Stereo Toggle Switch....wiring assistance please!

[Mountain1.8t]

I'm installing a stereo wire switch so I can run the stereo when the key is not in the ignition....I picked up this SPDT lighted switch that fits perfectly in the old rear heater control face plate.

I wired to yellow constant and red signal on the stereo, and solid black on the ignition. When I hook them up, the switch light stays on very dim at all switch positions. I tried with and without running a ground wire to the 4th switch terminal, but the light stays on. Otherwise, the switch works as it's supposed to in terms of turning the stereo on.

How do I wire it so the light turns on only on the "on position"?

[PDXWesty]

The package the switch came with should have a wiring diagram or tell you what posts are what. You just have the connections wrong.

You really don't need a double throw switch either. Not sure how you have it wired.

The middle post should receive constant power. One side or the other should receive the lead(s) from your stereo. Ground probably goes to the fourth post. The light should be off when the rocker is in the middle (off position).
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89 Westy 2.1 Auto

[Mountain1.8t]

[Zeitgeist 13]

It's been a while, but I think I wired the center post to the stereo switched (as opposed to the constant) wire, and then one pole to constant 12v and the other to keyed 12v. That way you toggle between the two poles and send their respective sources to the stereo via the center post.
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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[greebly]

Double pole single throw switch (DPST) center to red wire of radio, one side (I prefer the off or bottom position) to an ignition point. The other side to fuse 3 (5 amp) source for the radio and cigarette lighter. The radio yellow wire should also be connected directly to the fuse #3 circuit to provide memory to the radio.

[Merian]

you can use the key in ignition facility built in to most Vans too

where did you buy that switch?

[Mountain1.8t]

[Wildthings]

Not all stereos use the same wire colors, some are reversed for some reason.

Yes the center post goes to the stereo.

Without seeing a wiring diagram for the switch I can't say how and when the light should come on. Unless it is a fairly low wattage LED you don't want it to come on when the stereo is off but to come on when the switch is thrown so the stereo is on with the ignition off. This willo give you warning you are running down your battery. It is fine if the light also comes on when the stereo is one with the ignition on but this is neither here nor there as far as running the battery down.

[Butcher]

An Ohm meter will surely help you more than us.

[Tom Powell]

[quote="Running_Man"]

[PDXWesty]

[Signalocity]

So I am getting ready to tackle this in a week or so and seemed to remember reading that it was possible to use a SPST (which is the style of rocker switch that I happen to have) to switch between constant and switched power for running the radio without the key in the ignition. Wouldn't this back charge the switched wire when running in constant mode? would that affect anything?

[syncrodoka]

A SPST switch could definitely back power the fuse box if you wire constant power to it and attach it to the switched stereo power wire.
A on/on switch(SPDT) is best to wire up the stereo where the switch can supply either switched power(car on) or constant power(car off) to the stereo.
Like already stated above the center leg at the back of the switch goes to the stereo power(not memory) with constant and switched power going to the other 2 legs.

[Wildthings]

[Signalocity]

[Chilepines]

Reviving an old thread. I'm trying to get my radio onto a toggle switch but powered from the house battery via a fuse panel. Just tried hooking it up and found that the original VW radio connector does not have the red keyed power source wire connected to anything. PO had it running with key on power wire connected to constant voltage yellow wire - it was working that way but causing battery drain.
Where is that red keyed power wire supposed to come from? Looking at the GoWesty toggle instructions there should be both a red keyed power source AND either black or grey/black from the ignition switch. I'd like to simply get things running from the ignition switch first, and then deal with the toggle later!
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White 89 Westy with 2004 Subaru EJ25 - Betty

[dubbified]

I liked this idea.. but I went with a single relay from my house battery and power the stereo and amp..

Simple..

Is there a reason you wish to complicate it?

[Chilepines]

Definitely not looking to complicate it. I thought it was simple until I found no ignition wire!

Timothy sent me this nice set of instructions on adding a relay, but this still requires an ignition trigger and some fiddling in the fuse panel:
http://www.weidefamily.net/vanagon/HTML/04/09/01.html

So how does your simple relay get triggered?
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White 89 Westy with 2004 Subaru EJ25 - Betty

[dubbified]

Sure!

WAIT.. how do you start your engine, if you say you dont have a ignition lead?

On the cars I've seen ignition leads come from huge 10ga power to the ignition, under the driver's steering wheel, the ignition switch.. then route sin some way to the alternator and IIRC.. the distributor? Unsure what you meant by cant find it? Bentley shows where they are, but not even using a book or cracking the console.. (I am lazy) drop the fuse block.. also they're found on the back of the fuse panel.. commonly its a 12 or 14 ga solid black wire with a yellow stripe you seek. Test it without the key on, then again when you Put the key in, turned to accessory position, test a system using a voltmeter or a Noid light (two leads with a light, that tell you if its seeing throughput).. you would be able to use empirical evidence that it is either switched or it is not. Then, tap it when you find it and you have ignition tapped power for your relay. Tee taps are easy, clamshell around the lead, slide on a insulated butt connector to that. route the wire to whereever.. powering your relay, which powers your stereo.. I think its ideal to dump a relay into a fuse panel, and use that to connect a stereo to.. personal preference.



I try to keep it simple. I am reorienting my setup to keep aall aux systems on the house battery, not the vehicle primary battery.

I do not use "ignition" power to supply signal to a switch for my relay. I think this is where our cases might differ?

In my previous configuration, I dropped a 12ga primary lead from the old interstate 100ah house battery, to a 5 amp ATO/ATC inline fuse, to the lit switch (so you know its on), our to the 40 amp relay, which pulls power from the house battery on 8ga wire (supports 40 amp) and dumps to the fuseblock I put in, then my stereo on one ATC/ATO fuse, and split out the other things on the other fuse panel slots, a dedicated lead out to my eberspacher diesel heater, another to the white and RGB interior cabin lights, one to the exterior lights atop the van, underneath the van, even some to the city lights on the headlights.. and one the trigger to all outside lights separately when the ignition is not on, and even a trigges the relay that powers the freight train horn (for security sakes)

It is a Stebel Nautilus.. 115decibel, it will cause hearing loss your ears if you are less than 5 feet away.

[Chilepines]

I do have ignition; I’m referring to the red keyed power wire that tells the stereo to turn on.
So if you don’t use ignition power to trigger the relay, what do you use? Sorry I’m being dense about this - relays are new to me.

Here is the wiring diagram I came up with - unfortunately I didn’t anticipate the switched power need for the stereo.

Sound like my plan is overall similar to yours.
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White 89 Westy with 2004 Subaru EJ25 - Betty