Wiring sound systems!

[83 WB_Ute]

Hey everyone.. I have finally got around to wiring in my sound system in the ute. I have run, attached/soldered and taped up the wiring for the 4'' and 6'' speakers and have connected it to the back of the head unit in the glovebox, and earthed it out, but have the ignition and the power wire to hook up.

I have a few questions regarding the wiring of the ignition and the power wire, those being:

- Just use normal automotive wire for both the ignition and the power wires?

- Where do I connect the ignition wire to?

- Where do I connect the power wire to?

I would prefer to do it the right way and keep all of the wires mainly hidden up under the dash just to keep it up out of the way and organised...

[Taily]

The "IGN" wire will need to be connected to a 12v feed that only shows 12v when the ignition key is either a "ON" or "ACC" and nothing with the ignition "OFF".

The 12v power feed needs to draw constant 12v power at all times, basically to hold the set station memory and the clock/time.

If you can find a multimeter all good but you can get away with a test light.

Cig lighter power feed is a good one to use (usually a wire that recieves power to it with the ignition switch in either on or accesories, and off with the ignition switch off).

You can usually find a couple of spots to draw your power sources at the back of the fuse box. Just be careful to make sure that when you remove the two screws holding the fuse box in that you makes sure that you don't let anything touch the live connectors at the back of the fuse box. Be aware that to check some circuits those two screws may need to be in situ as there may be an earth attached to one of them.

[83 WB_Ute]

The "IGN" wire will need to be connected to a 12v feed that only shows 12v when the ignition key is either a "ON" or "ACC" and nothing with the ignition "OFF".

The 12v power feed needs to draw constant 12v power at all times, basically to hold the set station memory and the clock/time.

If you can find a multimeter all good but you can get away with a test light.

Cig lighter power feed is a good one to use (usually a wire that recieves power to it with the ignition switch in either on or accesories, and off with the ignition switch off).

You can usually find a couple of spots to draw your power sources at the back of the fuse box. Just be careful to make sure that when you remove the two screws holding the fuse box in that you makes sure that you don't let anything touch the live connectors at the back of the fuse box. Be aware that to check some circuits those two screws may need to be in situ as there may be an earth attached to one of them.

Okay, its gonna be a little harder than connecting it to the cigarette lighter, mine isn't connected up and I'm not sure which wires connect to it :/ I'll go and have a look at my wiring diagrams and then have a look under the dash..

So the 12Volt essentially has to be connected to the battery at all times then? Where would you suggest connecting that to? Straight to the battery?

I'll have to duck to supercrap on Tuesday and grab a multimeter and have a better look at what I'm connecting stuff to

Sorry for all the questions, I just want to be 100% sure I'm doing it right and leave no chance of blowing something up.. haha

[Taily]

I'd get both feeds from the fuse box at the component side of the respective fuses. A test light will be enough to do the job. I cannot remember the colour of the cig lighter wire. Did I send you a wiring diagram at one stage? Might/ should be on that.

[83 WB_Ute]

I'd get both feeds from the fuse box at the component side of the respective fuses. A test light will be enough to do the job. I cannot remember the colour of the cig lighter wire. Did I send you a wiring diagram at one stage? Might/ should be on that.

Cheers I'll go and take the test light down a little later and get dad to turn the ignition on and off for me until I find a couple of wires that supply constant power and the other that supplies power only when the ignition is at 'accessories' or 'on'

By component side of the fuse box, what do you mean? Just the side that goes to the component that the fuse is for?

Sorry about all the questions, I'm clearly a newb to this sort of stuff, but there's always time to learn!

Yeah, I think you have sent me them before, I have them saved.. I'll go and have a look at them Hopefully I will have a functioning cigarette lighter later tonight! Not that I need it for anything as I don't smoke.. hahaha

[83 WB_Ute]

Once I work it out, I'll scan up my custom wiring diagram that I have drawn up and set out in the car

[Taily]

I meant the component side of the fuse so that the fuse will protect your radio or fitted component.

[V8VAN]

+1 for the back of the fuse box. That's how I normally do it.

[83 WB_Ute]

I meant the component side of the fuse so that the fuse will protect your radio or fitted component.

Cool, I thought so after I thought about it for a while hahaha I did it that way and it worked quite well

+1 for the back of the fuse box. That's how I normally do it.

Yup, it just seemed easier to take it across with the other speaker harness

I hooked it all up, and I have a few more questions..

- Is accessories on HQ-WB where the red light on the volt meter comes on?
I tried every prong on the back of the fuse box and found one that was on all the time, and one that came on only when the key was turned to the last 'click' before it kicked the motor over..
Long story short, I dunno which 'click' is accessories :/ Thats probably got something to do with me never having to take notice of where it is hahaha

I have wired it all up, earthed out and it all works. The wires on the fuse box were connected to the correct places, but when you turn the car/ignition off the unit turns off and then when you turn it back on, it has lost the time! :/
I checked it 3 times, and when the car/ignition is off the test light still lights up when I touch that 'prong' that it's connected to.. :(

- Any ideas as to why it isn't keeping record of the time???

Other than that, I have been playing Cold Chisel and ACDC for the last hour and a half!!!

[V8VAN]

There should be 3 wires to hook up, not counting speakers:

Eng on/Acc-Main Power Wire
Constant 12v-Memory
Earth


The wire for the head units memory, needs constant 12v. This lets it save your settings, so to speak.

Accessories is where the blinkers,wipers etc work, but the reds aren't lit up yet.

Is it a forwards turn on these for Acc? My Torana is a backwards turn for Acc and I couldn't tell you what my HX is. It's not something I've taken any notice of as it has no stereo lol


EDIT: Just read Taily's post and he pretty well said all that already lol

As it's working, I can only guess the memory wire doesn't have a constant power feed.