Where should i mount my dual proximity sensor in my 97 honda civic coupe? I would like to know a good spot. Any help is good. Thanks

 

In the center console.

 

but my head unit is made of metal, and thers a bunch of metal bars in my center console. The instructions say that metal interferes with the radar field. If i put it in the center console, do i put it behind my head unit?

oh yea, and wut kind of battery should i get to backup my alarm. Please be specific, thanks


[Modified by cw_civic, 8:19 AM 6/22/2002]

 

i think he means in the area by the center console box.. behind the shifter.. by that console box by the e-brake... thats where a lot of people mount theres to get the sensor closest to the "centerline" of the vehicle...

 

when i put it in the center console, it only detects from the sides, not the front or back of my car. I adjusted senstivities, but still it only detects from the sides. Is this good, or should i mount it higher in the car? Also, it wont detect impacts in the front of the car.

 

a proximity sensor is not supposed to detect impacts .. it is supposed to detect proximity/closeness.. someone coming up to your windows.. a proximity sensor will not go through metal.. so the area's protected (that should be protected) are the side windows, rear quarter panel windows, the front windshield, the rear hatch glass... it does not go through metal.. so it wont go through doors, cd's, titanium tint, etc...

to detect impact.. you need a shock/impact sensor....

anyway when you say it doesnt detect from the front or back of the car.. are you trying from the glass (as in windshield and rear glass).. or are you thinking it will detect movement from the hood/front bumper and trunk/rear bumper.. cuz it won't..

edit: also if its a dual stage proximity sensor.. it should chirp when it detects some one lurking outside your windows and chirp the siren.. if you leave the window open or something (or its a convertible).. and someone sticks their hand in a few inches into the cabin/interior of the car.. it should set off the full cycle/duration or the siren...


[Modified by GSRaCeRbOI, 11:18 PM 6/22/2002]

 

oh ok. I was just wondering that b/c once me and my friend were checking out these guys headlights and the warning chirps came on. We dint even touch the car. Also, why does a expensive alarm like clifford not come with something that detects impact? Someone could probably steal my rims right now w/o the alarm going off huh? What would u recommend me getting?

 

I have a Clifford alarm.. I have 3 different types of sensors... 1) impact/shock (dual zone) 2) proximity (dual zone) 3) tilt sensor...

the shock/impact sensor detects.. well yeah.. shock and impact...

the proximity sensor I explained above..

the tilt sensor senses tilting of 1 degree... like when people try to jack up/raise up your car to steal the rims.. whatever car you were checkin out the headlights.. that guy must have his sensitivity set up really high (and incorrectly) I bet his car falses a lot..

 

If you think about it the side of the car is a much shorter distance to the sensor than the front or back. Not to mention the sensor won't go through metal. Why do you care if someone is approaching the car from the front or back anyways? If you are afraid of someone jacking your rims than add a tilt sensor.

 

i got a very expensive front bumper

 

So what? What if you park at a convenience store and someone walks past the front of your car on the sidewalk? You want the thing to be chirping constantly, sorry but that's called improper adjustment. And btw, who cares if they look at your bumper, BFD. The tilt and shock sensors will catch them if they try to jack it.

 

true.

Get a dual stage shock, it'll detect and chirp if someone touches your bumper, and full cycle if enough force is used.

there SHOULD've been one with the alarm...cant imagine an alarm without impact but with proximity...usually proximity is the addon sensor.

As an aside, how good are the tilt sensors? if i park on an incline does it automatically "zero" itself?

 

no, my sensor does not go off everytime sumone walks by. An alarm like that would just be idiotic. It goes off when you are standing too close for a long amount of time. And i was asking that b/c my alarm did not come with impact sensors and i was wondering if there is anyway i could protect my car as an entirety at the moment. Also, i don't mind ppl checking out my car when i am not there, but i do mind it if sumone ,who i dont know, gets too close to it. If you know me, you would know that i am very protective of my car.

 

rage: my tilt sensor seems to be pretty good.. it detects tilt like up to one degree and regardless if you jack/raise the car fast or really slow (i've tried both in my garage w/ my floor jack just to see if it worked if you raised it slowly...).. when i park on hills.. it doesnt false and stuff.. its a Clifford digital tilt sensor.. seems to work very well for me...

 

thanks for the info, i'll look into getting one, i'm guessing i can connect it to my shock triggers (with diodes !!!) and it should work fine correct?

-Rage

 

not sure what kind of alarm you have.. it might just plug in as an "additional/secondary" sensor... if not.. you can probably add it inline to your existing alarm.. I'm not sure how it'd work crossing brands.. pretty much all the components on my alarm are Clifford.. so they all work together/were designed to work together..

 

Just curious, how do you adjust the sensitivity? I didnt install it I had someone else do it because it was part of the package. TIA

 

whats the make and model of the alarm and proximity sensor?

on mine (Clifford) you can enter the program mode (via remote.. or if you want.. use the valet code and program modes).. its easier w/ the remote IMO.. anyway you enter the remote adjustability mode.. and press the buttons to increase or decrease the sensitivity and it will chirp to confirm increase or decrease (the tone the siren emits also gets higher pitched or lower pitched)>. then you walk upto it to test it.. and if its at where you like then you press the main button to "set" that sensitivity..

now if its the old school type sensors or your alarm doesn't have remote adjustability.. then your going to have to undo your center console or wherever its mounted.. get a small screwdriver and turn the dial...

 

also to add some info: weather/humidity has a factor in the setting of the sensor:
Example: if you install the avg prox during summer..when the air is more dense...come fall and winter the senor range will extend way furthur than originally set..is some cases up 2 car lengths..because of less dense air. The opposite can be said if the senor is installed during the cold months. Now this normally occurs in areas when the temperture can vary during the seasons( ie mid west and north east). So what you have to do is readjust it at least one more and then it should be fine...try to find a happy medium ( spring or fall)

Hope this helps.


[Modified by audioroach, 4:53 PM 11/18/2002]