• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Car Stereo Hot Wire

dodge68charger

Well-Known Member
Local time
2:07 AM
Joined
Feb 6, 2012
Messages
1,230
Reaction score
81
Location
Washington
Im putting an aftermarket stereo in my car and it requires a contant hot wire from the battery. My battery is already maxed out with wires going to it such as an heavy gauge amp wire and wires for an auxilury fuse box. Can i run the stereo hot wire to the starter relay withouth any worries. Thanks
 
you can get the constant hot source ( not the keyed one ) from any constant hot source on the car, since is just to hold the setup memory ( eq, fad, bal, Radio stations presets ), not for operate. The load for that is allmos none.

Note... if you still have ammeter working on cluster as the original charging wiring, and got lot of wires arriving to batt end, you are making things wrong, adding unnecesary loads to the ammeter and charging wiring. That will melt several spots between alternator and battery.
 
your lighter is hot all the time, hook your memory wire to there
 
you can get the constant hot source ( not the keyed one ) from any constant hot source on the car, since is just to hold the setup memory ( eq, fad, bal, Radio stations presets ), not for operate. The load for that is allmos none.

Note... if you still have ammeter working on cluster as the original charging wiring, and got lot of wires arriving to batt end, you are making things wrong, adding unnecesary loads to the ammeter and charging wiring. That will melt several spots between alternator and battery.


I ran an 8 gauge wire from the alternator to an 125 amp maxi fuse on the firewall then from the maxi fuse another 8 gauge wire to the starter relay. Then from the relay to the battery an 8 gauge wire. I had my ammeter converted to voltmeter and connected the red and black wires under the dash.

I guess running a 10 gauge wire might be a bit overkill if there is not much of a load going to the constant hot. I will splice into the lighter wire.
I have a painless fusebox i bought because in needed extra circuits for accessorys and they asked for the 2 12 gauge wires go directly to the batterey. Just hate the look of any wires goin to the battery on a stock style engine compartment. Thats what chevys are for lol
 
you can get the constant hot source ( not the keyed one ) from any constant hot source on the car, since is just to hold the setup memory ( eq, fad, bal, Radio stations presets ), not for operate. The load for that is allmos none.

Note... if you still have ammeter working on cluster as the original charging wiring, and got lot of wires arriving to batt end, you are making things wrong, adding unnecesary loads to the ammeter and charging wiring. That will melt several spots between alternator and battery.

That's the problem with ammeters, for them to be accurate everything has to go thew them or your reading is false.

Like mentioned the "clock" input wire for the stereo is minimal and can be ran off of most anything.
 
Ispliced into the cigarette lighter, the ashtray is out of the car and the wires are easilt accessible. The only thing i got myself second guessing about is the amp wire going to the battery. Im just worried their might be a lot of draw. I dont really want to use the amp but i spent a lot of $ on it and its all wired in with speaker wires connected.

Im going to run the 2- 12 gauge red wires from the painless auxilury fuse box to 2 seperate circuit breakers as stated in the kit then tie them together to a terminal stud.. From the terminal stud an 8 gauge wire to the battery. Using the stock style positive battery treminal and kinda tricky to get wires to hook onto the terminal with no bolts to tighten ring terminal on top. I like the stock look of it..
 
There's a gray factory constant-hot wire under the dash for the clock in the Tic-Toc-Tach in the 1970 cars. Do the earlier year cars have it as well? that's a good one to use if available...
 
IF the wiring is right under the dash, should be a constant hot for the radio, to and from the fuse 'in the fuseblock' for the radio.
 
That's the problem with ammeters, for them to be accurate everything has to go thew them or your reading is false.

Not just for accuracy, but for safety adding more stress on the system than the one actually should. Every added device must be on alt side of the charging system, like factory did ( but starter motor )
 
How large of a gauge wire/cable you need to run your after martket stereo system depends on how many watts you are going to be using with the amps or the amp built in to the receiver..........not sure what model & year of Mopar you have but if you have a lot of different power wiring running from the battery (for whatever) maybe you should get yourself an aux. fuse panel to run all the extra equipment & options. Painless has them on their online catalog on page #92 I think it is. You still will need to run a large gauge cable from the battery to (I would think the trunk) where ever you are going to have the amplifiers mounted but the aux fuse panel will really clean up the clutter going to your battery.
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top