For all the guys who dont have an aftermarket HU, and still installed subs, where did you pick up your 12v reference(remote wire) from ? At the time i was tired of messing with my stereo so i just tapped into my speaker wire for the 12v, as it would only turn on the amp when the key was in the accessory position. Now that i got some money to do it right, just want to know where the rest of you tapped in for a 12v signal at that only turns on for the accessory position, thanx...

 

You can pull it from the same place you'd get the signal for an aftermarket radio - tap a fuse in the fuse panel. If you have a sunroof, tap that fuse as it will keep RAP (so the amp stays on when you shut the car off until you open the door like the radio does). If you don't have a sunroof, tap the windshield wiper fuse. That wire is hot only when the ignition is on so you will lose RAP. Not sure if there is a way to keep RAP with a car that doesn't have a sunroof.....

 

Use a wire tester, pretty much find a wire going to the head unit that is on when you want it to be
otherwise, pick a fuse in the fuse box that is on when you want the amp to be on

 

I would suggest NOT randomly probing wires going into the head unit unless you want to run the risk of hurting your computer! There are data wires back there as part of the GM LAN system and I wouldn't want to go probing them. There is no switched power wire at the radio harness because of this LAN system. The deck gets constant power and gets the turn on signal from the computer through communication, not just a simple switched hot wire.

 

well when you find a wire going into the headunit harness, i dont think poking a wire with a tester is going to hurt the computer
it makes no sense

how do you think professional installers find power wires?

 

It probably won't hurt it.....but do you want to take that chance? I don't. I don't think the computer would be too happy having the resistance of its data communication line change due to you hook up a test light or multimeter. Also, it would be too easy to have the multimeter on resistance or something instead of voltage and send power back through the circuit (or worse, ground it out). Besides, it's common knowledge there is no switched hot wire with the GM LAN systems.


If you read the posts of some of the so called "professional" installers here, I'm sure that's exactly how they find them.

 

well, thats how my system was installed with professionals doing it, so i would hope best buy would know what they are doing.. considering they are certified

 

LOL dude, just LOL. First you're going to argue with me about how to do an install, when you didn't even do the install yourself?!

Then, you call guys at best buy professionals? You think they know what they're doing? I wouldn't look behind your deck b/c you probably have crappy half-assed crimp connectors holding the connections together. I just hope for your sake they fused everything so when a hot wire inevitably grounds out it won't burn the car down with it.

I'm sure the best buy guys weren't back there probing to see what wires were hot. They ran the wire into the fusebox and tapped a fuse like the directions say. If not, I'm surprised your DIC works. Some guys have tapped one of the GM LAN wires since it appears to be hot with the key (when in reality its a data line) and the DIC goes crazy.......

 

cuz i'm so sure that your a proffesional in this case. you don't know anything about the person your talking to, so why don't you hold off on the assumptions instead of being such a douche bag.

 

I never professed to be a professional but I've apparently done a lot more installs then he has since he took his car to best buy for the install, and that's enough to say what I said (and if you'll note, my post had no personal attacks involved, unlike your post to me just did). There's just so much misinformation floating around here, some from even "professionals."

Maybe you should stay out of it unless you have something constructive to post?

 

Sorry. I've done probably 20 HU installs, and close to 100 system installs. I know what I'm doing. Why did I take my BRAND NEW car to best buy to get my line out converter put in?? My best friend works at the Best Buy install, and It cost me $6 for the part, and it had free installation obviously. Yes, he did probe the wires. Any idiot knows which set of wires to use to put in a head unit. Professionals use wiring diagrams, it's really easy. So please don't embarrass yourself anymore. Thanks

 

So, first professionals probe all the wires, but then professionals use wiring diagrams and "any idiot" knows which wires to use? Which is it?? And first, "professionals" at best buy installed your system......now, the "professionals" only installed a line out converter?? If your friend used a wiring diagram and its so easy, why did he need to probe wires??

