Pick the paddle option first
In NSP, Paddle Shift Option tells the ECU what hardware you have:
| Option | Use it when |
|---|---|
| Up Paddle | You only have an upshift paddle |
| Down Paddle | You only have a downshift paddle |
| Up and Down Paddles | Each paddle has its own wire |
| Analogue Up and Down | Both paddles share one wire and change its voltage through different resistances |
Separate on/off paddles
The first three options treat each paddle as a simple switch. Any pin that can read a state will do, including an analog input, as long as you give it on and off voltages. What we set up:
- Use a pin with a pull-up, fixed or switchable, and switch it on.
- Where there's an Edge Select, choose Falling. Pressing the paddle pulls the pin down to ground.
- On an analog pin, set Switch On Voltage to 2V and Switch Off Voltage to 3V. The gap between them stops a noisy signal chattering.
- Run the signal wire to one side of the paddle switch and ground the other side. With the pull-up doing the work, sensor ground or any handy chassis ground is fine.
This switch-to-ground layout is fail-safe: if the wire breaks, the pull-up holds the input high, which reads as "not pressed", so you never get an accidental shift.
Single-wire analog paddles
With Analogue Up and Down there's only one paddle input to assign, and it must be a pin that reads analog voltage. The wiring has to produce at least three distinct voltages: one with no paddle pressed, one for up and one for down.
Design it so a failure lands on the "nothing pressed" voltage. A cut wire or lost connection should look like no paddle, not a shift request. Before you drive, check all three voltages in NSP, then wiggle the steering wheel wiring and confirm the reading holds steady.
Paddles on a quick-release or clock spring are the usual source of trouble. If you get random shifts, log the paddle input voltage and watch for dips while turning the wheel.
Once wired, set up the shift behavior in Paddle Shift Inputs. You may also want flat shift wiring and line pressure control on automatic builds.
