Programming 4200DL w/ a power button (see example)

jabbeaux

Member
Jul 5, 2018
24
NY
I’ve been scratching my head at this video, see 26sec mark. Appears they wired + programmed 4200DL to only “power on” when a single button is pressed.

Truck is on. 4200DL isn’t..or doesn’t seem so? Button on keypad w/ power sticker is pressed, then 4200DL is on. How is the 4200 recognizing the input if the keypad hasn’t booted? I like the idea of killing lights/keys on the unit until Power button pressed....but how did they do this?
 

tsquale

Lifetime VIP Donor
Oct 12, 2010
10,511
Minnesota, USA
I have never used at 4200, but is it possible that they have the "power button" only controlling a trigger for the back lighting that would normally be wired in to the ignition?
 

whatevah

Member
May 26, 2010
388
Delaware, USA
The control head is dead if the main module doesn't have power & ignition input. The power button likely just activates the backlight input and maybe relays for siren power or something similar.
 

jabbeaux

Member
Jul 5, 2018
24
NY
Thank you (both)! I recall thinking I had to feed power for night OR day, I guess those are optional?

@whatevah - you'll appreciate this. 2 days of no driving he jeep in winter kills the battery. I've got the brain hooked to control wires, but main power for each light goes through a BlueSea box. Did you put an ignition-switched relay before the BlueSea, to avoid that battery drain?

Avoiding battery drain was my initial idea when I saw this video.
 

whatevah

Member
May 26, 2010
388
Delaware, USA
I had a bit of battery drain that I think improved when I added a relay between my BlueSea box (supplied my radios, 4200, fridge and air compressor) and 4200, but the main drain was honestly the fridge that lived in the Jeep almost year-round.

Btw, the JK is gone... currently waiting for supplies to arrive to light up a Gladiator. I think I'm going to use one button as a backlight kill, have the ignition trigger jumpered to the backlight input through a relay's NC terminal and have a 4200 output switch the relay to its (empty) NO terminal.
 

jabbeaux

Member
Jul 5, 2018
24
NY
Thanks @whatevah, sounds like an ignition-switched relay before the Blue Sea fuse box is my solution. As for this thread's orig question, sounds like I just tie one button's output into the NIGHT's port. Shockingly involves less voodoo than I expected.

Good luck with the Gladiator, can't wait to see how you top your Wrangler's setup!
 

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