[Capt Casey]

So While waiting for the weather to warm up Hahahahaha I thought before putting th glass in all the way round on the car I wanted to look at putting power vent windows in it.
I know a little more weight.. But hey You only live once and long enough to enjoy what you make!
I have all the required switches to make the harness just not sure about wiring it.

I have a wiring diagram from a 64 Cadillac that shows the Power vent windows.
Figured I just use the front part of it and wire to the nearest relay which is the power seat? At least that is what the diagram says to do.

So my questions to the people in the know when it comes to wiring.
What gauge should the wires be?
Feeds should be larger gauge...?
Other wires like operational or directional from switches etc gauge?
Add it's own relay?

It shows it being connected to the Relay and we will use this one for the power seat...Or could I use the one fore the power windows which will be under the hood as Bill pointed out. Same as for a Power top? others have said it is behind the left kick panel?
The big question I have is there is a wire that goes to a 40 amp Circuit breaker?
The colour diagram shows the power going to the Fuse block so 12 volt power with the acc on. But the 40 amp breaker is it an inline or one I add or is it the Fuse block as well?
If I do add it where does the wire go after it hits the breaker to Ground?

Again guys and gals...wiring is spaghetti with no sauce to me....!
Grateful for your wisdom and assistance..

Not really worried about colour as coloured tape will do that for me if I should need it.

Casey

The black and white diagram shows the vent windows. Etc.

The colour diagram is for power windows but figured I could make the harness from the diagram using the front window Circuit and even add another relay if need be?

 

[jeffs68]

Wow, I never knew there was a power vent windows in a 68, learn something new everyday.

 

[123pugsy]

Not sure about the diagram at the moment, but it's like this.
If the switch is high enough amperage rated, it can have fused power go directly to it and then go directly to the vent window motor.

Relays are used when the switch cannot handle the amperage flowing thru it. In that case the power that goes thru the switch is a lighter gauge wire, say 18 ga. This wire goes to the switch and when you hit the switch, power goes thru the switch to the low amperage side of the relay and trips the relay inside, making the high current contacts close where power passes thru it on thicker wires, say 14 ga for instance to the motor.

Understanding how it works is half the battle.

 

[caminonut]

Wow, I never knew there was a power vent windows in a 68, learn something new everyday.

There wasn't, but you can convert them over to power if you know what to use.

 

[shovelrick]

Casey are you planning to use the power gear assembly from a Caddy? or will the manual gear be converted?

 

[Capt Casey]

Casey are you planning to use the power gear assembly from a Caddy? or will the manual gear be converted?

Rick I have the motors that bolt right in... same bolt pattern on the top of the motor that swivels the window. They are from a Buick or Cadillac. Impala had them also as an option.
So I am going to delete the hand crank option and put the correct switches in place.
The drivers is a side by side switch but the switches are vertical. Then a single switch on the Pass. side.
Pretty sure I'll have to use the wiring using a relay. and not that Pugs explained it it makes more sense.
Going to dry wire and try it out of the car on the bench. Then measure it out and make the harness.

 

[Capt Casey]

Not sure about the diagram at the moment, but it's like this.
If the switch is high enough amperage rated, it can have fused power go directly to it and then go directly to the vent window motor.

Relays are used when the switch cannot handle the amperage flowing thru it. In that case the power that goes thru the switch is a lighter gauge wire, say 18 ga. This wire goes to the switch and when you hit the switch, power goes thru the switch to the low amperage side of the relay and trips the relay inside, making the high current contacts close where power passes thru it on thicker wires, say 14 ga for instance to the motor.

Understanding how it works is half the battle.

Thanks Pugs! That makes sense to me. Now is there any reason I can't use the same relay as the power seat does?.... As it's already in the car rather than going for the other one for power windows which is under the hood on the firewall in a 68. The 72's were behind the Kick panel on the left... I could always put another one there for this... as I said it will not be stone stock to the purest level.

 

[123pugsy]

Thanks Pugs! That makes sense to me. Now is there any reason I can't use the same relay as the power seat does?.... As it's already in the car rather than going for the other one for power windows which is under the hood on the firewall in a 68. The 72's were behind the Kick panel on the left... I could always put another one there for this... as I said it will not be stone stock to the purest level.

You're talking about power vent motors, what do you have for the windows currently? Power?

If the power seat relay is turned on by the key, then you could take your main hot from the main hot from the power seat relay safely as one wouldn't have all 4 windows and seats going at the same time. So that makes that relay and wires safe from having a melt down.

The diagrams above show hot to switch and then out to window motors with no relays between.

How many amp fuse is the power seat relay fed with? The wires feeding the window switches by rights should be the same gauge, as the fuse for the PS relay is designed to pop before the wire melts down from the current.

 

[Capt Casey]

I am putting Power windows in the car from another car that had all the wiring and windows motors Etc. I also put in a Power seat drivers only.. manual is for the Wife...LOL
The windows could use the Power seat really too Huh never thought of that, Saves me from drilling another hole in an already finished Firewall! Yes I wouldn't want a fire starting under my ass while driving...Fire extinguisher or not!

There are relays in the diagrams they are in the centre in the black and white one and on the left side on the colour. They say there is a circuit breaker in there somewhere as well?
Power would go to the hot side of the relay from fuse panel correct? Wondering where the cicuit breaker would be then if not in the fuse panel? and then where does that go after the breaker to ground? hard to see in the picture I know.

How many fuses... That I cannot tell you for sure It came out of the accessory hot feed in the Fuse box. so possibly one? Then to the relay under the seat.
Again wiring is not my thing...wrenches and wiring don't mix...LOL Thanks Pugs!

