Anyone good with car sound systems?

[abillybob]

So I'm doing an audio upgrade on my civic, replacing all the speakers with new ones and sorting out my shoddy wiring for my amplifier/subwoofer. I have a Honda Civic (which I get back today, yay me ) 8th gen 2011. The annoying thing is that there is no where to wire up the "remote" for my amplifier. All it needs is a 12v power when the car turns on.

 

I have found this diagram of part of my fusebox in my car which states the bottom right pin is +12v when ignition is turned on

Could I just use that as my remote switch, I have asked for some advice on here [How To]Hardwiring a Dashcam - Page 3 - Civinfo although the OP doesn't reckon it's possible because an amp draws too much current but I'm not going to be powering the amp from this I'll just be using it as the remote on/off. Does anyone know if this would be ok? I don't want my car to set on fire or anything stupid

 

Also if anyone has a Honda Civic Gen 8 on here and have successfully upgraded their audio system I'd love to hear from you, any advice would be most appreciated... I understand this forum isn't for cars but it's a much better forum than the car one's I'm on and since it's to do with electrical audio systems I'm sure one of you geniuses will be able to help me

 

Thanks in advance.

[fairm010]

It's been a while since I did car audio and my Clio's audio was done professionally but I remember that the remote is blue. Im sure in the DIN loom in the back of the head unit there should be a blue remote wire. Test it with ignition on and off. Should be 12v.

[abillybob]

It's been a while since I did car audio and my Clio's audio was done professionally but I remember that the remote is blue. Im sure in the DIN loom in the back of the head unit there should be a blue remote wire. Test it with ignition on and off. Should be 12v.

 

The trouble I'm facing is I'm using my original stock HU which doesn't posses a remote cable. This means I need to find a source somewhere else and the above is the only source I could find, been researching for days

[fairm010]

It should do, in the wiring loom that plugs into it. Unless cars have changed that much since I did my last. It tells the head unit when to turn on, serving the same purpose for your amp.

[fairm010]

here, this should help.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]29339[/ATTACH]

[abillybob]

Thanks mate, unfortunately not. I've pulled out the HU before because I fitted my Parrot MKI9200 at the same time as my amp and couldn't find one, the only way to do it is to splice through the main power wire to the HU which I don't trust myself doing

[fairm010]

Can you put up a picture of the wiring loom that enters your HU? I had to splice into mine in my old Fiesta.

[abillybob]

Can you put up a picture of the wiring loom that enters your HU? I had to splice into mine in my old Fiesta.

Taking the HU out of my car is a right nightmare as well 4 panels need to be removed and the entire centre console before you can get to it. Here's a picture of the back of the HU, best one I can get.

 

This may help as well from 4 minutes onward.

 

[fairm010]

Hmm looks slightly more complicated compared to what I've seen. Double DIN? Whats that?

[abillybob]

Hmm looks slightly more complicated compared to what I've seen. Double DIN? Whats that?

A HU but it's the size of two traditional HU It's a lot more complicated unfortunately things like climate control etc... go through it.

[fairm010]

Ah I see. A little more modern that the vehicles I have owned!

[MrPstv]

Have a butchers on here mate, might help if you need some connectors/converters etc...

 

Connects 2 Car Audio Systems, Car Stereo, Car Radio DAB Stereos, Car interface adapters and accessories > Home

[3s-gtech]

Always an issue running an amp from a factory fit HU - you'll usually end up using high level converters which are pants, and you have no remote switch-on feed.

 

Your options:

Fit an aftermarket HU - more cost, better results.

Set to with a multimeter to see if the factory unit has a 12v output when it turns on, perhaps to run something like a dash display (unlikely though)

Run a remote lead from an ignition feed (just a 12v source that is active once the ignition is on)

[sted]

just a thought there wasnt a version of that car (say the type-r) that had a factory fit/factory option sub as you may be able to borrow the setup from that. tbh best bet is ask around civic forums i suspect

[abillybob]

Always an issue running an amp from a factory fit HU - you'll usually end up using high level converters which are pants, and you have no remote switch-on feed.

 

Your options:

Fit an aftermarket HU - more cost, better results.

