I hate electrics.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,130
Likes: 1
From: mesa,az
I hate electrics.
Well, I hooked my XM radio into the power supply for my lighter. Problem is I just cliped the wires and attached it to the power supply, one was a puch on and the ground was through a light that I just clipped off . Right away I started having problems with the main radio cutting out ( an Antique Automobile Radio conversion )and needing to be reset. well I was out driving tonight and relized I had lost all my dash lights. I guess the lights are in series eh. The weird part I can't figure is that when I turn the headlights on the radio works just fine and dosen't shut down anymore. Help
Greg
Greg
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,946
Likes: 28
From: Long Beach CA
It's hard to tell what's going on without more information. Is this XM an in-dash type unit or a Roady 2 portable unit? You clipped the wire going to the cigarette lighter? What light did you clip off? Are you sure it was a ground wire? Bulbs normally have a hot lead going to the bulb and get their ground from the socket housing. Can you post more details?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,130
Likes: 1
From: mesa,az
the XM is a roady xt. yea the ground for the lighter was a pluged in bulb. I cliped the wire to the socket housing for the ground wire. It apperead to me that the lighter had a hot to it and grounded thru the bolb housing.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 5
From: Hasbrouck Heights NJ
This thread has great picture of the stock radio connector:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1466356
I would put the lighter wire back, believe it is always on unless you cut the grey wire which is for the light. The yellow wire on the radio is power. The radio connector also has a grey wire, believe that is tied to the cluster lights as all cluster lights are grey wires. Sounds like the radio is getting power from that. I would power both XM and radio with same power and ground source so they work only when key is on or in acc position.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1466356
I would put the lighter wire back, believe it is always on unless you cut the grey wire which is for the light. The yellow wire on the radio is power. The radio connector also has a grey wire, believe that is tied to the cluster lights as all cluster lights are grey wires. Sounds like the radio is getting power from that. I would power both XM and radio with same power and ground source so they work only when key is on or in acc position.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
Likes: 1,927
From: Washington Michigan
Originally Posted by panchop
the XM is a roady xt. yea the ground for the lighter was a pluged in bulb. I cliped the wire to the socket housing for the ground wire. It apperead to me that the lighter had a hot to it and grounded thru the bolb housing.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 7,246
Likes: 21
From: Going too fast over the hill. Iowa
If you clipped the bulb wire to the lighter and used it for a ground, you probably grounded the power line for all the instrument lights through the xm radio (and blew a fuse or burned the light switch dimmer). None of the cluster instrument lamps have grounds. Only indicator lamps and courtesy lamps do.
It's always a good idea to look at the wiring diagram before cutting wires. There's one for a 66 at the bottom of this web page:
http://www.corvetteforum.net/classic...e/index5.shtml
It's always a good idea to look at the wiring diagram before cutting wires. There's one for a 66 at the bottom of this web page:
http://www.corvetteforum.net/classic...e/index5.shtml
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,130
Likes: 1
From: mesa,az
Heavy sigh, at 6"4'' 240 #s if there is one place I hate working it's under that dash. Oh well. so it goes. So what do ya think. keep the power from the lighter , return the bulb to it's originial place and ground the XM power to the same ground i use for the radio?
Last edited by panchop; Sep 9, 2006 at 01:07 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 7,246
Likes: 21
From: Going too fast over the hill. Iowa
yes, yes, and yes ( or any cluster or dash Zbar screw will do for a ground). The Zbar (across the dash) is part of the body frame (birdcage) and it is grounded to the chassis frame by a strap behind the front of the LH aluminum rocker/cover. 
PS I am also 6'4" and I have an A-C car with ductwork in the way. I feel your pain.
PS I am also 6'4" and I have an A-C car with ductwork in the way. I feel your pain.
Last edited by magicv8; Sep 9, 2006 at 09:22 PM.
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Drifting
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,946
Likes: 28
From: Long Beach CA
A couple of questions.
Why not just plug the roady power cord into the lighter socket? That's what it's designed for.
Did you cut that connector off the roady power cord and are connecting the cord directly to the lighter power wire? The roady takes only 6 volts, the connecter drops the voltage.
Why not just plug the roady power cord into the lighter socket? That's what it's designed for.
Did you cut that connector off the roady power cord and are connecting the cord directly to the lighter power wire? The roady takes only 6 volts, the connecter drops the voltage.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,130
Likes: 1
From: mesa,az
I didn't like all that stuff hanging around the console. they sell a kit for about $30 consisting of a connecter that allowes you to hook up power, the car antenna and the XM antenna in one physical connection. reception gets much better and you can stash the power connector away out of site.