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Rostra Cruise Control-wiring gurus needed

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Old 02-12-2014, 12:24 AM
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Default Rostra Cruise Control-wiring gurus needed

Does anyone here have any knowledge on installing a cruise control system on their car or bike? I am doing all the wiring myself but I am having difficulty since this is a first for me. I do not understand all the directions.

I am installing a Rostra Global Cruise control kit with a Rostra dashboard control switch. Wiring these two together is proving troublesome. Help would be appreciated.

What does step 6 mean?
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This is what I think it means, please let me know if I am wrong:
6) Testing the blue and gray wires
A) Turn on car headlights
B) Turn on car dashboard lights to the brightest setting via the scroll switch that adjusts the interior car lights.
C) ??? What is a test light? It never came with anything else. I'm guessing I take this test light and ground one of the wires coming from it. Then I somehow probe (please clarify probing), I think test connect, each wire coming from the rheostat. What is rheostat? Rheostat of the car dashboard or the rheostat of the Rostra control switch?

After I do all this some light is supposed to come on...but I don't know what. Please help. I can post more pictures if you guys need. I need someone to hold my hand. Thanks broskis.
 
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Old 02-12-2014, 12:27 AM
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guessing i have to get one of these:

http://www.bcae1.com/images/jpegs/IMG_5557b.jpg

(test light)
 
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Old 02-12-2014, 03:38 AM
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Originally Posted by jpanside@gmail.com
guessing i have to get one of these:

http://www.bcae1.com/images/jpegs/IMG_5557b.jpg

(test light)

Hi. You definitely need one of those 'test probes' but not sure about the Rheostat testing. Maybe other members may answer your query. I have been thinking about installing a speed control on my 2002 Honda CBR 60
0 motorcycle, but I haven't looked on the internet to see if one is available or how difficult it would be to fit one. I may take a look today! Good luck with your project.
 
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Old 02-12-2014, 04:52 AM
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A test light is very simple and is just that, its testing current. You can make one yourself using a 12v light bulb and a paper clip. Or if you take a wire and connect it to one prong and make it longer and then you can wrap that wire to a ground. Then use the clip for the toher side so you have something to probe with. If you have a bike, pull a bulb and connect a paper clip to each of the prongs. One to ground, one to whatever wire.

The rheostat is going to be the adjusting **** that fades the dash lights. So, what you need to do is take the test light and the side with the one wire with an alligator clip, ground it, to metal frame or something metal that is grounded. Take the other side with the sharp point and litterly push into wire casing. You can also strip back some of the casing so bare wire is exposed and touch the bare wire. That is probing. As long as it touches bare wire it will work. That is probing.

I am going to say its refering to the 3 wires on the dimmer switch on the dash, since this is what youre trying to clarify so you know to connect the Rostra to it, sort of like an extension if you will. After you have done the instruction you will know what wire does what. Im assuming its one wire for the running light, one wire to dim/bright that light and one ground wire.
 
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Old 02-12-2014, 05:39 AM
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From what I read I understood the rheostat to be the dash light dim control, rheostat= potentiometer.
 
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Old 02-12-2014, 01:34 PM
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Originally Posted by PossibleF4I
A test light is very simple and is just that, its testing current. You can make one yourself using a 12v light bulb and a paper clip. Or if you take a wire and connect it to one prong and make it longer and then you can wrap that wire to a ground. Then use the clip for the toher side so you have something to probe with. If you have a bike, pull a bulb and connect a paper clip to each of the prongs. One to ground, one to whatever wire.

The rheostat is going to be the adjusting **** that fades the dash lights. So, what you need to do is take the test light and the side with the one wire with an alligator clip, ground it, to metal frame or something metal that is grounded. Take the other side with the sharp point and litterly push into wire casing. You can also strip back some of the casing so bare wire is exposed and touch the bare wire. That is probing. As long as it touches bare wire it will work. That is probing.