Set to with a multimeter to see if the factory unit has a 12v output when it turns on, perhaps to run something like a dash display (unlikely though)

Run a remote lead from an ignition feed (just a 12v source that is active once the ignition is on)

 

Fitting an aftermarket HU in my car is near impossible, it can be done but with a lot of money and effort, it took a chap on the Honda Civic Forum £600 and 2 days of his time. The climate control goes through the HU including a bunch of other stuff and to get it all working with an aftermarket HU is a nasty piece of work. So unfortunately it's not really an option, stupid Honda.

 

I want to tap into an ignition feed but can't find one on my car, looked over on the internet and it's very rare to find anything on the subject. The one thing my car does have is a 12v Cigarette socket in the boot but I don't know which wire is the 12v ignition feed to it as that would be perfect.

[3s-gtech]

Defeatist boy! There's always plan B - you stick an aftermarket HU in the glovebox, have a multi-pole switch/relay on the speaker feeds, then you can have two HUs. Have done similar in the past. Easy enough, just needs a fresh feed from the battery, an ignition switched live, a good earth and a bit of patience.

 

PS you will need a multimeter to get anywhere with this job!

[Ad93]

I have a Honda Civic Type S 2011 and upgraded my Head Unit last summer. All in it cost me around £300 for a slightly used stereo, the replacement fascia and the Connect2 kit that is required for all the climate control and steering wheel controls to work.

 

I have used the Orange connection shown in the diagram to wire my Dash Cam so that it will turn on when the ignition becomes live. It also has a handy feature of turning the sidelights on when the ignition is turned on. I would think the worst you could do connecting to this would be to blow the fuse, which would stop the sidelights working, so you would be able to see straight away.

 

Hopefully some of this makes sense and helps in some way.

[cpjitservices]

Can you not run a live direct from your battery with a switch in the middle ? Just run the cable through your bulk head

[3s-gtech]

The red signal feed to the stereo is only a switching wire that requires maybe 500mA, so you can usually tap off another feed so long as you check what that feed does first (with a multimeter!) you can even use *spit* Scotchlocks.

[Ant]

Could you not use something like this to piggy back off something else in your fuse box? I rear wiper or something else that uses an ignition switched live?

 

Amazon link

 

Looks pretty simple and how I will be powering my dashcam. Just pop a fuse in, earth it, and there's your 12v switched feed without butchering any of the existing loom.

 

Disclaimer: I'm not an expert!

[IrritableTech]

Looks pretty simple and how I will be powering my dashcam. Just pop a fuse in, earth it, and there's your 12v switched feed without butchering any of the existing loom.

 

I've used these- very handy. Just note you need to get them the right way up, otherwise your spur is unfused!

[jmak]

Double DIN? Whats that?

 

That's what'll be coming out of abillybob's car once he's followed 3s-gtech's advice

 

Defeatist boy! There's always plan B - you stick an aftermarket HU in the glovebox, have a multi-pole switch/relay on the speaker feeds, then you can have two HUs.

[abillybob]

Thankyou guys for all your helpful advice as always @Ant they look about right might give one of them a go!!!

 

So long story short I bought 4 new 6.5" Speakers for the rear of my car and the doors in the front. I have a standard Headunit as I want to keep the original look of the dash.

I have got some speaker rings and they fit perfectly fine, although today when I started to fit one of them no sound is coming out of the new speaker.

 

All I did too test them was to shove two speaker cables in the block connector and then hooked them up to the speaker but no sound, nothing, not even a tremble. I have tried with different wire but nothing will work!? I don't have an amplifier either.

 

The speaker I ordered are these ED306 E2 Edge Audio 6.5 inch (165 mm) 240w Watts Component Speakers Set Pair 5060037503375 | eBay

 

Could it be because my standard HU isn't capable of powering them? I'm really worried now as I've spent over £100 on the upgrade and accidentally stepped on my old oem speaker and broke it http://www.civinfo.com/forum/images/smilies/icon_sad.gif

 

Any help would be really appreciated!!!

[3s-gtech]

Your HU will be able to run them, no doubt. The OEM speakers will be 4ohm impedance, and the new ones will be too. You either have a wiring fault/miswire, a duff speaker, or another issue.

[abillybob]

Please somebody.... anybody. I'm panicking!!!! Haha! Plus the Civic forum really aren't that helpful