Chris W

If anyone is interested I have ONE CatStart circuit left over from a batch of 20 I have just made for various club members. The CatStart is a one (big red) button device which operates IGNITION ON, IGNITION OFF and STARTING all from the one button. ie: no separate ignition switch is needed. Your immobiliser is totally unaffected by the use of this circuit. Operation is as follows, from ignition OFF: 1st push = ignition ON 2nd push (held down for 1 second) = starter motor ON for as long as the button is held down 3rd push (and release immediately) = ignition OFF With the ignition ON, the circuit will recognise a push-and-immediate-release as an ignition OFF command and a push-and-hold-down as a START command. There is also a jumper option inside which means that the circuit requires a 3 second hold of the button initially (instead of instantaneously) to switch the ignition ON, in order to provide additional security if desired. The OFF and START functions are unaffected by this jumper. Fitting is very straightforward and very detailed instructions are included. Replaces any currently installed key and or button start system. First to shout gets it. Price is £68 + £5 p&p or collect from my home if geographically feasible (Bedfordshire) Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

If anyone is interested I have ONE CatStart circuit left over from a batch of 20 I have just made for various club members. The CatStart is a one (big red) button device which operates IGNITION ON, IGNITION OFF and STARTING all from the one button. ie: no separate ignition switch is needed. Your immobiliser is totally unaffected by the use of this circuit. Operation is as follows, from ignition OFF: 1st push = ignition ON 2nd push (held down for 1 second) = starter motor ON for as long as the button is held down 3rd push (and release immediately) = ignition OFF With the ignition ON, the circuit will recognise a push-and-immediate-release as an ignition OFF command and a push-and-hold-down as a START command. There is a jumper option inside which will require a 3 second hold of the button initially to switch the ignition ON to provide additional security if desired. The OFF and START functions are unaffected by this jumper. Fitting is very straightforward and very detailed instructions are included. First to shout gets it. Price is £68 + £5 p&p or collect from my home if geographically feasible (Bedfordshire) Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here Edited by - Chris W on 31 May 2006 16:06:46

There will be no voltage drop over the switch so either method is fine for charging. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Providing you use a suitable in-line fuse for safety, there's no problem electrically. I have no experience of whether this would meet track day rules or not though. Better check with someone who knows, ie: track days may require TOTAL isolation. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Mark In that case if Angus isn't a wasted spark (!) then the tacho must be set up for 2 cylinders rather than 4. There MUST be a switch somewhere on it - surely? Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Hi Angus Something's awry here. For the rev counter to read double the rpm, it would have to be expecting a "normal" ignition pulse count but actually receiving twice as many pulses from your engine ie: your engine must be "wasted spark" and the tacho "normal" and not the other way round as you imply in your post (unless I'm interpreting what you're saying incorrectly). It sounds like the tacho is the wrong one if there are no switches on it. I could build a circuit for you which divided the pulses by a factor of two, but it's probably easier and cheaper to get the tacho swapped out for the correct version. Strange that it is marked "EU3" though as EU3 is wasted spark. I can only assume the tacho is incorrectly marked? Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Chris An in-line fuse wired directly to the battery is fine. If you only want to run your GPS, then a 1 amp fuse will be perfect. If you want to run, say, a battery charger through it then use a 10 amp fuse. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Angus Check the Caerbont (the manufacturer) site for the switch settings on the tacho. There are 6 tiny switches to set on the back of the tacho. The website is here Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

