I've heard you can get more power out of an amplifier by bridging it. Can I do this to my indash unit to increase the output on it?
No, the amplifier in your indash unit is not designed to do this. You may cause damage the unit if you try this. The only way to make it louder is to add an outboard amplifier to it.
Why can't I turn my indash up all the way without it distorting?
A common misconception is that your speakers are unable to handle the power your receiver produces. The distortion is actually caused by lack of power. Any power amplifier, including the one in your indash, has limitations. When it's driven past these limits, it causes something called “clipping” in the amp which makes the sound distorted. Clipping is a condition caused when an amp essentially “runs out of room” to produce a large musical signal. As volume is turned up, these signals get increasingly larger. Think of it like jumping on a trampoline indoors, with the ceiling of the room representing the limits on your amplifier and how high you jump representing a musical signal. The more power your amp has, the higher the ceiling is. If you have a low ceiling, you won't be able to jump very high before hitting your head. If you hit your head hard enough, everything distorts. That's basically what happens when an amp goes into clipping. Clipping can damage speakers very easily by producing excessive heat on the voice coils. The type of music you listen to will affect just how fast you reach this point. The more bass the music has, the less you have to turn up your receiver before it distorts. Lower frequencies require more current from your amplifier, causing it to exceed it limits quicker. This distortion can easily damage your speakers. So whenever to start to hear it happen (irregardless of where you're at on your unit's volume scale), just back off your volume until it stops plus a little more. This will keep your speakers from being harmed. To reach higher volume levels try adding an amplifier to your indash unit. Back To Top
Why do I lose all my radio station presets after I turn my car on and off? I also have to reset my clock.
Radio presets and clocks require power at all times, even when the key is turned of on the vehicle. Your problem is usually caused by improper hookup on the power wires. One of the best ways to eliminate this is to use a installation wiring harness. They're labeled to indicate what each of the wires go to. Your radio will have two wires that it requires you to connect to 12+. The main power wire should run to a “switched” 12V source (one that turns on and off with ignition switch of your vehicle). The second needs a constant 12V source (one the stays energized whether the vehicle is on or off). It sounds like you have this wire hooked to a switched source. Locate a constant source, one that works with the key off. Common sources are clocks, cigarette lighters or interior lighting. Use caution any time you splice into wire and make sure they're properly insulated when you're finished. You can also run directly to the fuse panel and locate a constant source (many times labeled AUX). Back To Top
The previous owner didn't use an installation harness when he put his stereo in. He just cut the factory plug off and hooked directly to the wires. How can I figure out the wiring on my car if the factory harness has been cut off?
If your car still has the unit he installed in it, check to see if it has a label on it anywhere identifying the wire functions. If the existing unit functions properly, you can use this as a reference. {Note: Just keep in mind he may have altered some of the factory wiring elsewhere in the vehicles if other problems arise.} If the old radio isn't any help, you can identify the wiring by using a couple basic tools, a multimeter (available at most local hardware stores or anywhere that carries electrical supplies) and a common battery (AAA to D cell). With the ignition in the off position, spread the wires out, exercising caution not to let them touch each other or the car's chassis. Connect the black lead of the multimeter to a good ground point on the vehicle. Set the range on the meter to 15-20 volts. Use the red probe of the meter to test each wire, one by one. If your car is a mid-80s or newer vehicle, one of the wires will read 12 volts. This is your Constant 12V source. It's a good idea to write down (for future use) the wire colors as you identify them. Now turn the ignition to the Accessory position and retest the remaining wires. One should now read 12 volts. Turn the ignition back off and if the wire reads zero you have located your Switched 12V wire. Next, turn on your parking lights. One or two more wires may read 12V. If they do, these will be the Illumination and Dimmer wires. These are not used by most receivers, so terminate the wire(s) individually with a crimp cap to insulate the ends of the wire. You can also tape them off, but crimp caps are more dependable. Next, set you multimeter to the OHMS position to test resistance and make sure the black probe is still connected to a good ground point. Turn the ignition off and test the remaining wires. The one that reads zero ohms (no resistance) is your Ground Wire . There are a few vehicles that won't have this wire. In that case, just connect this wire to a good chassis ground location. If you're not sure where to find one, the firewall will always provide a good chassis ground (if the surface is painted, scrape it down to bare metal). You now have identified all the wires used for power connections. The remaining wire will be the speaker wires. Do a Battery Pop Test to identify the wire and determine speaker polarity. You also may be able to check wire color codes at the speaker if you can see the back of them. After identifying the speaker wires, you may have one wire left over. It might be a turn-on for a power antenna or a remote turn-on for a factory amp. If your vehicle has a power antenna, take a quick blow 1 amp fuse and hold the wire to one end of it. Touch the other end of the fuse to the constant 12V wire you identified earlier. If the antenna goes up, this is the Power Antenna / Remote Turn-On wire. If the fuse blows, look for a power antenna wire elsewhere in your vehicle. Some vehicles have a separate switch for the antenna. You may still have this additional wire even if you don't have a power antenna. Make a note of its color code. If you get your receiver hooked up and it powers up, but makes no sound, this may be the turn on for a factory amplifier. It that's the case, get a quick blow 1 amp fuse and touch the wire to one end of the fuse. Touch the other end of the fuse to the power antenna / remote turn-on wire from your receiver and turn you indash unit on. You should have sound now. If the fuse blows, recheck your speaker wiring. Back To Top
