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Since I've been trying to help on this thread, and following it, I need to ask a question about the 72 alarm. My alarm has never worked and after looking over the diagrams, I thought I'd check it out. The horn was locked up, so I bought one at O'Reilly's to try. The horn worked fine, but now I have a new problem. When I first arm the alarm, it sounds immediately with the doors and hood shut. All the ajar lights go off and on as they should. If I turn the alarm off and on quickly about 5 times, the alarm will stop honking and arm itself and then opening a door or the hood sets it off as it should. Then I turn the alarm off and it repeats this cycle again. I have verified the switch and relay as working properly with a meter and diagram. The flasher also works because the alarm "flashes" as it should.
Now here is my question: with the flasher and the relay out of the circuit and all doors shut and hood closed, I read 5 ohms on the white wire where the arrow is pointing. Remember the flasher and relay are not plugged in. It seems to me this should read infinite with all doors closed. If I open a door that reading drops to 0.3 ohms as it should, but close the door back and it's back to 5 ohms. Unless there's something in the circuit of the ajar switches not showing in this diagram, I don't get it. The alarm works perfectly once I turn it off and reset it a few times. Does anyone know what resistance I should read on the white wire that goes to the door and hood switches with the relay and flasher out? Thanks, Jack
Last edited by 65GGvert; Mar 17, 2016 at 08:16 PM.
GlenJack,
I don't know if this will help you or not, but here is my follow up. After studying the diagram for what seemed like hours, I realized that the relay is only to latch the alarm so that it will continue with the doors open until the alarm key switch is turned off. That meant that the relay was drawing some current anytime the alarm was set, and if the alarm was set off it would continue until the battery ran down. So by unplugging the relay in the storage compartment, now my alarm works great. If you open the door or hood, the alarm will sound until you close them back or turn off the switch. That is perfect for me as I am always within ear shot of the car, and even if I wasn't the alarm is very loud (I put in an after market horn back there, mine was stuck) and would certainly attract attention as long as the door or hood was open. So I am just leaving the relay unplugged. I suspect that is where my problem was with my earlier post, but Ecklers (I believe) wanted 45 bucks plus shipping for the relay. I prefer it the way it works now, no current is drawn until a door or hood is open. Good luck with your alarm, I have spent several hours tracing wires and studying how it works, so if I can help with yours please let me know. Jack
GlenJack,
I don't know if this will help you or not, but here is my follow up. After studying the diagram for what seemed like hours, I realized that the relay is only to latch the alarm so that it will continue with the doors open until the alarm key switch is turned off. That meant that the relay was drawing some current anytime the alarm was set, and if the alarm was set off it would continue until the battery ran down. So by unplugging the relay in the storage compartment, now my alarm works great. If you open the door or hood, the alarm will sound until you close them back or turn off the switch. That is perfect for me as I am always within ear shot of the car, and even if I wasn't the alarm is very loud (I put in an after market horn back there, mine was stuck) and would certainly attract attention as long as the door or hood was open. So I am just leaving the relay unplugged. I suspect that is where my problem was with my earlier post, but Ecklers (I believe) wanted 45 bucks plus shipping for the relay. I prefer it the way it works now, no current is drawn until a door or hood is open. Good luck with your alarm, I have spent several hours tracing wires and studying how it works, so if I can help with yours please let me know. Jack
65GGvert - Thanks for the offer. I will certainly keep you in mind. Now, I will not receive my vette for about 3 weeks, so I will not know the situation until then. But I sure like your idea of leaving the relay unplugged and will see how that works with mine. Thanks so much!!
Anyone know where to find a replacment alarm key switch? I need one for my '73. Tks
Here's one with no key, not sure if they can be rekeyed. They are getting really scarce. Might be possible to move switch portion to your tumbler section if you have the key for yours (door key).
Since I've been trying to help on this thread, and following it, I need to ask a question about the 72 alarm. My alarm has never worked and after looking over the diagrams, I thought I'd check it out. The horn was locked up, so I bought one at O'Reilly's to try. The horn worked fine, but now I have a new problem. When I first arm the alarm, it sounds immediately with the doors and hood shut. All the ajar lights go off and on as they should. If I turn the alarm off and on quickly about 5 times, the alarm will stop honking and arm itself and then opening a door or the hood sets it off as it should. Then I turn the alarm off and it repeats this cycle again. I have verified the switch and relay as working properly with a meter and diagram. The flasher also works because the alarm "flashes" as it should.
Now here is my question: with the flasher and the relay out of the circuit and all doors shut and hood closed, I read 5 ohms on the white wire where the arrow is pointing. Remember the flasher and relay are not plugged in. It seems to me this should read infinite with all doors closed. If I open a door that reading drops to 0.3 ohms as it should, but close the door back and it's back to 5 ohms. Unless there's something in the circuit of the ajar switches not showing in this diagram, I don't get it. The alarm works perfectly once I turn it off and reset it a few times. Does anyone know what resistance I should read on the white wire that goes to the door and hood switches with the relay and flasher out? Thanks, Jack
Okay, final follow up. I found the problem. The white wires from the alarm should indeed read infinite ohms when the relay and flasher are out of the circuit. I walked by and armed the alarm just to try it out and it still worked, but I noticed that the door ajar light on the dash was coming on when I armed it. I had pulled the hood switch and the driver's door ajar switch. I decided to pull the passenger side and someone had soldered the blue lead for the door ajar switch to the white wire for the alarm switch, so the 5 ohms I was getting was the door ajar lamp in the dash. I removed the blue wire and the white circuit now read infinite. I replugged the relay and now the alarm works exactly as designed. Now I need the connector for the blue wire to put back into the door ajar switch for the passenger door ajar lamp to work. I see the switches for sale, but it doesn't appear that any of them come with the connectors that push into the end of the switch to make contact. So, for now everything works except the passenger door ajar warning. I can live with that until I find a contact somewhere maybe from an old switch. If anyone has some old wiring from one of the door ajar switches, I could really use one of the small metal pins that are soldered to the wires going to the switch and then push into the hole in the switch.