I just measured the resistance between my ignition lead and ground (with the ignition OFF) and its only 40 ohms. If it's about the same for your car, then this means you could connect a buzzer directly between the sidelight feed wire (usually RED) and the ignition wire (usually WHITE). You need to use a buzzer that only works one way round (ie: it has a + and a - lead). Connect the + side to the sidelight feed and the - side to the ignition wire. If the ignition is ON and lights OFF, the buzzer is effectively connected the wrong way round and won't buzz. If the ignition and sidelights are both ON, there is the same voltage on both sides of the buzzer and it won't buzz. However, if the sidelights are ON and the ignition is OFF, then the buzzer has 9 volts across it and will buzz. (see below for why it's 9v and not 12v)* A suitable (and very cheap buzzer) can be obtained from Maplin on the webpage here *The effective resistance of this buzzer is around 120 ohms, so if the resistance to ground is 40 ohms the total resistance is 160 ohms. The buzzer will therefore have 120/160 x 12 volts across it = 9 volts. So the buzzer will not be at full volume but it's cheap enough to try at only 99 pence! If the reistance of your ignition lead to ground is much more than 40 ohms I would guess that the buzz volume will be reduced too much. In that case, buy the 6 volt version of the same buzzer at £1.49 Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here Edited by - Chris W on 26 May 2006 00:28:53

Ray Maplin or Farnell - you can order from both on-line. Obviously, replacing the indicator switch with a momentary switch on its own is no good without some kind of timer behind it and a means of manually cancelling which is what my CatFlash circuit does with, in addition, momentary switches on the steering wheel (fixed or Q/R version). Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

OK, I have worked out a way to incorporate the "auto-cancel by steering wheel position" into the existing CatFlash circuit. I don't want to penalise the existing CatFlash users by redesigning the circuit (which would be the easiest course) but unfair to those people who have already bought. The way I intend to do it doesn't require the existing microprocessor to be reprogrammed so existing users can simply add some external components. I will offer it as an upgrade kit in about a month as I have a lot of other circuits to build at the moment (mainly "CatStarts") Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Colin's on the ball. A hall sensor with magnets on the steering column is a good idea. I guess one would need 2 magnets on the steering column to provide a "reference" and a "I have turned" point. Chris PS: Mike: re speed input. As I said above, it's not the circuitry, it's the fitting by "non-electronics" people at home. However, I will think about the Hall sensor idea a bit as usually there are always one or two elephant traps to sink you, just when you think you've got it sussed! 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Ref the desired list: My CatFlash design can do all the above actually except No. 5, but I offer it currently with No. 1 based on time only and with No. 4 inhibited because every 7 already has a hazard system and for the number of times we use it, the additional circuit cost (in very small quantities) is not worth it. No.5 is already taken care of by the Caterham flasher unit, which actually is a very sophisticated electronic unit and not a "clockwork" version. (Maybe it was many years ago - I don't know). The flasher incorporates a very clever integrated circuit which handles all the functionality required by that unit including load sensing. The problem with having a unit based on speed or even revs, (viz: if you're idling at traffic lights the idle revs will tell the indicator unit NOT to switch off) is not one of design - it's fairly straightforward to design and is very similar to the design used by my gear shift lights (CatShift). The problem is one of the fitting of the unit by people at home. Connecting to the indicators is one thing, but connecting to the speedo or tacho can cause a number of interface issues. With the large number of variants of these two instruments and wasted vs normal spark ignition and dizzie vs electronic ignition, it is not worth doing in small quantities for the amount of design work and testing required to ensure the design will function with ANY instrument and/or any ignition system while trying to achieve a reasonable market price. If I thought I could sell say 100-200 units as opposed to the couple of dozen that I sell of each type normally then it might be worthwhile but otherwise it's not economically viable for me. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Do give my best to Neil next time you speak to him (my full name is Chris Wyles - the club is/was the Leighton Buzzard R/C Club). I haven't seen him for about 6 or 7 years now. Glad to see from his website that he appears to be thriving. It's a small world! With your board assember, can you give him just a circuit design or do you need to layout the SMT board yourself and he literally just assembles it? What kind of minimum quantities does he need? What are the tool-up costs etc etc? I would love to produce some of my Cat circuits in quantity which I certainly can't do myself in terms of time available and cost of production. Maybe we could link up and you expand into car cicuits too? I have a number of designs. Cheers Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Geez Colin, I see what you mean. You are in the wrong business!!! For the Heli Rotor Lock at a fully distributed price of £45, that means you must have to build it for about £7 to get the kind of manufacturing margins you need. And I bet you only have a market of a few hundred rather than thousands. Do you asemble your own circuits in-house or farm them out? Why do you have to have an end price so low? Is there lots of AsiaPac cpmpetion or is that the highest price the market will bear? R/C flying kit is usually not cheap especially helicopters. Coincidentally, I used to be an avid R/C fixed-wing flyer until I started flying the real thing (single engine & gliders). I haven't flown R/C for about 7 years now although I still have all my R/C planes and equipment. The Club to which I belonged included Neil Tidey, the designer and owner of "Laser Engines" whose 4-stroke engines power most of the winning world champion R/C models these days. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Colin A simple timed-out self-cancelling indicator switch is very easy to design and build. This is how I assume the Westfield version operates. My CatFlash circuit however, utilises a microprocessor with specially written software to facilitate all the many options and functions. Being fair on Westfield, they are not going to sell thousands of these units, perhaps a couple of hundred at most, so their costs have to be amortised over a very small production run. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

