Infinity box

[AB69Z]

Looking for the pros and cons on using this on my 69 Camaro verses a traditional wiring setup like an AAW kit

[dhutton]

Long thread on the other forum about difficulties getting the parts and support. At one point it sounded like they went out of business. I personally would not touch it.

Don

[dontlifttoshift]

I really like it and want to use it, here is why I don't.

1. Cost - It's outrageous in my opinion
2. The really neat stuff about it, is just gingerbread and offers no real value.
3. It is seemingly complicated, I have had customers absolutely struggle with AAW and full color prints telling them exactly how to wire everything. I can't imagine running support for the Infinity Box.
4. I never felt like we were their primary market.
5. I can't program it so either have to work around their parameters or wait for them to rewrite a program.

There is absolutely no reason that I shouldn't be able to plug in a laptop and configure all the I/O on a box like that. When that happens, I would consider it.

[andrewb70]

...

There is absolutely no reason that I shouldn't be able to plug in a laptop and configure all the I/O on a box like that. When that happens, I would consider it.

Donny,

I believe there are solutions for fully user programmable options on the market right now.

https://www.waytekwire.com/item/46066/EATON-31M-000-2-Mulitplex-Vehicle-Electrical/

Andrew

[dontlifttoshift]

It seems that is only half the puzzle as it doesn't have any brains.

I want the Holley Dominator of body control modules with 2 or 3 mVECs like you linked. I don't want to be a programmer, just to set some parameters and it works.

Until that exists and is proven, I like analog switches and relays.

[JohnUlaszek]

I've used it a couple of times. Once on a tracked commercial vehicle and once on a pro-touring car. I'll never go back to an old school wiring harness. I remember hearing they were working on making it fully open with respect to user changes on the fly, but the code can be updated now without having to send it back.
https://infinitybox.com/product/incode/

[65 drop top]

I always thought that this https://coachcontrols.com kind of falls between AAW and Infinity Box. It’s capable of delayed accessory turn off, one touch window control, auto head lights, daytime running lights, etc etc, but still wired up more like a conventional fuse panel.

[H2Ogbodies]

I wouldnt want any control box/panel that looks like a glorified amplifier/sound processor. Lots of terminal studs and screws to corrode imo.

[parsonsj]

I'm a big fan of the IB gear, and have installed many of their systems over the years. Jay and his crew have done a great job over that time providing support -- though there was a time for a few months when something happened, but now they are back.

I love the notion of de-linking the control circuits from the loads themselves, and have found the inherent testing and debugging capabilities useful.

IB's parent is Littelfuse, so the group isn't some capital-starved startup.

I share the frustration about it not being opened up for pro installers to make programming changes themselves, and I wish their boxes had a smaller footprint. But I recommend it to my customers when I'm doing a complete car wiring job.

[65 drop top]

I wouldnt want any control box/panel that looks like a glorified amplifier/sound processor. Lots of terminal studs and screws to corrode imo.

If you’re referring to the coach controls, the AAW Highway 22 has 22+ screws and it’s pretty much the standard, so I don’t see the problem. (this is a real question, not sarcasm, sometimes typed things don’t come across properly).

[H2Ogbodies]

I would want to see a more OEM approach personally-more along the lines of harsh environment enclosures-with light and heavy gauge plug-ins. It doesnt mean 100% hermetically sealed, but imo for the $$ it should be more factory style in design as far as current OE manufacturing trends go. Hell, even John Deere has a lot of nice central control enclosures that would be killer in a vehicle build. I see a lot of their control sustem in a production environment and a lot of thought has gone into their designs internally.

[TonyV]

I used IB only because I ran into Jay and the team at SEMA years ago, the technology was something that made sense and i was relatively familiar with it. Keep in mind I've never wired a complete car before so it was a leap of faith. now several years later i'd never use anything else. The ability to troubleshoot, expand and change is simple. Jay's support for questions and parts have been second to none. However the foot print does suck trying to find locations to place everything.....just my .02

[NoSleeperII]

I have a brand new racepak smartwire street version new in the box.

Pm me if interested

[digitalsolo]

FWIW, I've played with a TON of options in this space, including using that Eaton CANbus box with my own control brain I designed.

