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Car Forum / Dodge / Dodge Trucks / May 2005

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Alarm recommendations needed

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Nosey - 31 Mar 2005 06:38 GMT
I want to put an alarm on my '99 Ram. I would like it to have a remote start
function that will work with the diesel "wait to start" circuit. Any
recommendations? Any brands to avoid?
Willy Wanka - 31 Mar 2005 06:49 GMT
>I want to put an alarm on my '99 Ram. I would like it to have a remote
>start function that will work with the diesel "wait to start" circuit. Any
>recommendations? Any brands to avoid?
I had a viper system installed on my 99 ram. Remote start, 7 level alarm,
keyless entry. I don't have a diesel but I highly recommend it. I'm sure it
can be programmed to wait a pre determined ammount of time before starting.
the cost was about 300 bucks. Well worth it in the extreme temps of winter
or summer.

Willy
HC - 31 Mar 2005 08:10 GMT
Hey, Nosey, I have the Viper installed on my '02 2500 with the Cummins
TD and it works beautifully.  I have the Viper 791 XV.  I found a shop
in Denton, TX (near where I live) that sold it to me direct, without
insisting on installing it.  I paid 300 bucks for it (and I installed
it myself).  It is great and here are the features that I find useful,
including the answer to your wait-to-start light:

!) Remote start (with Two-way remote so you don't have to see/hear the
vehicle to know it started)

2) Wait-to-start input for Diesels

3) configurable run times (I like to start mine when I get out of the
shower and I want it to run long enough so that it's still running when
I finish getting dressed and get to the truck).

4) turbo-cool-down feature programmable for several different run
times.

I installed it myself a) because I can, and b) because it's a manual
transmission and I don't think you can find a shop that will install a
remote start on one (in case you're wondering, if you leave my truck in
gear and set the emergency brake, it can STILL start and walk
off...I've done it a time or two, thank God I was nearby and realized
my mistake in time).  :)

Anyway, I found that the 791XV was great in my truck and seemed to
accomodate everything I wanted to do with it/needed it to; cool down,
wait-to-start, Two-way feedback on commands, tach-sense, etc.

Here's a link to DEI's owner's manual (DEI seems to make practically
every brand of car alarm out there):
http://www.directed.com/guides/manuals/og/viper/G564V_01-05.pdf

They don't seem to have the install manual online.  :(

Anyway, hope that helps you; I've been happy with mine, most noteably
with the two-way remote (there seem to be several brands that have
two-way but I had not heard of the others that I saw, and I know
Viper/DEI and I was able to buy it locally and the shop was good to me,
answering a question or two that I had so buying a namebrand locally
worked well for me.).

I've installed a couple of the Bulldog remote starts on other vehicles
and they're okay but I didn't install them on Diesels and I have no
idea if they supported the wait-to-start light.  You can hit
http://www.bulldogsecurity.com/ to see what they have to offer.

HTH

--HC
Nosey - 02 Apr 2005 08:00 GMT
Thanks for the recommendation. I found the Viper 791XV for $189.00 at
Electronics Bonanza. It looks like a great system. How well does the remote
communicate with the alarm system through walls? If I'm inside a building
without any windows and the truck is parked outside 100 yards away will it
still work? You mentioned in another thread that the batteries need frequent
replacement on the remote. Does the system need any re-programming after
changing batteries?
--
Ken
Willy Wanka - 03 Apr 2005 14:51 GMT
> Thanks for the recommendation. I found the Viper 791XV for $189.00 at
> Electronics Bonanza. It looks like a great system. How well does the
> remote communicate with the alarm system through walls? If I'm inside a
> building without any windows and the truck is parked outside 100 yards
> away will it still work?

That is the draw back, about 300 feet in the open is the max, and it
doesn't seem to work very well through walls. I think the antenna placement
is the problem. Mine is on the inside of the drivers side windshield pillar
and sometimes the range is much shorter depending on the direction I am
from my truck.
I'd try and put it in the middle behind the rear view mirror. Or better yet
try and mount it outside, but I don't know how it would hold up in the
elements.

