|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
At BSC we get asked many questions.
The most frequently asked questions are:
Alarm Questions
- Q. Can a Clifford system invalidate my vehicle
warranty?
A. No. But this can be a ploy used by some
car salesmen to illicitly force a customer to buy
only their services, 'approved' add-ons and replacement
parts. If your car dealer were to ever refuse warranty
coverage based on anything you add to your vehicle
- whether an alarm, new stereo, a different engine-oil
brand, or non-factory-approved floor mats - he would
have to incontrovertibly prove exactly how and why
it caused damage to the component that is no longer
working properly. If you ask the car dealer to put
this denial in writing, they almost immediately
back down as it could be considered fraudulent in
a court of law, since a correctly installed Clifford
system cannot damage a vehicle in any way whatsoever.
- Q. I already have a factory-fitted alarm;
can I still have a Clifford system fitted?
A. More and more cars are coming already
equipped from the factory with alarm systems, but
the very fact that each one is the same as every
one off the production line is a weakness that car-thieves
prey on. Clifford security systems can be fitted
to any car, regardless of whether a factory alarm
is already present or not. Indeed, a correctly installed
Clifford is a one-off, completely unique, and is
therefore far more secure than any factory system
could ever be.
- Q. Can I buy direct from you, and do the
installation myself?
A. Sorry, no. Clifford vehicle security systems
require professional installation by an Authorised
Dealer. Rest assured though, we are an authorised
dealer and have undergone thorough training on Clifford
products. Unless an authorised dealer installs the
system, the warranty and anti-theft guarantees would
be void.
- Q. My remote control doesn't disarm my car
alarm in some places I park but works fine in other
places. What's wrong?
A. Unfortunately this is a fairly common
occurrence, which affects all car alarms at some
time or other. In some places you park, you may
be near to a Radio or Cellular Transmitter that
is on the same operating frequency as that at which
your car alarm remote controls transmit. The radio
mast will be sending its information at a far higher
power than we are allowed under current legislation
to send our arm/disarm information from your remote
control to your car, and as a result your remote
key-fob may at times be over-powered and 'blocked'
from disarming your system. You will suffer far
less with Clifford systems than you would potentially
with another brand as we use a very selective receiver
within the alarm 'brain', and generally you will
notice a reduction in operating range from your
car, but you should still be able to disarm your
Clifford G4 or G5 system from outside the car.
However, if matters are really bad, all Clifford
systems have Valet Over-ride, allowing you to always
drive your car away if you are the rightful user/owner
of the vehicle. As long as you have your car door
key, and you know your system Valet Code, you can
disarm your system even when the remote control
doesn't seem to be responding.
-
Q. Can I have a remote engine starter fitted
to my manual transmission car?
A. Yes, absolutely you can. One of the major
innovations of the G4 range recently introduced
by Clifford is the IntelliStart 4 remote engine
starter. The IntelliStart 4 is designed to easily
interface with ALL vehicles, regardless of whether
automatic transmission or manual, petrol fuel injection
or diesel engine types.
Audio, Visual Questions
-
Q. Can I fit a Cd player
onto my factory fitted stereo?
A. YES. There are cd
changers that can be fitted to a factory standard
stereo by use of a special adapter.
-
Q. What is the best power
wire to use?
A. There is much debate
over the benefit of certain wiring schemes (oxygen-free,
multistranded, braided, twisted, air core, you name
it). However, most people do agree that the most
important factor in selecting power wire is to use
the proper size. Wire is generally rated in size
by American Wire Gauge, abbreviated AWG, or commonly
just gauge. To determine the correct wire size for
your application, you should first determine the
maximum current flow through the cable (looking
at the amplifier's fuse is a relatively simple and
conservative way to do this). Then determine the
length of the cable that your will use, and consult
the following chart, taken from the IASCA handbook.
Length
of run (in feet)
| Current |
0-4
|
4-7
|
7-10
|
10-13
|
13-16
|
16-19
|
19-22
|
22-28
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 0-20A |
14
|
12
|
12
|
10
|
10
|
8
|
8
|
8
|
| 20-35A |
12
|
10
|
8
|
8
|
6
|
6
|
6
|
4
|
| 35-50A |
10
|
8
|
8
|
6
|
6
|
4
|
4
|
4
|
| 50-65A |
8
|
8
|
6
|
4
|
4
|
4
|
4
|
2
|
| 65-85A |
6
|
6
|
4
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
| 85-105A |
6
|
6
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
| 105-125A |
4
|
4
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
| 125-150A |
2
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
00
|
If aluminum wire is used instead of copper wire,
the next larger size (smaller number) should be
used. You should also consider the installation
demands: will you need to run the wire around corners
or through doors or into the engine compartment?
These sorts of problems in the car audio application
require some special care in cable selection. You
will want to have cable that is flexible; it should
have thick insulation as well, and not melt at low
temperatures. You don't want to install wire that
is rigid and prone to cracks and cuts, or else the
results could literally be explosive.
-
Q.
What is the best speaker wire to use?
A. Again, there
is much debate over the benefit of the various schemes
that are being used by different manufacturers.
In general, however, you will probably want to upgrade
your speaker wire from the factory ~20 gauge to
something bigger and oxygen free when you upgrade
your amplifiers and speakers. In most cases, 16
or 18 gauge should be sufficient, with the possible
exception of high-power subwoofers. Using 18 gauge
instead of 12 gauge would only result in a power
loss of 0.1dB, which is essentially undetectable
by humans. Thus, other factors play more important
roles in the selection of speaker wire. One issue
is that different wires will have different line
capacitance's, which could cause the wire to act
as a low pass filter. Generally, however, the capacitance's
involved are so small that this is not a significant
problem. Be sure to heed the warnings above regarding
cable flexibility and insulation, especially when
running wire into doors and other areas with an
abundance of sharp metal.
- Q. I am looking to replace my speakers and
am not sure what type to go for, coaxials or componants?
A. There is no perfect solution for all I am
afraid. There are Pros and Cons for both types of
speaker. From the pro's and Cons you should be able
to make up your own mind when considering your vehicle
and installation.
components
pros - Components allow you to position
the drivers separately and more carefully, which
will give you greater control over imaging. Try
to keep the mid and tweeter as close together as
possible - this will make the two drivers sound
more like a single speaker, and preferably in the
same plane (pointing in the same direction). If
your standard speaker locations are very low down
in the car you can place the tweeters higher up
to lift the sound stage.
cons - Components require more work to install
as you will have to mount the tweeters separately,
and most component kits also have separate crossovers.
There is often very limited space to locate the
crossovers and they require far more wiring. Components
also require more power to drive them as there are
2 pairs of drivers and the crossovers also soak
up quite a bit of power. Therefore to get the best
results you will need to add an external amplifier.
coaxials
pros - Coaxials are much simpler to install,
usually just a case of removing the original speaker
and screwing the new one in it's place. The two
drivers are in exactly the same place therefore
not separating the sound source. Coaxials are perfect
for rear speakers as imaging is not so important.
A high power head-unit normally provides enough
power to adequately drive a pair of coaxials, therefore
no separate amplifier is necessary.
cons - Tweeters cannot be moved therefore
the imaging is restricted by the location, if the
speaker location is low in the front door (as most
cars are) the sound stage will be fairly low - I
have not yet come across anybody with ears in their
feet!!
Other Questions
- Q. Are Radar Detectors
Illegal?
A. NO! Radar Detectors have been legal in the
UK since 1998. We would recommend checking the legality
if traveling outside of the UK.
|
|
|
|
|
|