Yeah, pretty excited for sure. I have been putting this off for so many years (like 25) and taking care of business first. My wife says, "you can have it under one condition, 'no regret, shame or silly guilt. you are a good provider, generous and hard working.'" Then she says ... "One caveat--don't kill yourself." Ha! Love that woman. So yes, very excited!
Thanks for the info on the alarm and the kind words.
Jack
Great wife you got there Jack! Better hang on to her and be sure and take her on lots of rides! can't help any with the alarm, but seems like the guys in the know how sounded in and taken care of your questions. Welcome to the Forum. These guys are great when you have questions. Enjoy the ride in your '72. Glad to have another "chromie" along!
Okay, final follow up. I found the problem. The white wires from the alarm should indeed read infinite ohms when the relay and flasher are out of the circuit. I walked by and armed the alarm just to try it out and it still worked, but I noticed that the door ajar light on the dash was coming on when I armed it. I had pulled the hood switch and the driver's door ajar switch. I decided to pull the passenger side and someone had soldered the blue lead for the door ajar switch to the white wire for the alarm switch, so the 5 ohms I was getting was the door ajar lamp in the dash. I removed the blue wire and the white circuit now read infinite. I replugged the relay and now the alarm works exactly as designed. Now I need the connector for the blue wire to put back into the door ajar switch for the passenger door ajar lamp to work. I see the switches for sale, but it doesn't appear that any of them come with the connectors that push into the end of the switch to make contact. So, for now everything works except the passenger door ajar warning. I can live with that until I find a contact somewhere maybe from an old switch. If anyone has some old wiring from one of the door ajar switches, I could really use one of the small metal pins that are soldered to the wires going to the switch and then push into the hole in the switch.
65GGvert! OMG - I read what you have written and just think, this guy is way over my head. I bow to your incredible ability to understand what is happening with the electrical, especially the alarm. Thanks for all that you have contributed.
A PERFECT example on why when I am doing electrical diagnostics on a Corvette...I ASSUME NOTHING....and verify that all circuits ohm out correctly.
I have gotten into the dash harnesses on some Corvettes where some BOZO got into the harness and did some bogus wire splicing and then wrapped it back up....and also JUMP wiring on the backside of the fuse panel....which throws off all my tests. SO...nothing surprises me on these old cars when people get into it and do 'stuff' that they should not do....because they DO NOT know what they are doing.
Now that I have my alarm working correctly, I am still leaving the relay unplugged so the alarm turns off if you close the door (or hood) when it's armed. As an added bonus I don't need the key to shut it off if I forget and open the door or hood. This is perfect for my needs.
Now that I have my alarm working correctly, I am still leaving the relay unplugged so the alarm turns off if you close the door (or hood) when it's armed. As an added bonus I don't need the key to shut it off if I forget and open the door or hood. This is perfect for my needs.
Okay, final follow up. I found the problem. The white wires from the alarm should indeed read infinite ohms when the relay and flasher are out of the circuit. I walked by and armed the alarm just to try it out and it still worked, but I noticed that the door ajar light on the dash was coming on when I armed it. I had pulled the hood switch and the driver's door ajar switch. I decided to pull the passenger side and someone had soldered the blue lead for the door ajar switch to the white wire for the alarm switch, so the 5 ohms I was getting was the door ajar lamp in the dash. I removed the blue wire and the white circuit now read infinite. I replugged the relay and now the alarm works exactly as designed. Now I need the connector for the blue wire to put back into the door ajar switch for the passenger door ajar lamp to work. I see the switches for sale, but it doesn't appear that any of them come with the connectors that push into the end of the switch to make contact. So, for now everything works except the passenger door ajar warning. I can live with that until I find a contact somewhere maybe from an old switch. If anyone has some old wiring from one of the door ajar switches, I could really use one of the small metal pins that are soldered to the wires going to the switch and then push into the hole in the switch.
Great wife you got there Jack! Better hang on to her and be sure and take her on lots of rides! can't help any with the alarm, but seems like the guys in the know how sounded in and taken care of your questions. Welcome to the Forum. These guys are great when you have questions. Enjoy the ride in your '72. Glad to have another "chromie" along!
"Chromie" ... I have not heard that reference before, but TOTALLY know what it means. Yes, it was the 68 - 72 that I wanted because the chrome front and back on this style body. I guess I am a "chromie vert" owner. Thanks for the kind words!
Sometimes an old switch can be brought back to life by soaking it in 2 parts ammonia and 1 part hydrogen perozide.
Mine had been wired wrong by bubba and when I attempted to unscrew the connections it completely crumbled. It's still in place and is cosmetically ok, but nothing to salvage on the back side.
That's the contacts richard454 is sending me. Mine look flatter in person than the pictures, but I'm hoping it's the angle. I wasn't aware they were available separately until a couple of guys here said they had some. It's nice to have someone offering to help. I do that whenever I can when I have some experience with their issue, and I will certainly pay this forward.
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