A retrofit for gen 1 headlight (Not a gen 2 swap) (Page 2/10)
Dukesterpro FEB 07, 09:24 AM
The original holder to my understanding was nylon. Which has a few pros and cons. Nylon is very chemical resistant and temperature resistant. But its flexible and not very strong.

My new ones are 100% ABS. Which is very very strong, good temperature resistance, but can absorb chemicals and be compromised easier. However, since it is going to be in a sealed enclosure that should only ever be exposed to lithium grease, I'm willing to gamble in the long term chemical absorption will be a non issue.

Hopefully, I will have some more info for you soon, I have one field fiero coming back for repairs soon. These headlight assemblies have been operating up until recently in sub zero (-10F at the lowest) temperatures.
zkhennings FEB 07, 12:34 PM
I would definitely be interested in this if pricing is reasonable
Dukesterpro FEB 07, 12:40 PM
My plan is no more than 200 dollars shipped to your door.

Which includes:

-2x 3d printed brush holders with brushes pre-installed and prewired. (4 screws, remove cover plate, pop your old ones out and slip the new ones in).

-1x headlight control module (plug and play after removing the old isolation and motor relays) .

-1x Crossover Harness.

The harness and buttons for the wink effect will be up to the final owner to source since there are multiple ways of going about it. If the desire is high I will see if I can manufacture a custom one that resembles the stock headlight rocker to fill one of the blank panels.


The only thing that would be independently sourced is the gear kit from Rodney Dickman if your headlights are truly borked and in the mean time the button and two wire harness to run the option wink feature.
Dukesterpro FEB 07, 12:43 PM

quote
Originally posted by Dukesterpro:

My plan is no more than 200 dollars shipped to your door.

Which includes:

-2x 3d printed brush holders with brushes pre-installed and prewired. (4 screws, remove cover plate, pop your old ones out and slip the new ones in).

-1x headlight control module (plug and play after removing the old isolation and motor relays) .

-1x Crossover Harness.

The harness and buttons for the wink effect will be up to the final owner to source since there are multiple ways of going about it. If the desire is high I will see if I can manufacture or source a custom one that resembles the stock headlight rocker to fill one of the blank panels.


The only two things that would be independently sourced is the gear kit from Rodney Dickman if your headlights are truly borked. As well as the button and two wire harness to run the optional wink feature. The switch to select the left and right side will be built into the control module.
Wichita FEB 07, 12:46 PM
Is there a need for a wink feature or is this just novelty? Would there be an option for not needing the crossover harness?

zkhennings FEB 07, 02:21 PM
I assume the crossover harness is to hook the control box up to the stock wiring.
Dukesterpro FEB 07, 03:16 PM
Howdy,

For clarification the wink function and the crossover cable are unrelated.

The wink function is a just for fun addition to the controller. I just figured if I am going to write all that code, might as well bake that ability on there since I am doing all the work anyways. It is an extra two wires you have to to hook up only if you want the function, otherwise leave the cap for the plug in place and ignore it.

The cross over cable is what connects the motor on the passenger side to the controller box that sits on the driver side, where the Isolation relay used to be. Since the extra wiring for the old setup isn't needed, you remove the wires going across and secure my new harness in its place. The point of the "crossover harness" being included is that in order for me to define the kit as "drop in" in good faith, is that the end user, you, doesnt have to make any wire harness or figure out any lengths. Just cut out the old and plug in the new.
pmbrunelle FEB 07, 07:18 PM
Would your end-of-travel detection circuit work with a Gen 2 motor? Cardone Gen 2 motors are readily available on Rockauto, and would obviate the need for users to modify Gen 1 motors. It's the Gen 2 electronic black box which is hard to get.

I see that your brush holder is not injection-moldable. 3D-printing offers much more design freedom!

Regarding grease compatibility with plastics, you don't need to gamble. Cover a piece of plastic with grease for two weeks, then see if it has softened, or if the dimensions have changed (before/after). Two weeks is often enough time to make compatibility problems appear, but longer is better.

I'd run a user-replaceable fuse rather than a fusible link. If the fusible link burns, you'll be getting a customer complaint. If a fuse burns, there's a good chance the customer will be able to fix the problem on their own. If you screw up on specifying the fusible link, and need to change the current rating, probably customers would be able to do this in the field. BTW, recalls happen in the automotive world...

I hope the Arduino is well-isolated from the outside world; I assume it wouldn't take kindly to a load dump.

Regarding custom PCBs, if you release Gerber files, people won't be stuck in the future. If you order PCBs through OSHPark, anyone can order (few clicks of a mouse) a PCB that has already been ordered through OSHPark.

3D-printed electronics enclosures are generally not watertight. If you aren't going to have injection-molded plastic, you probably need to fill the enclosure with potting resin.
Dukesterpro FEB 07, 08:21 PM
1.) I would need to get ahold of a Gen 2 motor, my 88GT has one but the hood is currently very frozen shut and won't be able to open for a few more months lol. If they work the way I assume they do. I would say yes. It could work with Gen 2 motors but likely would need a selector switch installed. Are gen 2 headlights 2-wire or 3-wire?

2.) I will go ahead and run the experiment, but with my work in HO models, in which I 3D print truck towers that contain the same grease found in the headlight assembly, I am fairly confident.

3.) Will absolutely go with a replaceable fuse, but will maintain the fusible link to prevent misuse. My major concern is someone installing an overrated fuse and starting a fire which would be a tremendous liability on my end. There will always be a fusible link.

4.) Arduino will be powered through a protected power supply to prevent damage.

5.) A custom PCB is not out of the question, but in the meantime, I am going to stick with the individual components simply due to how easily serviceable they are.

6.) 3d print enclosure should be sufficient as long as the service port is sealed with rtv. Much like the original housing. Previous generations struggled with layer separation. But my modern setup has made fully water-tight boxes that have held up quite well. Additionally, this box does have to be 100 percent watertight, just enough to shield the electronics from splashes. The electronics will be conformally coated for humidity protection. Pottin resin is a sin. I work with Headline ECM motors that use potting resin and solemnly swear I will never ever submit another Fiero owner to such an inhumane experience.

[This message has been edited by Dukesterpro (edited 02-07-2023).]

Patrick FEB 07, 08:27 PM

quote
Originally posted by Dukesterpro:

3.)... My major concern is somewhat installing an overrated fuse and starting a fire which would be a tremendous liability on my end.



Might want to fix that typo.