Lighted Pony Project (back it!)

[Ciero]

Good deal, I thought I had managed to tap an incorrect wire. I guess it’s not what I’d hoped for, but yeah, I still like it. I haven’t put the frunk back in yet, so maybe I just made myself some weekend plans to run it through the firewall.

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[ValentinoRossi]

Yeah, that appears to be the way it works. After installing mine I was worried that "always on" really meant always on but you're right that it switches off after 15 minutes. It's strange that it doesn't go off with the rest of the lights after leaving the car. It goes on when anything wakes the car and also goes on and stays on while the car is charging. I looked at the security camera footage inside my garage to see what was happening, it came on when my car started charging at its scheduled time and switched off 15 minutes after it finished four hours later. I'm not enthused about taking my frunk apart again but I really don't like this setup, once the weather cools off a little I'm going to run the wire through the firewall to the inside fuse panel. It looks great, though!

Thanks for posting this, you just convinced me to do it through the firewall when I get mine. (1st place still going out i guess?)

I still cant believe there is no where to get the signal under the hood, it seems really odd. wouldnt there need to be some kind of 12v signal to turn on the headlights?

 

[JGuske23]

Completed mine in about 2 hours, went through firewall, looks excellent! I do wish the LEDs were frosted behind the plastic to refract the light a little more only because my 3 year old loved seeing it turn on when I showed her but her first words were: Cool! It has Polkadots!

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

I'm looking forward to the more technical members validating that nothing drained over time, no hiccups with the installation.

Rick,
Not sure if you consider me one of the more technical members, but I did do this install on the wife’s AWD Premium. No issues. I did go through the firewall though and not use the “always on” option. (Actually I already had the firewall wire run from putting the ELwire pony on her car when I sold the black car.)

 

[RickMachE]

Rick,
Not sure if you consider me one of the more technical members, but I did do this install on the wife’s AWD Premium. No issues. I did go through the firewall though and not use the “always on” option. (Actually I already had the firewall wire run from putting the ELwire pony on her car when I sold the black car.)

Thanks!

 

[Texas-E]

Ok... I'm confused about the different behaviors when wired to the BCM wire or always on.

From the instructions, the BCM connection does this:

What exactly happens with the "Always On" installation? At about 3:12 in this video () it, John says:

"... the white wire turns on anytime you approach the car, and anytime the car is on, this white will turn on 12 volts..."

So what exactly is "anytime the car is on?"
-When the car is remotely started, or the start button is pushed?
-When you walk up to the car with a key or PaaK?
-When the car wakes up or is awake...independent of starting it?

 

[dsheib]

Ok... I'm confused about the different behaviors when wired to the BCM wire or always on.

From the instructions, the BCM connection does this:

What exactly happens with the "Always On" installation? At about 3:12 in this video () it, John says:

"... the white wire turns on anytime you approach the car, and anytime the car is on, this white will turn on 12 volts..."

So what exactly is "anytime the car is on?"
-When the car is remotely started, or the start button is pushed?
-When you walk up to the car with a key or PaaK?
-When the car wakes up or is awake...independent of starting it?

The pony lights up anytime the DRLs are on, when you walk up to the car with the fob or with PaaK, when the car is switched on, and when the car is remotely started. Interestingly, I just tried remote starting my car while watching my security camera in the garage and the remote start failed like it does occasionally. Even though the car didn't start, the pony lit up for about 30 seconds and then went off even though no other lights came on. I tried starting it again and it started with the DRLs coming on along with the pony. I turned the car off remotely and the pony is still lit up, it will go off in 15 minutes like it always does. If the car is plugged in and charging, the pony will illuminate the entire time the car is actively charging, going off 15 minutes after charging is complete. Hope this helps.

 

[Texas-E]

Thanks, very helpful! Obviously, that white wire stays energized for a bit even though the logic for the headlight prevents the headlight from powering on.

 

[RedDragon]

With the always in option, if you park somewhere without being plugged into a charger, will the pony still stay in for 15 mins or will it turn off when all the headlights turn off?

 

[dsheib]

With the always in option, if you park somewhere without being plugged into a charger, will the pony still stay in for 15 mins or will it turn off when all the headlights turn off?

Yeah, it stays on for an extra 15 minutes every time it lights up. (except for the strange behavior when a remote start fails.)

 

[Texas-E]

Edit- grey/blue dropped to 5.4V underload and would not trigger the pony.

I have a job 1 Premium with the high series lights. At about 50 seconds in this video, John mentions that the grey/blue wire on some vehicles is 12V and on others, 5V. I just checked mine, and the grey/blue is 12V when on and instantly 0V when off (i.e., the right trigger voltage).

The wire through the firewall isn't a big deal, but connecting to the left head-light is much easier. I'm waiting for some better connectors to be delivered in a few mins, and I'm going to give the grey/blue a shot. If anyone has a multimeter, it might be worth a quick check on yours before going the BCM path. Obviously, this assumes that the grey/blue wire is a good choice overall.

I sort of like the idea that the pony is lit when charging. Not so much for 15 minutes after shutting down, though.

Oh, I did check the white wire after shutting off, and it was at 12V while the grey/blue was 0V.

 

[dsheib]

I have a job 1 Premium with the high series lights. At about 50 seconds in this video, John mentions that the grey/blue wire on some vehicles is 12V and on others, 5V. I just checked mine, and the grey/blue is 12V when on and instantly 0V when off (i.e., the right trigger voltage).

The wire through the firewall isn't a big deal, but connecting to the left head-light is much easier. I'm waiting for some better connectors to be delivered in a few mins, and I'm going to give the grey/blue a shot. If anyone has a multimeter, it might be worth a quick check on yours before going the BCM path. Obviously, this assumes that the grey/blue wire is a good choice overall.

I sort of like the idea that the pony is lit when charging. Not so much for 15 minutes after shutting down, though.

Oh, I did check the white wire after shutting off, and it was at 12V while the grey/blue was 0V.

Sounds like that should work! My grey/blue wire is only 5.5 volts even though we both have Job 1 Premiums, strange that they aren't the same.

 

[Texas-E]

Yeah, I’m surprised and not surprised about the variability across the model year. Possibly chip shortage related?

 

[RickMachE]

Yeah, I’m surprised and not surprised about the variability across the model year. Possibly chip shortage related?

This is why I'm waiting to see what people find across jobs and years. Pretty crazy.

 

[Texas-E]

I edited my original post, but I want to post another just in case someone overlooks it.

My grey/blue dropped to 5.4V underload and would not trigger the pony. Without the pony plugged in, it is reading 12+V.

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