This is similar to my "CatFlash" design, which quite a few Club members have, although the Westfield one is dash mounted only. The Westfield catalogue doesn't appear to give any details other than it is self-cancelling (after a preset time). Just for comparison, my CatFlash unit can be dash or steering-wheel mounted (Q/R or fixed wheel), has user settable self-cancelling times or may be reset by a second push of the indicator button. Further a left turn, say, followed by an immediate right turn does not need the left indicators to be cancelled first, as switching on the opposite indicator switches off the first side automatically. It also incorporates a buzzer which can be selected on or off. The CatFlash is priced at £68. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Connect one lead to ground and the other to the tacho input (you can scrape off a tiny piece of insulation from the tacho lead to get a connection). The reading you get will be your actual rpm x 2 because you have a wasted spark system. My multimeter has the same functionality and it works for me. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

I have now bought the components for the people who have ordered the "CatStart" circuit. (All the ON,OFF and START functions combined in one simple button). Because of the quantities and price breaks involved, I have enough components left over for about another 6 of these circuits. If you would like one, please notify me on: chris@cwyles.freeserve.co.uk ASAP as I will sell them on a first-come-first-served basis. I have no plans to build a second batch as I have orders for other circuits to fulfill. Price is £68. The unit is simple to fit and comes with detailed and easy fitting instructions. As a reminder, the CatStart does the following: CatStart: A single (big red) button. First push gives ignition ON, second push gives ignition OFF. However, a second push which is held for 1 second will operate the starter motor and will continue to crank until the button is released. When the engine is running, a push will switch OFF the engine and the ignition. If the engine stalls, the ignition will remain ON until you either push for OFF or push and hold to recrank the starter. So all the ON,OFF and START functions in one simple button. Also, by means of an internal jumper selection, you have the choice of: a). The first push switches the ignition ON immediately (great for track days etc) or b). The first push needs to be held down for 3 seconds before the ignition switches ON. This gives a measure of security against some drongo in a carpark or your kids etc pushing the big red button. Nothing will happen unless the switch is held down for the required 3 seconds. The existing immobiliser functionality is totally unaffected and fitting is simply a case of removing the 3 wires from the ignition switch (or existing switch/big red button) and plugging them into the circuit. If you ever sell the car and want to convert back, just replug the wires back on to the ignition switch. The CatStart uses standard spade connectors so it's fast and simple. Email me today please if you would like to be on the list or have any questions - delivery will be about 2 weeks. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

