Discussion of Auto-Close of Westfalia center skylight

Zach Woods

New member
Re: Auto-Close of the Center Skylight?


You got it right. The original circuit board and remote control on
Westfalia's allowed the "one push" auto-close of the close button and
that was it. The original remote control was rectangular (with a
battery compartment door which slid out).

In March/April 2005, the new circuit board and new replacement remote
control (more trapezoid in shape) resulted in the "got to hold down
the close button" which is a bit of a pain. Presumably this was done
for safety reasons (the Westfalia owners manual goes overboard with
warnings about not sticking your head out the skylight, etc.). The
new remote has to be much much closer to the red indicator light to
make the skylight open/close.

Quickest solution is to lick you finger, reach up, and touch the rain
sensor (it's a small square thing on the skylight frame corner
nearest to the refrigerator).

Haven't checked to see if there's an auto-reverse or auto-stop if
there's something in the way.

The "upgrade" in March/April 2005 in the skylight resulted from
skylights opening by themselves--presumably from CB radios and other
electronic frequencies. The skylight brackets (brown in color) were
also upgraded so that the skylight cover was pulled tighter when
closed (and the red light indicator would go off, showing the
skylight was closed.)


--- In sprinter_westfalia@yahoogroups.com, "Zach Woods" <zwoods@t...>
wrote:
> Howdy -
>
> If the Center Skylight in the Airstream Sprinter Westfalia can
close
> automatically and completely when it senses rain why do I have to
> hold the button on the remote control in order to close it when I
> want to?
>
> I was thinking about the above the other day. Seems to me that the
> auto close when it rains feature is at least if not more dangerous
> than the completely close on one push of the remote control push
> button: at least if I pushed the button myself I can watch to make
> sure nothing gets caught in the closing skylight! If I am not
> initiating the close (the rain is) then it could easily close on
> something or someone without my ever knowing it until I returned to
> the vehicle.
>
> I am not concerned about the safety of the auto close when it rains
> feature, I am just assuming that if it can auto close under those
> circumstances that it ought to be able to auto close with one push
> of the remote control button, also.
>
> Does anyone know how they function in Europe? Maybe when the new
> circuit board was installed (to avoid interference from signals in
a
> range common in the US but not used in Europe), the auto-close on
> one push of the button capability was changed to only close when
the
> button is held down the whole time?
>
> I also drive a Mini Cooper and there is a gentleman who has created
> a circuit that does a number of nice things that are not offered
> stock or even as a US option (some are in Europe . . .). The
> capability that is most like the one I am describing above in the
> Westfalia is an auto-up window on two quick button pushes
> capability. Check this out in detail here:
> http://www.gbmini.net/MINIcircuit/index.shtml.
>
> Are there any bright Electrical Engineers out there that might be
> looking for a challenge?
>
> I am going to look into this more carefully when I am in Europe in
> September and I have already poked around a bit online to see if I
> could determine how the center skylight functions on the Euro-Spec
> James Cooks or even if someone in Europe has already tried to "fix"
> this problem.
>
> In case it helps, the center skylight appears to be a Dometic Seitz
> Heki 4 (http://www.dometic.com/templates/Product,674,1345.aspx).
>
> I'll let you know what I discover!
>
> Zach Woods
> zwoods@t...
 

Zach Woods

New member
The following is archival:

*****
At 41°F ( 5°C ) and a Humidity of 84% is a permanent signal at the rain sensor which closes the skylight without rain, fog or other wetness.

This is what the manufacturer said about this problem.

Also he said that the system is constructed in that way, that whenever there are errors in the Circuit Board, Remote or Rain Sensor the roof closes automatically.

If this happens he suggests to check first the rain sensor, unplug it from the circuit board and look if roof closes. If not, change rain sensor, if yes change circuit board and Remote.

If there is somebody who can tell me how I can upload pictures to the Forum I will show a picture of the circuit board and it´s wiring connections.

If any further questions ask them.
 

Top Bottom