Head unit wiring headache!

[Crispy-Astra]

As per title.....i got a bit of a problem with my new head unit.... if i take the face off i get a flashing light from the unit as there is still power to it....this is draining my battery and is not good! i know people will say swap red and yellow...only problem with that is previous owner had cut the speaker wires and power + / - and then terminal blocked the new iso plugs on accept they put the ignition and power + into one block. so it kinda goes ---[=== (the [ being the terminal block) i will try and get a pic if u want. Solution i thought was either take the red power one out and put an inline switch on so the power goes but the memory stays when switched, simple enought to do but where would i get a swtich? i can put it under stearing column. Other solution is to work out what one is the ignition from the original block and put that into it's own terminal block....but i dunno if that would solve the problem....

Hope that all makes sence, may be easier to understand with pics but cant find my camera atm

 

[astra-paul]

get some pics up and mite be able to help as a bit of a dab hand at ice installs having done my own in several cars

 

[Andy_Mk3]

So the previous owner has connected both the power cables to the stereo to the single permanant live wire?

If that's the case cut off the ignition wire and give it back its ignition feed, the wire will probably be in there somewhere still, or if not find one

 

[Crispy-Astra]

So the previous owner has connected both the power cables to the stereo to the single permanant live wire?

yea but i dont think they cut the original ignition feed, they just ramed the permanant feed into a block with the new permanat feed AND ignition XD what colour is the original ignition feed? will that solve the issue? looking at the block i think it's blue but can some1 tell me if it is, as theres a blue one is in the same position as the ignition feed should b...

Andy - You put what i said in 1 sentence, i have long ways of explaining things, more fun that way

 

[Andy_Mk3]

Can't remember the original colours.. but if the wire isn't there then just make a new wire up, find an iginion live in the fuse box.

 

[big e]

Would be suprised if the stereo is actually draining the battery, unless you have amps in an the stereo is leaving them switched on..

 

[haighy]

the red light will always flash is a theft deterent, the only way to stop it flashing is to not have a memory (12v+) to the stereo and wire them both to ign live but this will be a pain as you wont be able to store radio pre-sets or bass,treble settings.
as previously stated it will more than likly be your amps(if fitted) or some other thing draining battery as the little red led draws milliamps or current and would not affect the cold craning amps of the battey by enough to make a differance

 

[Crispy-Astra]

battery died today, it was the fact that the permant live feed from the battery was terminal blocked to the live line going to the unit along with the memory line going to the unit. so there is always power to the unit even when switched off, i've found the ignition feed and connected that onto the live going to the unit and now need to switch the live feed from battery to the memroy on the unit. For some reason it remembers...but that may have just been a capacitor in the unit? i hope not tho. We shall see when i find a switch. The flashing isn't there but i'm not too bothered, it may be that i need a new battery? ahh well. stupid car!!! lol

 

[kompo001]

As stated above, there is no way a small led would drain your battery........Have you had a battery test done at your local garage or Halfords? Could be a cell down. What's your charging rate? Should be 13.8 - 14.6 volts at idle.
Just a few things to check before you rip all the wiring out of your dash.......lol
Phil.

 

[Crispy-Astra]

all sorted! after about an hour of my time, a little guess work and playing around and swapping wires i got it how it should be so it comes on/off with my ignition, this is after i went and brought the switch and put it in XD ah well was only about 79p! now i have a full proof way of killing the power as i've left the switch in, so if i have some1 else in the car changing my music i can just kill the power 2 it from under the steering wheel =D

 

[astranaut]

lol come do mine my girlfriend listens to the worst **** going.

 

[big e]

And you let people mess with your stereo? id have to kill them if they messed with it , its mine all mine..

 

[Crispy-Astra]

Astranaut - It's really easy, there's a rectangular black pannel under the steering wheel, remove that. Go to maplin and get youself some sort of switch, i got a rocker switch only 79p. Then just get some 1mm cable(solid core or stranded doesn't matter just so long as it's insulated.) i 'borrowed' some T+E from college terminal block the ignition feed to one end of the cable, take it to the switch, then with the other end, connect that to the ignition cable going to the unit. Cut a hole in the black rectantular pannel so you can put the switch in and job done. it's easy to feed the cable from the back of your unit to the slot under the steering wheel as it's just straight through. This should kill all power when switched. TBH there's not really any point in doing inless you want to kill the power to the unit while driving

Big e - I get annoyed when people do but now they can't

 

[astranaut]

Cheers mate, i'm gonna do that, id rather it off than the **** she listens to!!

 

[Crispy-Astra]

if you need any more help just pm me =D and good luck, will b funny when she turns up her rubbish and all of a sudden......*silence* haha

 

[astranaut]

will do cheers mate!