AMP Powerstep and possible remote operation if I can find a reverse ground signal
Hello All,
Thought I'd turn to the community on this one. I installed new AMP powersteps so my kids and wife can get in the Jeep easier since it's a good jump up without them. They work great, fast, quiet, etc. etc. Well, take the doors off, and of course they don't work. Kids want the doors and top off 24/7 (I'm so proud of them.)
So I got thinking, the signal for the steps that comes from the door is just a ground loop signal. I'm hittin' the button on my key fob to "unlock" the car (even though there are no doors on) and the dome lights come on and stay on for a short time. LIGHT BULB!!! If I wire the door signal for the steps into the interior lights somehow, then I can extend the steps when I hit the key fob as I walk up to the Jeep, and they'll retract when the lights time out or I start the vehicle. In addition, I can turn on the interior lights and they will extend, which would work nicely if I pull up to a gas station and peep's need to get out, I just turn on interior lights, they extend, turn off lights after they are out while they run into gas station, then repeat when they come back.
Long story short, I contact AMP Research and ask if this is possible, would it hurt anything? Joe Ledezma responds back promptly, says go for it, won't harm the system, worst case is you'll blow the fuse. So, I get access to the footwell LED light and hold the wire to the hot on LED light, and steps extend. Hmmm... Turn interior lights on, and the steps retract. Wait a minute, right idea, wrong order. Obviously holding to the ground wire just extends them permanently. I think I know what is going on here and email Joe back to confirm. Sure enough he confirms, "the steps actually lower with a ground signal and raise when it loses ground. You would need to find a relay that reverses the signal at the switch." Okay, not sure how to resolve that one. Is there some nifty little gizmo/diode/whatever I could put inline that would flip/flop the signal on the hot wire to the LED lights? Is there a different wire I could tap that would accomplish the same goal that is located down in the footwell? It would need to be a wire that I can easily take off and put back on to the wire for the door signal when I put the wires back on. It needs to be a signal like the lights that stays on for a while so you can get in (ie. not like a door unlock wire that is just a one shot thing.)
Anyone got any ideas?