Anybody familiar with Isis electrical?

ISIS Intelligent Multiplex System - Automotive Wiring Harnesses, Car Wire Harness, Engine Wiring Harness, Auto Wiring Harness, Truck Wiring Harness, Car Wiring Kits

I am interested. Looks like a slick bit of kit. Not cheap though. But I hate wiring.

Impressions from those wiser than me?

I'm planning to use it on my SLC.

It's a great system, with a lot of flexibility. Easier to wire, arguably safer (the switches and associated wiring all carry just microamps, no matter how much load is being switched, so there is less chance of a fire from an overheated switch), and much easier to diagnose problems. And for the kind of car mine will be, it allows you to easily do things like fade interior lights, 1-button starter, even operate HVAC fans with completely variable speeds.

It's only marginally more expensive when you account for the extras (relays, etc) you need with the standard wiring harness.

I agree that the ISIS system is easily installed and eliminates many hassles. Will, great choice!

Gent's,
It look's like a basic BCM (Body Control Modual) running on the Can Bus system. You will still need a ECM (Engine Control Modual) for your engine. Unless you can use one for your engine setup. Does not look very cheap and you still have to make up your harnesses and program it. The Dephi connectors are OK if you are splicing them in, but if you are building up the connectors by crimping the pins to the wire they can be very tricky and the proper Packard Electric picks, crimpers etc are very expensive.
Dave

Pretty slick system but I have to tell you that it scares the heck out of me...

I think once they have a few thousand of them out there with little to no trouble for a few years, I'll be a believer...

As a company they have a good reputation (Littelfuse). This product is supposed to be going in some new car, I have no idea who is building.

Looks similar to MoTeC's power modules. But MoTeC's product has milspec connectors, and that cool MoTeC logo which doubles the price.

I'll be using it in my SLC

I'm using the predecessor - I2 1+1Million relay - in my cobra. It really is a great system. With 0 wiring experience I wired up my cobra and had 0 problems. Honestly, biggest problem I had was understanding WTF terms like 'strip' and 'crimp' meant, hehe. ISIS works in a similar fashion as the I2 (I2 has a power controller and a master controller, ISIS has 2 different cells and more compact/heat resistant/etc..)

If you want more information, you're better asking Chris on ffr site - he built it (like the 1+1M and R), ISIS mass-manufacturers it. (atleast that's my understanding)

FFCobra.com - Factory Five Racing Discussion Forum


Here's an example of the simplicity of it:

hazard install: done automatically; just hook up RTS and LTS and hazards are taken care of automatically by the unit

turn signal cut-off: done automatically and controlled by the brake pedal (length of time you're on it)

push-button start: (in I2) - two 22ga wires from master controller to push button. Then on the power controller, using the same circuit fom the master controller, one 14ga wire to starter.

Thanks guys. As a no-wiring experience guy who has been petrified to even start, it looks like it has some pluses. Cost is not one of the pluses. But that has not stopped me lately.

salmjo1 said:

Thanks guys. As a no-wiring experience guy who has been petrified to even start, it looks like it has some pluses. Cost is not one of the pluses. But that has not stopped me lately.

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Do a simple circuit like horn first and you'll have a complete understanding of it - once you've wired one circuit, you'll understand how they all work.

EFNFAST said:

Do a simple circuit like horn first and you'll have a complete understanding of it - once you've wired one circuit, you'll understand how they all work.

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I made a list of circuits - and of course forgot the horn!

I am probably going this route. Talking with some folks down at the track this weekend that will be doing at least some things for the car. Should have a better idea then.

So far, I think this system looks like it will be easier for someone who has never wired a car, but may look intimidating to someone who knows the old school process and would have to learn a new dance for this.

salmjo1 said:

So far, I think this system looks like it will be easier for someone who has never wired a car, but may look intimidating to someone who knows the old school process and would have to learn a new dance for this.

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That's a comment I've heard before, many times.

Once I understood the bsics of wiring (crimping, stripping, etc..), I felt the system was the greatest thing since sliced bread. It let me run my entire wiring harness perfectly, first try.

However, the guy I bought it from thought it was the worst thing ever - he had wired a car before, and according to him it was "too bloody difficult to figure out".

It does seem that the less knowledge of automotive wiring you have, the easier it is to learn.

EFNFAST said:

That's a comment I've heard before, many times.

It does seem that the less knowledge of automotive wiring you have, the easier it is to learn.

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As a guy who understands electronics and computers, it is very straightforward. A key benefit is the ability to program changes that would otherwise have to be done with complex wiring and relays. That's much faster, and more reliable.

Additionally, there is the opportunity to easily do things modern cars do that would be very difficult or complex. To take a trivial example, my Touareg can be programmed for a specified number of blinks with a 1-sec pulse of the turn signal. The same thing is possible with the ISIS system (and in fact, it does it in the same way, as the VW has a microcontroller approach as well).

It really is quite a powerful system.

-Will

I have tried to call and spend some money twice now, no answer, left messages.

Not making me feel warm and fuzzy about technical support...

Spoke too soon. Kit ordered. Very helpful folks. It seems to make perfect sense to me, I hope I know what I am doing.

Please keep us posted on how it works out...