In the end, I went with an ECUMaster PMU16. No fuses, no relays, programmable directly (via signal from switches/etc) as well as CANbus. It's TINY, light, and VERY easy to use. It was NOT however, cheap. About 1500 bucks by the time you get the programming cable (that it doesn't come with). For the data/capability though, it's pretty awesome.

[andrewb70]

FWIW, I've played with a TON of options in this space, including using that Eaton CANbus box with my own control brain I designed.

In the end, I went with an ECUMaster PMU16. No fuses, no relays, programmable directly (via signal from switches/etc) as well as CANbus. It's TINY, light, and VERY easy to use. It was NOT however, cheap. About 1500 bucks by the time you get the programming cable (that it doesn't come with). For the data/capability though, it's pretty awesome.

Blake,

Pretend I am 5 years old and explain to me how exactly you're using these boxes. I know just enough about CAN to be dangerous.

Andrew

[blitzer454]

I designed my own infinity box. The i-boxes can take up a lot of space, they have the power cells and then a master cell and if you want automatic power windows then they have a separate box for that. To wire my car would require 6 i-boxes (3 power cells, 2 inMotion, and 1 master cell) and at 6.5"x7.25" that starts to take up a lot of space not to mention the cost. With my design I did it all with just 3 modules, one under the hood one in the cab and one in the trunk. Each one of my modules is a master cell, a power cell and an inMotion cell all in a space of about 6"x7" per module. With my module I can do everything the i-box does and more. I added an A/D input for an analog temp sensor so I can control my radiator fans as the temp varies whereas the i-box requires a temp switch which only works at one temp. I use this same A/D input connected to a GM light sensor for automatic headlight operation. That feature was kind of an afterthought and if I ever do another revision of the board I want to refine that feature a little more. I also want to improve the quiescent current as I'm currently around 4mA and I know I can get that down to around 1mA maybe slightly lower.

Some of the special functions that I use my modules for are: PWM control of the radiator fans; controls Camaro RS headlight door motors; one touch up/down power windows, controls reverse lockout solenoid on my T56, clutch and neutral safety switch, automatic headlights, and I also have it setup to automatically turn off the headlights if I forget to do it myself when I turn off the ignition key. Of course it also controls all the lights and horn. Another nice thing is that it doesn't care if you're using LED blinker bulbs or incandescent bulbs it will always blink at the same rate since it doesn't require a flasher module.

It's been a fun project and I have learned a lot about auto wiring challenges. The most challenging part is the software to make it all work and I'm sure that's where the largest chunk of your money is going when you purchase one of these systems.

[parsonsj]

Blake,

I am keenly interested in how you've done this. I've got two or maybe three projects coming through the door in the next few months for which I'd ordinarily recommend an IB box system, plus a retro-fit on a race car that's using an Eaton power module connected to a MoTeC ECU (mine).

And Blitzer,

Your own modules? Have you posted how you did it anywhere? I love learning about this stuff.

This sounds very very interesting!

[blitzer454]

Click on my sig, on post #5 I talk about it.

[Tsunami]

Purchased the Infinity Box setup years go for a project. I, finally, hope to have it installed in the near future. Doing layout of install for Master Cell,the two Power Cells and the one iMotion Cell. Talked to Jay a couple of days about about the possibility of getting the modules software/firmware update. He told me to mail them back and they'd, at no cost, get it done. Still great support from them.

[digitalsolo]

Sorry for the delay getting back to people, been busy with work/family stuff.

Here's how I was using the CAN setup:

I designed my own control box (similar to what you were sent Andrew) that had 16 channels of input that were monitored by an Arduino. I used the factory switches in the car to switch them to ground, that way there was no load on the factory style switches. I then process those switch signals into CAN frames and put them on the line. Depending on which version of my setup (I had one with relay controllers I made, one with the Eaton CAN box, and now I've settled on the ECUMaster PDU), the control boxes are located in other places in the car (under dash and in trunk). Those boxes read the CAN signals and turn on/off lights, horns, fans, etc.

Here's a code example I wrote:

https://github.com/analoghan/CANbus_BCM_Controller

There's more code there (in my Github) that you can look at if you like as well. :)