Need some data...

[bngl3rt]

Anyone have the exact dimensions of the factory head unit?

Also, do the wire harness colors basically follow the standard?

http://www.the12volt.com/caraudio/headunitharness.asp

Last but not least... How much current can the 12v circuit in the head unit wiring harness support (i.e. what size fuse is it behind), and how much current can the unused spade connectors on the kick panel fuse box supply?

 

[comtec]

The harness colors do not follow that pattern. Here are the main ones.

12v- Yellow/red stripe
memory- White/yellow stripe
pwr ant- Pink/white stripe
illumination- Red/black stripe

All 4 speakers
White (+)
Orange (-)


The head unit is fused with the cig lighter relay at 10amp (fuse #8) , which also fuses the C913 (ACC) unused port.



Mike

 

[bngl3rt]

Awesome, thanks for the info. I assume the OEM amps (in the sub box and the doors) are not also behind the same 10A fuse but have their own circuit?

 

[comtec]

Your welcome,
All three amps are fed from a relay in the underhood relay box A. Which is fed from fuse 51 (20amp) in the underhood fuse/relay box.

Mike

 

[bngl3rt]

So the head unit gets 10A and the amps share 20A... Sounds like it should be feasible to support aftermarket equipment off those same circuits without having to run any new wiring from the battery through the firewall - unless the wires aren't thick enough to power higher-wattage aftermarket amps?

 

[TURBO2GO]

So the head unit gets 10A and the amps share 20A... Sounds like it should be feasible to support aftermarket equipment off those same circuits without having to run any new wiring from the battery through the firewall - unless the wires aren't thick enough to power higher-wattage aftermarket amps?

An 18 gauge wire feeds the factory amps. Which are very small. I wouldn't use it on anything but the smallest aftermarket amp. And it's prone to noise anyway. You need a clean power feed to the amp. What are you trying to do?

 

[bngl3rt]

An 18 gauge wire feeds the factory amps. Which are very small. I wouldn't use it on anything but the smallest aftermarket amp. And it's prone to noise anyway. You need a clean power feed to the amp. What are you trying to do?

Just trying to come up with the most DIY-able install. I have done plenty of car stereos but when the time comes to run a big thick wire from the battery/fuse box through the firewall I usually take it to a shop and have a professional do it.

For stuff in the front of the cabin (inside the center console and in the footwell) I guess it makes sense to come straight off the battery and through the front firewall into an aftermarket fuse/distro. For stuff in the back of the cabin and also the trunk I've seen people use the engine compartment fuse box - but I haven't really been able to find any detailed photos of either.

Closest I've come is this, from Jonathan's thread:

But it doesn't show where he actually screwed the wire into the fuse box.

 

[TURBO2GO]

There are some unused fused pins available in drivers side kick panel that may be available.

 

[bngl3rt]

There are some unused fused pins available in drivers side kick panel that may be available.

According to comtec those are all 10A circuits...

 

[TURBO2GO]

You really need 40-50 amps for an amplifier so I think going to the battery is inevitable.

 

[comtec]

According to comtec those are all 10A circuits...

You didn't say which one so i only gave the one connected with the stereo. Keep in mind the other equipments power requirements when sharing a fuse.



Option connectors (on underdash fuse box)

C911- IG2-A Fuse #4 (15A) also power Defrost, cooling fan control and heater control
C913- ACC Fuse #8 (10A) also powers Radio

C912- BAT (Unused) To use this connector you must add a fuse in the engine compartment fuse/relay box at fuse #17.

Mike

 

[comtec]

Just trying to come up with the most DIY-able install. I have done plenty of car stereos but when the time comes to run a big thick wire from the battery/fuse box through the firewall I usually take it to a shop and have a professional do it.

For stuff in the front of the cabin (inside the center console and in the footwell) I guess it makes sense to come straight off the battery and through the front firewall into an aftermarket fuse/distro. For stuff in the back of the cabin and also the trunk I've seen people use the engine compartment fuse box - but I haven't really been able to find any detailed photos of either.

Closest I've come is this, from Jonathan's thread:

But it doesn't show where he actually screwed the wire into the fuse box.

From the picture above you can see the 3 square fuses in the middle and one open spot where a connection could be made easily. I believe on later models that position is used for the air pump though.

Mike

 

[bngl3rt]

You didn't say which one so i only gave the one connected with the stereo. Keep in mind the other equipments power requirements when sharing a fuse.



Option connectors (on underdash fuse box)

C911- IG2-A Fuse #4 (15A) also power Defrost, cooling fan control and heater control
C913- ACC Fuse #8 (10A) also powers Radio

C912- BAT (Unused) To use this connector you must add a fuse in the engine compartment fuse/relay box at fuse #17.

From the picture above you can see the 3 square fuses in the middle and one open spot where a connection could be made easily. I believe on later models that position is used for the air pump though.

Very valuable info. Thank you! Sounds like the amount of power you can push through C912 is limited only by the gauge of wire connecting the fuse box to the kick panel.

I will pop the fuse box on my 96 and check if that spot is blank...

You really need 40-50 amps for an amplifier so I think going to the battery is inevitable.

Fair enough... I wonder what the power requirements of the RF 3sixty.3 are, they don't say in the specs but since it's all line-level, mostly digital signals bouncing around in there (no amplification) I can't imagine it would be too high. I think the head unit wire harness could probably power the RF box.

 

[TURBO2GO]

RF 360 is no problem. It's power amps that need the power.

 

[bngl3rt]

RF 360 is no problem. It's power amps that need the power.

Right, so I was thinking of soldering one of these...

To the 4 pin power harness that comes with the 3sixty...

Assuming SoS followed the standard colors on their harness, it would be

SoS yellow to RF yellow (+12v constant)
SoS red to RF blue/white (+12v switched)
SoS black to RF black (ground)

And then RF blue would run out to the amp, which would get its power straight from the battery.

This would be the easiest way, IMO, to use the RF processor in lieu of a head unit. Install the RF remote in a SoS stereo delete plate (or anywhere else you like in the cabin) and you're in business.

 

[TURBO2GO]

Your remote turn on isn't going to work, that is output from the HU.

SOS does not make that adapter. It's a standard scosche or something I forget. I wouldn't ground the processor at a different point than the amp. So I wouldn't use that harness. Keep it clean right off the bat so you aren't chasing noise later.

 

[bngl3rt]

Huh... There must be a switched input to the HU that tells it when it should be allowed to power up, no? (when the car key is in ACC or ON) I would think the HU has an input ("you're allowed to turn on") and an output to turn on the amps.

Good point about sharing the ground though. The switched line on the kick panel would work for turning the RF on/off with the car.

 

[TURBO2GO]

Huh... There must be a switched input to the HU that tells it when it should be allowed to power up, no? (when the car key is in ACC or ON) I would think the HU has an input ("you're allowed to turn on") and an output to turn on the amps.

Huh? You mean switched power? Yes every radio has +12V switched and +12V constant. I'm talking about remote turn-on that is different than 12V accessory. When you lose the HU Your remote turn on lead has to just be tied into accessory unless you install a signal sensing 12V trigger. You may also need to install a delay circuit to keep things from popping.

 

[bngl3rt]

Well, the RF has a delay circuit built in to control amps. So if the RF's remote turn on is tied to accessory and the amp is controlled by the RF then there should be a programmable delay to avoid popping.