A Radio Nightmare....

[playtolose]

So i'm driving a 89 k10 1.0L, (the Colette model) and I decided to replace the old radio with something that could maybe play CDs.

Instead of getting an old-style to new-style plug adapter I've directly connected the wires however I now have a few problems. (thats what I get for trying to save a few quid)
1) Someone's totally re-wired the ####er! As far as i can tell they just replaced the wires with new ones, in different colours.
2) I have a spare wire! This did once go into the old radio but I couldn't work out to where! When I touch it off the neutral or live wires it starts the interior fans... or blows a fuse.
3) This is my biggest problem, the radio is getting a very small continuous feed from the battery, BUT its a) not enough for the radio to retain station memory, and b) irregular, as in when I start the car it interrupts, so if i set up the radio while the keys are in the accessory position it resets when I actually start the engine!

is there anything I might have missed? I'd really rather not have to go to the bother of running a new feed from the battery to the radio.

 

[SammoHung]

Hi play

Try not to connect any of the wires to the chassis or to each other for now or you could eat fuses or melt wires

most radios & players that have digital presetiings need 2 positive connections ans one negative(groung or chassis) for normal power and memory

Positives
1) Permenant live (is not interrupted while starting) is used to retain memory settings etc
2) Switched live (this is interrupted while starting and is normal...fans and other accessories are also normally interrupted while the starter cranks)

If its wired correctly, then the readi WILL be interrupted while starting but the settings wont be lost after the engine is running

If you have a multimeter, you can set it to voltage and probe for permenant and switched positives


1) Switch evertthing off and remove the keys
2) Probe each wire with the positive probe while the negative probe is pushed firmly into a chassis screw or bare matalwork on the chassis (not the radio cradle though)
3) when you find a wire with around 12.5 Volts on it.(there should only be one of these but check them all, if there are more then one then separate them them for now)...this is your permenant live....this is for connecting to your memory or permenant live on the radio
4) Mark this wire so that to dont go back to it untill you've found the switched live.
5)set the drivers key to ACC
6)Repeat the probing to find a wire that didnt have 12.5 before but does now
7) check that the 12.5 on this wire goes off when you switch off the key...this is your switched live and is the main power input to your radio


give us an update to how you got on

 

[Ems]

Sammo, good luck if u ever decide to play with the Datsuns wiring!!! Whoever played with them shouldn't have!!

Ps, it wasn't me

 

[SammoHung]

lol coincdence:

after writing the above I remembered about that job so Ive got stuck in...

I seems that the datsun has no permenant live feed to the radio (makes sense in a way since the original radio probably didnt have any digital memory...lol)

Have no feer..wires are here!

I'll let you know how it pans out

 

[misterBaz]

I've gotta do mine next week, ordered a new Kenwood CD/MP3 HU and am ordering the speaker set up today or tomorrow. I'm not good with electrics at the best of times, but I know that one of the previous owners of my K10 made a right mess of all the wiring (I discovered this last weekend when I got my mate to look at it, to try and get the old HU working. Think I'll have to re-wire it all so no doubt I will have a shocking time lol

 

[Antony]

go into halfords.... ask for the fitter....... let him do it...lol

 

[Ems]

half of them don't have a clue lol, so no point!

 

[Arnold]

Halfords cant make things any worse than they are by the sounds of things. can you retract your steps and get the correct ISO adapter?

 

[playtolose]

Got it! Thanks Sammo. I, in my supreme ignorance, didn't know there were two live wires. However, I still have one wire left over.... and its coming from the car not the radio....
Oh well, at least now I don't have to re-tune my radio every time I start the car.

 

[Antony]

half of them don't have a clue lol, so no point!

that is true.... but then more than half of the employees dont work on the audio dept. much like i dont work on cycles....

but ask for the IMI certified and qualified audio fitter....

 

[SammoHung]

Play:

Did you manage?

Have no feer..wires are here!

I'll let you know how it pans out

job done saturday afternoon....settings saving etc....and even a hanfull beeps come out of the loudspeakers if the ignition is turned off while the removable radio facia is left on

 

[Ems]

lol, cool!!