Can Anybody Answer This Question For Me!?!

[paddyboy15]

Here goes...

Basically, i have an Alpine CDA-9812rb, 4x60w power

It needs a direct power source from the Battery or fusebox apparantly.

I have connected everything up and am 99% sure i've done everything right apart from two things...

I've grounded the black ground wire from the unit to a bolt behind the dash, not sure if it is joined to the chassis but i think it is.

But my main problem is the separate yellow power wire with 20w attached fuse that needs a direct supply to the Battery of fuseblock.

It says on the wire to "connect directly to Battery or fuseblock".

I've connected it to the white and black wire of the cigarette lighter as i thought this would work.

I have no power from the headunit. is it because of this yellow power wire?

Or have i done something else wrong?

Please help me asap as its getting dark!!!

[Jamesb4uk]

Make sure the ground goes the the Chassis mate.

Also the HU requires a direct or fused connection - so i suggest running the power from your Battery thru a fuse block & then to the HU direct.

J

[paddyboy15]

i'm not too good on this sort of thing so...

are you saying i should connect the yellow power wire that has a (20w fuse on) to a spare point in the fuseblock?

or directly to the Battery?

[paddyboy15]

Anyone?

[DefiantFrog]

There are 2 ways of doing it.

Maplins sell pretty decent Battery terminals with more than one "output" on them for about a tenner. Undo your current +ve cable on the Battery, remove any connections, put the cable in to your new terminal, and re-attach. Test something (starting the car is a good one! Remember to stop it again before continuing! :P ) to make sure it works. Disconnect the new terminal again, and add in your stereo cable. Reconnect the terminal. Start Car. Turn on stereo. As long as it is grounded correctly, then it should work. If you can't find a decent grounding point close by, go to the -ve on your Battery - you may have to buy another terminal to do this and go through the same procedure. And please please make sure there is an in-line fuse on your +ve cable (again, maplins, tenner) rated at the same as the fuse on the back of the stereo. Put this in the engine bay if possible as close to the battery as it can be safely mounted.

This will mean that your stereo is constantly powered, so you must remember to turn it off when you leave the car, otherwise you could come back to it with a dead battery.

OR

Find another cable already rated at 20A on your fuse board (look for a 20A fuse, in the board, work out its location from the piccy on the back of the board cover, and from there you can see what is powers) and take a feed from it's +ve with a clip. This will have an effect on the fuse that is powering it if you use both devices at the same time - probably causing the fuse to blow. If you go this way, try and get something which doesn't get power when the ignition is off, that way your stereo will turn itself off when you turn off the ignition. You can also try finding an unused one, and wiring in to that. Heated seats is always a good one to try! That'll be a nightmare to wire in though.

Personal opinion, go from the battery, its easier, and safer, and I cannot stress highly enough the need to put in an in-line fuse close to the battery!

[paddyboy15]

Thanks for the advice. the wire has a 20w fuse inline already.

Or is it there instead of in the back of the headunit?

I'll definitely connect to the Battery though i think.

Thanks again.

[DefiantFrog]

If the fuse is a blade fuse in the back of the stereo, then it is not an in-line fuse. An in-line fuse runs somewhere along the cable, and if removed breaks the connection in the cable... a la:

With Fuse: Power goes in here > ------{Fuse}------- > Power comes out

Without Fuse: Power goes in here > ------{ }------- > nothing comes out

The dashes are your cable, the curly brakets are your fuse holder (sorry for the rather rubbish ASCII art!). Make sense?

I'd expect it to have both already!

The reason for having it is that if for some reason your stereo pulls too much power, it will blow the 20A fuse instead of melting your cable, potentially causing a fire. Hence why i say mount it in the engine bay as close to the Battery as possible, so there is only a very small bit of cable to melt before the fuse, rather than it melting and setting fire to your entire dashboard if it is mounted in your car / you don't have one at all! I don't mean to scare-monger here, the chances of it happening are slim, but they are there. For the sake of 20 - 30 quid in parts, I think its worth it for not turning your car in to a smouldering wreck!

[man-bing]

But my main problem is the separate yellow power wire with 20w attached fuse that needs a direct supply to the battery of fuseblock.

It says on the wire to "connect directly to battery or fuseblock".

I've connected it to the white and black wire of the cigarette lighter as i thought this would work.

I have no power from the headunit. is it because of this yellow power wire?

Or have i done something else wrong?

Please help me asap as its getting dark!!!

←

Are you sure you have wired it up right???

You should find 3 main cables that will make the unit work.

Can't remember the colour cables for the Alpine's but, think it's black/red/yellow.

These are what those cables will do.

1: Ground cable

2: Permanent/Constant live cable

3: Switchable live cable

Ok, ground cable is ground cable, so contect something that it's connected to the bodywork.

Permanent live is for H/U memory back-up/security features (not all unit will have keycoded units, such as the Alpine's) and this will remember what you have stored your setting to, such as radio setting, audio settings. You will need to find a cable that has a constant 12V supply running to it that will still work without the need to switch on another source (eg. ignition). THIS WILL NOT MAKE THE UNIT WORK/SWITCH ON!!!!

Switchable live is to be connected to something like the ignition, or and external switch, THIS WILL MAKE THE UNIT WORK NOW.

You can cheat and connect the constant & switchable live wires together on a constant power source, but connectiong it to something like the cigar lighter will have the opposite effect, as this the connected to a switched power source, hence you will lose all H/U setting that you have stored. Also if you forget to turn the unit off correctly, you might find out that you have a flat Battery next morning :censor:

If you car has ISO connection, then all you need to do it buy a wiring harness for the loom (eg. Halfords)

This will save the bother of trying to wire it manually and CUTTING the exsisting wiring loom, hence will cause alot of bother, if you later try and sell your car or need to upgrade