Wiring in a stereo for a n00b

Hi all!

I'm looking to plumb a stereo into my cabrio and fancy giving it a bash b4 resorting to the help of my mates. I've read a couple of previous threads:

http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=4277&highlight=stereo+wiring
The Mk1 Golf Owners Club

but I still need a bit of guidance. I've got a din stereo with an ISO connection, plus a harness left over from a previous endeavour in a mini:



At the dash end I only have 2 bare wires, bar the 4 speaker wires, 1 red and 1 brown, can somebody tell me what these wires represent and how do I connect them to the harness (Spade connectors?)?

Any help gratefully received!

Try Google for 'radio wiring diagrams' you get sites like

http://installdr.com/QuickWiring.html


I used a similar site to wire a Saxo recently , difficult to give advice with out seeing what you have .

Good luck ….

siocommunications.co.uk

I had a go at it and the stereo is all sorted, jus a quick question, my stereo requires both permanent live and ignition live to be connected, so I've connected both to the same red wire in the dash, is this safe? Stereo works with now ill effects btw

it will work ok and not be a problem, although it will loose its memory or youll have to switch it of manualy dependent on weither your red wire is switched or permanent live.

chudd said

Try Google for 'radio wiring diagrams' you get sites like

http://installdr.com/QuickWiring.html


I used a similar site to wire a Saxo recently , difficult to give advice with out seeing what you have .

Good luck ….

I tried to join
http://installdr.com/
But there is no way could you tell me how I get to be a member or how you manage to get onto there site

Best Regards,

Tony

If the live you have is a switched live, which it should be off the ignition.

Then straight forward to get a permenant live from the cig adapter as its close by.

Agree with above if youve taken both from a switched live then memory will be lost and any night flashing lights wont work. If it is a perm live then just be carefull incase it drains battery if you dont use the car for a number of weeks.

there should be no switched live to the back of a stereo in a golf unless someone else has fitted it.

your stereo will be fine with only a permanent live but remember to switch it off. if you fit an amp you will need to find a switched live to pickup from. i can't remember where i picked a switched from but i'll have a look if i remember. :mrgreen:

djheap22 said

If the live you have is a switched live, which it should be off the ignition.
quote]

Dear ?
         Can anyone tell me where is the "Switched Live "  contact, some say that the Golf Campaign has its radio wired direct, if so why is it in the instruction manual that by turning the ignition key to the 1st slot you have switched part of the ignition, also fuse No 3 is among other things is for the radio,  clock, interior light  &  cigarette lighter.
Also does anyone know that if the Ignition Key is turned only to the 1st position whether the Coil is in circuit or does this come into circuit on the final position.
I bought my Campaign new back in 83 and up till now I have fitted my radio,  wired direct,  but only to find that the radio has been left on several times and the car won't start.

Many thanks in Advance

Best Regards,

Tony

fuse three is a perm live as all these things work with the car on.
the manual is generic mine say's this also but as i had the original stereo in the car when i got it i can promise there is not a switched live back there. mine is a 83 gx.
you could maybe pick up a switched live from the heater?

novocaine said

fuse three is a perm live as all these things work with the car on.
the manual is generic mine say's this also but as i had the original stereo in the car when i got it i can promise there is not a switched live back there. mine is a 83 gx.
you could maybe pick up a switched live from the heater?

Dear ?
          Many thanks, for your interest, I think you could be right,  because today after going through the schematics I could not see any point that I could take a post ignition switch,  1st position feed from, although there are a few post second positions on the rear of the fuse box from the ignition switch, but all of these brought in the coil.
    I do not understand VW not using the first position on the Ignition Key as Radio-On/Coil Off position,  the Britsh Cars had been fitting ICE that way for many years before 1983

Thanks again

Best Regards,

Tony

my names dave.
again down to different country different rules. done to fit all i'm afraid.

Mk1 Golfs don't have an "accessory" position on the ignition switch - it goes from off, to on, to start. Later VWs have it (I think). As for taking an ignition switched source, I've personally never done it on any of my Mk1s I've wired a stereo to. You get used to the stereo being on even with the ignition off, in fact I think its handier. But I suppose you could find one once you start looking, for example how about taking a tap off the heated rear window switch, its nearby? Hopefully someone else could suggest a better place, ie from somewhere on the back of the fusebox?

having just looked at mine i haven't got a switched live on my stereo either.

i remove the front off the stereo when i get out of the car so the stereo turns off.

as for an amp i ran a switched control from the electric arial switch on the back of the stereo. (had to be reminded of this by a friend after being laughed at when i was unable to figure out why my amp had turned off. turns out i'd turned rds off which puts the ariel down :roll: )

still maybe take a live from the heater.

Which stereo is it you're wiring in? Even basic models these days have an amp out (provides a +12V signal when the stereo is turned on). It tends to be if it has aux outs, it will have this too. I think on Alpines its coloured blue with a white stripe.