You mentioned in another thread that the batteries need frequent
> replacement on the remote. Does the system need any re-programming after
> changing batteries?

The batteries don't need replaced very often. And No you don't need to
reprogram.
I like the code jumping feature. After the fob and brain communicate they
jump to a different frequency for the next operation. This stops someone
from using a scanner to "capture" your frequency like they can do with
garage door openers.

Hope this helps.

Willy
HC - 05 Apr 2005 06:29 GMT
As for the batteries and re-programming, my system has NOT required
that I do anything after I replace the batteries.  So, no
re-programming of any of the functions that I use it for.  There might
be some functions/features that some people use that *might* require
programming it again, but I'm not aware of any of them.

That price sounds ridiculously cheap.  I hunted around and 300 about a
year ago was the best I found so be careful to check that seller out
(make sure it's not re-man or "fallen off a truck").

--HC
Willy Wanka - 05 Apr 2005 15:38 GMT
> As for the batteries and re-programming, my system has NOT required
> that I do anything after I replace the batteries.  So, no
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> year ago was the best I found so be careful to check that seller out
> (make sure it's not re-man or "fallen off a truck").

Sounds to cheap to me also. You can put in an el-cheepo but you won't be
happy and the aggrivation will drive you to rip it out. Happened to my Bro
in law.

Willy
Nosey - 06 Apr 2005 05:05 GMT
> > That price sounds ridiculously cheap.  I hunted around and 300 about a
> > year ago was the best I found so be careful to check that seller out
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> happy and the aggrivation will drive you to rip it out. Happened to my Bro
> in law.

I found the alarm for $189.00 here: http://tinyurl.com/54onn . Tell me what
you guys think. They say it's a brand new unit and all items they ship are
verified to ensure there are no missing pieces. Thanks for the help so far.
Willy Wanka - 06 Apr 2005 15:15 GMT
> I found the alarm for $189.00 here: http://tinyurl.com/54onn . Tell me
> what
> you guys think. They say it's a brand new unit and all items they ship
> are
> verified to ensure there are no missing pieces. Thanks for the help so
> far.

Not much info at that site. Sounds like it might be legit.

The big thing about putting the darn thing in is hooking it up.

I had mine installed by a pro and it took 4 hours. When I asked why it took
so long they told me that there were so many different vehicles and many
varations on each and each varation has it's own map. You also have many
options as well. If you install it yourself be sure to make solid tight
connections. After checking to be sure everything works as you want. Solder
the connections to keep them from corroding. If one thing fails you might
not be able to get your truck home.

I know I was at a truck show a couple of years back and there was a truck
in the parking lot with a viper system in it. When you got within  3 feet
of the truck the system said in a very loud digital voice "Please step away
from the truck, it is protected by a viper security system". I thought that
was kinda cool. Mine don't do that but it can if I want it to.

Good luck
Willy
HC - 06 Apr 2005 15:59 GMT
The site looks good to me...that doesn't *prove* it's legit, but I've
seen some that pretty much looked so bad I couldn't believe they were
legit.  :)  You might try calling their 877 number to make sure they
have a human there, and then use your credit card to pay for the stuff
so you can fight 'em that way if things go sour.

A buddy of mine used to do professional installs at a shop in Houston
(for 7 years) and he swore by mechanical connections (crimp
connectors).  Willy's right about corrosion but as long as you're not
driving this thing in the surf you should be okay, I think.  What my
best friend and I do when we install these things (between the two of
us we've done remote start and remote keyless on 6 vehicles in the last
few years, all our own vehicles) is to slip some heat-shrink over the
wire, cut the insulation off the crimp connector, crimp the bare
connector on the wires, and then slip the heat-shrink over the
union/connection and shrink it down.  No troubles so far on any of our
vehicles.  The heat-shrink  tube should help cut down on the corrosion
possibilities.  The most important thing about using crimp connections
is not to shower down on it with all your might; a good firm grip on
the crimper is sufficient; if you really hit 'er hard you might sever
some of the conductors in the wire, making a weaker connection.

