I give up - New Head Unit Install

yeahtoast · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 1:36 pm Post subject: I give up - New Head Unit Install

I've read the FAQ's, searched the site for every variance I can think of, thrown my wiring diagram from Bently across the garage and cursed more than I knew I could.

How on earth do I get 12V power to a new head unit? I can't seem to tie into ANYTHING with the proper power to run it.

It's driving me crazy.

1978 Type II

Randy in Maine · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 1:38 pm Post subject:

Fuse number 7.

yeahtoast · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 1:40 pm Post subject:

Randy in Maine · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 1:41 pm Post subject:

Tie into the front of it. Test it with your VOM to make sure it is getting 12 volts.

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Ace · Samba Member Joined: July 07, 2003 Posts: 1903

Battery power should have a wire run to the battery. Never try to run battery power from the fuse block. Switched power is fine though. This advice is for modern aftermarket radios though.

Wildthings · Samba Member Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50352

Ace · Samba Member Joined: July 07, 2003 Posts: 1903

Most aftermarket head units are fused at 20 amps or more. You are also prone to noise by not doing this.

david_594 · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 5:21 pm Post subject:

Ace · Samba Member Joined: July 07, 2003 Posts: 1903

That is my advice, take it or leave it. Different amplifier circuitries has different Idle and operating current draws too (Class A, B, AB, D etc). The amplifier section isn't the only part that draws current.

grandpa pete · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 8:12 pm Post subject:

what is a head unit? some kind of pot smoking thing???
_________________
63 two fold rag
66 sedan delivery Type 6

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569619&highlight=sedan+delivery

Boesen · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 3:36 am Post subject:

TheRealMacGyver · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 4:49 am Post subject:

Wildthings · Samba Member Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50352

Jody '71 · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 5:46 am Post subject:

bongs should also be jetted properly.
_________________
'66 Beetle
2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring

nathansnathan · Samba Member Joined: April 14, 2008 Posts: 1671

A relevant tip for a radio install is not to use the keyed power, but to use a toggle switch. There is no real "accessory" position of the key, and leaving it forward without it running will cook your coil.

Randy in Maine · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 6:42 am Post subject:

My head unit is powered all of the time, so no key is required.

My power amp runs on a separate line from the battery though.

ccpalmer · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 6:45 am Post subject:

My ceramic bongs come pre-tested and jetted...
_________________
'71 Westy

Ace · Samba Member Joined: July 07, 2003 Posts: 1903

Bala · Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 9:16 am Post subject:

When I ran "fancy" stereos I would install a three position toggle switch.

-OFF, to save the battery (some stereos do draw enough power to drain your battery relatively quickly) You may or may not lose your presets and clock, but worth it really. Head units these days may have a built in computer to deal with that, dunno.

-IGNITION, this is where it sat most of the time, only got power when the key was on.

-ACC, this one was a constant hot line coming in. That way you could always just flip it here and have tunes without draining your battery, frying your points, or killing your coil or electric fuel pump.

It takes a little longer to wire up, but is well worth it in my opinion.

I also rely heavily on a test light when hooking stereos up, never used a volt meter.
_________________
1976 Westy

1966 Beetle

yeahtoast · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 6:24 pm Post subject:

Son of a...

I'm completely discouraged and I'm fairly angry at myself for not figuring this out.

The head unit is fine, wired into the battery direct it powers on and works like it should. Funny thing is, introducing new wires to the process wired directly to the battery fails...but this was after being incredibly frustrated and I probably crossed something somewhere at this point.

Incoming huge pictures.

Red wire coming from battery that bypasses fuse box that I wired into. (note that this also somehow tripped the fuse...i think...that powers my turn signals, which now don't work):

Closer:

Terrible awful fuse box...sans fuse that fell apart when I was examining it:

And this little fellow who used to light up. I figured what the hey, let's wire the head unit up to the power lead on it...then I pulled it off and accidentally touched it to something else sending sparks flying and thus...shorting it out too after I re-wired it. It no longer turns green.

Anyone care to help out an OBVIOUSLY inept electrician? Good grief, my carb conversion and full engine rebuild wasn't this complicated.
_________________
2007 BMW ///M Coupe
1978 VW Type II


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