Date:         Thu, 25 Jan 2001 12:14:48 -0500
Reply-To:     "Anthony L. Mourkas" <frankenstein@TELPLUS.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Anthony L. Mourkas" <frankenstein@TELPLUS.NET>
Subject:      Re: speaker wires
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

>I've got to run some new speaker wires to my rear speakers and I'm wondering
>if anyone has ever done this before.

Tim,

I have included a prior post to the Vanagon List below that details what
I did to run wires in my 84 Westy.  Don't recall what particular van you
have but hope this helps.

>If so, would you recommend I do it myself.

Sure, as long as you are reasonably handy with hand tools and electrical
connections.

Best wishes,

Tony

Anthony L. Mourkas
Hampden, Maine, USA
1984   Vanagon Westfalia    "Gertrude"
1986.5 Quantum Syncro Wagon <--------- Name this car!
1991   Jetta Eco Diesel     "Liesel"



>I have a four speaker stereo and there are four stock speakers
>in the van. My problem is that there are only three wires
>running to the rear speakers and I have four wires comming
>out of my stereo.


I just went through this dilemma on my 84 Westy.  The Blaupunkt Las Vegas
radio/CD player my wife got me as a gift :-) also requires a separate
ground and hot lead to each speaker and the stock wiring in the Westy
uses a shared ground to the two rear speakers.  The installation
instructions specifically caution against conecting speaker ground leads
together.  I called the tech people at Crutchfield (where Anne bought the
unit) and they confirmed that sharing speaker grounds with this unit was
not recommended and would lead to the distorted sound that you mentioned
or even damage to the amplifiers.  They mentioned that a "floating ground
adaptor" could be purchased for $50 that would allow the use of the
factory wiring but the tech person that I spoke with also said that the
best solution was to run a fourth wire to the rear speakers so that each
speaker would have a dedicated ground.  I too was hoping for an easy
solution but deep down knew that pulling wires would be best.

So last Sunday I assembled a collection of tools and supplies and started
disassembling the interior of my Westy so I could wire things up.  This
involved a major leap of faith as it involved removing the fragile
headliner over the front two seats, the trim panel that contains the air
ducts above the sliding door, the metal moulding supprting the front edge
of the upper bunk, the overhead rear AC facia, glovebox, and front heater
cover.  I had van parts all over the garage!  Then the fourth wire was
installed along the path of the factory wiring from rear AC cabinet,
along the overhead side fresh air ducts, over the front right door, and
down the windshield pillar ending up under the right front dash, and then
over to the radio.  Phew!  The hardest part was getting the wire from
over the passenger door down the windshield pillar to where it exits
under the dash.  I first used a piece of solid copper insulated wire
(that you would use to wire a home with) and pushed, shoved, and wiggled
from a small opening in the wire path above the passenger door until
Anne, with her smaller hands and fingers, could just reach around under
the dash and into the small opening under the windshield pillar and pull
it out.  Then I attached the speaker wire to the the solid copper piece
and pulled it through successfully.  Phew!

I then had a much easier time of running the wire along the remainder of
the path to the rear speakers in the AC cabinet.  I cut the ground lead
to the left rear speaker and spliced the short section remaining attached
to the speaker to the new wire.  The factory wires now supply the ground
to the right rear speaker and the hot leads to both, while the new wire
is now the ground for the left rear.  I cleaned things up with wire ties
and after verifying proper operation of the radio by temporarily
connecting it to the revised wiring harness, I buttoned all the panels
back up.

A big job to be sure but worth it as the radio works great and there is
no Mikey Mouse wiring to cheese up the look of the interior.

Now I guess the next project is installing some better speakers...........

Hope this is of some help.

Best wishes,

Tony

Anthony L. Mourkas
Hampden, Maine, USA