One button to lower and raise all windows??

[jimf]

Hi folks, im starting to make a list of jobs to do over the winter and one thing that is bugging me about my cabrio is when I want to lower or raise all the windows they have to be done individually. I'm sure I've been told about a kit that is a one press button and they all go at once. Can anyone point me in the right direction if they have done theirs?

Thanks.

[maxfield]

Can't see it being too difficult to do, E30 electrics aren't too complicated.

Depends how competent your electrical skills are

[capnmchl]

This would be the cheap, but PITA way to do it

If you ran a fused permanant live that was switched by a relay connected to the ignition switch, to each positive side of the motor when it was going up, after the switch, and ran an earth from the other side of the motor, to either 4 relays or one big relay switched by the switch which has a 12V to it.

Apprantly the fuse for the electric windows is shared with the cigar lighter and electric aerial and rated at 30 amps, so that's the maximum you'd be working with. You'd be using 2.0 to 4.6mm^2 gauge wiring for the most part.

It would be horrifically messy though, and would require ripping the interior out. But it's all I can come up with at 23:20 on a thursday night whilst mildly tipsy. I expect there's an easier method.

[capnmchl]

Actually, thinking about it, it be better to put the switch and relay on the positive side. Then you don't have to run earth wires back

[Brianmoooore]

I expect there's an easier method.

There is indeed, and if you search posts I've made on the subject, you'll find it.
There still remains two problems though. When an E30 window reaches the limit of its travel, the motor just stalls under load. There's no limit switch to turn off the power, so the closing system will still try to close a particular window even if it's already closed.
The other problem is that four motors working together will overload the existing supply wiring, especially if one or more motors are stalled.

[jimf]

Brian, I have been trying to find your posts but the search brings up EVERY post about electric windows and more that you have been involved in. Tried trawling through your posts too and I've been looking for about an hour now with no luck. I'm probably using the search function wrong but any clues as to where the post I'm after is please?

[Brianmoooore]

Read the instructions for the 'search' function! If you search for "windows AND closure" and my username you get just ten results. Searching for "windows AND touch" produces just eight.
Amongst these results is the method I was thinking of, plus a couple of other ways that I'd forgotten.

[capnmchl]

I've read and understood your post now I'm more awake brian. Makes more sense

[jimf]

OK, thanks for that brian. I've had a good read and to be honest, although my electrical skills are improving I think this one is a bit over my head. I can wire in looms, follow set diagrams and retrofit OEM stuff but unless anyone has sucsessfully done this mod and posts a guide I'll need to leave it for now.

Cheers