Metra 12v Ignition/Switched wire (almost done!) please help :)

[zillamonsta]

Metra 12v Ignition/switched wire? Please help! Almost done!

I have figured out everything up to this point. I'll admit, im a noob to this but i refuse to pay someone over $100 for something I can learn. I went to the car stereo place and they sold me everything i need to hook up my Dual dvd player. The only thing I am having a problem with is this seperate red wire they gave me that is called a "Metra 12v ignition/switched wire". There is also a little gold metal piece that comes with it and I'm not sure what it is used for. One end of the wire is male already stripped and the other is female with 2 places for a wire insert.

I read somewhere I should hook one end to the fuse box (12v) after finding it with a mulitmeter. The only problem is I do not know exactly how to find it and which end of the wire hooks to what. There are 2 places on the opposite end of the wire for a wire insert (female) and I do not know which wires to put in there. If anyone can help me with this I would REALLY appreciate it.

The douche bags at the audio store told me I'd have to pay for them to tell me how to do that. Seriously? What happened to the good people...

Click to read more...

 

[x1le 10+ year member]

the person at the audio store is not a douche bag. When you pay for someone to install something, you're not paying only for the labor, but also the knowledge the person posses' on how to properly connect and wire all components.

That being said, you need to connect the red wire to any 12v accessory in the vehicle. You can use an accessory fuse or go elsewhere such as a cigarette lighter if it tests as an accessory.

 

[Bumpin' Goalie 10+ year member]

I'll admit that I would want and somewhat expect more help from the store. However, hard to blame them since they are probably working on commission.

Slightly off topic, but wanted to chime in.

Props for trying it yourself and good luck finishing it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[PrestigeSounds 10+ year member]

those connectors on the end of your wires are just and option for connection. you dont necessarily need to use them to connect to another wire. locate a lead that turns on and off with the vehicle and you'll be fine. good luck!

 

[zillamonsta]

Thanks for the help everyone! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

It still isn't working, but I have progressed lol. I attached one end of the 12v ignition wire to the 12v fuse (not the live connector) and it still isnt working. I have a loose black cable, guessing ground, that has no other wire to connect to so I attached it to a metal screw and put some electrical tape around it. Still not working. If anyone else has any suggestions please let me know!

Actually Ill post some pictures of what I'm talking about so you guys get a better idea.

 

[PrestigeSounds 10+ year member]

self tap that black lead into a bare metal piece of your vehicle. doesnt need electrical tape, only tape open wires with current flowing through...

 

[AVX Mike 10+ year member]

Thanks for the help everyone! //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif
It still isn't working, but I have progressed lol. I attached one end of the 12v ignition wire to the 12v fuse (not the live connector) and it still isnt working. I have a loose black cable, guessing ground, that has no other wire to connect to so I attached it to a metal screw and put some electrical tape around it. Still not working. If anyone else has any suggestions please let me know!

Actually Ill post some pictures of what I'm talking about so you guys get a better idea.

And this is why shops charge to install. We know what we are doing. We don't give out free advice at the shops I've worked at. I've spent thousands of dollars to gain the knowledge I have. I'm not just going to give that out for free. We charge $100 for installs because we do it right and cleanly. All wires soldered and heat shrunk, harnesses wire tied for a clean appearance. The tools we use also cost money and we need to work to pay for these.

I'm going to take a stab in the dark and guess that you didn't purchase the radio from the shop you want help from. People wonder why shops don't want to help you out. Buy your equipment on the internet, go to a shop......spend nothing or next to nothing........treat them like they are crooks for trying to make a living selling products and labor at prices that most shops charge (which on product is what manufacturers tell us to sell it at), talk like you know more than people who have been doing this for many years, and then expect them to give you free advice on how to do their job after all of that. I have given out advice on occasion to people who I feel are qualified to attempt the install and have purchased from our shop. The ones with wires cut and t-tapped everywhere with a roll of scotch tape or a bag of home wire nuts gets no help from me.

Rant over!

 

[zillamonsta]

Sweet I got it working! All I had to do was ground that black cable to some metal...but i still am having some minor problems..

1) How do i get the black cable to stay grounded? When I would tape it down I had to literally push down on the top of it for there to make a connection with the metal. If I would take my finger off the dvd player would turn off.

2) My key wouldn't come out of the ignition until i unplugged the red wire. What could fix this?

