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I have the power antenna going up and down with a battery. I put a tester on the switch and get power on both the up and down sides of the switch. But regardless of how I wire it to the antenna I can not get this to work. Was wondering if I am missing a relay to alternate the current?
Thanks in advance for any info provided.
Last edited by DurasII; April 18th, 2016 at 12:25 PM.
Reason: Miss spelling
I have the power antenna going up and down with a battery. I put a tester on the switch and get power on both the up and down sides of the switch. But regardless of how I wire it to the antenna I can not get this to work. Was wondering if I am missing a relay to alternate the current?
Thanks in advance for any info provided.
Are we talking about a factory antenna and switch? If so, there is no relay needed. Have you verified that the wires from the switch to the antenna are good?
Are we talking about a factory antenna and switch? If so, there is no relay needed. Have you verified that the wires from the switch to the antenna are good?
The switch is factory but not sure if the antenna is. However it is a two wire antenna.
I did test the antenna and the switch and separately them both work, but not when wired together. I was testing from the trunk as the wires are just hanging there from the antenna and have run new wires from front to back.
For a semi-automatic (switch controlled) power antenna you need a three position, double pole-double throw switch. It will have 6 connection points on it so it can reverse the polarity of the power going to the antenna motor. I don't remember seeing many of those that were factory installed. If it has been molested in the past it can be a PITA to repair. If the antenna was originally a semi-auto but was replaced with a fully-auto antenna you will find a relay somewhere that changes the polarity to the motor but is only on or off in operation. If an aftermarket stereo has been installed in the vehicle at some point there is no telling what combination of parts you have without tracing all of the antenna wiring front-to-back.
For a semi-automatic (switch controlled) power antenna you need a three position, double pole-double throw switch. It will have 6 connection points on it so it can reverse the polarity of the power going to the antenna motor. I don't remember seeing many of those that were factory installed. If it has been molested in the past it can be a PITA to repair. If the antenna was originally a semi-auto but was replaced with a fully-auto antenna you will find a relay somewhere that changes the polarity to the motor but is only on or off in operation. If an aftermarket stereo has been installed in the vehicle at some point there is no telling what combination of parts you have without tracing all of the antenna wiring front-to-back.
6 connections? Wow...the switch is exactly as you stated...3 position...up, down and in the center off. Guess I am going to have to dig further in the wiring diagrams to see how to connect. Never had power antenna. Previous owner install a (not sure if it is NOS) two pole power antenna in the rear with no ground to it. I purchased a NOS antenna switch and strung the wires thought were needed a brown and a white. Maybe I can make it work with a relay?
6 connections? Wow...the switch is exactly as you stated...3 position...up, down and in the center off. Guess I am going to have to dig further in the wiring diagrams to see how to connect. Never had power antenna. Previous owner install a (not sure if it is NOS) two pole power antenna in the rear with no ground to it. I purchased a NOS antenna switch and strung the wires thought were needed a brown and a white. Maybe I can make it work with a relay?
If I remember correctly 68 has a hot feed and two power wires. One up. One down. (same as the convertible top switch but not as heavy gauge wire)
Are you sure you're grounded correctly everywhere?
If I remember correctly 68 has a hot feed and two power wires. One up. One down. (same as the convertible top switch but not as heavy gauge wire)
Are you sure you're grounded correctly everywhere?
Yeah Mike you are correct that the switch has a hot feed and then two power wires...one up and one down. Not sure about the grounding issue. Thought that the antenna being that it is tied to the inner fender in the trunk with a steel band holding it in place would be sufficient but then when I looked at the assembly manual they do show a ground wore for the actual antenna. Not sure how the switch would get grounded thou if at all?
The switch doesn't need to be grounded. You are only switching power. The ground side of the antenna motor connects straight back to the battery negative terminal via chassis ground.
If it is a semi-auto antenna, you have to use the correct switch. If you use a relay it will multiply the difficulty in getting it to work correctly if at all. If done wrong it will apply power all the time and burn out the motor. Relays are for fully auto antennas. Factory antennas may be different than aftermarket ones if they only use a two-wire switch. Like I said, didn't play with too many factory antennas. I was in the business of selling new ones, not repairing old ones. A picture of the antenna would help to trouble shoot the issue.
The factory antenna has two wires. Power is applied to one to make it go up and the other to make it fo down. It is very easy to test. The stock switch output will match. If it doesn't, figure out why.
