Hi
I need to wire something into my ignition so as long as the ignition is started then my piece of kit is active.
I was provided with the power cable to do this with when I purchased the device. It was recommended that I take the power out the back of my radio - however, I don't know how to do this.
Can anyone in here help me? There are that many wires at the back of my radio!
Thanks in advance Oli
Twas Tue, 5 Aug 2003 08:55:52 +0000 (UTC) when "Oli" put finger to keyboard producing:
You need a wireing diagram to find the wires.. if you don't have a manual (haynes or suchlike) ask here is anyone has one for your car. You will likely find...
1 wire goes to ground 1 wire goes to always live, 1 wire goes to switched live (you want this one) 1 wire goes to tell your antenna to go up, 2 wires to each speaker (8 in all) OR 3 wires for front speakers (one is neutral, 2 carrying signal) 3 wires to rear speakers (as above).The wires in the back of your radio may be coloured differently to the wires in your car's wireing loom, my car's wireing loom is all grey.
The wire to ground will likely be black, the always live will likely be red.
If you have a multimeter it would be easy to trace the switched live, or if you can borrow one. (maplin have them for around £5) set it to read DC 12 volts (or nearest higher), hold the negative black onto something that goes to the chassis, the outer metal of the inside of the cig lighter socket is usually handy for that, now look at the wires you havem you need to get the probe of the multimeter to make a connection with metal within the joints in the loom where the radio wires meet the car's wireing loom, now turn the ignition on (engine needn't be running) and you radio will come on, now the red wire you will likely see will be live anyway so probe that to be sure you can get a reading, should read 10-15 volts or so. now check the other wires for a similar reading, chances are there will be 2 that give that reading, one is swithced live, the other is antenna extend thingy, the latter will switch off when the radio is switched off by it's panel.
Once you have found the right wire, mark it or remember it's colour.. the gubbins you have may have come with a blue clippy thing with a little metal plate coming out the side, if so... goody. you will see that you can push one wire in and it'll slip over that wire and there will be a place for another wire, push the live feed to your new toy into that, as far as it will go, and, checking it'a sll straight in there, push the metal plate into the blue thingy so it goes through both wires, it shouldn't cut through the wires, just into them, this is easily done with pliers, then it's done. If you don't have one of these blue thingys and you don't know what you are doing with wireing, go and buy one, they are called "scotchlocks", you want a blue one.
Hope this helps, seems I overdid the coffee this morning.
-- Regards. Mark.(AKA, Mr.Nice.) ___________________________________________________________ "To know the character of a man, give him anonymity" - Mr.Nice.
easier to take it from ciggie lighter only live and earth fed to that
Twas Tue, 5 Aug 2003 19:55:49 +0000 (UTC) when "jasonoc" put finger to keyboard producing:
You see what coffee does to you?...
-- Regards. Mark.(AKA, Mr.Nice.) ___________________________________________________________ "To know the character of a man, give him anonymity" - Mr.Nice.
Its usualy the pink wire the red is the live, and the pink is the ignition switch.
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