Not sure where else to put this post because it's related to installing additional accessories in my vehicle. It's probably a stupid question, but I've found no details searching here, Google, HowStuffWorks, etc.
Battery Rundown Protection is a feature now on most new cars for existing circuits (interior lights, cargo light, etc.). Of course it shuts off power to the circuit still draining power after a specified timeframe, 10 minutes by example.
I'm not sure what the manufacturers use, or how it's done. This would seem to be a great thing to add to any battery operated device I want to add to my truck, but other than tying a relay into an existing BRP'd circuit, what can be done to mimic the end result? Anyone have a link or two for research, or is this a simple explanation type of thing? I'm assuming it's probably part "microprocessor" based, or some sort of thermal breaker. Otherwise these type of timers would be easy to find/buy.

Never mind, misread your posthttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley9.gif You want a timer. I'm sure they make something. I would talk to or wait for blueox or maxpower to chime in. they are hip on the wiring and stereo type stuff and probably have something in mind. I was talking about a box that cuts power to the vehicle based on voltage hitting a certian level





You can buy little boxes that do this. Auto zone or napa or the like may have em? Great idea in theory. I dont know if its the brand that we use or the cars eat em or what bet in practice they are one of the biggest POSes I have ever encountered.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley7.gif First off I think in the 3 co cars that have em we have replaced each box at least once. Second I can count how many times the little F-ers haven’t worked and the battery died anyway or the little bastards killed it? between 3 cars it is a common occurance for none of them to start. Still don’t know and the garage refuses to take em off and keep replacing em. Even shut off the car once to get fuel and the little f-er when beserk.<O:P></O:P>
I don’t know what the deal is….if it’s the cars eating em, the brand or what but I am convinced that as God was resting on the 7th day the devil was busy making tomatoes, inventing dancing, and coming up with the “battery saver”. http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley7.gif

JMO and expereincehttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley23.gif<O:P></O:P>


Edited by: ratlover

Keith,



Depends on how your car's electrical system works. These trucks
electrical systems are controlled by relays driven by grounding the
appropriate circuit from the ECM or BCM. If you want a light to
go on, the power is always supplied, and it gets turned on by
connecting the other end of the circuit to ground, voila, light.
That minimizes the power dissipated by the circuits. If you want
to add a timer to a particular circuit, you can do some stuff with
capacitors, resistors, and relays to make a manual timer. After
power is shut off, the capacitor is tripped and slowly drains through
the resistor, which, after your calculated amount of time, will open
the relay coil and remove power from your circuit. Should be
fairly easy to do.



Dennis