The factory antenna has two wires. Power is applied to one to make it go up and the other to make it fo down. It is very easy to test. The stock switch output will match. If it doesn't, figure out why.
Thanks Joe. That's what I have been trying to do. The switch has three wires one would be the supply for power to the switch...the other two connect to the two wires at the antenna. When I test the switch it gets power to both sides. I can hook a battery to the antenna and make it go up or down. When I connect the switch to the antenna it does nothing. Not sure what or where to look for the next issue...??
Thanks Joe. That's what I have been trying to do. The switch has three wires one would be the supply for power to the switch...the other two connect to the two wires at the antenna. When I test the switch it gets power to both sides. I can hook a battery to the antenna and make it go up or down. When I connect the switch to the antenna it does nothing. Not sure what or where to look for the next issue...??
Back to my post from April 18 - have you verified that the wires from the switch to the antenna are good? This is a pretty basic circuit. If the antenna works when you connect a battery to the antenna connector, it's good. Now connect the battery to the wires that plug into the switch? Does the antenna still work? If so, the switch is bad or there's too much resistance in the circuit. If the antenna doesn't work, the wires are bad.
Back to my post from April 18 - have you verified that the wires from the switch to the antenna are good? This is a pretty basic circuit. If the antenna works when you connect a battery to the antenna connector, it's good. Now connect the battery to the wires that plug into the switch? Does the antenna still work? If so, the switch is bad or there's too much resistance in the circuit. If the antenna doesn't work, the wires are bad.
I get what your saying here Joe. I'm not a expert on wiring so simple is my forte. I have run all new wires from the switch to the trunk or antenna. With that said I have had the switch sitting in the trunk with me with two wires that connect from the battery to the switch to the antenna and the ground to the car body and even the antenna itself and can not get it to work with this simple test...as soon as I eliminate the switch the antenna works...that's why I keep getting stuck on either a ground issue or needing some type of a relay. The only factor that I do not know is if the antenna is a factory piece or a replica. But one would think with the two wires commonality working for ya that it would work??????
You have a power feed and 2 other wires behind the dash. One wire makes the antenna go up, the other down, these 2 run to the trunk and connct to the antenna. You need an ohm meter to test the switch, with the switch in the off positing you should have no continuity between any of the contacts.
When you select up on the switch, 2 of the contacts will have continuity. Same as when you select down. (Note, if there is no continuity the switch is bad) There will be one contact that is common with both up and down switch selections. Connect your power source to this contact. Then connect your up wire from the antenna to the up contact on the switch and the down wire to the down contact.
You have a power feed and 2 other wires behind the dash. One wire makes the antenna go up, the other down, these 2 run to the trunk and connct to the antenna. You need an ohm meter to test the switch, with the switch in the off positing you should have no continuity between any of the contacts.
When you select up on the switch, 2 of the contacts will have continuity. Same as when you select down. (Note, if there is no continuity the switch is bad) There will be one contact that is common with both up and down switch selections. Connect your power source to this contact. Then connect your up wire from the antenna to the up contact on the switch and the down wire to the down contact.
Thanks Erik. I have done all that testing with the ohm meter and the switch is good. I have installed two brand new 16g wires from the dash to the trunk were the antenna is. To make things simpler I have not yet installed the switch into the dash so I have taken that back to the trunk with me to cut down on travel time between trunk and front. Connect a battery just as you have suggested and any other that you can think of. Even thou the ohm meter says the switch is good the antenna will not go up nor down when attached to the switch. Remove the switch and connect the battery straight to the antenna and wala...antenna now goes up and or down with the reversing of the wires. Does any of that help out?
Remove the switch and connect the battery straight to the antenna and wala...antenna now goes up and or down with the reversing of the wires. Does any of that help out?
DING DING DING!!!
Go back and read my post on Apr 22. The factory antenna only uses ONE of the two wires to go up, the other to go down. The ground is provided by the chassis ground. If your antenna requires the wires to be reversed to reverse direction, it is NOT a factory antenna, which is why it won't work with the factory switch. This is why it's important to provide ALL the tiny details in a post asking for help.
You can make this work, but it requires two relays to convert the switch power wires to a reversing system for this antenna. Here's the diagram. The DC motor is the antenna. The SPDT switch is your antenna switch.
