• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

Need to convert pulsing positive to a pulsing ground


Curious Hound

Formerly EricBphoto
TRS Event Staff
TRS Forum Moderator
Supporting Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
TRS 20th Anniversary
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
GMRS Radio License
TRS 25th Anniversary
Joined
Feb 7, 2016
Messages
17,162
Reaction score
20,173
Age
60
Location
Wellford, SC
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6"
Tire Size
35"
My credo
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are different.
I would use something like this. (See below) you could even enclosed that in a small plastic electronics project box.

Screenshot_20250121_141810_Amazon Shopping.jpg
 

Hyper

Active Member
ASE Certified Tech
Joined
Oct 14, 2024
Messages
29
Reaction score
14
Location
north carolina
Vehicle Year
2004
Make / Model
ford ranger
Transmission
Automatic
That actually looks good, gonna be making my own module 🤣
 

4x4junkie

Forum Staff Member
TRS Forum Moderator
Article Contributor
TRS 20th Anniversary
Joined
Aug 19, 2001
Messages
10,858
Reaction score
693
Location
So. Calif (SFV)
Vehicle Year
1990
Make / Model
Bronco II
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
2.9L V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
35x12.50R15
Many times I'll just solder parts directly onto the bottom (solder side) of the printed circuit board (PCB). For extremely simple circuits such as this, it eliminates the need for an external board & enclosure for a more reliable installation (obviously for something more complicated I'd use a board like Hound posted). Usually you can find a spot to solder directly to whichever solder pads are nearby... Occasionally, scraping a bit of the green insulative coating off a trace might be needed to obtain a spot to solder it down.

Example:
parts on a PCB.jpg
 

franklin2

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2019
Messages
4,059
Reaction score
2,025
Location
Virginia
Vehicle Year
1984
Make / Model
Bronco II
Transmission
Manual
I do not know what shape your harness is in, but apparently in 04 most of this circuit was in the original ECM. Did you have to cut wires or did you just use the wiring harness from the explorer along with the explorer ECU? What I am getting at, originally you had a wire to ground this light to make it blink in the original ECU harness. If you had to cut this wire out of the 04 harness to release the original ECU harness, it may be hanging around down where the original ECU was. You could put your circuit down where ever the wire is located.

You could test to see if you have the correct wire by grounding this wire, it should turn the light on in the dash.
 

Hyper

Active Member
ASE Certified Tech
Joined
Oct 14, 2024
Messages
29
Reaction score
14
Location
north carolina
Vehicle Year
2004
Make / Model
ford ranger
Transmission
Automatic
@4x4junkie. Id love to be able to do that so its not hanging down looking ugly but i am not experienced enough to know exactly where id have to wire it or id just remove the positive connection from the bulb and ground it there and keep the modules positive wire instead

@franklin2. The harness is perfectly fine havent cut any wires and yes in 2004 the ecu controlled the theft light with a ground signal but since im using the theft module for a 5.0 swap it uses positive voltage so it wont work. I did cut the wire under the dash for the theft module before i knew the cluster was positive and the module was also positive but grounding the wire does make it turn on but it stays on
 

franklin2

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2019
Messages
4,059
Reaction score
2,025
Location
Virginia
Vehicle Year
1984
Make / Model
Bronco II
Transmission
Manual
@4x4junkie. Id love to be able to do that so its not hanging down looking ugly but i am not experienced enough to know exactly where id have to wire it or id just remove the positive connection from the bulb and ground it there and keep the modules positive wire instead

@franklin2. The harness is perfectly fine havent cut any wires and yes in 2004 the ecu controlled the theft light with a ground signal but since im using the theft module for a 5.0 swap it uses positive voltage so it wont work. I did cut the wire under the dash for the theft module before i knew the cluster was positive and the module was also positive but grounding the wire does make it turn on but it stays on
Do you think something like this would work? It's cheap enough. I see one warning from a reviewer, you have to hook the load up with the correct polarity or it will not work.

 

Curious Hound

Formerly EricBphoto
TRS Event Staff
TRS Forum Moderator
Supporting Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
TRS 20th Anniversary
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
GMRS Radio License
TRS 25th Anniversary
Joined
Feb 7, 2016
Messages
17,162
Reaction score
20,173
Age
60
Location
Wellford, SC
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6"
Tire Size
35"
My credo
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are different.
Do you think something like this would work? It's cheap enough. I see one warning from a reviewer, you have to hook the load up with the correct polarity or it will not work.

