General Wiring for car stereo

[Plug]

Greetings, citizens.

I'm finally going to get off my arse and put a stereo in the Panda - I bought all the bits months ago.

I'll either fit the one I got courtesy of work (one of my colleagues wrote off our Sprinter, so I had the stereo out of it before it went to the crusher ) or I might upgrade the one in the Golf and fit the old one in the Panda. That way I get a CD player..

Either way, both of them have standard ISO connectors on the back. As a minimum, I guess I'll need earth, continuous 12v and switched 12v. I've spooned out the cubbyhole thing in the dashboard, revealing the following:

There are two 1/4" spade terminals (red and black) giving continuous +12v, and a 3 way connector with red, yellow and black wires. There is continuous 12v across red and black, and I was hoping the yellow was going to be switched 12v, but that doesn't appear to be the case. Bugger, to coin a phrase.

Does anyone know where that little loom comes from and what the yellow wire's function is? Alternatively, what would happen if I wire the switched 12v to the continuous? Will I be alright so long as I remember to turn off the stereo when I get out or will it just flatten the battery?

Cheers,

Plug

 

[aquamarine]

From memory I think the red, black & yellow spur is for the cigarette lighter (only on the "luxury" versions!) with the yellow being for the illumination. We fitted our stereo into the continuous 12v and haven't forgotten to turn it off yet! Good luck, David.

 

[Plug]

Illumination would be handy, there's a pin dedicated to that on the ISO connector (dims the radio illumination when the lights are switched on). I'll check that tomorrow. Thanks!

Cheers,

Plug

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

From memory I think the red, black & yellow spur is for the cigarette lighter (only on the "luxury" versions!) with the yellow being for the illumination. We fitted our stereo into the continuous 12v and haven't forgotten to turn it off yet! Good luck, David.

I know Red is +ve and Black is -ve, yellow is probably illumination as mentioned. It could be a igntion signal +ve for the radio but doubt it. All our Panda's have just had the Red and Black, even the late Selecta.

Just use a circuit tester to see if the yellow comes live when lights on, or igntion on.

 

[Plug]

Just use a circuit tester to see if the yellow comes live when lights on, or igntion on.

Yep.. got the technology to do that..

I've got access to tens of thousands of pounds worth of test gear at work.. and at home I've got this POS

£5.99 from Wilkinsons IIRC.. I really should buy something better! But it does the job, after a fashion..

Cheers,

Plug

 

[panda-sport]

Alternatively, what would happen if I wire the switched 12v to the continuous? Will I be alright so long as I remember to turn off the stereo when I get out or will it just flatten the battery?

Depending on your head unit you may well flatten your battery. My Nakamichi unit, for example, warms up the amp as soon as the igintion is switched on to give he best sound when you finaly get round to switcing on the unit. It drained the battery in 24 hours if left parked up cheers Damon

 

[Plug]

Depending on your head unit you may well flatten your battery. My Nakamichi unit, for example, warms up the amp as soon as the igintion is switched on to give he best sound when you finaly get round to switcing on the unit. It drained the battery in 24 hours if left parked up cheers Damon

I'd better check the current pull then . It wouldn't be beyond the wit of man to fit a toggle switch in the blanked off cigarette lighter hole to provide a switched +12v supply..

Cheers,

Plug

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Depending on your head unit you may well flatten your battery. My Nakamichi unit, for example, warms up the amp as soon as the igintion is switched on to give he best sound when you finaly get round to switcing on the unit. It drained the battery in 24 hours if left parked up cheers Damon

Whoops.

Should be easy enough to link up to the ignition, or add a seperate switch.

 

[MarbellaLT]

It's better to wire new + and - from battery with at least 3-4mm^2 wire. Because these wires in photo looks very slim and your headunit will "twinkle" when you turn volume to max
So it's better to wire new wires.

For example what I did few days ago :

 

[BenW]

Replacing the original ground and permenant power wires is a good idea. I had problems with alternator whine (Whining noise through stereo which changed pitch with engine revs) until i replaced the headunit ground with a new wire to the chassis. Didnt need to change the permenant power as im using a seperate amp

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

It's better to wire new + and - from battery with at least 3-4mm^2 wire. Because these wires in photo looks very slim and your headunit will "twinkle" when you turn volume to max
So it's better to wire new wires.

I've never had that problem!

 

[BenW]

I'm not sure what marbella means by twinkle but small wires wont make the lights twinkle or change the sound. Smaller wires may however melt under high load or the original wires may pick up interference which is solved by a new direct wire.

The panda power supply isnt really upto high powered systems, mine is running 4x70W RMS through a DLS amplifier and the original interior light used to dim a lot at high volumes, new LED light isnt so bad

The headlights also used to dim at high volumes, that was sorted by putting in new cabling with relays