Date: Tue, 1 Sep 2015 08:12:53 -0700
Reply-To: Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Voltage leak found
In-Reply-To: <55E5BCCA.8050500@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed
In these days of high-power stereos, I don't know whether the stereo
manufacturer would make a lot of owners happy if they drew dozens of
amps through the switched circuit, if that switched circuit wasn't on a
relay, but was right off the ignition switch.
The test is to see which lead is fused.
And this page here seems in agreement with my understanding:
<http://www.mobileinformationlabs.com/HowTo-AftermarketAmpWiring.htm>
+ Positive battery
Many audio amplifiers will draw a large amount of current during high
volume.
So, it is very important that it have a good supply of power.
You should use a heavy gage wire, routed to the vehicles + positive
battery post. It should run directly to amplifier for proper power
distribution and maximum current draw if required.
Remote turn on
This is the wire that will “tell” the amplifier to turn on, when you
turn on your radio.
Most radios will have a wire for this purpose.
It is simply a wire that sends +12 volts to the remote turn on
connection, on the amplifier.
--
Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
1984 Westfalia, auto trans,
Bend, Ore.
On 09/01/2015 07:57 AM, Jon VO wrote:
> Well, my understanding is a bit different; the ignition switch controls
> /switched/ power to the stereo, and is the source of the amplifier &
> control power which is usually multiple amps for a high-powered stereo.
> The other continuous power lead is supposed to draw only a few milliamps
> to keep the memory charged and for control functions, and is powered all
> the time. At least that is the way the stereos worked when the Vanagon
> was current. If you want to reduce the current through the ignition
> switch, you would need to add a relay, and I believe some newer vehicles
> already do this.
> Jon
>
> On 9/1/2015 8:45 AM, Rocket J Squirrel wrote:
>> The keying wire itself draws little current, it just provides a signal
>> voltage to the unit to put it to sleep or wake it up. The designers
>> assume that you don't want to draw a bunch of amperes through your
>> ignition circuit, so it's the the always-on wire that is the main source
>> of power for the unit.
>>
>> How much current the unit itself draws from its always-on wire when
>> asleep (standby) is a matter of design. But the key wire is not a
>> significant current-drawer.
>>
>> What I'm saying is that you can put the unit into standby with the key
>> wire and it can still be drawing hundreds of milliamperes through its
>> always-on wire. That's the one you have to watch out for.
>>
>> --
>> Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
>> 1984 Westfalia, auto trans,
>> Bend, Ore.
>>
>> On 09/01/2015 07:30 AM, Jim Felder wrote:
>>> I remember when you went through all that, about the same time I bought
>>> my radio. So, using the keyed hot wire will draw very little or no
>>> current? I like the idea from a previous post that I could install a
>>> switch to connect it to either circuit, aways hot and switched hot.
>>>
>>> Jim
>>>
>>> On Tue, Sep 1, 2015 at 9:26 AM Rocket J Squirrel
>>> <camping.elliott@gmail.com <mailto:camping.elliott@gmail.com>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Many car stereos/radios don't really turn off. They mute and the
>>> front
>>> panel goes dark, the power amp sections shut down, and the
>>> controls go
>>> to sleep, but they are still partially on and drawing current. I
>>> guess
>>> the manufacturers assume that you drive your car frequently.
>>>
>>> The current draw is through the main power wire, the other wire,
>>> frequently connected to the ignition switch, doesn't draw much
>>> current
>>> at all -- it is used to signal the unit to wake up.
>>>
>>> I had to search high and low to find a unit that actually powers
>>> off --
>>> not only from the front panel power button, but from the remote,
>>> too. So
>>> I could turn off the music when I get into bed rather than have
>>> to lean
>>> up to the dash to shut things down.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
>>> 1984 Westfalia, auto trans,
>>> Bend, Ore.
>>>
>>> On 09/01/2015 06:08 AM, Jim Felder wrote:
>>> > About a month ago I wrote about having installed two pairs of USB
>>> ports and
>>> > an LED voltage display in my Vanagon. The round double outlet on
>>> the dash
>>> > took the place of my factory Eberspacher heater knob and the
>>> > outlet-and-voltmeter combination set neatly into what was the
>>> rear ashtray.
>>> >
>>> > That's when I noticed a drop in voltage that would flatten the
>>> battery
>>> > after a couple of days of being parked. Long story made very
>>> short, I
>>> > discovered that it was my radio in standby mode that was
>>> draining the
>>> > battery. I pulled the fuse to the radio on Saturday and this
>>> morning the
>>> > voltage is showing 12.9, exactly where it was when I pulled
>>> the fuse.
>>> >
>>> > The reason that this was unknown to me all this time is that
>>> coincident
>>> > with the addition of the USB ports the Vanagon was, except for
>>> use of my
>>> > wife's Prius, my daily driver had been the Vanagon. When I got a
>>> TDI Jetta
>>> > the Vanagon started sitting for days or a week at a time, and
>>> that's when
>>> > the problem showed up.
>>> >
>>> > I could wire the radio to the switched 12v circuit that no doubt
>>> came with
>>> > it, but then I would have to have the key on to listen to
>>> music while
>>> > camping. Is anyone using a switch on the circuit, and if so how
>>> was it done
>>> > and how does it work out for you?
>>> >
>>> > Jim
>>> >
>>>
>
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