Topic: How To: Rain Tracker Rain Sensing Wiper Mod!

[jonymac]

  I figured it out and it works BEAUTIFULLY!  (There is another thread I started on this a long time ago - it can be deleted.)  This is the project from start to finish:

My pics are a little large for this forum for some reason, so you may need to scroll to the bottom of this post and scroll left and right.  If I downsize the images any more, they get blurry - I figured it would be better to have hir-res images...

So, being a gadget guy and liking all things automated except my transmission, I bought the RainTracker 50a for $60 from http://www.raintracker.com/. 

On their website, they now have specific directions for the Solstice/Sky: http://www.raintracker.com/compatibility/gm_solstice_rt-50.htm

A wiring diagram for the Solstice/Sky:
http://www.raintracker.com/compatibility/gm_solstice_rt-50.pdf

A troubleshooting guide for the Solstice/Sky:
http://www.raintracker.com/compatibility/001-1123-002_rt-50_ts_xc.pdf

The kit comes with almost everything you need - it comes with the needed resistors and wire taps - I added some 18 gauge hookup wire, shrink tubing and electrical tape.  It comes with a nice on/off switch - the normal manual function of the wipers remains after install of the kit - even the speed controlled wiper speed still works - so no degradation function whatsoever.

DISCONNECT NEGATIVE BATTERY WIRE BEFORE ATTEMPTING INSTALL!

The wiring diagram noted above is spot on - EXCEPT - they tell you to use the pink wire, light green wire and gray wire coming from the harness of the wiper control stalk.  Well, glory be, of course in that harness are 3 pink wires, 4 green wires and 5 gray wires.  SO, by trial and error (I tried using a voltmeter, but too many of the wires are live to discern which is which) I figured this out:

1. DO NOT use the light pink wire - it is the airbag sensor wire!  I tapped this, turned the car to ACC and got a nasty warning on my DIC.

2. There are 2 bright pink wires - the first one I tried gave me 12V+ power - didn't try the other.

3. There are 4 green wires - 2 dark green with white stripe, 2 solid light green - I tried both light green wires until the fast wiper setting worked.

4. There are 5 gray wires - 3 have a black stripe, 2 solid gray - I tried both light gray wires until the intermittent wiper function worked.

THE INSTALL:

I began by wiring up the sensor which is attached to the windshield - I placed mine right above the mirror post and cut a little slit in the wire cover the goes down to the mirror, passed the sensor cable through the cover, out the slit and plugged it in:


Backside of the sensor showing the two infrared emitters:


I ran the sensor wire around the windshield surround to the driver side triangle panel and under the dash - plenty of slack built in (the red wire in the picture is my hookup wire from my blinking theft deterrent LED mod) take out the two screws shown for this panel and on the other side of the steering column are 2 more.  There are also 3 plastic push pins along the bottom edge to remove - I left the fog light switch and dimmer control attached and just move the panel to the side:


Remove the two under dash panels - 7mm and 10mm nut driver needed - remove this panel - six 10mm nuts and let it hang down:


Lower dash disembowled:


Up to the right you will find the wiper stalk harness - it has two orange pins that connect it to the structure, jut tug on the harness and they will pop off, CAREFULLY cut away the harness cover to expose the wires:


Spread open the wires a bit to locate the pink, gray and light green wires we need (see description at the top of this post):


DRILL THE HOLE AND INSTALL THE ON/OFF SWITCH

I put my switch next to my fog and dimmer switch:


I used a 3/4" forstner bit - tested it first on the box lid from the raintracker to make sure it fit - it is snug and will require a little filing of the hole for the "key" that is on the switch ring:


Install switch:


You will have to remove a small piece of the lower panel for clearance for the switch body once you button things up:

Cut off this flange - I used a small coping saw:




PREP THE RAINTRACKER HARNESS:

Plug in the wiring harness to the raintracker.  We will not need the white, yellow or purple wires - coil them up and place a bit of electrical tape on the ends to prevent them from touching metal under the dash:


Strip the black wire for our ground connection:


We will use the 7mm post at the bottom left of the dash to ground:


Put a wire splice on the end of the pink wire coming from the raintracker harness:


Twist together and use a clear post crimp end to connect the gray wire from the raintracker harness to one leg of the on/off switch (I don't know if it matters which leg, but it worked for me on the first try, if it doesn't for you, swap em):


Locate your resistors from the kit and wire them together thusly:


The resistors we are using are 1k ohms and 680 ohms - I put the gold band facing the same direction - these however are bi-directional - wire one end to the green wire coming from the raintracker harness and put a 8 inch piece of hookup wire (mine is red) on the other end:


Cover with shrink tubing and use a lighter or mini torch to shrink - not too much heat!  Put a wire tap on the other end of the hookup wire:


From the raintracker harness, wire together the orange, blue, red and the remaining leg of the on/off switch with an 8 inch piece of hookup wire - twist tightly, use a clear end cap - crimp it on and wrap well with electrical tape (this pic just shows my temporary tape wrap during my trial and error period - the red wire pointing down is my hookup wire) This creates a 5 into one harness.  Put a wire tap on the other end of the hookup wire:


