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Isolating a car radio


zipdog
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Looking for a bit of advice from the Pigeon watch masses.

One of my friends has a 2008 Skoda which the radio keep turning on by itself when the car is parked. He has asked me if I will be able to fit a kill switch or something similar, so the radio can be isolated from the battery when left over night. 

I cant see a problem with this, however where would be the best place to fit the kill switch. The radio itself connects to the car with a series of pin connectors. If I took the radio to pieces could I insert the kill switch to the fuse connectors, there is a fuse at the back of the radio as well as the pin connectors. Or is there an easier way.

 

Thanks in advance

Zipdog

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Take the radio out and try it with an independant battery (fused to 5a) and see it it still turns itself on.

 

If it doesn't, it means you have an earth leakage in car system resulting in radio coming on when voltages change suggesting ignition has been activated which is a symptom of a bigger electrical issue.

Edited by Stonepark
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3 minutes ago, Stonepark said:

Take the radio out and try it with an independant battery (fused to 5a) and see it it still turns itself on.

 

If it doesn't, it means you have an earth leakage in car system resulting in radio coming on when voltages change suggesting ignition has been activated which is a symptom of a bigger electrical issue.

 

The issue is with the car not the radio. A new radio was fitted and the problem still persists. However the car has done circa 200,000 miles and will be scrapped shortly, therefore a quick remedy to get the radio working is all that is required as not to get bored over the next couple of months.

Edited by zipdog
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Find the main live cable going into the stereo, snip it and connect a toggle switch, then drill out the dash and put the toggle switch in. About £2 off eBay. I do it with amps in my vans sometimes (admittedly the ignition cable). This is on aftermarket stereos not oem from factory as never bodged factory stereos.

It's not the cure tho, as stated something is wrong. Probs earth as stone park says.

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Just put one on the main live. Shouldn't be enough juice in the ignition live cable to actually power the unit up. But being a earthing problem you never know,  I'd probably blank off the ignition cable and from the switch back run a second live off the original live (after/from rear of switch) onto the stereo ignition. That way you will be isolating all power to the stereo. 

P.s that is dodgy but I have done it before and not killed any cheap cd head units yet....

Others hopefully will have a better idea

 

Edited by strimmer_13
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15 hours ago, strimmer_13 said:

Just put one on the main live. Shouldn't be enough juice in the ignition live cable to actually power the unit up. But being a earthing problem you never know,  I'd probably blank off the ignition cable and from the switch back run a second live off the original live (after/from rear of switch) onto the stereo ignition. That way you will be isolating all power to the stereo. 

P.s that is dodgy but I have done it before and not killed any cheap cd head units yet....

Others hopefully will have a better idea

 


Thank you. I will keep you posted.

 

Regards

 

Zipdog

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18 hours ago, strimmer_13 said:

Any joy? 

 

Yes thank you. Just got it fitted.

 

Turns out Skoda’s/VW’s do not have an ignition live, they use some Can Bus system which sends a message to the radio when the ignition turns on. Anyway, found the 12 volt constant wire and installed a switch. Strangely it was a yellow wire but thats just typical VW electrics for you I guess.

 

Thank you for your help

 

Regards 

Zipdog

 

 

15 hours ago, Swinton said:

Why not put a isolator on the live battery wire and isolate the whole car .

No real need the car is an old Skoda with around 200,000 miles, if someone nicks that then there’s a bloody dangerous lunatic running around. Also don’t really want to go meddling to much the battery live, as the if my switch or wiring fails you cant operate the whole car.

Edited by zipdog
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