Wiper wiring

[Nic]

Hi gang.

Back to working on the wiring again. I'm a bit stuck on the wiring for the wiper. I have 4 wires, 3 bundled together and a black, ground.

Ground is obvious.
Bundled are:
Red is High speed wiper
Green is Low speed
Black is Home.

I have an ON-OFF-ON switch, but Im not sure how wire the "Home" connection. Does that get a constant 12V connection? Thoughts?

 

[letterman7]

What kind of wiper, what kind of switch, Nic? All VW? Year? The late VW motors had two brown wires in a bundle of 5.

 

[Nic]

Hi Rick,

Sorry it's a GM column from a 96 Firebird/TransAm. I got the answer I needed though. The switch is bad. Have a new one on order. Next problem is column dis-assembly. Bleh.

 

[letterman7]

Ah. I knew you had the GM column, but thought you were running a separate wiper switch. I thought most of those column switches went through a circuit board to get the wiper delay?

 

[Nic]

This thread started out talking about a separate switch but is back to using the stalk (stock?) switch on the column.

 

[Nic]

Here's what's transpired over the last few days. I thought the problem was with the wiper switch in the column because I couldn't get a signal on the gray wire, which I assumed was low by deductive reasoning. Sorry, faulty deductive reasoning. Bought a new switch for $126 (ouch) got it home and tested it. Same results. Ok, not the switch, switch is functioning properly. Then I guess I need a wiper control module. Easy enough to find online for about $30 (saves $100!) But... since I don't have the stock connectors and all that, how was I supposed to wired the darned thing up.

Lots of googling later I found this. Even has the pin numbers on it. Now off to FLAPS to get one. I'll keep ya'll updated.

http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/djenn434/2010-01-03_015804_wiper_0000.jpg

 

[letterman7]

*thumbs up**thumbs up* Definitely two thumbs on that one.. that diagram will most likely work for most GM columns with the wiper stalk. Great find, Nic!

 

[Nic]

Thanks Rick. I haven't picked it up yet but looking at the diagram and at pictures of the part itself it appears that in it's original home and intention, there are 3 metal tabs that stick up from the board, I think these plug into the other half of the board on the firewall, which then lead to the wiper motor connection.

The wiring diagram shows 6 connections, 4 coming from the stalk and 2 of the connections patched together. Then, there are 2 connections coming out of the board(Red and Blue). The only connections I see possible for these 2 wires are those metal tabs. So some creative soldering/altering will be in order I think.

 

[Nic]

Follow up to all that business above. The Wiper pulse board will not work without a stock GM motor and all the business. The pulse board directly connects to the motor and there are connections on the board that are triggered by the motor moving a larger gear. So the board goes back to the FLAPS. Boo.

 

[letterman7]

Oh bummer... I wonder if some of these GM motorhomes have wiper motors similar in size to what we're using? I have no idea where the OE motors are from; I suspect they're probably Bus, but who knows?

 

[Brett Proctor]

I pulled the numbers off of my motor a long time ago and did a search to find out what vehical used it and came up with a school bus. I ordered the parts I needed for it and they all fit. Cann't remember the company's name where I got it from but if you want to know it I can go through my receipts and find it. I should still have it.

Brett

 

[letterman7]

Interesting... sounds like many of these motors were generic and used in quite a few vehicles. If you happen to find the paperwork Brett, I'll make a sticky so folks have a reference point if they need it.

 

[Brett Proctor]

Here's the company that I got parts from to rebuild my wipers. Click on wiper parts section

Stepvan Parts Catalog

Brett

 

[vpogv]

Bringing this back from the dead. I researched this weekend and came to the conclusion you need to have the pulse board and motor from the GM car to get the controls to work. I did find a diagram that gives you OFF - LO -HI functions by adding 2 relays and using the 3 wire motor. I'll post it tonight for thoughts.

 

[Brett Proctor]

I guess you didn't want anyone's thoughts on it*laugh*

Well tough your going to get it anyway*laugh*

Did some research and found out that GM made a none pulse wiper switch for the earlier cars.

From what I found they stopped making the none pulse version around 1990(for the camaro's and firebirds. Other models may have had it installed longer).

Also from what I found is that the wiper switches all connected the same way to the turn signal switch so you should be able to swap out the wiper switch for the earlier version.

I'm not 100% sure on this but according to what I've found you should be able to convert to the none pulse switch.

Next time I go to the wrecking yard I'll see if I can verify this.


This is a 1990's firebird wiper switch wiring diagram

View attachment None pulse wiper switch.pdf

 

[vpogv]

I'll take any input especially if I can use the stock controls. Let me look at the wiring diagram and dig a bit more. Still need to post the relay picture for reference. Thanks Brett!

 

[vpogv]

I just sat down and reread this all Brett and I do have the non-pulse wiper switch. All of the delay bits are done within the pulse module which is part of the wiper motor assembly. Unless I'm completely misreading what you are stating as a solution to get the wiring to work with a 3-wire motor.

Here is the wiring diagram I stumbled upon that uses 2 relays.

 

[Brett Proctor]

Had some time to research this a little more

Correct me if I'm wrong here.
It appears the pulse style wiper switch is only used if you have the intermittent feature.

The none pulse wiper switch looks to be already wired for a 3 wire motor and doesn't look to have the intermittent feature.

Purple is high

Green is Low

Gray is Park

Pink washer

Not knowing the type of wiper motor you plan on using it may have a different wiring for the park feature than the one in the diagram.

Edit:

Not sure but I think on the non pulse switch the intermittent control may be seperate

 

[vpogv]

I was going to go with the replacement to the Bosch to keep things simple and direct bolt-on but I'm pulling my hair out now as to the best approach. I'm OK with OFF-LO-HI with park I don't need fancy. *hmmm*

 

[Brett Proctor]

It never ceases to amaze me how complicated an engineer can make things, and in the end the results are worst than the original design.


Don't know what GM was thinking of or smoking when they came up with this design.

Had some more time to look things over.

First in your 2 relay picture the motor looks to have the dynamic park feature in it that requires 4 wires not 3.

Second the switch looks to be reversed in wiring.
Instead of the hot wire going to the switch as in the factory drawing it is now used for the grounding of the relays.

No biggie just something to point out.

I see now why he is using the 2 relays. The park feature in the GM design(module) uses their own special relay that keeps the contacts closed even after the coil is deenergized until the wiper is in park.

What year is your wiper switch?? Found some small differences in the switch for the years it was used.