 

[billdini]

I can't remember for sure Casey but pretty sure my Legendary door panels had the door panel already cut for the vent cranks. Not the door main window cranks, I had to open the holes for those but no 68 ever had power vents. Also if I had power seats I would want them hot all the time incase someone short drove the car and being 6'2" I would need to move them with the ignition off before getting in. Power windows sure but not seats IMO.

 

[Capt Casey]

Yep Smart thinking Bill I thought about that and most cars are power seats all the time. Windows with keyed power!
Going to set it up the same. the crank hole is just small enough I can use them for the switches. They would go there anyway at least how I saw them in the Buick they were there.
I am getting there. Setting up the wiring to test in the basement with the relay and such...It's going well Now that i have been schooled!
thank you reminding me Bill makes total sense. 6'2" holy crap that's a tall tree!

 

[billdini]

Yep Smart thinking Bill I thought about that and most cars are power seats all the time. Windows with keyed power!
Going to set it up the same. the crank hole is just small enough I can use them for the switches. They would go there anyway at least how I saw them in the Buick they were there.
I am getting there. Setting up the wiring to test in the basement with the relay and such...It's going well Now that i have been schooled!
thank you reminding me Bill makes total sense. 6'2" holy crap that's a tall tree!

Not that being tall really matters as no one drives Murphy except for the inspection station once a year and the little 5'2" woman but she always brings the seat back before getting out of any of our cars manual or automatic. However my new cars all have memory. Hey that's what you should install Casey is memory for the seats but don't forget all the mirrors especially the passenger side

 

[caminonut]

I am putting Power windows in the car from another car that had all the wiring and windows motors Etc.

Hello Casey,
You haven't said which vehicle your donor car is so I'm curious to see if you are going to be using the correct power vent motors in your 1968 Chevelle

 

[Capt Casey]

They came from a 68 Buick and are already bolted in place. Motors rebuilt and Greased.
I just didn't remove them. A buddy of mine removed everything from the Buick including the tinted glass which of course I got with the PW set up. The only thing I didn't do was see where the wiring was connected too. That was some 40 years ago now. So it is a bit of a blur. But Pugs and Brian set me straight along the way so it's all moving along. Will post pics Etc in my thread on the car when installed.

 

[caminonut]

They came from a 68 Buick and are already bolted in place. Motors rebuilt and Greased.
I just didn't remove them. A buddy of mine removed everything from the Buick including the tinted glass which of course I got with the PW set up. The only thing I didn't do was see where the wiring was connected too. That was some 40 years ago now. So it is a bit of a blur. But Pugs and Brian set me straight along the way so it's all moving along. Will post pics Etc in my thread on the car when installed.

Ok, I see then you have the right Power Vent Motors.
I did my El camino over 25 years ago and have sense done 2 more.
Not sure if your door has the reinforcement bar in it as my El camino door did, on the 68-72 El camino you need to cut out a notch 4x3" from the reinforcement bar to give you enough room to plug in the wiring to the motor.

 

[Capt Casey]

Nice Looking. Did you choose to place the vent switch there.. as I have the side by side master for drivers side and was going to put it where the vent crank was, the single going on the pass side.
I have new door panels on the way expected this July hahahah Right...from Legendary.
No support bar...But I'll take a look for it... so the main window motors are in and putting the vent motors in next then the vent window frame... Just doing a final wiring check to be sure I have it all worked out before trying to put the wiring in the car.

 

[caminonut]

Nice Looking. Did you choose to place the vent switch there.. as I have the side by side master for drivers side and was going to put it where the vent crank was, the single going on the pass side.
I have new door panels on the way expected this July hahahah Right...from Legendary.
No support bar...But I'll take a look for it... so the main window motors are in and putting the vent motors in next then the vent window frame... Just doing a final wiring check to be sure I have it all worked out before trying to put the wiring in the car.

Hello Casey,
The single switch you're looking at is power door locks the four gang switch below it is for the two front windows and the two vent windows, I don't have any quarter windows like you're going to have in your Chevelle so I would say you will have to put your vent window switch in where the crank handle would've been for vent window.

 

[Capt Casey]

yep the Light went on when I started to read this El Camino... doh!

 

[vern]

I will be following this thread. I have wanted power vent windows since I saw it done on a car they did on the old Horsepower TV or one of those shows. I think It was Red Sled? Since then all I have learned is that Cadillac vent window motors will work and that they are expensive if you can find them! I never knew they were an option on any A body. It makes me wish all the more I had tried to buy the 68 Buick wagon I saw at a local fire dept. Rusted out but power everything! I am sure they used it for practice rescues. Grrrrr. That was many years ago. If anybody has a line on parts for that let me know. I already have all four power windows out of a chevelle. I bought the setup off Ebay years ago and have barely opened the box!

 

[Capt Casey]

Well Vern, they were NOT an option for the A bodies.. but the Caddy motors work as do the Buicks They were in the larger Buicks like the Electra and the like as Buicks were well up there with Cadillac. My father in law had a land boat... I saw those vent windows and thought I wonder...? He sold the car before I could dive in and have a look...Prairie farmers have to have a nice big soft ride! They the motors do come up on evil bay and swap meets too...I was going to use a kit but the kit's don't always bolt in like they say. Since I have the Power windows for the rest of the car out of a Buick...I'll wire in those and the vent windows using the same harnesses and power sources as I was instructed to do by several kind members.. Pugs?
That said they bolt right in.. the harness will be relatively easy. Going to a swap meet this weekend to find some wiring connectors. etc. and other things that are shiny hahaha.
I will show the progress in my other post Now is the Time