Other tips include. FUSE IT FUSE IT FUSE IT.  :)  Put a fuse on all
power supply lines (where you get power from the vehicle for anything;
the alarm unit, battery feed for horn, lights, or whatever else you get
a power wire for.  Fuses are cheap and I'm convinced that about half
the cars you see on the side of the road on fire are because somebody
installed some aftermarket electronics and didn't fuse it and it got
across something....  That wire from the power supply (battery,
ignition circuit, run circuit, or accessory circuit) is looking to
become toaster wire...all you have to do is have it wear through the
insulation on something rough you didn't see and BAM red-hot wire
running through your dash and wherever else you ran it.  :(  Is it
likely to happen?  Maybe.  Is it cheap and fast and easy to put a fuse
on it and not have to worry about it?  Yes. :)  Fuse it as close to the
power supply as you can.

Another tip, make sure you know whether the output on the alarm/remote
start is high current or low current.  For instance, I thought the
output for dome illumination on the 791XV was high current...it's not,
and the dome illumination circuit in my truck is high current...so I
hooked it up and it burned out that part of the head unit.  :(
Fortunately the shop I bought it from went ahead and warranted it back
to the manufacturer for me...but be careful.  Relays are your friend.
Relays rock.  You can get all the relays you need from most any parts
store; some stock them on the hang pegs by the after-market lights and
such.  You can also ask for a horn relay for a 98 Dodge Ram 1500 (most
of the '94-'01 Dodge trucks use the same relay for most everything, but
giving the parts monkey a specific year and make and model will avoid
confusion on his part).

Here's a great site with info on installing things like this and some
great info on setting up relay packs to control the various door lock
circuits:  www.the12volt.com

You can get wiring colors for your particular vehicle here:
www.bulldogsecurity.com (click on Vehicle Wiring Diagrams, then scroll
down on that page and click the big text about diagrams).

The only part of the install that I remember that might leave you stuck
somewhere (besides the time it's torn up during the install <grin>) is
that you cut the ignition wire to splice in a relay that acts as 1) the
ignition bypass/kill for when the alarm is armed AND 2) acts as the
anti-grind device (preventing you from hitting the starter when the
engine is running in auto-start.  I'd not be too worried about it.  1)
do it on a weekend you have free, 2) have a buddy around for moral
support and also to get a second opinion from if you have questions.

I got tired of having to go to Wal-mart and buy crimp connectors in
their paltry selection, winding up with a boat-load of one size or type
and needing more of another and having to buy more of both, tired of
hunting heat-shrink tubing, and tired of not having the stuff always
here so I hunted around and found these folks:
https://www.allelectronics.com/

I loaded up on crimp connectors and found their prices to be good, the
selection excellent, and I was pleased with the order I placed.  I
bought about 300 bucks worth of connectors from them and bought a big
tackle box to store it all in.

Oh, on the relays, you can also clean up on relays at the wreckin'
yards.  If you are going for some other parts, grab a couple of
handfuls of relays and fuses; often they'll let that stuff go for no
addtional cost to the price of whatever big items you're there for.  :)

HTH.

Good luck.

--HC
Nosey - 15 May 2005 09:49 GMT
I got the Viper 791XV alarm from Electronics Bonanza. The total charge was
$200.03 with shipping. They delivered it within a week of my order. I
installed it myself without any drama except the 5-wire power door locks.
That had me baffled for a while but I figured it out. The 2 way remote seems
to work well in open spaces up to about 300 yards. If anyone else here
decides to do their own alarm or stereo work I recommend subscribing to
www.the12volt.com install bay. It's free to register and the site is an
amazing source of information. Thanks HC and Willy Wanka for your input.
 
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