Thanks so much for the help. I almost got it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

And to the guy above, I did buy it from there and they were douche bags. I would have understood if they politely told me no, but that wasn't the case. They were basically disgusted. Thanks for your input, but it didn't help me further my project whatsoever. I repair guitars and amps and I am a signed touring musician for Vagrant Records (senses fail, dashboard confessional, etc...). Yes that includes soldering and all of the above (not that you actually know what all is involved with that). If anyone were to come up to me and ask for advice or help fixing something (which happens often) I gladly share my knowledge and help them out. With that being said, that is why I am in a CAR STEREO FREE ONLINE FORUM. This is here solely for people to get knowledge from other people who DO know about this.

Again, thank you to the people who have helped. You helped me accomplish somethin ive been trying for a month //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[grimreper912003 5,000+ posts]

OMFG.

Ground: Self tapping screw to bear metal, wire wrapped around it.

Ignition: Why cant you hook the igniton wire up to the Ignition wire on the back of your harness. There is one that goes right to the radio.

The shop is right. All that **** cost money and obviously they posses something you need. Would the world work if everything was free?

 

[Canaan 10+ year member]

Sweet I got it working! All I had to do was ground that black cable to some metal...but i still am having some minor problems..
1) How do i get the black cable to stay grounded? When I would tape it down with electrical tape I had to literally push down on the top of it for there to make a connection with the metal. If I would take my finger off the dvd player would turn off.

2) My key wouldn't come out of the ignition until i unplugged the red wire. What could fix this?

Thanks so much for the help. I almost got it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

I know exactly how to what you should do. Pull all of your HU install out and do it over!!!

Get rid of the dam black tape and BS. Solder and heat shrink or at least use crimp caps.

Also, I'm guessing you have a GM vehicle and you didn't want to pay for the GMRC-style harness. That is why you ended up w/ the cheap harness w/ separate ACC wire.

You have most likely tapped the WRONG wire for the ACC.

If you don't know how, please take it to a professional.

 

[Ali1 10+ year member]

And this is why shops charge to install. We know what we are doing. We don't give out free advice at the shops I've worked at. I've spent thousands of dollars to gain the knowledge I have. I'm not just going to give that out for free. We charge $100 for installs because we do it right and cleanly. All wires soldered and heat shrunk, harnesses wire tied for a clean appearance. The tools we use also cost money and we need to work to pay for these.
I'm going to take a stab in the dark and guess that you didn't purchase the radio from the shop you want help from. People wonder why shops don't want to help you out. Buy your equipment on the internet, go to a shop......spend nothing or next to nothing........treat them like they are crooks for trying to make a living selling products and labor at prices that most shops charge (which on product is what manufacturers tell us to sell it at), talk like you know more than people who have been doing this for many years, and then expect them to give you free advice on how to do their job after all of that. I have give out advice on occasion to people who I feel are qualified to attempt the install and have purchased from our shop. The ones with wires cut and t-tapped everywhere with a roll of scotch tape or a bag of home wire nuts gets no help from me.

Rant over!

See, this is the problem. If car audio shops in Chicago were actually as knowledgeable as you, then I wouldn't mind handing them my radio and amp, and tell them go hook it up. BUT they are NOT knowledgeable. In fact, a lot of the shops are family owned and hire their own children to continue the business and they know little to nothing except for what their old school pops taught them. Next thing you know your asking some 18 year old, who has no studies in electrical, no interest in mobile audio, and cares little to no sympathy about your install.

 

[AVX Mike 10+ year member]

I'm now typing this for the 3rd time since I keep losing it.

To show I'm not a total dick........The red wire you are asking about will do you no good. It is an ignition wire in a few cars but gm changed to data turn on in its factory radios. You will need to run your own switched power wire. You can find this at the fusebox or the ignition harness at the steering column. Fuse this wire!!!! Hook this to the red wire on your headunit harness. The black wire in the factory radio harness goes to the black wire on your radio harness that isn't connected in your pic. Or you can run a ground from your radio harness to the kick panel, scrap some paint away and use a ring terminal, star washer and self tapping screw to make your own ground.

