Thoughts on my new auto-lamp sensor location?

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Thoughts on my new auto-lamp sensor location?

May 28, 2009, 11:21:21 AM

I am just about to cut a hole in the rear deck, as well as the pad that covers it, to house my autolamp light sensor (no place for it in the SN dash). I planned on centering it in the rear deck just forward from the high mount stop lamp. Anyone have any concerns before I starting chopping?

Thoughts on my new auto-lamp sensor location?

Reply #1 – May 28, 2009, 01:15:26 PM

If you have the SN-dash with the clock on it you can cut 4 slashes in the dash behind the clock and mount the sensor there. I've installed a center channel for someone there before and from what I remember there should be enough room. If I'm not mistaken you can probably mount it in the clock housing itself while retaining the clock.

Thoughts on my new auto-lamp sensor location?

Reply #2 – May 28, 2009, 03:43:38 PM

LOL, yeah, that was the one reason I wish I had a dash with the clock unit!! But no. So, any drawbacks to cutting the rear deck for the light sensor grill relocation?

Thoughts on my new auto-lamp sensor location?

Reply #3 – June 14, 2009, 04:58:13 AM

I saw this a few days ago and wanted to reply and forgot.

have you played this out in your mind?

imagine you have autolamp on
your going down the road at night with a car / big rig on your tail.

long story short, at night, shine a bright light towards the rear window and see if the auto lamp realy shuts down.

if it does, your going to find yourself in the dark in the middle of a curve and eat it.

I would definatly test this location first.
when the sensor si up front, cars generally dont spend much time with brights in your face so the sensor is delayed by the passing car.

with it in the rear, the odds of constant light combined with teh nice 45deg window angle might reflect light and shut you down.

I may be wayyyyyyy wrong though and it works fine.

Thoughts on my new auto-lamp sensor location?

Reply #4 – June 14, 2009, 05:06:02 AM

better yeat,, the sensor location will tell on itself if its ok to be there or not.

when it is dark, have someone else hit the rear window with a spot light.

you go up to the rear window and look down at the sensor.
if it has a crisp and nice shadow under itself , it wont work. if the shadow is skew forward then it will.

right now your pic simulates sunlight although we know different.

in the real world you dont want that shadow to be anywhere but where it is even with a spot light.

a plastic dam along the side closest to the rear window would help prevent stray rear tailgater light from getting in while still getting natural light from above. Ofcourse, all that depends on how your rear window will absorb / reflect / refract light.

Thoughts on my new auto-lamp sensor location?

Reply #5 – June 14, 2009, 08:16:40 AM

If you're just talking auto lamp(lights on at dusk), It'll be fine... The response is so slow on that sensor, takes probably 15-20 seconds to switch modes... Street lights or due to the 90* angle, the guy behind you with 14 off road lamps won't effect it...

Thoughts on my new auto-lamp sensor location?

Reply #6 – June 14, 2009, 01:43:44 PM

Well, either way, to properly test it I needed the hole cut - what I'm saying it, you're too late :) The cool thing it the sensor is recessed so daylight hits it from the sky but lights from behind can't get to it. The problem I have now is I didn't factor in the depth of the rear deck carpet. I made my bracket too deep and it gets no light! Oops. Thats ok, it's lights on for now. No time to fix it before moving....again. ugh Thanks guys!