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Interest in a One-Touch Convertible button?

highlow

By highlow
in 986 Series (Boxster, Boxster S)

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33 members have voted

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highlow Member

highlow

Posted
Posted

Would you guys be interested in a one-touch button to put the top up or down?

I know there are some products already out there like this but the least expensive one is around $150.

The only function of this product would be to able to press the Top-Up or Top-Down button once and have the top do it's thing. No operation while moving ( you can do that with the pin 18 mid if you really want to). It would be for the 996 Cab and 986.

So the question is:

Would you buy this, and if so, how much would you like to pay for it?

sliderr Member

sliderr

Posted
Posted (edited)

Would you buy this, and if so, how much would you like to pay for it?

I would buy it when the price was around 100 USD, but it is around 2.5 times more expensieve here in Europe !

Edited by sliderr
  • Upvote 1
highlow Member

highlow

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Would you buy this, and if so, how much would you like to pay for it?

I would buy it when the price was around 100 USD, but it is around 2.5 times more expensieve here in Europe !

Thanks for your reply sliderr. I'm trying to build a company and your response is exactly what I need more of.

So the cheapest alternative would be around 250 USD?! Couldn't you buy one online from a company based in the US and pay around 150 USD? or is that too expensive?

sliderr Member

sliderr

Posted
Posted

So the cheapest alternative would be around 250 USD?! Couldn't you buy one online from a company based in the US and pay around 150 USD? or is that too expensive?

:)

If I could buy it for 100 USD including p&p i would buy it direct when it has the " one touch open " function .. and i can use it when the car drives untill 35 mph.. :king:

  • Upvote 1
highlow Member

highlow

Posted
  • Author
Posted

So the cheapest alternative would be around 250 USD?! Couldn't you buy one online from a company based in the US and pay around 150 USD? or is that too expensive?

:)

If I could buy it for 100 USD including p&p i would buy it direct when it has the " one touch open " function .. and i can use it when the car drives untill 35 mph.. :king:

Would you buy it if it was 100 USD including p&p but only had the one-touch open/close function? (not the operation while moving function? you can do this hack yourself for free)

jibbles44 Member

jibbles44

Posted
Posted

So were talking about saving the 15 seconds or so it takes to hold the button while its opening/closing? If the switched looked good Id say it would be worth $100, Id buy.

  • Upvote 2
highlow Member

highlow

Posted
  • Author
Posted

So were talking about saving the 15 seconds or so it takes to hold the button while its opening/closing? If the switched looked good Id say it would be worth $100, Id buy.

Exactly. The switch would be the same switch, but you would only have to touch it once. Would you be interested in a new different color switch?

1schoir Member

1schoir

Posted
Posted

So were talking about saving the 15 seconds or so it takes to hold the button while its opening/closing? If the switched looked good Id say it would be worth $100, Id buy.

Exactly. The switch would be the same switch, but you would only have to touch it once. Would you be interested in a new different color switch?

Would this switch have a cut-off function built in that would stop the electric motor from continuing to be energized in the event of a malfunction (such as increased resistance due to a broken component)?

If the top continues to operate when, for example, one of the inner cables breaks or "retracts", then the first part that is almost guaranteed to be damaged is the clamshell, which would end up severely "tweaked". After that, there is the possibility of breaking plastic ball cups and/or parts of the frame. The frame is made of magnesium and the components are VERY pricey.

Regards, Maurice.

  • Upvote 1
highlow Member

highlow

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Would this switch have a cut-off function built in that would stop the electric motor from continuing to be energized in the event of a malfunction (such as increased resistance due to a broken component)?

If the top continues to operate when, for example, one of the inner cables breaks or "retracts", then the first part that is almost guaranteed to be damaged is the clamshell, which would end up severely "tweaked". After that, there is the possibility of breaking plastic ball cups and/or parts of the frame. The frame is made of magnesium and the components are VERY pricey.

Regards, Maurice.

This is something I hadn't considered.

Does the stock system have this cut-off function?

pk2 Member

pk2

Posted
Posted (edited)

Like an electric window…

I Researched this quite a bit sometime ago. Basically what you want is the equivalent of a contemporary electric window circuit which addresses all the issues Maurice mentioned and maybe more. (reverse on interference detection, a stop on full close and open, A one hit button etc.

