TheSamba.com :: View topic - Sapphire XII radio

Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:25 am

I'm planning to install a Sapphire XII radio into my '78 Super Beetle convertible. I've checked the manual that's posted on The Samba and it has an electrical diagram but really doesn't specify which connection wire goes to what. I obviously can tell the antenna connection and can probably guess correctly on the speaker wires versus power wires but if somebody could verify that for me I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks.

Fri Mar 19, 2010 10:24 am

Hiya bgp,

I've got Sapphire XII s installed in my Bug and Bus (both 70s).

These are self grounding units. The black wire is your main power. It should be wired to a fuse. In 70s there is a dedicated fuse in the fuse block for this purpose. Dunno what the situation is in a 78. But you can always install an in-line fuse. The blue wire is the power lead to your light. Both my Sapphire XIIs have a dark brown zip wire arrangement for the speaker wiring.

Fri Mar 19, 2010 12:50 pm

look at this diagram,

Shows switch power going to terminal 11 on the fuse box, the speaker is usually brown and brown/yellow or white and white/black, the tracers being the positive. The ground goes to the stud on the back, the power is red or black, I have seen both and comes out the rear corner through a little bushing looking thing, there should be an inline fuse...BTW, Autozone, Advance and Pep Boys each sell a perfect size replacement speaker called a Metra for around $14.99, dual cone, sounds fine with stock radio, same looking frame as my OG one. They also sell inline fuse holders that take the newer style bayonet fuses or the old style buss fuses...