So, had my RSX-S totaled a few months ago and just replaced it with a GTI Sport in night blue metallic a few weeks ago. Liking it so far, better highway cruiser than my last one 
That said, one of the compromises I made when choosing the GTI was that I gave up automatic climate control (I just couldn’t bring myself to spend $6k more for the Autobahn…) Unfortunately this is a major annoyance to me… I guess I got spoiled with my last car.
Anyways, I figure it should be a fun (or frustrating…) project to try to build a custom climate control system. No, I don’t mean try to retrofit a climatronic head onto the system, I wouldn’t have the necessary sensors or all of the servos… and while some sensors look to be easy to add, trying to add dual-zone ducting and actuators… hell no.
Instead I figure on trying to add 2 temp sensors on the air right before it leaves the vents (i.e., like the first year mk5 climatic system), adding 1 or 2 temp sensors on the cabin (since there's no longer any in the panel itself), and a sunlight sensor. Then inject an Arduino as a man-in-the-middle between the head and the actuators, hook the sensors into it, and drive myself batty reading up on controls logic and trying to tune some PID loops…
Now, before I start down this path I’ve got a few questions. First some background.
It looks like the method the control panel uses to control fan speed changed between the Mk5/6 and the Mk7. From the change in connectors I’m guessing that the Mk7 has a pin or two for digital control of a remote hbridge or some such near (or on) the fan.
1) I was able to find some information on the pinouts of the mk5/6 panel, but haven’t (yet) found any on the pinouts for the mk7. Where should I be hunting for this as a noob to the world of VW?
2) Likewise, I've had no luck (so far) in hunting down a wiring diagram showing what the wires from the panel actually hook up to, pointers on where to hunt for this would be great as well (i.e., the wires from pins 7 and 8 of connector A go to actuator whatever).
3) Also, is there any chance of finding documentation on the electrical characteristics of the signals to/from various components? (i.e., I'm guessing that it's an analog voltage reading from sensors that I'll need to map, and I'm guessing that it's either a pwm signal or some encoded ditigal value to actuators and the fan but documentation backing my guesses up would be great...) The alternative I guess is get a scope and start reverse engineering it. I'm guessing that the scope route is what I'll have to do, but would love to be proved wrong.
And no, I've got no clue on the timeline; I'm feeling out the idea right now and will need work to let up some first.
That said, one of the compromises I made when choosing the GTI was that I gave up automatic climate control (I just couldn’t bring myself to spend $6k more for the Autobahn…) Unfortunately this is a major annoyance to me… I guess I got spoiled with my last car.
Anyways, I figure it should be a fun (or frustrating…) project to try to build a custom climate control system. No, I don’t mean try to retrofit a climatronic head onto the system, I wouldn’t have the necessary sensors or all of the servos… and while some sensors look to be easy to add, trying to add dual-zone ducting and actuators… hell no
. Instead I figure on trying to add 2 temp sensors on the air right before it leaves the vents (i.e., like the first year mk5 climatic system), adding 1 or 2 temp sensors on the cabin (since there's no longer any in the panel itself), and a sunlight sensor. Then inject an Arduino as a man-in-the-middle between the head and the actuators, hook the sensors into it, and drive myself batty reading up on controls logic and trying to tune some PID loops…
Now, before I start down this path I’ve got a few questions. First some background.
It looks like the method the control panel uses to control fan speed changed between the Mk5/6 and the Mk7. From the change in connectors I’m guessing that the Mk7 has a pin or two for digital control of a remote hbridge or some such near (or on) the fan.
1) I was able to find some information on the pinouts of the mk5/6 panel, but haven’t (yet) found any on the pinouts for the mk7. Where should I be hunting for this as a noob to the world of VW?
2) Likewise, I've had no luck (so far) in hunting down a wiring diagram showing what the wires from the panel actually hook up to, pointers on where to hunt for this would be great as well (i.e., the wires from pins 7 and 8 of connector A go to actuator whatever).
3) Also, is there any chance of finding documentation on the electrical characteristics of the signals to/from various components? (i.e., I'm guessing that it's an analog voltage reading from sensors that I'll need to map, and I'm guessing that it's either a pwm signal or some encoded ditigal value to actuators and the fan but documentation backing my guesses up would be great...) The alternative I guess is get a scope and start reverse engineering it. I'm guessing that the scope route is what I'll have to do, but would love to be proved wrong.
And no, I've got no clue on the timeline; I'm feeling out the idea right now and will need work to let up some first.