I have now bought the components for the people who have ordered the "CatStart" circuit. (All the ON,OFF and START functions combined in one simple button). Because of the quantities and price breaks involved, I have enough components left over for about another 6 of these circuits. If you would like one, please notify me on: chris@cwyles.freeserve.co.uk ASAP as I will sell them on a first-come-first-served basis. I have no plans to build a second batch as I have orders for other circuits to fulfill. Price is £68. The unit is simple to fit and comes with detailed and easy fitting instructions. As a reminder, the CatStart does the following: CatStart: A single (big red) button. First push gives ignition ON, second push gives ignition OFF. However, a second push which is held for 1 second will operate the starter motor and will continue to crank until the button is released. When the engine is running, a push will switch OFF the engine and the ignition. If the engine stalls, the ignition will remain ON until you either push for OFF or push and hold to recrank the starter. So all the ON,OFF and START functions in one simple button. Also, by means of an internal jumper selection, you have the choice of: a). The first push switches the ignition ON immediately (great for track days etc) or b). The first push needs to be held down for 3 seconds before the ignition switches ON. This gives a measure of security against some drongo in a carpark or your kids etc pushing the big red button. Nothing will happen unless the switch is held down for the required 3 seconds. The existing immobiliser functionality is totally unaffected and fitting is simply a case of removing the 3 wires from the ignition switch (or existing switch/big red button) and plugging them into the circuit. If you ever sell the car and want to convert back, just replug the wires back on to the ignition switch. The CatStart uses standard spade connectors so it's fast and simple. Email me today please if you would like to be on the list or have any questions - delivery will be about 2 weeks. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here Edited by - Chris W on 18 May 2006 11:28:23

I have now bought the components for the people who have ordered the "CatStart" circuit. Because of the quantities and price breaks involved, I have enough components left over for about another 6 of these circuits. If you would like one, please notify me on chris@cwyles.freeserve.co.uk ASAP as I will sell them on a first-come-first-served basis. I have no plans to build a second batch as I have orders for other circuits to fulfill. Price is £68. The unit is simple to fit and comes with detailed and easy fitting instructions. As a reminder, the CatStart does the following: CatStart: A single (big red) button. First push gives ignition ON, second push gives ignition OFF. However, a second push which is held for 1 second will operate the starter motor and will continue to crank until the button is released. When the engine is running, a push will switch OFF the engine and the ignition. If the engine stalls, the ignition will remain ON until you either push for OFF or push and hold to recrank the starter. So all the ON,OFF and START functions in one simple button. Also, by means of an internal jumper selection, you have the choice of: a). The first push switches the ignition ON immediately (great for track days etc) or b). The first push needs to be held down for 3 seconds before the ignition switches ON. This gives a measure of security against some drongo in a carpark or your kids etc pushing the big red button. Nothing will happen unless the switch is held down for the required 3 seconds. The existing immobiliser functionality is totally unaffected and fitting is simply a case of removing the 3 wires from the ignition switch (or existing switch/big red button) and plugging them into the circuit. If you ever sell the car and want to convert back, just replug the wires back on to the ignition switch. The CatStart uses standard spade connectors so it's fast and simple. Email me today please if you would like to be on the list - delivery will be about 2 weeks. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Adrian If you send me an email with your normal email address, I'll attach a circuit diagram for the fan switch which lights a dash-mounted LED whenever the fan comes on, regardless of whether it's automatic or manual. That way, you know the fan thermostat is working correctly. Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Hi Robin The cost is as stated in my original post above (viz: £68). The connection to the Q/R wheel is via a flying lead with a miniature American style telephone plug and socket (officially known as an RJ11). To fit the wheel, you connect the plug first and then the wheel in the normal way. Removing the wheel is the reverse of this. You can either collect from my home or have it sent recorded delivery for £5. Cheers Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

If anyone one here has not emailed me DIRECTLY (rather than through Blatchat) and wants any of the circuits, please do so without delay to chris@cwyles.freeserve.co.uk Please use your normal email address rather than the Blatchat one as I can't send attachments to Blatchat email addresses. 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here

Last chance to order any of these circuits as I shall be buying the bulk components today. Cheers Chris 2003 1.8K SV 140hp see it here