Need help with my electric Tonneau cover memory stop position

[Ricks Lightning]

I recently purchased an electric Tonneau cover from Amazon. Not cheap and everything went fine even with the poorly written Chinese instructions. But weeks later I noticed the cover had opened by itself. The CS rep said a button was pushed and I said impossible as the 4 options are the hand held remote, that's locked up in the truck bed, the wired push button that is installed where the factory bed lights would be , the phone app and an option to link the ford key fob to a signal wire which I don't have as i haven't figured out how or where to wire the signal wire.

So I decided to install a switch that cuts the power to the cover when not in use so that it will never open on its own or about a false trigger. Here lies the problem. Apparently when you turn off power to the cover, even if it's fully closed, the cover looses it's preset memory of where to stop the travel in the closed position. what happens upon turning the power on is that the cover opens 14'' and stops. I then have to recalibrate the unit each time I cut the power. CS rep was also unaware of this and had me doing trouble shooting for a week.

The cover requires power 24/7 for the memory / limit stops to stay . So is there a way to either wire a 12 volt low current feed or add a battery backup that supplies power to the memory and not enough current to open the cover. I was thinking adding a 1 amp fuse or circuit breaker to feed power continuously, and then when i need the cover flip on my switch / 15 amp fuse to give it full current. Or possibly a 12 volt small button cell to keep the board hot and not loose my settings. Is there a diode or resister I can wire to bypass the switch and allow minimal current flow to keep the memory running?

What's crazy is the factory claims that the only way to retain the memory is to keep the cover fully open, like it was shipped and then kill power. complete opposite of what I need. Also what's interesting is the phone app and serial number allows them to check all the logs and determine what triggered the false opening. So I guess with a phone app they have access to my cover and can potentially open the cover at will if it ever gets hacked. I might need to drop the app for security concerns.

What's the purpose of a cover that I can't trust to stay closed and protect my tools and equipment? Factory hasn't gotten back to me with the phone app logs that would show what triggered it. I don't remember the date anyways so it's useless too. In the mean time I'm keeping the power off and using the rarely using this expensive cover until I make a fix.

Thanks for your help.

Rick

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[Henry Ford]

Has this happened more than once? Maybe it's an anomaly that will never happen again and the actual solution is to do nothing. I'm partial to easy solutions.

 

[Ricks Lightning]

Has this happened more than once? Maybe it's an anomaly that will never happen again and the actual solution is to do nothing. I'm
partial to easy solutions.

Unfortunately this happens every time I shut power and it has been confirmed by the factory you cannot turn off the power when it's in the closed position.

The cover opened one time by itself 1 time is enough when you're livelihood depends on your tools and equipment
Rick

 

[Henry Ford]

The cover opened one time by itself 1 time is enough when you're livelihood depends on your tools and equipment
Rick

Send it back and get something different. It's ridiculous to modify a product to get it to behave as it was designed to behave. You've clearly lost confidence in it, why deal with it any longer?

 

[Ricks Lightning]

Send it back and get something different. It's ridiculous to modify a product to get it to behave as it was designed to behave. You've clearly lost confidence in it, why deal with it any longer?

The manufacturer just refunded me 33% of the purchase price. I know I can modify the power supply fairly easy. Either with my 1 amp power bypass or some kind of coin cell , diode or resister. Just looking for someone who can advise me with the best way.

Rick

 

[Hank42]

The manufacturer just refunded me 33% of the purchase price. I know I can modify the power supply fairly easy. Either with my 1 amp power bypass or some kind of coin cell , diode or resister. Just looking for someone who can advise me with the best way.

Rick

I respect your enthusiasm to undertake this mod. I think you have a good idea.
You might end up solving your memory problem, and introduce a new problem by having the system only half powered.

I say give it a go! But you might end up down a rabbits hole by modifying something you don't have the source code/schematics for.

As someone else mentioned if it only happened once, I'd probably wait for a longer pattern before embarking on something like this. Cutting the power is a good idea, but perhaps you could leave it powered and take a mechanical approach by placing a latch or tie down to prevent it from opening unintentionally?

Happy to help on the electronic side - DM me more information - wiring diagram, picture of both sides of the control circuit board etc..

 

[Danface]

Get a UPS perhaps?

 

[Ricks Lightning]

I respect your enthusiasm to undertake this mod. I think you have a good idea.
You might end up solving your memory problem, and introduce a new problem by having the system only half powered.

I say give it a go! But you might end up down a rabbits hole by modifying something you don't have the source code/schematics for.

As someone else mentioned if it only happened once, I'd probably wait for a longer pattern before embarking on something like this. Cutting the power is a good idea, but perhaps you could leave it powered and take a mechanical approach by placing a latch or tie down to prevent it from opening unintentionally?

Happy to help on the electronic side - DM me more information - wiring diagram, picture of both sides of the control circuit board etc..

Thanks Hank. Not really looking into getting into the circuit board or IC . Just looking to supply 12 vdc with minimal current capacity so the memory stays alive but not enough current to open the maximum 15 amp motor.

Pretty much how they sell a 9vdc battery that plugs into the lighter socket to keep the cars memory alive when swaping out a battery on a car.

Wiring is straight forward. The oem is a 12vdc with 15 amp blade fuse and a ground wire. All I did was put a 20amp water proof switch with built in power led indicator on hot side. Indicator lamp in the switch glows when energized.

Other than adding another 12vdc switch on a 1 amp fuse that wouldn't be capable of opening the cover, but supplies voltage for the memory. Keep that switch on 24/7. Then when I need the cover, flip the 15amp switch on. Not sure if keeping the 1 amp on will blow, but I can always flip the 1 amp off prior to opening the cover. Close the cover and flip the 1 amp back on..

