[W126 Coupe] SEC...antenna, Dick Spellman

[wjdiamond at adelphia.net]

Is there lube maintanancen that needs to be done to the power antenna and if so is there special tool needed to open the black box.
SoCal 87' 560 SEC
---- Dick Spellman <spell.yy at verizon.net> wrote: 
> Hello list types:
> 
> Antenna:  The trigger voltage and current of 0.1A at 12vdc from the 
> aftermarket radio does not appear to be sufficient for triggering the 
> original Hirschman antenna using the dash mounted antenna switch.  When 
> a source battery is directly connected through the switch, the antenna 
> works.  I am going to wire a sensitive trigger relay with 7amp contact 
> rating into the circuit so the radio will trigger the relay and the 
> relay will pass full battery to the antenna trigger circuit so that it 
> works properly.  Anyone else encountered this in their conversions?
> 
> Rear fog lamp: In looking at how the rear fog light on the euro sedan 
> driver's tail light is wired, I noted that it has an 8 pin connector 
> with all 8 pins wired on the electrical harness.  Comparing this with 
> the 83 SEC and the 90 US sedan (that do not have the rear fog feature) 
> you have the 8 pin connector but only 6 pins on the wiring harness.  The 
> bottom 2 pins are absent and the respective wire harness leads are 
> missing.  So, I assume from this that a single 'hot' wire must be run 
> from the combination dash light switch (terminal NS on my 83 switch), 
> plus 2 pins added (1 the NS contact on the combination switch and the 
> other to ground in the fender by the antenna top or the ground at the 
> next socket over) and the extra bulb socket and wire with bulb added.  
> Seems a bit much work to enable this option.  Has anyone done it?  To 
> clarify terminal NS on the combination switch provides 12VDC only when 
> the switch is in headlamp mode (an 83 requirement) and pulled out two 
> detentes.  I've not been able to identify the open terminals on the 
> combination headlamp switch that would complete a circuit and illuminate 
> the center dot on the headlamp switch itself.
> 
> Front fog lamps:  The 83 fog lamps only light when the main headlamps 
> are selected first.  In other words unlike later model MB's where the 
> parking lights are selected and then you can pull for the fog lamps 
> absent the headlamps, the 83 does not permit this.  So, I've identified 
> the two fog lamp bulb positive feeds in the combination switch and 
> removed them from the switch.  I am plumbing them into a 10 amp rated 
> 12vdc relay and then taking the trigger for this heavy duty relay from 
> the dash rear cabin courtesy lamp switch (rear lamp circuit now 
> disconnected) that I never use.  I've removed the wire from the 
> combination switch (NSE (always hot 12vdc) and shown as fog lamp power 
> source only)so it will be as the factory wired it with the only 
> difference being that the source now feeds the circuit through this new 
> relay vs. the original combination switch.  I may wire a small LED and 
> piezo(under dash) into the headlamp switch bezel to remind me to shut 
> the fogs off when exiting the car using the door switch circuit to 
> complete the ground on the piezo.
> 
> Warning buzzer: I hope to eliminate the ugly warning buzzer with a 
> two-tone selectable piezo like the euro has.  It sounds more like a 
> whistle (not at all irritating) and has two different tones.  One for 
> door open key in ignition and the other for the combination switch on in 
> one state or another.
> 
> Hope everyone has a Happy 4th.  I've got a few days to tinker with the 
> SEC so, that's what I'll do in between gatherings and fireworks in Boston.
> 
> Take care,
> Dick working on the finer details of an 83 380SEC that will soon be a 500
> 
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