Where does the remote wire go???

[Rhino_Audio84]

Ok, i'm wanting to install an amp and a 12 in my trunk but I want to keep the factory head unit. Where do I hook up the remote wire for the amp at???? I've installed a good bit of systems before but never used a factory head unit. So please help.

[Big Joe]

A wire that is powered when the radio is on. The regular power wire to the radio should work fine.

[PontiacGT]

^ I dont know if that is totally correct.........


The power wire running to the radio will contain power whenever the CAR IS ON, the radio could be off.

You need to wire it to a different wire, that is only on when the radio is on. There are color diagrams and stuff somewhere on here i bet because it's been talked about before, but I dont think the power wire would work.....maybe im wrong.

[Big Joe]

^ yeah your right, I wasnt thinking. You could use the red wire and wire in a toggle switch this way you have the ability to turn your subs off if you wanted cause the factory deck wont have any sub controll like aftermarket decks do.

[hamiltonaudio]

go digging in the factory ignition harness and hit the BROWN wire (it"ll be thicker) its the accessory wire.....there may or may not be an igntion wire behind the radio - plus its WAY more work to get to ;)

bmoney

[epicenterdesign]

Originally posted by Big Joe
A wire that is powered when the radio is on. The regular power wire to the radio should work fine.



That will work and is one way to do it.
But as stated, the amp would have power if the radio was off. Not a big deal really.

There are other options available. Companes like PAC and Scosche make products to adapt from stock HU's to aftermarket amps that allow input adjustments anbd remote power to turn amps on.







Personally, if one of those kits are not needed, I use the HU's power wire.

[epicenterdesign]

One of these might work for your application..........
http://www.scosche.com/scosche_caraudio.aspx?CategoryID=229

Or one of these...........
http://www.pac-audio.com/products/productsCatagory.asp?mmSearch=Line%20Output%20Conv erters

[hamiltonaudio]

I'm a huge fan of using $0.18 worth of remote wire and 10 mins of my time over a $30+ kit to achieve the exact same thing ;)

bmoney

[epicenterdesign]

Originally posted by hamiltonaudio
I'm a huge fan of using $0.18 worth of remote wire and 10 mins of my time over a $30+ kit to achieve the exact same thing ;)

bmoney



I agree.:D

[PontiacGT]

Originally posted by epicenterdesign

Personally, if one of those kits are not needed, I use the HU's power wire.

dude.....if you're gonna be back there tapping into wires, why not do it right and hit the brown wire? what's the purpose of doing it wrong, when it's just as easy to do it right?

[DSMMAN]

Originally posted by hamiltonaudio
I'm a huge fan of using $0.18 worth of remote wire and 10 mins of my time over a $30+ kit to achieve the exact same thing ;)

bmoney


X2:D

[MantaGreen97]

Originally posted by PontiacGT
The power wire running to the radio will contain power whenever the CAR IS ON, the radio could be off.

You need to wire it to a different wire, that is only on when the radio is on. There are color diagrams and stuff somewhere on here i bet because it's been talked about before, but I dont think the power wire would work.....maybe im wrong.

You're correct in that if you wire it to a switched ignition circuit it is possible that the radio could be off and the amp(s) still on. However you don't "need" to worry about that nor necessarily have to wire it so the amp is coincident with the HU power. The car's switched power is good enough. If there's no output to the amp(s) then they won't make any sound anyway; and, once the car is off the amps will be off and that's all you really need to worry about.

Switched ignition circuit is fine functionally, unless there's a specific reason you really do need the amp(s) to coincidentally power with the HU.

You're right in that if there was a factory HU remote wire and you were going to tap in behind the HU anyway you might as well use that, but you're not really "doing it wrong" if you use a switched ign circuit otherwise. Many factory HUs don't have a remote output so it's often the only [cheap/easy] way to go.

[Rhino_Audio84]

ok, isn't their two power wires for the head unit? one for continuous power to keep the radio settings and then another wire to turn on the head unit for operation?

[TheTrader]

Originally posted by Rhino_Audio84
ok, isn't their two power wires for the head unit? one for continuous power to keep the radio settings and then another wire to turn on the head unit for operation?

not in a 99+.... the radio uses a "class 2 data" thingy.... makes it so that the accessory wire is non-existant....

I have the exact setup you are trying to do, accept with a 10" sub...

personally, I had allready run a big fat accessory power wire from the battery, through a relay... the relay is triggered by the "auto trans fuse" in the under hood fuse box... since my car has a manual trans, I wasnt too worried about messing with this fuse :)

this wire I used to run a second set of lighter sockets that are in the rear seat cup holder location of my 2 door... I ran the remote for my amp off the wire i ran for these.... put a 5 or 10 amp fuse in line between it and the amp, and it works like a charm.

[Rhino_Audio84]

so would it be best to run the remote wire to the ingnition? I always leave the radio on cause i always listen to music, so it doesn't matter to me if the amp is always on when the ignition switch is in the on position. So is it ok to hook the remote wire up to the ignition???? I'm also going to have a farad cap in my system.

[PontiacGT]

*shakes his head.

I mean....do what you want dude. brown wire = right wire and red wire = almost right wire...........why not just wire it to brown.....but ok.

[TheTrader]

Originally posted by Rhino_Audio84
so would it be best to run the remote wire to the ingnition? I always leave the radio on cause i always listen to music, so it doesn't matter to me if the amp is always on when the ignition switch is in the on position. So is it ok to hook the remote wire up to the ignition???? I'm also going to have a farad cap in my system.

