i have a 2001 mazda 626 LX with a CodeAlarm CSI-300. I have the alarm installation manual and the LED manual. I was wondering what I were to do in order to install the LED "I-design" scanner on my mirror. It has 3 wires: black (ground [-]),blue (alarm [-]), and yellow (12v battery [+]). any suggestions? or should i just have a shop do it?

 

It depends what style LED you have, Code Alarm has two kinds. Do you switch into valet mode pushing the LED itself or a hidden switch? If it is the hidden switch style, it would be easy. The 12V and ground are obvious where they go, and the alarm (-) would hook up to the negative output for the LED off the alarm module. You can leave the existing LED hooked up or disconnect it. It would probably be easiest to gain access the module to get at the wiring. Code Alarm modules are good about having the wiring diagram on the module itself.

 

no it's the blue LED valet push button. and i'm not too good with wiring so idk where the ground and 12v are. is the 12v from the lights in the dome or do i have to run it across the top and down the left side of the windshield... if thats the case i need more wires, heat shrink tape, and my soldering gun

i already took a look at the actual alarm box and the wires going into the led switch and there's black and grey which are for the valet mode, and then there's the red and blue for the LED.


<EDIT Nov. 9> I did some research and found out the ground wire can either go to the ground wire of another 12v application, or a bare metal part of the car.

all i pretty much need to know is what do i connect the 12v wire to. i have no idea what i can take the power from...

 

Hook the 12v wire to any source that is hot at all times, regardles if the key is on or off. Just splice into the wiring that supplies power to the alarm module.

Hook the blue to the negative side of the LED, it would the easy to splice into this wire also.

The best thing for splicing is Scotchlok connectors. These connectors look like a "clam". All you need is a pair of pliers and clamp around the wire to be spliced into. It will pierce the wire automatically. There is also a male spade connector that you use a crimping tool on. Install the wire from the new LED into the connector and plug into the Scotchlok. These connectors can be found in Walmart or most good auto parts stores.

 

okay. i'll do that. so much easier than what i was told to do. i thought that doing that would take power away from the alarm system but I guess the battery just puts a little more into it. now here's another question... im pretty sure, but i want to be definate. do i splice it to the wire going from the actual alarm box to the first cluster of fuses and something else... i think it's like a transformer or something?

I also heard that I can also hook it up through/behind the fuse box. if i were to do that would i need to connect it to an empty space in the fuse box and have a fuse in there, or do i just connect it to another wire behind/next to the box?

 

It should be fine to hook it up a power wire near or behind the fuse box. You can also do as you said and use an empty slot in the fuse box, there are many choices. Use a test light to determine if power is always supplied there because you want the LED to work even when the key is off. If you decide where to splice the wire, make sure the LED wiring power wire is not bigger than the wire you want to get power from.

 

sweet.. i'm doing this tomorrow before class... i need to solder some wires so do i have to use wires that are the same gauge as the wires coming from the LED? and also the wires coming from the LED contain a bunch of thin silver wires. can i solder them to the same thickness of copper wire instead of buying silver wire?
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if i do go through the fuse box what fuse should i use?
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O and in order to find the LED output could I measure all the wiring and solder it before i put it in, and then connect the power and ground, turn the alarm on and touch it to either LED wire to see which one it is? or is it the blue wire going to/from the LED?

 

ok so get this crap. i hook up the led bar, connect it to the 12v and ground. then i sit in the car, turn the alarm on, and touch the last scanner wire to the alarm LED wires. touching the red wire made the alarm LED flash like usual, while connecting it to the blue wire made the alarm LED stay dim, flash, dim, flash, etc. I also then noticed that the LED scanner would only turn on when the alarm LED lit up... does this mean that I have to have the alarm in valet mode so the alarm LED stays lit, or do i have to connect it to a different source?

 

It depends if you want it to work all the time, or when the key is on, or only when the alarm is on. You can use a small hidden toggle switch and it will work when you want it to You might have to find an aux output on the alarm module that is active when you turn the alarm on.

 

that's what i figured. could i hook up the alarm wire to my external shock sensor? idk what wire i would hook it to tho... hmm... i need to do some research.......

thank you so much for all your help tho :-) everyone i asked was saying "o go behind the fuse box..." or something like that... like i would know what to do after that...