agfours

I am looking at installing an airbag deactivation bar in my (new to me) 2001 Boxster S. I find the deactivation bar without problem but would like to know if there is a cheap alternative to the male side buckle (i.e. is there an off the shelf part that replicates the buckle that comes with a Porsche branded child seat?)

I can't even locate a Porsche child seat / booster to purchase with the male side buckle. My son is almost 10, so just need a booster/buckle option... I already have a full side protection Recaro made child booster seat with back that has worked well and looks to me to be as safe a seat as available.

Any ideas on sourcing the male side buckle only?

Mack73

Yes, scroll down about half the page here:

http://www.porscheshop.co.uk/acatalo...ild_seats.html

Fintro11

you can also mod a 944 seat belt to work as well

HBdirtbag

do you have pictures or more info?

Cbonilla

Funny you should ask, as I just built a solution to this for about $30, most of which was shipping. The airbag deactivation bar has 4 resistors and a switch, and except for the connections to the DPST switch it was accomplished without any soldering. It will still need activation with a PST2 (not durametric) but I plan on inventing a story if need be to con a dealership into doing this

If you're interested I can post pictures and instructions on how to do this

HBdirtbag

Yes please!

Cbonilla

Building an Airbag Deactivation Switch

Those of us who still drive the 986 gasp at the cost of putting a child in the passenger seat, especially if they will be infrequent passengers. In addition to the cost of the deactivation bar itself ($270 from Pelican), plus another $10 for the longer bolts to hold the bar down, it is useless without a hack for the buckle-activated switch which is integral only the Porsche child seat. And since that seat is no longer available – do you really want a child seat that is ten years old? – you might as well build a switch that can accomplish the same purpose: deactivate the airbag when you have a child in the front and let you use the child seat of your choice.

So here is how I built a device that emulates the function of the airbag deactivation bar. Best of all, this is a project that requires no soldering of tiny heat sensitive components. The only soldering required is for the wires to the switch.

A few observations:

1: I am not an engineer, this is the first circuit I have built since I was a teen
2: Needless to say, as confident as I am in this device, you assume all risk in doing so

Supplies: I ordered online from Allied Electronics

2 x 4.02k ohm resistors
2 x 511 ohm resistors
DPST (Double Pole Single Throw Switch)
@ enclosures, one for the component and one for the switch.
Small (about 3”x2”) solderless breadboard
Jumper wires for breadboard or 22 gauge solid hookup wire (I used cutoffs from the resistor legs)
Tools
Drill (to make wiring pass throughs in the enclosures)
Multimeter (if you want to check your work)
Soldering gun (used very little)

Picture 1
Wiring Diagram
This is from the Pelican Parts site








Pic 1

For a tutorial on how the solderless breadboard works see
I will assume that you have seen this video to understand how the breadboard is wired internally





The second pic shows the breadboard with all the components mounted. The two brown resistors are 511 ohms (within spec, mine actually measured 540) and the blue ones are 4.02k.
You’ll notice that I used the rails normally used to feed power to connect one leg of each resistor on the same side of the breadboard since it did away with a number of separate wires.

The resistors are installed diagonally reflect their size and the geography of the board
The bare wires spanning the centre of the board make the connections between the two resistors

The wires at the top of the board will connect to the wiring loom under the seat.



Pic 3<br/>

Picture 3 shows the wires added that will connect to the switch. I used two pairs from a piece of spare cat6 cable






Pic 4<br/>

Picture 4 shows the device mounted in a project box. Notice how I wrapped a few lengths of electric tape over all the loose wires and around the board to ensure that the wires were not pulled out by the tension from the wires that go outside the box. Also note how the wires were knotted to avoid being pulled out of the enclosure. The self adhesive bottom of the breadboard was used to hold the board to the bottom of the enclosure





Pic 5<br/>


Picture 5 shows the wires connected to the switch. Use your mutlimeter to show when continuity is correct to select the switch terminal. This pic shows the switch installed in a small project box. My switch was a little too tall for the box so it is closed with two screws at the back and with electric tape at the front

Testing the device

Connect your multimeter to the two leads from the box. Make sure the meter range is set properly. I was confused initially and failed to recognize that when my meter showed resistance of “1” that it was signaling the need to set the meter to a different range.
With the switch open it should read about 2.25 Kilo ohms. With the switch closed it should drop to 255 ohms. Some variation is expected, but your want to be in this range. Mine reads 2.36k and 367 ohms respectively, but I am told by a friend who is an electric engineer that this is well within tolerances.


Connecting the Device

Under the passenger seat, taped to the wiring harness of 1 986, is plug designed for the Porsche airbag deactivation bar to connect with. No need to remove the seat, it is near the front – just remove the tape holding it to the harness (it helps if you have power seats and can raise the seat). Snap on a pair of power taps to the wires going to that plug. I forget what they’re called, mine are blue and are designed to tap into low voltage wires while making a connection to a second wire that you can add. Crimp on low voltage connectors to the wires coming out of the box you built and the wires from the factory harness, install the box under the seat with some Velcro or similar and you’re done. Leave the switch loose under the front of the seat.

And you’re done.

HBdirtbag

Thanks!! I licked out. Found the deactivation bar on eBay for $60.

I needed another seat anyways and saw suncoast claims they still sell the old on. I'm suspecting I get an email on Monday saying it's not true.

professorman

Has anyone created this deactivation dongle recently? I bought one of these about 6 years ago, but I sold it. I want one for my new Boxster now.