[DML] Cruise control and LEDs (was NO JOY!)

["Marty Galbreath" <marty@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Well, I have cruise control at long last in my D. After going 
through 2 Audiovox CCS-100s, I gave up and ordered an electric unit 
from Dakota Digital. ($250 OUCH!)

Basically, the two systems are very much alike, the Dakota system is 
USA made and seems a little better quality. And has a speedo encoder 
instead of the magnets and pickup unit. But it did come with one 
important item that the Audiovox didn't have - an ADDENDUM which 
warns that it WILL NOT WORK WITH LED BRAKELIGHTS!!! Of course "I" 
have led brakelights!!! Eureka!

The purple cruise control system wire that ties to the switched 
brakelight signal must see GROUND in the off position to work 
properly, LEDS don't allow enough current to flow to properly ground 
the wire, since they are DIODES. Duh!  Using LED brakelights 
requires inserting a relay to switch between +12V and GROUND for the 
purple wire. This is really simple to do...(if you know you need to 
do it in the first place). Simply wire the relay coil to ground and 
the brakelight signal, hook the purple wire to the common, 
unswitched +12V to the Normally open post, Ground also to the 
normally closed post. Now when you press the brake, the relay will 
go from ground to +12V on the purple wire of the cruise control.

This adventure has cost me a lot of cash, but I hope my lesson will 
help all you folks who have LEDS and try to install cruise. 

Cruising to Houston tomorrow...

Marty Galbreath
#03765






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