Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2003 19:08:35 -0500
Reply-To: Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Subject: Re: Q's re: radio wires
In-Reply-To: <F5yx9A92VFPeqHwqAlS0002ab54@hotmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
As Ben has indicated, yes, on the speakers, one of the wires is
"technically" ground. Essentially, the speakers are a differential
circuit. The difference between the two wires is what causes the
speaker to move, so either can be "ground", but as Ben said...just try
to wire all the speakers the same way and everything will be fine.
Volkswagen (I can't speak for other car manufacturers) loved to make
specialized antennae connectors so that only their radios would fit. A
replacement antennae ($7 from Bus Depot for a generic one, or $40 for
the OEM one) will have a regular antenna connector that will fit
anybody elses (except VW's) radio.
In the stock radio configuration, yes, one of the wires to the radio is
from the interior lighting system, so that the dimmer circuit that
affects the dash lighting will also dim the radio light.
Crutchfield also has adapters for most vehicles OEM wiring connector.
Me, being a bit handy with a soldering and wanting a neat wiring setup,
went to the trouble to cut out the OEM connectors, and rewire my radios
with clean (soldered) connections, covered with self-fusing tape
(better than shrink-wrap tubing). This is more tedious than difficult
(at least for me).
On Tuesday, January 7, 2003, at 02:56 PM, Marla Stelk wrote:
> Hi Volks,
>
> So I've looked into the archives and found similar questions, but still
> didn't quite understand everything. I am replacing the Heidleberg
> radio
> with a Kenwood 911 CD player/radio. The speaker wires seem clear to
> me -
> the Kenwood has a pair of wires for each (FR, FL, RR, RL) but I was
> wondering if one of each pair is a neg or pos wire? Then I have one
> wire
> for the battery, one for the ignition, and one for a ground, but it
> appears
> that the Heidleberg has two for each of these. I looked at the Bentley
> wiring diagrams, but couldn't translate it all. It looks like some of
> the
> wires from the radio connect to interior lights...? The really fat
> black
> wire I have figured out is for the antenna but looks like I'll have to
> put a
> male end on it for it to go into the new Kenwood. Is there some kind
> of
> adaptor I need to attach the single wires I have for battery,
> ignition, and
> ground to the pair that go into the Heidleberg? Do I need to solder
> all
> connections to old wires or can I just use the plastic connector caps
> and
> electrical tape?
>
> Maybe I should just follow one person's advice from the archives and
> hire a
> professional to do it....arg - but it looks like it should be so
> simple!
>
> Peace,
> Marla
> '87 Westy GL Van "Morrison"
>
>
>
>
>
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