I'm currently installing a motorised TV Headunit and a DVD player into my dash.

I've relocated the Air-Con unit to about an inch further down, and I'm modifying the existing dash panel using fibreglass and a lot of elbow grease. The install is looking to be very good indeed.

I'm now wiring in the stereo. As I've so far spent about $3500 on my kit, I decided (for the moment) to use the factory speakers, so I bought an adaptor harness from Audiogate, which looks to be working a treat (I did a quick test).

The problem is that I need to take a live feed from the car to power the stereo, as the stock harness doesn't seem to have one in there.

The Audiogate adaptor says that I need to use the brown wire coming from the ignition. This wouldn't be a problem if I didn't have to take the complete dash to peices to get access to the wire.

I had another idea, though - I have removed the cigarette lighter and ash tray (no room, as the air-con unit has moved down), so can't I just use the live wire to that?

Is there any reason why I can't use it? Does the power not get cut to it when I turn the car off? Is the power supply to that wire not strong enough?

If this isn't suitable for the live feed, does anyone know of another "easier access" wire to use so I don't have to completely decimate the interior of my vette?

Thanks in advance for any help!

:cheers:

 

TTT! Come on, you guys!! :D

 

The cigar lighter is active 24/7. That is - the wire to it is 12vdc all the time it is not turned off with the ignition switch. But if you unit has an on/off switch you can use that to turn it off every time you exit the car. My .02 I know this doesn't really help. But at least may answer your question. :thumbs: :seeya

 

That's all I needed to know. Thanks very much! :cheers:

 

Actually, that's not strictly true - does anyone know of an alternative wire I can use to power my stereo? I really don't want to have to take all of the dash apart... :(

:cheers:

 

Couldn't you use the switched aux wire in the footwell on the passenger's side? That's the one I tapped into to hardwire my Valentine1. It's the yellow one (I think), but the instructions will be in Frank's V1 hardwiring instructions in the tech archive.

 

Thanks, Dexter! I'll go look now! :D

 

Where can I find Franks V1 Hardwiring write up? I don't know how to access the Tech archives... :(

:cheers:

 

Hmmm... can't find Frank's, but here's someone else's with pretty decent pictures. Sure wish the forum search function worked.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/techti...=165&TopicID=1
:seeya

 

Actually, I found Frank's instructions on his own web site. Thank god for google.
http://www.frankhunt.com/FRANK/hobbi...e_install.html

Yellow wire = switched

 

Very cool, wish I knew that before I went wire hunting under my dash for an hour!! :cheers:

 

There should be a few fuses in the foot well that you can use, I just got out the owners manual and found an accessory that only comes on with the ignition, don't remember what it was and the car is stored, but try a few til you find one.

Radioshack in the US carries a blade adapter, but I just wrap the wire around the fuse blade and stick it back in. You should pick the fused side of the lead, you can figure this out by using a blown fuse and switching which side the wire is on, or just run a volt meater to each terminal. Put the wire on the side that is not hot when the fuse is out.

Connecting it to the alternator will definately NOT work, the alternator runs right to the + side of the battery so it is always live.

The windshield wiper fuse should only come on with the ignition, see if there is a fuse for that....