Discovery lights-on warning buzzer

[pritch]

Yesterday, I found out to my expense that my Disco doesn't have a lights-on buzzer.  Well, I knew that already, but this time, there was no-one about at work to point out that I'd left the lights on.  I also found out how difficult it is finding another vehicle that can jump start a diesel.  

So, I went to Maplin today, and I've fitted a lights on buzzer, which was really quite astonishingly easy.  Hopefully someone else will find this useful.

On a pre-94 Disco, all you need to do is:

Connect the positive side of the buzzer to something that becomes live when your lights are on.  I used the red and black wire that illuminates the cigarette lighter socket.

Connect the negative side of the buzzer to a diode.  This needs to go the right way around, so that the stripe on the diode points away from the buzzer.

The diode then needs to be connected into the driver's door switch, either directly into the back of the switch body, or by splicing into the Blue and Purple wire that runs to it.  This can be easily found by pulling the door seal off adjacent to the switch.  A previous owner had bodged an alarm fitting in here anyway, so I already had a nice handy place to connect to.

I used:

1x BY127 rectifier diode, order code QF42V (19p)
1x Miniature buzzer, order code FL40T (99p)

£1.18, and five minutes work.  Job's a good 'un.

[Wanderer]

Excellent stuff Huw.
I like it.

Ed

[hobbit]

Yes Huw, very handy, that product has been on sale with them for years, but is still worth fitting

Luckily up to now not had need for 1 but always in the back of the mind, have fitted them to numerous vehicles, incidentally, they used to do a interior light delay unit too, I believe someone was talking about this on another thread

Kev

[pritch]

Yes Huw, very handy, that product has been on sale with them for years, but is still worth fitting

Luckily up to now not had need for 1 but always in the back of the mind, have fitted them to numerous vehicles, incidentally, they used to do a interior light delay unit too, I believe someone was talking about this on another thread

Kev

Just to clarify, Kev, this isn't actually the £7.99 kit they sell, this is a home-brew tight-wad version  

[hobbit]

Must not write posts after 10pm, the brain does not always engage on all levels  :oops:  :?  :?

Nice one though, been to Veh  product wiring today they got a one in there for £6.19, this one buzzes when door opened and lights still on

It just shows you what can be done with a little knowledge, and common sense. Save you £££ in some cases

Keep the tips coming in.

Kev

[Andy.]

Hi Kev, I've seen these in the VWP catologue and they look just like relays  :?:

Do they come pre wired  :?:

How do you know which wire goes where  :?:

Do you need any other bits, Huw talked of a diode  :?:

I also fancy fitting an interior light delay thingy butnot very electrically minded  :oops:

Cheers.

[Range Rover Blues]

Fitting a lights on buzzer is, as said, ridiculously easy :D .  You need a 12volt buzzer, to suite your taste.  Connect the red wire to the dashboard lighting, wherever is easiest.  Connect the black wire to the door switches, job done.  Remember if you have dimmable dash-lights this will affect the volume/tone of the buzzer.  You should only need a diode if you want the buzzer to only come on with the drivers door and not every time a passenger gets in.  Personally I make up a short loom using a soldering iron and heat-shring tubing because crimp terminals will not hold the leg of a diode, then I fit this into the car using normal crimp terminals.

[hobbit]

There ya go, couldn't have put it better, its easy enough, if not too sure get someone who can read a test meter to give you a hand

The interior delay units used to be sold at maplins, they were cheaper than where we went, dunno if that is the case now though

Kev

[Andy.]

Cheers guys, I guess I'll bite the bullet and give it a go  :D

[pritch]

You should only need a diode if you want the buzzer to only come on with the drivers door and not every time a passenger gets in.

Something I would say about that is that you will end up with reversed polarity across the buzzer if you don't fit the diode.  Over time, the buzzer may object to this.  I'd stick a diode in just to be on the safe side.  For the sake of 19p and a bit of soldering, you may as well do it.

Andy, I'll keep my eye out and see if I can find anywhere that does blue buzzers for you  

[Andy.]

Cheers Huw, a blue one would do nicely  :lol:

On searching through my box of odd bits tonight I found a small unit  :shock:

'Light's on Buzzer'. It's a small box, match box size with two thin wires coming out of it. One red and one black. It's made by Cosmic.

God knows when I bought it, but could this do the trick  :?:

I'll see at the weekend  

[Andy.]

Well fitted mine today and what a Buzz I got from doing it  :lol:

Pretty loud sound, so no mistaking that my lights will be on when the doors are opened  :D

[Big Rich]

Thanks for the advice. Part numbers helped as I went in last weekend to get the bits (Leaving the printed pages behind) and was told that the buzzer etc should come with the car ......

Went in with the part numbers this weekend and hay presto. 8)

Thanks