Just so happens you can buy a retrofit electric window system controller on ebay ($40 (?) that serves all these functions. The differences are probably all hack-able if that's what you do. You could also get one from a junk yard that does everything we all want with our tops (above) and reverse engineer it with the following tweaks:

1) Over-come the resistance feedback, A top drains a lot more than a window

2) The " throw" distance, as I recall, would need to run about twice as long as a window (a lot less than you would think).

3) More I can recall.

Hope that helps, regards, pk

BTW: Mike, Your link is dead I think.

Edited by pk2
  • Upvote 1
highlow Member

highlow

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Like an electric window…

I Researched this quite a bit sometime ago. Basically what you want is the equivalent of a contemporary electric window circuit which addresses all the issues Maurice mentioned and maybe more. (reverse on interference detection, a stop on full close and open, A one hit button etc.

Just so happens you can buy a retrofit electric window system controller on ebay ($40 (?) that serves all these functions. The differences are probably all hack-able if that's what you do. You could also get one from a junk yard that does everything we all want with our tops (above) and reverse engineer it with the following tweaks:

1) Over-come the resistance feedback, A top drains a lot more than a window

2) The " throw" distance, as I recall, would need to run about twice as long as a window (a lot less than you would think).

3) More I can recall.

Hope that helps, regards, pk

BTW: Mike, Your link is dead I think.

It most certainly does help! Did you end up doing what you described?

Thanks for your input!

pk2 Member

pk2

Posted
Posted

To be honest I got hung up on bullets 1 and 2 .I just didn't have time to figure out electric window setup and how I could jack it around to accomplish what it needs to do. It's not far off. I am cofident that understanding one and having the ability to hack it a bit you would be set.

Regards, PK

  • Upvote 1
highlow Member

highlow

Posted
  • Author
Posted

To be honest I got hung up on bullets 1 and 2 .I just didn't have time to figure out electric window setup and how I could jack it around to accomplish what it needs to do. It's not far off. I am cofident that understanding one and having the ability to hack it a bit you would be set.

Regards, PK

Ahh I see. That's the problem that I'm trying to fix, it can be done the cheap do it yourself way, but it's complicated and takes too much work. Most people don't want to go through that.

Thanks again for your response.

brucenoah1956 Member

brucenoah1956

Posted
Posted

Thanks, but speaking just for me, no interest in buying a one touch. Boxster top is already much faster than my friend's 3 series BMW. I'll just hold the button down for the few seconds it takes and keep $ in my pocket for other mods/repairs.

  • Upvote 1
  • 4 weeks later...
highlow Member

highlow

Posted
  • Author
Posted

2nd prototype worked as planned but the fitting was not perfect. 3rd Prototype should be ready in another couple of weeks.

  • 2 months later...
sliderr Member

sliderr

Posted
Posted

Testing the 4th prototype on the 3rd or 4th of January! Should be the last one before production!

What are the improvements you made ? and when are you shipping?

highlow Member

highlow

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Testing the 4th prototype on the 3rd or 4th of January! Should be the last one before production!

What are the improvements you made ? and when are you shipping?

I have not seen this new prototype in person yet so I can't yet say the size is an improvement until I know it fits perfectly. Other than that we are using some different electronic components but none of those details really matter to the user.

I can't say when I am shipping until I have the ready product in hand, but I'll be sure to let everyone here know!!

mikefocke Member

mikefocke

Posted
Posted

While I have the functions advertised, beware before you buy if your top has even the slightest need for the chop in order to bend right. All it takes is one use of the one touch and you can put a hole in the plastic. Been there, done that. So don't make it too easy so that you are reminded to do the chop.

Anyone know of a good top shop in the Raleigh NC area? Or an '03-04 top with frame available for a decent price.

dghii Member

dghii

Posted
Posted

I love the idea of a one-touch switch but....

...the plastic back window in by 2000 S is happiest when I put the top half way down and 'chop' the window so it does not crease. Hence, a one-touch wouldn't currently do me any good.

i did do the pin 18 hack last summer and am very happy with it.

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