to make a variable time delay switch.

Incidently the pivot timer doesnt always work perfectly - it seems to set the lights at different heights from what you set the dial at. It will take some time to work out the quirks. The manual popup button next to the steering column also seems to screw with the settings.

[struckinc]

what i was thinking of doing is since the timer controls voltage for a set time...what if we intercept the voltage from the timer and lower it...basically with a pot in line the motor will run the same time but at a lower voltage...i.e. slower.....slower rotation for the same amount of time means it doesnt get as far up..or down depending on what circuit you put it on....correct??

[ghettoslide]

I believe what your looking for is a rheostat. It will work, but what your talking about controls the amount of voltage that goes through not shut off points. Yes your lights will go up and down as fast or as slow as you want them to, but they will not stop anywhere except fully up or fully down.

[struckinc]

not really..the headlight timer determines when the motor stops...if you intercept the voltage from the headlight relay and install a volume knob(or pot.) then the timer will still tell the headlight motor to operate for the preprogrammed time...but since you cut thevoltage down then the motor is turning slower..when the timer tells it to stop turning then it wont be as high as when full voltage is applied for the same time