Will a diode or resister wired to the original 15 amp switch allow power to pass 24/7 and power the ic board? Eliminating the need for a secondary 1 amp switch? Although it might keep my led indicator lamp lit too?

I know I'm making it somewhat over complicated. But there is no key lock on the cover to secure it. Too much to loose if the cover were to open without my knowledge.

Thanks,
Rick

 

[Ricks Lightning]

Get a UPS perhaps?

It's not a matter of loosing power. But more a matter to supply minimum current when I shut off the cover to keep the board energized. But not enough to open the cover.
Rick

 

[Danface]

It's not a matter of loosing power. But more a matter to supply minimum current when I shut off the cover to keep the board energized. But not enough to open the cover.
Rick

So why not use an inexpensive ups (which has a battery), it will keep it energized and isolated from the LVB and will recharge when the trunk runs

For example:

https://www.amazon.com/Konnected-Backup-Battery-Mini-UPS-7800mAh/dp/B08JTVY87T/ref=sr_1_3

 

[Hank42]

Thanks Hank. Not really looking into getting into the circuit board or IC . Just looking to supply 12 vdc with minimal current capacity so the memory stays alive but not enough current to open the maximum 15 amp motor.

Pretty much how they sell a 9vdc battery that plugs into the lighter socket to keep the cars memory alive when swaping out a battery on a car.

Wiring is straight forward. The oem is a 12vdc with 15 amp blade fuse and a ground wire. All I did was put a 20amp water proof switch with built in power led indicator on hot side. Indicator lamp in the switch glows when energized.

Other than adding another 12vdc switch on a 1 amp fuse that wouldn't be capable of opening the cover, but supplies voltage for the memory. Keep that switch on 24/7. Then when I need the cover, flip the 15amp switch on. Not sure if keeping the 1 amp on will blow, but I can always flip the 1 amp off prior to opening the cover. Close the cover and flip the 1 amp back on..

Will a diode or resister wired to the original 15 amp switch allow power to pass 24/7 and power the ic board? Eliminating the need for a secondary 1 amp switch? Although it might keep my led indicator lamp lit too?

I know I'm making it somewhat over complicated. But there is no key lock on the cover to secure it. Too much to loose if the cover were to open without my knowledge.

Thanks,
Rick

That makes sense, but I see a problem with your plan.

Assuming you limit the current as described, "not enough power to the motor, but enough to keep the memory alive"; If whatever glitch occurred to trigger the cover to "randomly" open, the voltage would drop to 0 when it tried to power the motor because of the load of the motor across the current limited supply. That would cause it to erase the memory, defeating the purpose.

Maybe I am missing something in your description - is there a dedicated supply line to just the motor? If so, you could interrupt that with your switch, and keep the full 12V/current to the electronics. Wiring diagram would be mucho helpful

 

[Ricks Lightning]

That makes sense, but I see a problem with your plan.

Assuming you limit the current as described, "not enough power to the motor, but enough to keep the memory alive"; If whatever glitch occurred to trigger the cover to "randomly" open, the voltage would drop to 0 when it tried to power the motor because of the load of the motor across the current limited supply. That would cause it to erase the memory, defeating the purpose.

Maybe I am missing something in your description - is there a dedicated supply line to just the motor? If so, you could interrupt that with your switch, and keep the full 12V/current to the electronics. Wiring diagram would be mucho helpful

Hank, your suggestion is good, except I would have to tear into the sealed cover unit to get to the motor and install a set of jumpers to the switch..can be done, but lots of tearing into things..

If I have the low current switch energized once the cover is closed and swap to full current when I plan to open the cover, I shouldn't short out the 1 amp supply.
Possibly a double pole double throw switch would work with a 1 amp fuse on the low current side and 15 amp on the high current side.. probably will solve it and allow the brain to still have constant power..

Just 1 hot and ground supplying the cover..my switch would still supply both the high current and low current memory.
I'm thinking as a plumber, not an electronics guy, but I've got some hands on experience with wiring in cars and such..

Thanks again for following and giving your expertise in this.

Rick

 

[Ricks Lightning]

Just an update. Hank42 reached out to me with a DM and drew up a couple different circuits. Combination of a resister and a capacitor. I will order the few cheap parts and switch and should be home free. Thanks to all that have helped and I appreciate it.

This is how a forum works and I look forward to helping others where I can. Especially when it comes to Plumbing as I did for 18 years on the Ridgid Plumbing Forum. Fire away as need.

Rick

 

[Druth]

Can you make the switch the opposite. N/C if it’s N/O or possibly move the location of the home switch to the end of the bed? Sorry just trying to look at easier possibilities

 

[Ricks Lightning]

Can you make the switch the opposite. N/C if it’s N/O or possibly move the location of the home switch to the end of the bed? Sorry just trying to look at easier possibilities

I mounted the switch on the oval rubber plug where the bed lights would normally be if this were included. It's litterally 6" from the tailgate type left side. I have the main power, then a switch for led lighting and finally a factory cover switch that is also glitchy. The manufacturer is sending out a new phone app to download along with possibly an updated control board. They tried to download my logs from the serial number, but I couldn't even get into them.

Why would the manufacturer have access to my logs on something as simple as a open and close bed cover? Kind of scary they have access from China. I guess if I don't use the phone app and deny access, it would make it more secure?
Here is a photo of the settings. Of course the limited instructions that are included with the cover never got into setting up these variables. Just how to mount the cover.
The manufacturer has been good at trying to resolve my concerns, but later found out that power can't be disconnected from the cover. Who knew a cover is this involved and more than just fixed limit switches designed specifically for our f150's bed length.
Rick

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