Speed up your Zenn: Tech Notes

For all serial connections, remember the following:

Car controller side goes to Computer DB9 side;
Port A goes to Pin 2 (Receive Data);
Port B goes to Pin 3 (Transmit Data);
Port C goes to Pin 5 (Signal Ground).




car, serial and power connected L 1) Under the hood, showing the cable running to the serial port of a compter and the power patch cable running to the car's drive controller (both offscreen).







car, controller power cable L 2) The power patch cable. This provides power to the drive controller when the car is otherwise powered down. It is needed as the drive controller then does not have power.









car, controller power connected L 3) The barrel connector that provides power to the controller. The female side runs to the battery, the male side runs to the controller. This is how it looks normally on the car.






car controller power connecting L 4) The barrel connector unconnected. The male end is on the left and runs to the controller. The blue end on the index finger runs to the battery.







car power and serial connected L 5) The other end of the power patch cable connected to the battery and the serial cable connected to the controller. This is on the passenger side of the car, under the hood.






car serial cap 6) The cap that is (normally) on the serial connector to the controller.









7) A standard DB9 connector available in most any computer store.












serial cable 8) The serial connector cable. Here you can see the grey DB9 end that goes into the serial port of your computer and the custom end that plugs into the ZENN controller serial port.








wire 2 car serial capped 9) The serial connector with cap, under the hood on the passenger's side. Note the labeling for the ports (A, B & C).









wire 2 car serial uncapped 10) The serial connector without cap, under the hood on the passenger's side. Note the labelling for the ports (A, B & C).







under the hood 11) Work areas under the car.

  • 1. General location of serial connector.
  • 2. Positive terminal of battery to connect controller power patch wire.
  • 3. General area of barrel connector to connect to other end of power patch cable.
  • 4. Engine disconnect switch per car manual.


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