Turning Your FBH On/Off Via Text......

[DaveyC]

Having recently fitted my FBH, I decided to fit a wireless remote and a timer. Only trouble was, I had to remember to set the timer (and turn it off when it wasn't needed!).

The remote is fine IF you can see the car but anything much than 20-30 meters and its not going to work.

I park over half a mile from my office, so I wanted to use a mobile phone but all the kit I had looked at was expensive and you needed a degree in electronics to set them up and work them (plus you needed to be fluent in Chinglish, as the instructions were poorly translated).





I bought this and I decided to have a go at testing and fitting it.

Here is a short video of it setup turning a bulb on and off via a phone call (it doesn't answer, so no costs and the guy throws in a free sim card!).

Click the picture below to play it



The connections are simple.

Positive & Negative to power the unit up.

Wire to pin 3 on the large plug on my FBH goes to "C" on relay.

Negative connection to "NO" on same relay.

The unit has 2 relays and relay 1 operates on a phone call and relay 2 operates on text messages.

The unit's setup instructions are on http://www.lewisrendal.co.uk/

The clever bit is that you tell the unit up to 5 phone numbers that it can accept instructions from. This means that the pesky PPI and Ambulance chasing calls will not turn on your FBH.

I have mounted the unit in my armrest. This is so I can get to to the sim card if needed and its dry and clean and the temperature is reasonably stable.



I will fabricate a false bottom for this, so its covered and secured.

Dave

[Duotone]

Looks good Dave..

Have I got this right.. You have send another call to switch off the FBH.

Wonder if it could be combined with a timer to turn the FBH off.

Dave T

[DaveyC]

Yeah you have to send another call to turn it off. You can also setup the unit to text you to confirm actions but you need credit on the sim card to allow this. I put a tenner on mine and I get confirmation texts.

I suppose it may be worth asking the guy who makes them if he could set it to turn on for a given time?

Cheers,

Dave

[Duotone]

Originally Posted by DaveyC

Yeah you have to send another call to turn it off. You can also setup the unit to text you to confirm actions but you need credit on the sim card to allow this. I put a tenner on mine and I get confirmation texts.

I suppose it may be worth asking the guy who makes them if he could set it to turn on for a given time?

Cheers,

Dave

About 30 minutes should be about right..

If you forget to make the second call won't the FBH keep running.


Dave T

[DaveyC]

Originally Posted by Duotone

About 30 minutes should be about right..

If you forget to make the second call won't the FBH keep running.


Dave T

But at least I won't have to walk half a mile back to the car if I do forget :-)

I have a reminder on my phone, so will set that running for 30 minute reminder at the same time but I'm normally pretty good with this sort of stuff.

[Lotaskin]

Originally Posted by DaveyC

Yeah you have to send another call to turn it off. You can also setup the unit to text you to confirm actions but you need credit on the sim card to allow this. I put a tenner on mine and I get confirmation texts.

I suppose it may be worth asking the guy who makes them if he could set it to turn on for a given time?

Cheers,

Dave

Dave I text my FBH and tell it to switch on for 15 - 20 minutes. I get a conformation text back. At the same time it switches on my blower to heat the cabin and defrost the screen. You need a double pole double throw relay. I can send you the diagram if you wish.
I believe you need to have text back enabled as if the card is not used it will be cancelled even if it has credit on it.(Unless they now do one that you can use without text back)
I text my FBH every 3 months to avoid disconnection and also to run the pump to minimise the pump seizing.

[James.uk]

I have a remote for mine, but if I forget to turn it off, it cycles, on to 77 then off till temp drops, then back on again etc till the battery goes flat..

Don't ask....
...

[Lotaskin]

Originally Posted by James.uk

I have a remote for mine, but if I forget to turn it off, it cycles, on to 77 then off till temp drops, then back on again etc till the battery goes flat..

Don't ask....
...

I have a battery monitor that monitors the battery voltage and will switch it off if the voltage falls below 11.5 volts.

[johnny t]

I have something similar fitted but with mine you send it a message specifying the time to be switched on for works a treat

[Mark2000cc]

looking good Dave! I want !!