reducing amp trigger voltage from 12v to 5v?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,159
Likes: 73
From: Sumter, SC
reducing amp trigger voltage from 12v to 5v?
Searching for a fix to my issue with a Kenwood install Bose/PAC kit, A popping noise during start up and during volume number changes. Saw a youtube video referencing GM sends 5V to the amp for startup and most aftermarket headunits send 12v. They used an inline reducer taking the trigger wire down to 5v. It looked like a parking brake bypass, I"m sure its not that, but just for reference, it looks like one.
Anyone here ever heard of that, or used one? My install is all stock Bose, added Kenwood 7709s headunit, used PAC GM1-RST, also has a slight hiss/hum even at zero volume.
Thinking maybe the trigger voltage is hitting the factory amp every time? And maybe I should run a dedicated ground wire for the headunit connections instead of using the factory ground in the stereo harness.
Thoughts?
Anyone here ever heard of that, or used one? My install is all stock Bose, added Kenwood 7709s headunit, used PAC GM1-RST, also has a slight hiss/hum even at zero volume.
Thinking maybe the trigger voltage is hitting the factory amp every time? And maybe I should run a dedicated ground wire for the headunit connections instead of using the factory ground in the stereo harness.
Thoughts?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,847
Likes: 439
From: Spring Texas
Here's how to make this:
https://www.eleccircuit.com/12v-to-5...-3a-regulator/
or you could take a car phone charger with a USB port and modify it to do the job you need.
https://www.eleccircuit.com/12v-to-5...-3a-regulator/
or you could take a car phone charger with a USB port and modify it to do the job you need.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 67
Likes: 10
Can you elaborate on this need for a C5? I have a Joying branded head unit (not looking for opinions on its quality lol) and sometimes the amps come on flawlessly (usually in the morning) and then in the afternoon, or when i go to turn the car on right after it was turned off, the amps don’t come back on. I did make sure it was wired appropriately from the head unit through a ROEM PAC 1, to the cars wiring, so the amp trigger wire is correctly connected, i did grab the accessory power wire for the head unit from the passenger footwell, and so I’m not sure what the problem would be that would make it inconsistent. Now I’m wondering if it’s because of the headunit sending 12 volts instead of 5
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 67
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2017
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From: Billings Montana. Out in the wild west
Well like VinceC5 pointed out it's a C5 thing and not needed on the C6's, if you're having issues with your C6 there's some other cause to the issues and not the trigger voltage, my guess would be possibly a bad interface, the PAC's are not know for their high quality, others have been know to be bad.
Last edited by madsonp; Aug 14, 2023 at 05:42 PM.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 67
Likes: 10
Well like VinceC5 pointed out it's a C5 thing and not needed on the C6's, if you're having issues with your C6 there's some other cause to the issues and not the trigger voltage, my guess would be possibly a bad interface, the PAC's are not know for their high quality, others have been know to be bad.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 5,424
Likes: 2,305
From: Billings Montana. Out in the wild west
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,847
Likes: 439
From: Spring Texas
The 5V is needed for the diversity antenna trigger. The factory amps do require the 12V. You may want to add a relay to the head unit 12v out. You could be having an issue with the amount of current needed.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,327
Likes: 166
From: Summerton SC
Tech Contributor
Not sure if you saw this post, but the whole 5v pink wire thing was kind of questionable:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...reception.html
Then sort of negated by this YT post:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...reception.html
Then sort of negated by this YT post:
Last edited by Thrash; Aug 16, 2023 at 05:22 PM. Reason: typo