As far as amps go, on the back of the fuse box there's a couple of large (9.5mm I think) male spade terminals on one corner, there's big fat red wires nearby (this is the main power input into the fusebox). These spade terminals are live all the time, and can be used for the main amp power feed, the aforementioned amp switching wire is the 3rd connection which turns the amp on and off (so it doesn't consume any power once off).

You can buy an aux lead with a thin wire built into it, which is handy for the amp switching wire/connection.

i wired it in years ago. the stereo was a sony but i'll have to look at what it was. the aux switch is for an electrical arial or amp. on sonys this is controled by the rds.

just removed the 30 amp power line from the car today as it's not needed anymore. and pulled the aux lead while the carpet was out.

i ran it straight from the battery with a fuse next to the battery and picked up a neg in the boot.

this was all back in the day when didn't need a boot. these days i'm lucky if i have a stereo in the car but when i do it's either a sony or a blaupunkt. 6X4 pioneers in the front and 2 ten inch or 8" subs in the boot.

sold the amp to buy a guitar

paul_c said

Mk1 Golfs don't have an "accessory" position on the ignition switch - it goes from off, to on, to start. Later VWs have it (I think).

Hopefully someone else could suggest a better place, ie from somewhere on the back of the fusebox?

Dear Paul,
Many thanks for taking the trouble in giving the advice you gave, but to add to your infomation
The "accessory" position might not have been on any of your Mk1's, but let me assure you,  it is,  on my Golf GTI Mk1 Campaign Model, which I have owned from new before that I had a 1976 Version of the 1600 with a four speed gearbox. ( I see I was a fool to sell that one).

It does not call it an "accessory" position,  but why even mention it in my Golf Gti handbook under petrol,   if it of no use to anyone.
It is clear that this position is also used in the Diesel Golf

As I have stated earlier there are many Post Ingnition Key contacts on the back of the fusebox I also found many Pre-Ignition ones,  it was one of these that I used in the end.

Regarding my second amp I used the Blue Arial Power cable to for the feed.

Best Regards,

Tony
arny helios -electronics.com

In the diagram, which one's the acccessory position?

If the live you have is a switched live, which it should be off the ignition.

ops:

apologies just been out and pulled stereo to check. Perm live as already stated and then I took switched live from elsewhere.

Pretty fussy/lazy and wanted stereo to remember settings, switch on/off with ignition key and auto dim. So knew I had perm,switched and dash lighting feeds into stereo.

paul_c said

In the diagram, which one's the acccessory position?

Dear Paul,
               None,  
Which is exactly the point, that I am raising,  and to a certain degree you are slightly right,  but the instruction book clearly points to the fact,  also the Ignition Key confirms mechanically  that there is a second position on the Ignition Slot, all would ascertain this being an Accessory Position.

I drove my first Beetle in 1954 while spending eighteen months in Belgium during my National Service. I was shown what I could do myself to keep this car shipshape.
As soon as I came out,  I saved and purchased my first Beetle and later the Karmen Volksbus, with the little windows all around the top, and a sunroof that went right back to the rear door. I found out what I could do myself to keep this car & bus shipshape.
       In the 50 Years,  I have owned four Volksbuses (Only one was new,  two Beetles (Both second-hand) and two Gti?s. (Both new).

My currant Volksbus is the Limited Edition 1989 Vanagon version with 160,000 miles on the clock, my car is the Golf GTI 1983 Campaign model which has 145,000.
Caring is a little more difficult,  as I am still finding out what I can do myself to keep these vehicles in shipshape condition. (They both still have Bumpers)  (?how unusual?)

Friends ask with such a high mileage,  why do I not trade them, my reply is that
?VW don't make them like they used to.?
Try fitting a radio into a 1989 Volksbus or Transporter, the heater cables will do everything they can to stop you getting the radio fully into the slot.
The GTi 1983 does not have the pride that was put into the 1976 1600 four speed GTi,  After I had traded mine in,  within two weeks,  I realised my big mistake,  I also realised why my VW Dealer almost gave me all of my money back, my first GTi left their forecourt within 1 hour, that is why these Gti?s are the most sought after,  demanding up to ?12,000,  they were built by enthusiasts like ourselves.

I have only raised two complaint points, because this is the electrical dept
Other Electric points are The Computer (Does a good driver really  require this) after all,  it is only going to give problems later. (As proven)
Half the relays could be done away with, as could most of the gadgetry.

And when I look around the currant Motor Showroom all I can see is a lot of expense coming later,  not one vehicle is for me the Owner/Driver/Carer.
  I will never have a say or a hand in its repair work.
Both my vehicles are worth the same now,  as they will be next year and both are just on the verge of requiring the work to only be done by a VW Workshop.
(But not Quite).

(Does a good driver really need a ?350 electric Rear-View Mirror)
No,  but the Car Manufactures needs the profit that comes from selling this unnecessary Item.

People ask what do I drive I reply
"A Car" and a small Bus",   I have thought about driving a "Large Crash Helmet"  but I prefer to keep some sort of identity.

Got that off my chest,  I hope your still awake Paul

Best Regards,

Tony.