stereo main power wire to small

[m@tt]

Hi .. noticed yesterday while putting a CD deck in my paj,, the main constant power wire, (the small blue one) is way to small to run a 50wx4 stereo,, its just a battery backup wire for the memory stations etc.. The other blue power wire that goes via the accessories is a nice big thick sucker perfect to run the stereo, but of corse modern day CD decks etc use the "memory wire" (constant B+) to power the stereo, unlike the old original tape deck that used the big fat ACC wire to power up..

So what did you guys do? did you use the existing fat wire for the ACC wire then run a new fat wire for backup/main power,, or did you go to the fuse box & swap both blue wires around so there doing the opposite job ? (thats what im thinking of doing ) ..

anyone else worry about this or is every pajero out there running the stereo off the original 3amp wire ?...

[Stevie-Ray]

Hi Matt,

Check your fuse box for an heavier, unused outlet or alternatively, you could just feed another heavier cable from engine compartment thru the fire-wall & use an in-line blade fuse-holder. If you place some filters (like the ones near the terminals of computer cables), you will minimize interference entering your stereo system.

Cheers!

[mrbitchi]

Mate, think you worry about it a bit more than most. I've never even had a look to see what powers mine. Works fine, at least it's fine for an OEM unit.

I'm not sure I understand about using the memory wire to power the stereo.. Surely it uses a switched supply for main power. The memory power would be designed to keep constant power to only the clock etc. If this was the power source, what switches the radio on/off??

[m@tt]

Hi Stevie, yeah I just ran a thicker wire to the fuse box for the constant B+ wire .. It would have been easier to go straight to the battery but I chose to keep it in the cab..


Hi MRbitchi,, stereos these days always seem to have a much thicker yellow wire than they do red (unlike the orig mitsu tape player) so im pretty sure the main power wires the yellow one mate .. & no please dont think im :worried about nothing" the pajeros "main power wire" is really only a backup wire, its way to small, if it wasnt to small then why did mitsubishi run a wire about 3 times thicker to supply the 22watt tape deck ?? .. it would be easy 50% Under-rated.. almost unsafe if your cranking up the stereo sometimes, you run the risk of that wire running hot.

[mrbitchi]

Fair enough, m@tt. Again, not something I'd worry about if only running a standard unit. If using an upgraded deck then by all means beef up the wiring. Nothing worse than distortion when cranking out "Comfortably Numb"

[m@tt]

Comfortably Numb haha nooo way please no..

[Stevie-Ray]

Capacitors...?

Fair enough, m@tt. Again, not something I'd worry about if only running a standard unit. If using an upgraded deck then by all means beef up the wiring. Nothing worse than distortion when cranking out "Comfortably Numb"

Another trick that is used when installing systems that draw a fair bit of power is to have a beefy capacitor/s to smooth-out (or buffer) the current drain from your battery/charging-system. Acts a bit like a battery, but because installation is adjacent to your amp, fluctuations in current-draw from amp don't result in fluctuations in the voltage from vehicle battery!

Hope that explains how & why they're used, cheers.

[Thomas101]

Gday,

My pioneer head unit has a small blue wire to keep constant power and a bigger red one which goes to ACC to run it. It only uses the small blue one to keep station presets and the like. I ran a new wire to replace the ACC one so i have the stereo running off my second batt. But it could easily be moved over to the primary battery.

Looking at the wiring loom that came with the stereo though, the wire that connects up to the ACC is tiny anyway. Im thinking there is more going on inside then i know because that wire could not handle 50w x 4 speakers.

Thomas

[mrbitchi]

Another trick that is used when installing systems that draw a fair bit of power is to have a beefy capacitor/s to smooth-out (or buffer) the current drain from your battery/charging-system. Acts a bit like a battery, but because installation is adjacent to your amp, fluctuations in current-draw from amp don't result in fluctuations in the voltage from vehicle battery!

Hope that explains how & why they're used, cheers.

Yes, understand all that, just have never seen the point in spending those sorts of dollars on a car system where the acoustics are so bad. I'll save my limited cash for a half decent home system.

Doof doof systems don't do anything at all for me..

[m@tt]

Yes I understand about using the caps but there really only needed for BIGG current drawing stuff on real long power wires, like stereo amplifiers on 5meters of power cable to the boot etc..

Hi Thomas, mate I think you will find your Pioneer runs off the yellow wire not the red wire, the red wire isnt doing much more than sending a signal to to the stereo telling it that its allowed to turn on.. your original "thick" blue wire should have gone to the pioneers red "acc" wire & run a new wire to continue the pioneers yellow wire to a constant 12v source of your choice.. & remember some people are thinking im being extreme so you dont have to do this, its just something you should maybe do with a 50x4 stereo that gets turned up loud from time to time..

[m@tt]

and the ONLY reason im thinking the yellow wire supplies the stereos power is because you can NOT run the stereo without it hooked up !!.. wont go,, & the yellows always thicker than the red these days,,

But if im wrong please correct me NOW before i get in trouble for 20 people re-wiring there stereo lol

[Thomas101]

Gday,

I'll have a look. Not sure if i have a yellow one there. I know for sure though that the small blue is for constant power. I orginally had the red and blue swapped over, by mistake, and had to keep applying the station presets. But i'll get out tomorro and have a look. Its only 2 screws anyway and it may help some people out.

Thomas

[m@tt]

yep the small blue is for constant power, and its the constant power wire that most stereos use for running power these days, i done some research last night, so yea like I said if you pump your stezza, replace that wire !!.. its barely big enough to run a decent torch !!

[Thomas101]

Gday,

Ill get the multi meter out and see which is drawing more amps. I have a decent sized wire coming from the second batt so i'l hook it up to what ever is needed. Cheers mate.

Thomas

[wechosethegoodlife]

I am keen to hear the results. Might be time to check my install too.
Shane