Intermittent wiper controller

Has anyone built an intermittent wiper controller for use on a vehicle that didn't have such sophistication? The delay on my '96 Miata is not adjustable, I'd like to make it variable with a potentiometer on the dash and the control box hidden somewhere. What say thee GRM tinkerers?

Do you have to build one? You know that some cars come with this as a separate unit that you could adapt...

I read an article that my '06 Scion xB without a variable intermittent could use a control stalk from a Matrix or another Toyota, forget the model, fairly easily. So perhaps a comparable Mazda stalk would swap in?

Did that vintage Miata come with variable speed wipers as an option? If so, it is probably as simple as swapping the stalk.

The early Ford Focus was that way. It was one of those 30/30 jobs. $30 for a new stalk and ~30 minutes for the average non-mechanic to swap the parts.

doesnt the movie "Flash of Genius" show how to make it in your basement

It was variable on same-vintage Proteges and MX6s. I bet it would be relatively easy to swap over.

Can you do it for less than the Hella Intermittent wiper switch?

Or are you just looking for a project?

slantvaliant wrote: Can you do it for less than the Hella Intermittent wiper switch? Or are you just looking for a project?

Any clue how easy this is to install. This is one thing I could really use on my truck (other than a whole new windshield).

I bought a pair of these

http://www.apogeekits.com/windshield_wiper_control.htm

I can make it work on the bench with a Fiat wiper motor but when wired into the car the exact same way it won't work. Not sure why. I need to try it again. The other is still in my toolbox and I should try it in the falcon. That would be a nice addition.

The apogee kit is cheap, tiny and the time delay/relay works. I can control a light bulb with it but the auto park mechanism in the wiper motor is where the issue lies.

By looking at the Apogee kit, it's made by a company called Velleman. They make a ton of DIY electrical project kits. I tried looking at the pictures of them and it looks like a 555 timer and a couple resistors, capacitors, and relays. If you wanted to, look up PWM and 555 timer. Use the timer and a pot to activate the relay to send power to the wiper motor.

Or just follow what this guy did: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=413975

You should be able to buy this stuff from Radio Shaq.

I don't think any of the Miatae came with multi or variable speed wipers in '96 and the stalks look different than most other Mazda but there may be another model that physically fits. The cruise control is on this stalk too but lots of things are designed the same for different models in the same year.

I don't have to build it from scratch but that Hella module would not fit where I'd like for it to so I'd probably have to mod it. I think I could do what I want for less than $85 + shipping too.

I bet a 556 timer, some breadboard and a handfull of misc. parts would do you. I bet there's a schematic in the 555 Time Cook Book, and 2 minutes of google-fu would probably bring one up as well. Probably cost <$10 in parts plus the relay, and that's from Crap Shack.

Here's the one you can bring up in 3 seconds with Google:

GameboyRMH wrote: Here's the one you can bring up in 3 seconds with Google:

Sorry for putting you out, what did you search for in Google? I didn't find that one. Looks like R3 is the potentiometer that controls the delay.

Thanks for all the info, y'all.