Convertible top hack; Disable speed and handbrake overrides?

[pk2]

Hello,

I’d like to do 2 things with my top.

1, Disable the speed restriction for operating the top.

2, I’d like to disable the handbrake requirement (I’m just not that lame).

Surely someone’s done a hack like that,. Anybody now of a thread? Or done it? (I’ve searched allover, can’t be that complicated)

Thanks, PK

[1schoir]

Hello,

I’d like to do 2 things with my top.

1, Disable the speed restriction for operating the top.

2, I’d like to disable the handbrake requirement (I’m just not that lame).

Surely someone’s done a hack like that,. Anybody now of a thread? Or done it? (I’ve searched allover, can’t be that complicated)

Thanks, PK

PK:

Do a search on the PPBB archives, and enter a search for posts by Pedro, then select "by username". He revisited this hack about 3 months ago, and it was super simple.

If you can't find it, post again and I will look for it.

Regards, Maurice.

[Stefan]

You're posting in the wrong forum. The 987 cars come with this feature so there is no need to hack it. This post should be moved to the 986 forum.

See here for discussion on the topic (and the solutions from me and from Pedro):

http://www.ppbb.com/boards/ppbbphp/showfla...rue#Post1209738

Here is a picture of what Pedro did:

[mikefocke]

The easy way is to look here

http://mike.focke.googlepages.com/onetouchtopcontrol

[Stefan]

Mike's website is generally excellent. But there is a bunch of important information in the PPBB thread that is not on his page. I recommend you read both.

[Wret]

I taped over the relay pin as has been suggested elsewhere. Leaving the e-brake unhacked requires engagement of the brake at lease one click but retains a modicum of safety.

Edited September 27, 2007 by Wret

[Stefan]

I have had the e-brake requirement removed for about 6 years with no problems. When you're putting the top down, manual unlatching of the top is required so there is no issue. When you are putting the top up, there is a good 6 or more seconds after you press the button (with the top operation warning light being on) before there could be a problem even at high speeds. And unless you have one of the one touch operation hacks also, this is time during which someone has to be holding the top button.

In other words, I don't think that removing the e-brake requirement is unsafe at all. In fact, I would argue that a procedure that requires you to pull up the parking brake while driving is much more dangerous. YMMV

[LowFlyR]

I have been thinking about doing this for months. Lazy, uh? Actually I totally forgot it. This thread remained me again, so I walked to the garage, opened the door, pulled the relay, found the pin #18, bent it down, put the relay back, went for around the block test drive. Everything OK, windows work as they should, total time 4-5 min. :renntech:

Edited September 30, 2007 by LowFlyR

[pk2]

Thanks All,

I apparently didn’t subscribe to my own post and missed all of yours. Your info is great, big help.

Regards, PK

[gaoo]

hi all!

done the #18 pin bent, done the #15 grounded

everything works fine, except the parking brake light stays on all the time. have i done something wrong?

[Stefan]

You know that you have to disconnect the wire from the back of pin 15 before you ground it, right?

[mikefocke]

I'm not aware

of any one-touch hacks for the 986 top control switch other than commercial relay replacements. Can you point out something to me?

And can you be more specific about what you found not on my top control web page that should be included. I'd be glad to add all the information we can gather so the page could be of more use.

I do try to add to the pages anything I learn is perusing the forums, being a believer in the collective wisdom.

[gaoo]

You know that you have to disconnect the wire from the back of pin 15 before you ground it, right?

oh? I dont know that :o

would u explain to me in detail please?

I just grounded pin 15 without doing anything else, hope i didnt get into any trouble

[Stefan]

You didn't cause any problems. You grounded the wire that turns on the brake light, that's all.

You want to ground pin 15, but not the wire that connects to it through the back of the relay panel.

This is done by either by bending the pin (and connecting a ground to the bent pin) or by pulling the handbrake wire from the back of the relay panel and putting a grounded wire in its place.

I did the latter because I wanted it to be completely reversible.

[gaoo]

You didn't cause any problems. You grounded the wire that turns on the brake light, that's all.

You want to ground pin 15, but not the wire that connects to it through the back of the relay panel.

This is done by either by bending the pin (and connecting a ground to the bent pin) or by pulling the handbrake wire from the back of the relay panel and putting a grounded wire in its place.

I did the latter because I wanted it to be completely reversible.

many thanks stefan!

problem solved

just one more question: by doing this, the brake light wont turn on when engage the parking brake in full, right?

[Stefan]

You're welcome.

Everything else should work perfectly. There is still a separate wire that goes from the handbrake switch to the cluster to indicate that the parking brake is on. So when you pull up the parking brake, the light should still come on.

[pk2]

Back to my original hack idea & mikes reference to the “smartTOP” relay replacement, my beef with that is that It’s $300. A standard power window controller cost about $25… exact same logic & functionality. Though the smart top is a wonderfully clean install and probably works perfect, I’d just feel like I’d be paying 2 bucks a gallon for bottled tap water (…oh wait, we do)

The only reason I haven’t got the soldering iron out and hacked one these window controllers is that the only detailed description I found for one states that the safety function includes stopping the window automatically after 6 seconds.

Another safety function (I.E. for closing it on you babies head in the top or something) is facilitated by switching of and reversing when a certain power/current draw exceeds a limit. Presumably the window controller will “learn” the normal current draw but, those little Boxster motors draw an elluva lot of current, Don’t know if it would over load the controller learning capacity.

Any way, I’m also still stuck with my “top” lidiot ight permanently on (top up or down) plus the top doesn’t stop till I let my finger of the button.

Thanks all for the continued input,

PK

[Stefan]

Are you replying to the correct thread? I don't remember your mentioning the convertible top light being on.

In any case, that is caused by a problem with the switch (or wiring to/from it) that senses the clamshell down position. If you raise the clamshell, you can see the switch in the middle right under the back of the clamshell. Try playing with the switch to see if the light flickers. It is easy to replace the switch if that's the problem. But if you have been monkeying with the wiring at the convertible top relay, you probably disconnected the wire from this switch and you just need to reconnect it.

[mikefocke]

Read the smarttopp docs on the development of the

replacement relay and you'll see there is more to it than just soldering. Come custom engineering of some logic circuits. And the reason it costs so much compared to a "normal" relay is it sells in such low volume. Got to amortize the development costs over the expected units-sold. 200 a year or 30,000 a year makes a difference.

I have one, like it. Bought used.

[eVoMotion]

I just pulled the relay, taped the #18pin and replaced. Click the e-brake one click and it works.

[saaber]

I just pulled the relay, taped the #18pin and replaced. Click the e-brake one click and it works.

ditto that. i just scotch taped it and it was fast, easy, and works great.