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Flashing Dummy Alarm LED.
Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 10:32 pm
by dandemann8
Good evening out there in Bongoland, having not fitted an alarm/immobiliser to my Bongo I was thinking of fitting a dummy flashing LED for a visual deterrent for starters but I have a couple of questions regarding how would this work as I don't know anything about wiring electrics

, and how would it effect my battery
Any advice would be most welcome.
Cheers
Duncan.
Re: Flashing Dummy Alarm LED.
Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 10:35 pm
by dave_aber
Just spend £50 on an Aldi stereo!
Re: Flashing Dummy Alarm LED.
Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 10:38 pm
by Doone
Why?

Are they the ones where there's a flashing LED when you remove the face plate?
Re: Flashing Dummy Alarm LED.
Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 10:40 pm
by stilldesperate
Hi,
Places like Maplins do flashing LED's, the old way was that you had to put a resistor in the circuit, to limit the current, but I think they work across 12v ok now.
All you would need is an LED, and the ability to solder a couple of leads onto the legs - they have to be the right way round, they usually have a "flat" moulded into them, this is the negative side.
I'll post a link to some LEDs in a mo
SD
Re: Flashing Dummy Alarm LED.
Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 10:46 pm
by stilldesperate
Maplins do a "dummy" security LED, click
HERE
The current drain is minimal, you could run it for months before your battery drained.
You've a Maplins in S0T, 01782 749947
SD
Re: Flashing Dummy Alarm LED.
Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 10:46 pm
by daveblueozzie
Re: Flashing Dummy Alarm LED.
Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 10:50 pm
by dandemann8
Thanks gents, now just gotta wire the thing in when I get one
Forgot all about Maplins, that will be my first stop tomorrow.
Thanks again.
Re: Flashing Dummy Alarm LED.
Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 10:50 pm
by kawasaki kid
All you need is to find a permanent live from under the dash and take the feed for the led from that and put the wire from the other side of the led to earth - simple electrickery me thinks

- an led will draw next to nothing off the battery so you will have no problems thats why they are use in alarms / immobilisers , radios etc as a visual deterent.

Re: Flashing Dummy Alarm LED.
Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 10:51 pm
by dave_aber
Why?

Are they the ones where there's a flashing LED when you remove the face plate?
Yes. Unless they have locked up, and then the LED doesn't flash until you reset them.....

Re: Flashing Dummy Alarm LED.
Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 10:51 pm
by hembramacho
Why don't you just fit an alarm/immobiliser. You get a visual deterrant, plus an audible alarm and even if that isn't enough, the immobiliser means it aint going anywhere.

Plus anyone on this forum now knows that your flashing LED is just a dummy!
Andrew
Re: Flashing Dummy Alarm LED.
Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 10:54 pm
by dandemann8
Re: Flashing Dummy Alarm LED.
Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 10:57 pm
by dandemann8
hembramacho wrote:Why don't you just fit an alarm/immobiliser. You get a visual deterrant, plus an audible alarm and even if that isn't enough, the immobiliser means it aint going anywhere.

Plus anyone on this forum now knows that your flashing LED is just a dummy!
Andrew
Yes this is just a temp measure untill I can get my alarm/immobilisor fitted.
Re: Flashing Dummy Alarm LED.
Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 11:00 pm
by Tony C
Re: Flashing Dummy Alarm LED.
Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 11:02 pm
by stilldesperate
Good point, dandeman. A permanent live will flash all the time, which is distracting at night if it's in your line-of-sight.
Easiest is to place the LED where you can't see it, but I'm liking the Aldi (?) cheap radio idea!
SD
Re: Flashing Dummy Alarm LED.
Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 11:02 pm
by g8dhe
dandemann8 wrote:I take it when I find the permanent live and all is wired up right it will only flash when the ignition is off
Nope a permanent live will mean it will flash all the time! I don't think that there is a line available that only goes to 12 volts when the ignition is off either. You might be better wiring the Flashing LED across the actual Ignition switch, the few milliamps it draws is unlikely to affect anything else. Which vehicle and year do you have, I'll check the diagrams ?