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Convector wires

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Old Mar 27, 2019 | 11:18 AM
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Default Convector wires

I wonder if some kind soul could tell me what these wires are for; they go to the oem 2 amp convector that goes to the OEM AM/FM Stereo on my '72. Thanks!

Pointed out by the arrow, blue, yellow and green. I am suspecting they are right/left, blue & green might be speakers
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Old Mar 27, 2019 | 11:29 AM
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They plug in to the stereo, usually on the back side.
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Old Mar 27, 2019 | 11:50 AM
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Awesome Easy. Do you know what each of the wires does? I have an amp that I want to use with the OEM stereo and I believe if I can identify these wires, I can unplug that plug from the convector and use that plug (from the radio side) to hook into the amp. Thanks
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Old Mar 27, 2019 | 12:34 PM
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those are the power wires for the right and left channel from the power transistors have never heard of them associated with speakers just power.
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Old Mar 27, 2019 | 12:47 PM
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Have you got a nice sharp electrical probe, or some T-pins?

You should be able to figure out what the wires do.

Obviously there's going to be both a Right and a Left channel in and out. That's 4 wires.

Power and signal/power ground. That makes six.

With the radio on, identify the power wire first (probably 5-24V), using a meter or a test light, and then the ground by looking for continuity with chassis ground).

Now cut or disconnect the wire from the amp.

With the radio on, stabbing the other wires, OR unplugging connector from the radio and probing the connector on the radio itself and hooking up an 8 ohm speaker between your test point and ground, you can probably identify the signal out. It may be faint.

As long as the power and ground are right, you can't hurt a new, replacement amp if you miswire the others.

Whether or not signal out is the right voltage levels, etc to drive an aftermarket amp I can't tell you.

This ought to work as long as your radio isn't SNAFU and its still, at least, TRYING to send signal to the existing amp.
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Old Mar 27, 2019 | 02:00 PM
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Originally Posted by wadenelson
Have you got a nice sharp electrical probe, or some T-pins?

You should be able to figure out what the wires do.

Obviously there's going to be both a Right and a Left channel in and out. That's 4 wires.

Power and signal/power ground. That makes six.

With the radio on, identify the power wire first (probably 5-24V), using a meter or a test light, and then the ground by looking for continuity with chassis ground).

Now cut or disconnect the wire from the amp.

With the radio on, stabbing the other wires, OR unplugging connector from the radio and probing the connector on the radio itself and hooking up an 8 ohm speaker between your test point and ground, you can probably identify the signal out. It may be faint.

As long as the power and ground are right, you can't hurt a new, replacement amp if you miswire the others.

Whether or not signal out is the right voltage levels, etc to drive an aftermarket amp I can't tell you.

This ought to work as long as your radio isn't SNAFU and its still, at least, TRYING to send signal to the existing amp.
It works fine, radio, convector. Just would like to use the radio as the receiver and an amplifier for power to get more sound in the system. I was thinking about just unplugging the convector and using the speaker wiring coming out of the radio to wire to the new amp.


From my comment above, the speaker wires I was referring to to use are the ones labeled Speaker hookup in the picture....
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Old Mar 27, 2019 | 05:19 PM
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the wires power the transistors, not an electronics expert but from what i remember early transistors such as the ones on the aluminum plate have 3 poles a base a collector and an emitter, two transistors 6 wires.

Last edited by MelWff; Mar 27, 2019 at 05:20 PM.
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Old Mar 27, 2019 | 07:39 PM
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Too bad you don't have an O-scope. If you connect an amplifier that accepts speaker level signals, you can get more amplitude out of your factory radio. You will likely have to keep the convector, or figure out how to feed the amplifier the lower level signals going into the convector. Also, you may need to upgrade your speakers, as may amplifiers will expect 4 Ohm speakers.

For those of you confused by the terminology, the convector is GM's term for a heat sink, in this case with two transistors mounted on it. The convector is just to fake stereo sound from your mono radio. It seems Delco couldn't make a true stereo radio fit in the dash until the 1977 dash redesign.

Source: This thread! Fascinating.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...of-1976-a.html

Last edited by Bikespace; Mar 27, 2019 at 07:46 PM.
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Old Apr 2, 2019 | 05:19 PM
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Just to recap, I gave up on that amp, think it was way too much for what I was looking for. I am back to running 4 speakers, fronts on a series and rears on a series. It'll do.......
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