Do you have a volt meter?? I hope so.... what you should do is just poke around in the fuse pannel untill you find a accessory source for the power, and steal the power off that fuse...

On the other hand, if you dont have a volt meter, take it to a pro... you shouldnt be doing your own wireing

[djdanger]

Do you have a volt meter?? I hope so.... what you should do is just poke around in the fuse pannel untill you find a accessory source for the power, and steal the power off that fuse :banghead:


brown wire = right wire and red wire = almost right wire...........why not just wire it to brown.....but ok.

For like the third time!!!!!!

Dude, you have been told it which wire it is, do it right and be done.......

[TheTrader]

Originally posted by djdanger
:banghead:




For like the third time!!!!!!

Dude, you have been told it which wire it is, do it right and be done.......

The reason I say that, is I dont like to see novice people jumping under the dash and hacking into the harness looking for a wire... cutting and splicing into wires in the column is just asking for trouble if you ask me... especially if you are not experienced enough to be able to re-solder and heatshrink the connection safely & properly.... using a volt meter and finding a accessory fuse and stealing some power off that as a remote wire is just fine....... and much less dangerous to the life of your car... weather he knows what color the wire is or not....

"hamiltonaudio" is a very experienced installer, and I would have no problems letting him splice into a wire under my dash, and I would have no problem doing it myself, as I also know how to handle it, but someone who does not know all the proper methods could make a real mess under there.... now, if this guy is experienced, then more power to him,

[djdanger]

yeah, guess you have a point.....

[Rhino_Audio84]

Originally posted by TheTrader
The reason I say that, is I dont like to see novice people jumping under the dash and hacking into the harness looking for a wire... cutting and splicing into wires in the column is just asking for trouble if you ask me... especially if you are not experienced enough to be able to re-solder and heatshrink the connection safely & properly.... using a volt meter and finding a accessory fuse and stealing some power off that as a remote wire is just fine....... and much less dangerous to the life of your car... weather he knows what color the wire is or not....

"hamiltonaudio" is a very experienced installer, and I would have no problems letting him splice into a wire under my dash, and I would have no problem doing it myself, as I also know how to handle it, but someone who does not know all the proper methods could make a real mess under there.... now, if this guy is experienced, then more power to him,

I have a volt meter so i can find an accessory fuse. But if I have to cut and splice into wires under the dash i'm capable of solering and heatshrinking......this won't be the first time i've messed with wiring. but the safest way to go is the fuse box right.

[toobroke]

If you have the tape player can't you just tap into the pink wire on the back of it? Im not sure if the tape player works anymore but it's what I did and It's easy to reconnect if I would ever need to.

[Rhino_Audio84]

I don't have the tape player. I have a cd player, but i'm not sure if it's the monsoon system...the cd player looks just like the monsoon though. i just bought my car 3 weeks ago so i don't know much about it yet.

[TheTrader]

Originally posted by Rhino_Audio84
I have a volt meter so i can find an accessory fuse. But if I have to cut and splice into wires under the dash i'm capable of solering and heatshrinking......this won't be the first time i've messed with wiring. but the safest way to go is the fuse box right.

yes... safest is to root around in the fuse pannel to find a fuse for accessory power.... then just tap that!

[hamiltonaudio]

my advice to those that are even a little bit unsure is to pay a professional. Even if you got the wire and paid them $10 bucks for 2 minutes of their time...get under the dash, hit the BROWN WIRE in the ign harness, solder/insulate....tape up the end and you can run it back urself...

bmoney

[Rhino_Audio84]

ok, i think i'm going to try the fuse panel first. if that doesn't work out to great i'm going to use the brown wire in the ign harness. thank yall for all the great input.

[djdanger]

my advice to those that are even a little bit unsure is to pay a professional. Even if you got the wire and paid them $10 bucks for 2 minutes of their time...get under the dash, hit the BROWN WIRE in the ign harness, solder/insulate....tape up the end and you can run it back urself...

Hey Hamilton, don't be telling people that, you can make MORE money if ya let em mess it up first..............:lol:

[hamiltonaudio]

hahahah - good point. however, I'm not a big fan of being underhanded. ;) I'd much prefer to educate a customer and see them get what they NEED rather than lie or mislead them into stuff thats more expensive due to increase in margin.

A line I use a lot is "you don't usually hear a salesman tell you that, do ya?" When people ask about expensive equipment thats clearly out fo their budget and usefulness...I tell them they don't need it. Their reactions are priceless! My philosophy is simple - I'm interested in educating (if required) so the customer can derive their OWN conclusions about whats going to work for them. Sort of like letting them sell the product to themselves :)

I'm far more likely to get a repeat visit that way. I especially pride myself on being able to make "customers for life". I just LOVE when the young fella scome around, lookin for advice on their first install. I often help them! They realize that you're being a FRIEND rather than http://www.gaownersclub.com/forum/images/smilies/icon_censored.gifing with them...they come back again for something else and they stay for a beverage and shoot the poop after hours....let them ask questions and feel welcome. Pretty soon they're a friend of the shop cause they LOVE to feel like they belong. And thats great! Know why? Cause they tell all their little buddies about that cool shop down the way that
doesn't mind visits and helps you out....

Sort of my way of penetrating into THEIR world...and creating an environment where what THEY need is what I deliver...understanding what works for them is key...its the best form of advertising a person could EVER have :) :) :)

Ya dig? <wink>

bmoney