TIE IN THE RAINTRACKER HARNESS WITH THE CAR HARNESS:

Here is where our raintracker will live - I wrapped a washcloth around it and zip tied it to prevent it from rattling under the dash:

It will sit nicely in this opening under the left vent:


Washcloth wrapped:


Tie ground wire to post as stated above and route the 3 raintracker harness leads with the wire taps on the ends to the car harness - tap the pink car harness wire (12v) with the 5 into one hookup wire.  Tap the light green (fast wiper control) car harness wire with the pink raintracker harness wire.  Tap the gray (slow and intermittent wiper control) car harness wire with the hookup wire with the resistors in it:


Reconnect your battery and turn the car to ACC Power, power on the raintracker with the on/off switch - if you place your hand on the raintracker you should feel and maybe hear the click of a relay - if not check your connection to the pink wire - and maybe try the other pink wire.  Your wipers on the stalk should be set to off.  Get a spray bottle and spray the windshield sensor lightly - the wipers should wipe!  Spray heavily and they should speed up until they are going full speed.  If these two things don't happen check your connections to the gray and light green wires and maybe try the other gray and light green wires (I had the wrong wires the first time for both fast and intermittent).  BTW - the troubleshooting instructions mention an LED that blinks a number of times to help you determine the problem - ain't none.  I took apart both the controller and the sensor - ain't none - at least on my model.

Wrap up the car harness with electrical tape - replace the two orange pins in their holes and button everything up!  This is a 6 beer mod for the trial and error method, a 4 beer mod with nice detailed instructions like above.



Now I can't wait for rain!!!

JonyMac

[Sly Bob]

Very nice worthwhile mod jonymac and the now too that you put together was well done. Thanks for taking the time to put it together.

[LiquidPT]

Did you test it with "simulated rain" (garden hose)?

 

[Critterman]

I never use my wipers, but it sounds like a geat mod.  great job in the documentation

[KWhale]

Great write up and pics jmac.  We have the rain sensing wipers on our 300C, and in my opinion it's one of the best "new" options to come our for cars in years.  No more fiddling with the delay wiper speed every time you speed up or slow down or get passed by a truck.  Set it and forget it.  I'm glad to see that this is now a possibility for our cars, although, Raggy only get's driven in the sun. if she was our daily driver, I would do this mod in a heartbeat.

[Sly Bob]

I never use my wipers, but it sounds like a great mod.

Never? 

[Sol Asylum]

I don't even know where the switch for the wipers is!

[Critterman]

Never? 

It has to be coming down cats and dogs or very heavy traffic with a lot of spray.

Water runs off of my windshield at anything over 30, and I used to ride a bike for 30+ years so I am used to looking through a spotty windshield.  Drives the wife crazy

[Uranium-238]

$60? Might have to look into this...

[jonymac]

Yeah - it is pretty cool - everything else is automated - volume for stereo based on speed, lights at dusk - why not wipers too!?  I tested it with a spray bottle set to mist - then heavy spray, then I took the top off and poured it over the sensor.

[Midlife Crisis]

WOW!  What a job!  I'm glad my sol came with it!   

Good job!  I may have to find the mod for the stereo volume increase...   

[DickW]

The volume increase by speed is already built into the radio. Push the menu button and you will see it.

[jonymac]

Well, this morning's commute was PERFECT for testing the autosensing wipers - I had everything from no rain, to road spray, to light mist, to intermittent rain, to heavy downpour on the way in.  The system worked perfectly.  Turn it on and forget it - it wiped as expected and sped up and slowed down to match the conditions.  I am very happy with it!

[Midlife Crisis]

The volume increase by speed is already built into the radio. Push the menu button and you will see it.

Thanks!  I'll have to check it out next opportunity I get.  Could be the easiest one I've ever done! 

[Critterman]

Set it with the top down and at speed to the volumn you want.  It will then turn down when you slow down.

[Midlife Crisis]

Set it with the top down and at speed to the volumn you want.  It will then turn down when you slow down.

But critter, I don't want it to turn down at all! 

I just took a little drive up to the store for some java beans, and tried it!  I wondered what all of those settings were!    Found it, got it!  Thanks guys!  It WAS the easiest mod ever!      Well, except for the KappaKrap Kontainer Korral.. and maybe the DDM Backbone since the body shop installed it for me...   

[LiquidPT]

I was talking to JonyMac and mentioned that the coupes have a big OnStar antenna up there... here's some pics for him to see.

See that big black block above the mirror?


This is what it looks like from inside

[jonymac]

Damn that's bad!  Guess I would put the rain sensor on the passenger side of that monolith.  As long as the whole sensor is in the sweep path of the wiper blade - you are fine.

[lil goat]

Thank you finally I have a reason for not wanting a Coupe. I will be doing the rain sensor mod very soon with the assistance of Jmac. Need to get new windshield from insurance first. For now I am working in the Jmac wind restrictor, sorry to the vendors but he out did all of you, mines on order.