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Lotus Esprit World currently runs with a Road Angel and recommends them to all Esprit owners. Below you will find some information about the product. Then an installation guide for putting one in your Esprit (it's easy). I've also managed to get a special offer on purchase of one of these devices for all Lotus Esprit World users. Read on to find out how to safeguard your licence and make the roads safer for your Esprit.PRODUCT INFORMATION
DATABASE
Road Angel database is split into four areas, namely Fixed, Mobile, Average and Blackspot. The LCD display shows which area you are approaching and you can also store your own and new locations to any menu area.
FIXED For permanently sited Gatso and Truvelo cameras. MOBILE For temporary mobile cameras (often motorway roadworks) or user known laser sites. AVERAGE For SPECS average speed detection cameras BLACKSPOT Police and Local Authority designated repeat accident areas - take extra care
GPS
Utilising the latest Global Positioning Satellites (GPS), a powerful internal aerial identifies the precise location, speed and direction of your vehicle.ADVANCED WARNING
When approaching a known danger zone, the LCD display turns from green to red and the type of danger is highlighted. The bar counter starts to count up as the danger area gets closer. An audible tone is emitted, the frequency increasing with proximity. Once the location is passed the unit returns to standby (see first picture).EASY UPDATES
With the number of speeding cameras set to dramatically increase and accident data changing constantly, Blackspot Interactive are constantly working to verify new locations and delete obsolete ones. These changes are easily updated to your ROAD ANGEL with the supplied software. The first year of updates is free of charge with an annual subscription thereafter of £49 for one year, two years at £79 and for a lifetime subscription the cost is £99.PERSONALISATION
The standard settings can all be user adjusted. New locations can be stored, current locations deleted, warning range and volume adjusted or muted and various other featuresGuarding your life and licence...
TECHNICAL
GPS is a group of 24 satellites each orbiting the earth at around 11000 miles above the surface. Each Satellite circumnavigates every 12 hours. At all times at least four satellites will be in view at any given point on the globe. GPS has been fully operational since 1990.
Since the scrambling on the civilian GPS channel accuracy has greatly increased.
Road Angel has a 12 parallel channel GPS engine with a built in active antenna. As long as Road Angel can see a minimum of 3 satellites then an accurate position of the vehicle can be calculated.
Road Angel checks its position every second and is able to work out accurately the speed of the vehicle.
Road Angel can store up to 50,000 unique locations.
Road Angel constantly compares its position with the stored database. When nearing a stored location the unit gives an audible and visual alert.
Road Angel uses complex heading software so it alarms only in the direction the camera faces.
As with all GPS technology, when Road Angel is first powered it must acquire satellites to know its position. The first start is known as a cold start which can take up to 45 minutes to acquire the minimum three satellites for correct operation. Thereafter, warm starts (when the unit has been switched off overnight) should take a matter of minutes and hot starts (same day) a few seconds. When the unit has acquired satellites the display will show speed.
If after this period of time the unit is still not showing speed, reposition the unit where it will have a better view of the sky. You can check to see how many satellites it has acquired by scrolling through to the 'sat' menu.
See more at www.blackspot.com
Installation Guide
This is a small job and should only take a few minutes, or an hour if you choose to hard wire.
You will need the following parts:
Road Angel
Cig lighter connector (for hard wire)
You will need the following tools:
Crimping set (for hardwire)
tool to remove stereo
The road angel comes with everything you need to install the device. You can power the road angel two different ways. Either via the cigarette lighter, or hard wired into the cars power supply. With earlier Esprits, the cigarette lighters aren't well placed for this (in each door). 1993 onwards Esprits are easier, with the lighter in the centre console.
I chose to hard wire mine, which takes a little longer. If you're not hard wiring, then simply plug in the cable into the lighter and then into the back of the road angel (as instructions). This will now power the device up and you're ready to go (other than fixing it somewhere). The Road Angel also comes with a laser detector, which you simple stick to the windscreen and plug into the back of the unit (see instructions).
To hard wire I bought a cigarette lighter from the local car store for £3, this comes without the actual lighter. I cut the crock clips off and stripped the wire back. I then used and earth and ignition live from the stereo to get the power, by joining the wires together using a connection box. Red to live and Black to earth. The kit actually comes with a clip to cut into the live (see instructions). Once this is done and the device has been check. You can then feed the wire to where you're fixing the road angel. I originally went for above the stereo (as above), but changed to above the binnacle so I could use the speedo easily.
As you can see from above there's only two wires to hide. One's the power the other goes to the laser detector. You can see in the middle picture I ran the wire along and around the binnacle to tidy it up a little.
Far right, you can see where I repositioned the road angel. This was done using the windscreen fixings supplied. To suckers hold the angel to the windscreen. This could also be mounted by the rear-view mirror, but with the Esprit's raked screen it's not really possible.
Left shows the laser detector mounted to the windscreen. Make sure this isn't too low as the windscreen wipers will stop it working effectively.
Right shows the Road Angel mount right in the line of sight. Due to my Sports seat, I find the steering wheel restricts the speedo, so I now use the road angel as a speedo. This doesn't actually reduce my outward vision, as it sits inline with the bonnet. Perfect for warnings and a digital speedo. Works great for me.
Note: The Road Angel must be activated by Blacksport. This may take up to 24 hours before your unit will be ready to use.
LEW's Verdict
The Road Angel works brilliantly in my experience and I know of at least another 3 Esprit owners who are as pleased as I am. I can hear and see the alerts clearly, even with the stereo on. The speedo is another plus point, with an accurate GPS speed, it almost makes your speedo redundant. Deleting and Storing cameras is easy and updating the database via modem is also easy. Lotus Esprit World thoroughly recommends the Road Angel for all Esprit owners.
This mod was performed by kato on his 1992 SE
SPECIAL OFFER
for Lotus Esprit World UsersONLY £350(inc. p&p)
Esprit Engineering are offering the Road Angel to Lotus Esprit World users at a High Street busting £350 "which includes P&P". Call Geoff on 01725 514449 and mention Lotus Esprit World for the special Road Angel price. Credit Card orders accepted.
If you have any comments, feel free to e-mail me with at admin@lotusespritworld.com
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