My original point was that its common knowledge that there is no switched power wire going to the radio, so you shouldn't just go randomly probing wires since you're not going to find what you need and you only run the risk of hurting the computer computer.

As far as embarassing oneself, you're the one that said people that work at best buy are professionals.

 

If I remember correctly if you follow the MECP correctly you are to always check your lines weather or not you have a scat for it. And on top of that if you install ICE for a living then you are a professional, may not be the best at it but still a pro non the less. as for your reference for the remote wire for your amp look for the sunroof fuse. as in one of the other posts in this section, you still have access to that fuse even if you do no have a sunroof and you can keep RAP.

 

if certified installers aren't professionals, then I don't know who is....
Let me clarify, My friend installed the line out converter and remote wire, and everything in front of the car, and I wired the system up from the rear (power, ground, amp, sub, box, capacitor)
on a car that is 1 year old, why wouldn't you double check the wires? If it is so touchy as you claim, then obviously they would want to double check the wires in the diagarams

i Also had him install the front half of my Sirius, while I installed the back half. I'd rather have someone who is certified install things under the dashboard than myself.

and who installs things without probing wires? that's just a guessing game

 

My original point like I had stated, was that there is no switched wire down there so don't bother testing them. Furthermore, there have been posts on here in the past about people that have "found" a switched hot wire down there and when hooked in to it, stopped the DIC from working and I think a couple guys even permanently wrecked the computer. Would you hurt it by testing it? Probably not. Buy why would you take that chance when its common knowledge there is no switched hot down there to begin with??

When I do an install I usually get a diagram and follow that, along with the factory harness adapter. There's not really a whole lot of wires that aren't obvious what they do - particularly if everything is amp'd like my setup is.

 

wow lets see here i have unstalled alarms headunits subs u name its done you use a wiring diagram to know what wires are which just beacuse a wire is say a power wire dosnt mean it has power it could be a bad wire or just a wire that switches on when car is on hich a digram may or may not tell you therefore you use a tester to make usre the power is there it will not harm anything at all its just making sure a current is in the line probbing lines are an easy way for testing lines etc and is recomended think about it you dont est the line you spend an hour wiring up your headunit then it dosent work and then whats the first thing you do test the line so therefore its better to do it first and Bandit2941 why insult tiny who has been more helpful here than you and been here longer

 

Wow, that gave me a headache just skimming it.

Yeah, and like you're real helpful so you can talk about that.........in another post you told someone he will lose his door chimes if he replaces his stereo. Its obvious that you don't know what you're talking about just from this statement. And you're further proof that a lot of the time professionals don't know what they're doing since you said you work in a car stereo shop.

If you want to debate more about this you can use punctuation, sentences, and capitals like the rest of the world. I think they teach that in 2nd or 3rd grade. I'm not saying you have to be perfect since nobody is, but geez, at least make it somewhat readable.

 

There is a small pale yellow wire if pull off the front of the dash piece under the steering column you can see it up towards the ignition harness, tap that wire with a T-Tap and run your blue remote wire to that, it is an accessory wire, it only has power when the key is forward. I will post some pics in a little bit.

 

What you said is very true, and as long as you use a computer safe test light, you will have no problems with blowing airabags shorting wires or any problems at all, blue point, snap on, sst, and waekon, all make computer safe test light for around 120-200 dollars (which is alot less than replacing an air bag if it deploys), it is a good investment if you plan on doing any electrical work in cars. I bought one when I was in car stereo and alarm school, it is a must have for any 12v electronic installations.

 

Okay here is the panel sorry the image is sideways I just took it with my camera phone a minute ago.
Remove the whole panel below the steering wheel. Pull hard but be carfull bot to break the clips. There are no screws all clips.

And this is a close up of the wire that you need to tap, it is the pale yellow one.

I also wired a fuse in line like this. The bottom wire in the image would be the yellow wire under the dash. The top would be your remote.

I used 1 T-Tap, 1 female spade connector, and a 20amp fuse then I taped it up really good so it would not come loose.