Outside of taking the load off the switch, the 2 relays are not necessary. He can take the wires that are connected to terminal 30 on each relay and connect them to the contacts where terminals 85 from each relay connect on the switch.
Outside of taking the load off the switch, the 2 relays are not necessary. He can take the wires that are connected to terminal 30 on each relay and connect them to the contacts where terminals 85 from each relay connect on the switch.
Sorry, you are not correct. The antenna requires the two motor leads to be reversed to change direction - one goes to power, the other to ground. That either requires a DPDT switch with center off and no relays or the stock SPDT center off switch and two SPDT relays. You cannot make this work with a single SPDT relay. You COULD get one of the special single motor reversing relays, which has all that wiring built in, but that would cost considerably more than two of the generic automotive relays. Draw the wiring diagram for your proposed solution - you will see the error.
... Remove the switch and connect the battery straight to the antenna and wala...antenna now goes up and or down with the reversing of the wires. Does any of that help out?
I apologize I missed this part, Joe is correct (as always) you need to use the relays or a DPDT switch. I thought the antenna body was ground and each wire operated the up or the down direction.
Using the tests you have, and knowing a little bit about the way power antennas work, I can tell you that you have an aftermarket antenna and you need the 6-contact DPDT switch or use two relays like in Joe's diagram. The Double-Pole, Double-Throw switch will do the polarity reversing at the switch and make the antenna work. If you want to use the factory switch you will need to use two relays, again like in Joe's diagram.
You have an incompatible antenna and switch! You either get matching pieces or you modify the wiring to make them compatible. There are no other options!
The factory switch is for a semi-auto antenna. The motor only goes up or down as long as you have the switch depressed so pretty much any semi-auto antenna will work with the factory switch. The problems begin with which type of antenna you have, or want. There are two types and the wiring of that antenna determines how you need to connect it to the switch. The wiring diagrams listed in this thread are correct for both. Decide which you have and use the appropriate wiring.
If you want the simple wiring of just using the switch you need to make sure you have a three-wire antenna, not a two-wire. It is just that simple.
Does anyone know of a replacement antenna that will work with a factory switch without the relays?
I've got the switch, but no antenna yet.
Every aftermarket replacement antenna I've seen for sale today is designed to work with newer radios that have a antenna control wire output. They are not designed to work with the factory switch. Either get a rebuilt original antenna or use the relays with a replacement antenna.
They are still out there Joe, but you have to know what you are looking for. Here's one. NOS, in the box. It's in Florida so not too likely that the plastic parts have deteriorated. Keep in mind that anything too old may actually be BAD, in the box and there is no warranty.
They are still out there Joe, but you have to know what you are looking for. Here's one. NOS, in the box. It's in Florida so not too likely that the plastic parts have deteriorated. Keep in mind that anything too old may actually be BAD, in the box and there is no warranty.
So I realize this post has been around for awhile, but I have just with help from CO users have completed this.
I found a double relay from Dakota Electric for about 20 bucks including shipping. Rewired the relay step by step per Joe's diagram and then wired it to the switch and tested it. It worked first try! This took me all of about 15 minutes to complete. The harder part was cutting the hole in the dash for the antenna switch and connecting the wires to the antenna, about 3 hours. It now works perfectly!! Thanks Joe for the great diagram and all others who helped me getting this working. I have attached photos.
DurasII,
I believe I'm in the same boat - I have an aftermarket antenna/motor by Harada. A Previous Owner hacked the wiring and added in some sort of additional switch on the bottom of the dash to the OEM (I think) wiring. I want to remove this extra switch. Would you mind posting the part number of the relay you purchased?
BackInTheGame, you need to test the way your power antenna functions. If you apply power to just the red motor lead and the antenna retracts and apply power to both the red and green leads at the same time and it extends, then you can wire up the antenna using the stock switch assuming its a SPDT (has three connectors). That is, power in the middle, up and down.
DurasII,
I believe I'm in the same boat - I have an aftermarket antenna/motor by Harada. A Previous Owner hacked the wiring and added in some sort of additional switch on the bottom of the dash to the OEM (I think) wiring. I want to remove this extra switch. Would you mind posting the part number of the relay you purchased?
Rich
Aftermarket Antenna
"Push/Pull" switch hacked into wiring
Not sure that you are as my antenna is a two wire and it looks like yours is a lot more sophisticated than mine was. I will try to look up that info for ya tonight and post it.
April 18th, 2016, 12:23 PM