I am going to say its refering to the 3 wires on the dimmer switch on the dash, since this is what youre trying to clarify so you know to connect the Rostra to it, sort of like an extension if you will. After you have done the instruction you will know what wire does what. Im assuming its one wire for the running light, one wire to dim/bright that light and one ground wire.
Sir, does this mean I have to take apart the vehicle dashboard? All this time I thought it was only talking about the Rostra control switch...
 
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Old 02-12-2014, 03:24 PM
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Can you get the switch out of the dash somehow without taking it apart? Per your instructions to me this sounds like you are trying to connect the Rostra to the rheostat or the wiring.

It wouldnt be telling you to simply connect a test light to a seperate component because this component (Rostra) is not yet connected to anything giving it power. In order for a test light to work there must be current running through the wire, thereofore meaning it would have to be connected. So they must mean the dimmer control wiring. If you can no way get access to the wiring you may have to pull the dash. If you can see where wiring comes down from the dash or out of it, possibly down by the pedals or up under there somewhere (sometimes there are fuses located here on some vehicles) then you can look up wiring diagram and colors for your vehicle and check it that way. IT doesnt have to be tested or connected right where the wires connect to the actual switch housing, just anywhere along that wire would be fine, if that makes sense, at least to test it anyway.
 
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Old 02-12-2014, 04:34 PM
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Would also help if we`d know what you are trying to fit the cruise into. I`ve fitted one aftermarket cruise to a Citroen Xantia so I have limited knowledge of them, albeit that was a little different in design as there was a servo motor that you connected to the throttle flap via a second wire, but on a car with more advanced electronics, that also could have been connected straight to the ECU. The dash light dimming roll USUALLY comes out if you pry it LIGHTLY with a screwdriver BUT as we don`t know what vehicle this device is going to it`s a bit hard to give any spesific info as it might also be on a modular chipboard like in most newer Volvos and Volkswagens.


But what you are trying to do here is finding the right wire in the dim switch, and connect the Grey wire of the cruise`s dash unit onto it, and then ground the blue wire of the unit to wherever you get ground from.
 
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Old 02-12-2014, 05:31 PM
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Originally Posted by PossibleF4I
Can you get the switch out of the dash somehow without taking it apart? Per your instructions to me this sounds like you are trying to connect the Rostra to the rheostat or the wiring.

It wouldnt be telling you to simply connect a test light to a seperate component because this component (Rostra) is not yet connected to anything giving it power. In order for a test light to work there must be current running through the wire, thereofore meaning it would have to be connected. So they must mean the dimmer control wiring. If you can no way get access to the wiring you may have to pull the dash. If you can see where wiring comes down from the dash or out of it, possibly down by the pedals or up under there somewhere (sometimes there are fuses located here on some vehicles) then you can look up wiring diagram and colors for your vehicle and check it that way. IT doesnt have to be tested or connected right where the wires connect to the actual switch housing, just anywhere along that wire would be fine, if that makes sense, at least to test it anyway.
That is EXACTLY IT! rostra said the the exact same thing. wow, thank you.

btw, they said that I dont need to hook up to the dash rheostat and i can just power the switch by wiring it with the ignition. Yeah, not gonna pull the dash cuz i dont want to connect the rostra to the dash rheostat, no need.
I will let you know soon! Gonna work on it right now.
 
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Old 02-12-2014, 06:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Mattson
Would also help if we`d know what you are trying to fit the cruise into. I`ve fitted one aftermarket cruise to a Citroen Xantia so I have limited knowledge of them, albeit that was a little different in design as there was a servo motor that you connected to the throttle flap via a second wire, but on a car with more advanced electronics, that also could have been connected straight to the ECU. The dash light dimming roll USUALLY comes out if you pry it LIGHTLY with a screwdriver BUT as we don`t know what vehicle this device is going to it`s a bit hard to give any spesific info as it might also be on a modular chipboard like in most newer Volvos and Volkswagens.


But what you are trying to do here is finding the right wire in the dim switch, and connect the Grey wire of the cruise`s dash unit onto it, and then ground the blue wire of the unit to wherever you get ground from.
yup yup you guys are right. man I am noob. Going to hook this up to a car first to test it out (hyundai tiburon) but of course later a bike.
 


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