HELP WITH WIRING RADIO TO BATTERY

[tomlong98]

Was wondering if its possible to bypass the fuse box and wire straight from the battery to the radio. I would install a switch on the dash to turn it on off ect. Just wondering what i would need and if its possible. Reasoning for doing this is explained in my other post. Thanks

 

[IRONMAN]

Hi Tom, I'm looking for the same thing. Apparently there is a grommet behind the glove box that can be used to feed the wire but I cant find any info on it. Good luck

[tomlong98]

14 minutes ago, IRONMAN said:

Hi Tom, I'm looking for the same thing. Apparently there is a grommet behind the glove box that can be used to feed the wire but I cant find any info on it. Good luck

Going to wire straight from the battery through the grommet to the head units (Radio) power cable, intercepting half way with a power switch which i will install on an open slot in the dash. In theory this should work was just seeing if anyone else had attempted this before i give it a go. 

 

[IRONMAN]

Just found this Tom. 

 

First Ford And First Progress Thread. Loads of pics on it

[Lenny]

2 hours ago, tomlong98 said:

Was wondering if its possible to bypass the fuse box and wire straight from the battery to the radio. I would install a switch on the dash to turn it on off ect. Just wondering what i would need and if its possible. Reasoning for doing this is explained in my other post. Thanks

 

👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇

1 hour ago, IRONMAN said:

Hi Tom, I'm looking for the same thing. Apparently there is a grommet behind the glove box that can be used to feed the wire but I cant find any info on it. Good luck

👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇

I have put a few cables through this rubber grommet over the years, I show how to gain full access in my ST pod fitting Guide among my list of guides found here: 

moving on from this; 

To have the headunit feeding directly from the battery you need to find the amp size of existing fuse feeding the headunit,

Then purchase a waterproof "inline fuse adaptor" with a fuse matching that in the fuse board.

Then purchase 5 metres of 10, 15 or 20amp cable whichever one exceeds the rating of the fuse 

For example if fuse is 10amp then purchase 15amp cable which will handle the flow rate without problem, the fuse regulates flow within the cable but if fuse amperage is higher than the cable amperage it will go on fire.

Fit crimp ring terminals to battery end of cable 

The inline fuse adaptor must be fitted within the first 12"inches of the cable feeding from the battery.

finally then locate the factory power cable at rear of headunit, positive & negative.

Snip each one separate and tape them up separate with pvc electrical tape and crimp in the new direct feed.

Put the female socket crimp connectors on the new cable feeding from battery as this will prevent shoring if ever unplugged.

A rocker switch can easily be fitted online on the cable id desired and displayed in my guides

This shop can supply all you require: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/AutoStar-Shop 

[tomlong98]

Thank-you very much! Have ordered all the bits hopefully have it done by next week :) 

[Lenny]

55 minutes ago, tomlong98 said:

Thank-you very much! Have ordered all the bits hopefully have it done by next week :) 

No problem mate I used to live on this forum but not online as much nowadays👍

while you have the glovebox out;

you may consider fitting a USB power socket inside the glovebox connected to ignition live in passenger fuse board as saw in my discreet dual dash cam fitting guide here: 

The usb power supply is ideal for powering the SatNav when required without trailing cables from 12v socket,

I keep my SatNav cable rolled up inside glovebox for easy use on dashboard.

My build thread is here if interested to view: 

 

[tomlong98]

@Lenny So is this the right order to wire in ? 

[Lenny]

4 hours ago, tomlong98 said:

@Lenny So is this the right order to wire in ? 

Yes that's correct, 

If you don't earth the rocker switch it will save a little energy by not illuminating the led on the surface of the switch yet power will still travel through the switch when turned on.

[tomlong98]

So should i get the wire behind this pin (leave say 10cm of wire) then cut and connect my line from the Switch ? (See attached image) 

[Lenny]

2 hours ago, tomlong98 said:

So should i get the wire behind this pin (leave say 10cm of wire) then cut and connect my line from the Switch ? (See attached image) 

Yeah, 

I suggest fitting a female crimp to the end coming from the factory fuse board; this way you can easily return to factory at later date if required.

Can leave around 2" inches of loom either side of it for comfort,

Alternatively if you dont want to cut the factory loom you could purchase a Parrot iso adaptor cable which will give you an extension cable consisting of a female socket for factory loom to plug in to, 

link: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131969620976  

Then a new male connector to plug in to the headunit. 

It has around 6" inches of loom in middle which you can also cut comfortably without affecting anything original.

[tomlong98]

@lenny Tried wiring it all in yesterday and no luck, the switch LED was glowing blue so power was going through. Just to reiterate the fuse from the fuse box has been removed from the radio fuse socket (in the fuse box) meaning its no longer powered. So instead of using the ignition wire should i instead wire to battery live wire?? thanks. 

[tomlong98]

@Lenny^

 

[Lenny]

7 hours ago, tomlong98 said:

@lenny Tried wiring it all in yesterday and no luck, the switch LED was glowing blue so power was going through. Just to reiterate the fuse from the fuse box has been removed from the radio fuse socket (in the fuse box) meaning its no longer powered. So instead of using the ignition wire should i instead wire to battery live wire?? thanks. 

Hi,

So your main power to the headunit is feeding via the new cable with switch.

And your saying there is a switched ignition live feed which is preventing the power from flowing as planned 

if my above understanding is correct then perhaps consider splitting the new feed from the battery in to two using some female spade crimps.

then give the headunit a permanent fused live feed 

and 

run the ignition feed via the switch feeding from the same battery supply.

this way your switch works by tricking the headunit in to thinking the ignition is live. 

[tomlong98]

@Lenny^

If we ignore the ignition line what would i need to be powered for the radio to actually work? As all i need the switch to really do is turn the headunits power supply on, as the fuse box is faulty and remains on even in idle mode hence why the fuse has been removed. Essentially what i need to do is make sure the switch is turned on and then when i turn the ignition on the radio should power up being fed from the inline fuse. I dont need the switch to actually function as an alternative to the ignition turning the radio on in idle mode without turning the key.   

[stef123]

I'm not going to get into why your doing this as that's your decision not mine

your permanent live feed from the battery through a suitable fuse should go to one side of your switch but also the permanent live side of the radio. The other side of your switch should go to the ignition live side of the radio. 

[tomlong98]

@stef123 It a common issue with my car, the fuse box come with a fault that leaves the head unit sucking power from the battery even when the car isn't on. Because of this I've had to remove the fuse connecting the fuse box to my radio thus stopping the problem. 

[stef123]

Very crude drawing on an old label here but you get the idea. Is the radio going to draw power if you connect up the permanent live connection to a permanent live straight from the battery?

[tomlong98]

@stef123 Not too sure 

[stef123]

You would be better bench testing it with an ammeter on it with a similar circuit setup and see what happens. 

[stef123]

@Lenny you know I like to be picky lol, yellow crimps on that small gauge cable.. Tut tut.  

[tomlong98]

Ahh this problem is very annoying, still dont know why Ford dont just fix the faulty fuse box

[tomlong98]

Is this what you propose might work? 

[tomlong98]

Excuse the dodgy drawing 

[stef123]

That's the same as my diagram just a different switch setup - yours has an indicator.