Not a good choice. That is designed for a 5volt on/off signal from a microprocessor (tiny computer). You'll burn it up.
 

franklin2

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2019
Messages
4,059
Reaction score
2,025
Location
Virginia
Vehicle Year
1984
Make / Model
Bronco II
Transmission
Manual
Not a good choice. That is designed for a 5volt on/off signal from a microprocessor (tiny computer). You'll burn it up.
Doesn't it say on top of the relay, second picture down, the coil is good for 3-32vdc (on the right side of the relay) and the contacts for the relay are good for 5 amp, 5-220vdc (on the left side of the relay)?
 

4x4junkie

Forum Staff Member
TRS Forum Moderator
Article Contributor
TRS 20th Anniversary
Joined
Aug 19, 2001
Messages
10,858
Reaction score
693
Location
So. Calif (SFV)
Vehicle Year
1990
Make / Model
Bronco II
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
2.9L V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
35x12.50R15
I see that too... It looks like it might work, but I'm not familiar enough with it to know for sure (never did get into arduino myself).
The transistor still seems simpler, but I guess that's just me understanding how they work... I can see not understanding something making it more intimidating (maybe is the same case with myself and that arduino relay lol)

Maybe an assembly diagram can help?
Get a small board (like the one Hound posted) and put the parts into it exactly like so:
diagram.png


One that is done & soldered and you have attached your wires to it, use a piece of large heat-shrink tubing (1" or 1½", perhaps, or electrical tape can work too) to insulate it from it's surroundings.

Hopefully maybe that'll make it a li'l easier.
 

Hyper

Active Member
ASE Certified Tech
Joined
Oct 14, 2024
Messages
29
Reaction score
14
Location
north carolina
Vehicle Year
2004
Make / Model
ford ranger
Transmission
Automatic
Looks great and ill definitely do this idea, i do wish i would if been able to solder it to the back of the board
 

Curious Hound

Formerly EricBphoto
TRS Event Staff
TRS Forum Moderator
Supporting Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
TRS 20th Anniversary
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
GMRS Radio License
TRS 25th Anniversary
Joined
Feb 7, 2016
Messages
17,162
Reaction score
20,173
Age
60
Location
Wellford, SC
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6"
Tire Size
35"
My credo
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are different.

Hyper

Active Member
ASE Certified Tech
Joined
Oct 14, 2024
Messages
29
Reaction score
14
Location
north carolina
Vehicle Year
2004
Make / Model
ford ranger
Transmission
Automatic
If this is the anti-theft light that constantly blinks every few seconds when the vehicle is parked, I would not suggest using a mechanical relay there (will be constantly clicking, higher battery drain).

Assuming this is a low-current circuit (looks like it should be if it's LED), a simple transistor & a couple resistors will do what you want:

When voltage is input to the transistor "base" lead through a resistor, the "collector" lead will be switched to ground at the "emitter" lead.

Almost any small NPN-type transistor will work in this circuit. 2N3904 is probably the easiest to find though. The two resistors should be 2200Ω (or 2.2K).

Note that this circuit (diagram attached) is good up to 200mA. (I suspect it'll be more around 15-20mA when it pulses, but check just to be sure)


This right here was the answer theft light works wonderfully now, thank you for the answer, hope your answer will solve other peoples problems
 

Curious Hound

Formerly EricBphoto
TRS Event Staff
TRS Forum Moderator
Supporting Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
TRS 20th Anniversary
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
GMRS Radio License
TRS 25th Anniversary
Joined
Feb 7, 2016
Messages
17,162
Reaction score
20,173
Age
60
Location
Wellford, SC
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6"
Tire Size
35"
My credo
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are different.
Not that I'll have your answer, but a good description of where this is and maybe some pictures would be helpful.

And, since it's a different subject, a new thread is advisable.
 

Hyper

Active Member
ASE Certified Tech
Joined
Oct 14, 2024
Messages
29
Reaction score
14
Location
north carolina
Vehicle Year
2004
Make / Model
ford ranger
Transmission
Automatic
I figured it out the white wire dint go to anything posts have been deleted, ty again
 

Similar threads


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Staff online

Today's birthdays

TRS Events

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Latest posts

Truck of The Year


Kirby N.
2024 Truck of The Year!

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Vagabond Video

TRS Merchandise

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Sponsors


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Sponsored Ad

Top