In the future try to remember car audio is a business. Like an other business they are in it to make money. As far as product pricing goes....we sell at the price the manufacturers tell us to. Just because someone is selling below M.A.P. doesn't make us crooks. On the internet and "free advice" I assume you don't walk into a steak house and tell them....I can get a steak just like that at Walmart for way c-heaper. You don't tell the cook....I have a grill and steak and seasoning at home.....can you just tell me how to cook it. I also assume you don't walk into McDonalds and ask the cook to work for half his pay this hour because you come in with your friends all the time and think you should get "the hook-up" These are the same things customers try to pull in car audio shops. Do you argue the price of a haircut? I'm sure you have scissors at your house. You could easily give yourself a haircut. Probably won't look as good but you did it yourself right? Do you see what I'm getting at? Treat shops like you would any other business and they will treat you right. You say shops are rip offs and douche bags? Try these things in other businesses and see how they treat you.

 

[Canaan 10+ year member]

i'm now typing this for the 3rd time since i keep losing it.
To show i'm not a total dick........the red wire you are asking about will do you no good. It is an ignition wire in a few cars but gm changed to data turn on in its factory radios. You will need to run your own switched power wire. You can find this at the fusebox or the ignition harness at the steering column. Fuse this wire!!!! Hook this to the red wire on your headunit harness. The black wire in the factory radio harness goes to the black wire on your radio harness that isn't connected in your pic. Or you can run a ground from your radio harness to the kick panel, scrap some paint away and use a ring terminal, star washer and self tapping screw to make your own ground.

In the future try to remember car audio is a business. Like an other business they are in it to make money. As far as product pricing goes....we sell at the price the manufacturers tell us to. Just because someone is selling below m.a.p. Doesn't make us crooks. On the internet and "free advice" i assume you don't walk into a steak house and tell them....i can get a steak just like that at walmart for way c-heaper. You don't tell the cook....i have a grill and steak and seasoning at home.....can you just tell me how to cook it. I also assume you don't walk into mcdonalds and ask the cook to work for half his pay this hour because you come in with your friends all the time and think you should get "the hook-up" these are the same things customers try to pull in car audio shops. do you argue the price of a haircut? I'm sure you have scissors at your house. You could easily give yourself a haircut. Probably won't look as good but you did it yourself right? do you see what i'm getting at? Treat shops like you would any other business and they will treat you right. You say shops are rip offs and douche bags? Try these things in other businesses and see how they treat you.

this^^^

 

[AVX Mike 10+ year member]

See, this is the problem. If car audio shops in Chicago were actually as knowledgeable as you, then I wouldn't mind handing them my radio and amp, and tell them go hook it up. BUT they are NOT knowledgeable. In fact, a lot of the shops are family owned and hire their own children to continue the business and they know little to nothing except for what their old school pops taught them. Next thing you know your asking some 18 year old, who has no studies in electrical, no interest in mobile audio, and cares little to no sympathy about your install.

If this is the case find another shop. Your car is one of the most expensive things besides a house you will ever own. Check up on shops before taking your car there. Ask others in the area who they trust. I know of many quality shops in the chicago area. Pm me and I can set you up with one. There are plenty of hack shops out there. There are plenty of quality, knowledgeable shops with great employees willing to get you set up the right way. Most will treat you only as good as you treat them though. Talk **** to them and be an ass and you'll get the same in return. Treat them with respect and they will do the same. Just like any business service and quality will vary from place to place. I used to eat at a certain restraunt because of one waiter. He was excellent as far as service goes. I could have gotten a burger cheaper somewhere else but I went there for the service and paid a little more. With anything in life you get what you pay for most times. Some shops do charge more than others. My time has been billed anywhere from $50/ hr to $90/ hr. I also have the skills and knowledge to back up that kind of rate. None of our customers ever minded paying that much because they knew when their car was done it was done right and they were treated very well while in our stores.

 

[PrestigeSounds 10+ year member]

i agree with about everything mschwitz has stated in this thread, for i too have spent thousands to posess the knowledge i posess as well. IMO schwitz, alot of people see it as entertainment to be able to "make it thump". they think its cool. us audio guys are the coolest nerds out there, right?! haha...so ofcourse a number of people make attempts to "DIY" to obtain that goal but as we clearly see, as this guy is prime example, they jump on the internet to get free answers when they dont understand. happy to help out but if you have absolutely no clue what you're doing, bring it to a local pro. Again, mschwitz you hit it on the head, they dont argue when they go to the barber or grocery store or walmart or whatever else...a mechanic...so why do they think its okay with us??