Okay I installed power windows and locks, although Im having a hard time getting a power source for them.. First pulled power from a constant 12 relay in the engine fuse box, didnt work because window lights would kill battery, and then pulled power from hot when on wire in the side dash from abs, although the fuse blew. I want a wire already under the dash that is only hot when the car is on.. Please help..
for the locks you want 12V contant or else they won't work unless the car is on... sorta defeats the whole purpose of power locks.
for the windows, what year is your car? you can use an existing ignition 3 power source thats under the kick panel on the driver side (assuming its 2000 or newer).
the window light wire needs to be tied in with your headlights somewhere, you should have constant power for your locks as PJ stated, and your windows can be switched by using a fuse tap/add a circuit on any 12v switched fuse from the fusebox, you can use the ACC fuse, or the windshield wiper fuse is another popular one. I would try to use the radio wire if I was you, its not going to be the same as factory, but you will have the added luxury of being able to roll your windows down while in ACC position, normally you can only run windows from on/run position.
A lot of people really underestimate how much amperage those window motors draw... I would hook up their power source to a good switched ignition source like PJ said with a fuse inline that is appropriate for power windows.
As stated above the illumination lights need to be hooked up to the headlights illumination hotwire (you can snag this at the dimmer switch if you want) and the power locks need constant 12v.
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Slowly but surely may some day win this race...
Ooooh thats another thing. windows do take alot of power, I would use a relay then. use any 12v power source then a switched source to trigger the relay.
Jordan wrote:Ooooh thats another thing. windows do take alot of power, I would use a relay then. use any 12v power source then a switched source to trigger the relay.
massively overcomplicating a simple matter.
the best part about the wire I'm TRYING to tell this person to use, is it IS the existing power window 12V source.
It even uses the power window fuse spot in the fuse box on the driver side of the dash.
All J-bodies have it, but if your car didn't have power windows the power source goes to a blank spot on the connector that mates to it. Its as simple as finding the wire, cutting it, and running it to the window switches.
This is how I wired up the SPAL window kit in my car... popped in an appropriate sized fuse, and bam. Power windows that work when the ignition is in the run/acc position only.
^^^Thats a useful bit of info *Runs off to strip a J-body of its window parts*
Great info indeed. Along those lines I might as well mention that my base model cavalier had a plug for the third brake light of the LS sport spoiler. When I had the spolier installed I was pleasently surprised to find out there was connection already waiting for it. This is a good example of why even though you may have the 'base-est of base models' you should give a look. You never know what might already be sitting there ready to make your life easier.
Wow, so I was not emailed that I recieved responses to this, and I just happen to come back to my post about this. By the way, I already was using the constant 12v power for the power locks, cause yeah, they need constant power haha.. Although for the windows, it was a universal cheap kit from ebay, and just installed it, looks great, tested it with the constant power, it works, everything.. Recently I actually did think about the power windows power wire that GM already provided for my car (its hooked up with my sunroof, and yes I have a sunroof but no power windows) but I have no idea which wire this could be.. The ECM and fuse box on the side of the dash is very compact and all the wires are tangled and coverred up. Now just which wire to take for the power window kit? Thanks everyone.
And btw, there is only one (1) red power wire for the power window kit, nothing that goes two ways so the switches can light up when the i turn my headlights on. Whenever the windows are given power, the switchs stay on constantly, thats why i could not use the constant 12v source, it would drain my battery.. :/
