Wiring Question

suew · Mar 28, 2013

OK I am going to do my car radio finally today

After studying the wires, destructions and remembering what nrg serv said I have one last question.

As the radio never worked I dont know if it came on all the time or was wired to come on with the ignition. It was added after so no way of knowing.

Before I start joining wires and completely confusing myself is there a way of checking this.

If it does come on with the ignition then I will have to find somewhere to get permanent power for the memory wire. Where would I get this from ? or if I dont does it matter, can I just not join it up

Oh and the live wire has a fuse and two little black boxes joined in it. If I have to run another wire, I assume it will need a fuse but what about the black boxes

livers · Mar 28, 2013

in the centre console there should be a terminal block for the original radio, or if bastardised (likely) a load of wires with tape on the ends, the purple one is the constant live for the radio test it with a bulb or if you are posh a meter.

suew · Mar 28, 2013

livers said:
in the centre console there should be a terminal block for the original radio, or if bastardised (likely) a load of wires with tape on the ends, the purple one is the constant live for the radio test it with a bulb or if you are posh a meter.

Dumb question, how do you test it with a bulb, thanks

chezvegas · Mar 28, 2013

If you go to any auto shop they should be able to get you a basic tester. In essence it looks like a screwdriver with a bulb in the handle and a cable coming out the other end with a croc clip on it. You clip the croc clip on to an earth (ideally any bit if metal on the bulk head that hasn't been painted or a known earth cable where you can get to the copper wire) and touch the screwdriver end to your suspected live copper wire. If it lights up then you have power! Always test it first straight on the battery to make sure the bulb in the handle hasn't blown. Or if you have a few extra pennies but a multi meter. Very useful as you can diagnose other electrical issues like resistance and continuity.

suew · Mar 28, 2013

Thank you, sounds like a useful addition to my toolbox

chezvegas said:
resistance and continuity.

Absolutely no idea what they are

chezvegas · Mar 28, 2013

suew said:
Thank you, sounds like a useful addition to my toolbox

Absolutely no idea what they are

Resistance and continuity testing are great for earth faults and checking if a wire has been broken or damaged.

livers · Mar 28, 2013

suew said:
Dumb question, how do you test it with a bulb, thanks

there are no dumb questions, only dumb people who dont ask

tyre q's excepted

hold the metal body of a bulb to an earth point E.G. metal frame of the dash, screws are often good as the magical electro fairies dont like paint then touch the wire to the contact on the bulb, if it lights with ignition off it is a constant feed, if it lights with ignition on it is switched, if it doesnt light at all it could be a duff bulb or a bad earth or a fuse gone or a .......the list is endless

A cheap multimeter is only a couple of quid and should be 2nd only to an assortment of ammers in a landy toolkit

Devs90 · Mar 28, 2013

If your really stuck jump down m1 I can help

suew · Mar 28, 2013

Thank you

Well I have a meter, the guy in the shop was lovely and explained how it worked and what setting it needs to be on for the Landy.

So I have tested it, it comes on with the ignition and I cant see a purple wire, probably would dare mess with the others anyway.

So will my radio work without a memory, I dont really care if I have choose channels when I turn it on. Is that all the memory does

livers · Mar 28, 2013

suew said:
So will my radio work without a memory, I dont really care if I have choose channels when I turn it on. Is that all the memory does

memory is for channels/clock and radio code for security if the radio has one, unlikely by the sound of it so not needed.

suew · Mar 28, 2013

livers said:
memory is for channels/clock and radio code for security if the radio has one, unlikely by the sound of it so not needed.

Ah, hadn't thought of security, will check the box and instructions.

Not getting done now anyway, my uncle just rang need help with something

suew · Mar 28, 2013

:5bparty::5bhurray::5bhurray:

Well its in, and it works (thanks Gemsdad for the PMs)

When I say its in, its not really in, but sort of

And when I say it works, well it has flashing lights and nothing went bang

Just celebrating with a coffee and a cig and off to finish it

nrgserv · Mar 29, 2013

and?
that were at 10 to four, its now midnght.....
edit- you really mean its on the middle seat, but noise comes out of it!

suew · Mar 29, 2013

nrgserv said:
and?
that were at 10 to four, its now midnght.....
edit- you really mean its on the middle seat, but noise comes out of it!

Yes its finished, at 3.50pm you would have been right, at that time I had the nice flashing lights working.

However at 7pm and now, you are WRONG

It is fitted under the dash in the way of the bonnet catch again

Its red lights are still working

and sound comes out of at least one of the speakers. Not too sure if its both as the dammed thing is so noisy it doesn't really matter anyway.

However I didn't find a permanent supply so I just joined the red and yellow wires together which means it only works when the ignition is on

And it didn't fit very well into that box thing that the old one came out of, it about 1" inside it, instead of fitting properly.

But not a bad effort and I have worked out how my new wire testing meter thing works

When are you down the workshop to sort it out properly

trax · Mar 29, 2013

hope you got fire included on your insurance :lol:

suew · Mar 29, 2013

trax said:
hope you got fire included on your insurance :lol:

:mil90: The cheek

I followed the destructions to join the wires, just they expected it to be a permanent feed not one that comes on with the ignition.

Everything else is done right, elfnsafety you know

trax · Mar 29, 2013

well done

brian47 · Mar 29, 2013

Hi Sue
Well done on getting the radio in. Didn't I always say you were good with wires?

On the subject of a permanent supply, get yourself an inline fuseholder, put a 2amp fuse in it and then take the permanent supply wire through it and straight back to the battery. Leave the switched supply wire where you have it, on the ignition circuit.
It has to be a bit easier than getting your new multimeter out and looking around on the fuse board for a perm supply.

suew · Mar 29, 2013

trax said:
well done

brian47 said:
Hi Sue
Well done on getting the radio in. Didn't I always say you were good with wires?

On the subject of a permanent supply, get yourself an inline fuseholder, put a 2amp fuse in it and then take the permanent supply wire through it and straight back to the battery. Leave the switched supply wire where you have it, on the ignition circuit.

Thank you, I will try that

Oh and the second speaker does work. They are in the roof so with the engine running you can only hear the one directly over your head

suew · Mar 29, 2013

Actually I have also been looking at the sub and two huge speakers my daughter used to have in her Micra

Wonder what they would sound like in my Defender

The plugs I fitted have room for more speakers and stuff

Wiring Question

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Active Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

.

Well-Known Member

.

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Similar threads