Hot radio?
#1
Hot radio?
Hey all, long time no see. I’m glad this forum is still active.
I’m lost, I’m having a hell of a time locating a on/acc trigger. My radio fuse on my 71 cutlass as well as the accessory fuse or post are completely unreliable. Sometime they function, other times not. Sometime they are constantly hot, other times the work as expected. I’ve been tearing my hair out trying to figure out the issue.
Is there an actual wire from the ignition switch to the fuse panel? What could cause this kind of behavior? Thoughts?
Thanks in advance.
P.s. I’ve removed or moved all new accessories to a new fuse block. So, it’s as stock as can be. I’m pretty sure all my grounds are good but will check again just to be sure.
I’m lost, I’m having a hell of a time locating a on/acc trigger. My radio fuse on my 71 cutlass as well as the accessory fuse or post are completely unreliable. Sometime they function, other times not. Sometime they are constantly hot, other times the work as expected. I’ve been tearing my hair out trying to figure out the issue.
Is there an actual wire from the ignition switch to the fuse panel? What could cause this kind of behavior? Thoughts?
Thanks in advance.
P.s. I’ve removed or moved all new accessories to a new fuse block. So, it’s as stock as can be. I’m pretty sure all my grounds are good but will check again just to be sure.
#2
What accessories did you move to a new fuse block? Do you mean that the radio fuse in your OE fuse block is intermittently temperature hot, or just intermittently supplies 12V? Either way, this can be due to an intermittent short. Are your battery terminals and all of the accessory wiring you've done terminated properly with crimps, soldering and shrink wrap?
#3
Hi, thanks for responding. I moved: power windows, power locks, stereo and alarm to the new fuse box. I’m re checking the rest of my grounds today.
the radio is intermittently supplying a constant 12V.
Personally, I despise wire crimps, they are never as strong as I like. So, I physically twist my connections together and cap them.
the radio is intermittently supplying a constant 12V.
Personally, I despise wire crimps, they are never as strong as I like. So, I physically twist my connections together and cap them.
Last edited by Mochi; October 18th, 2021 at 04:58 PM.
#4
#5
My radio fuse on my 71 cutlass as well as the accessory fuse or post are completely unreliable. Sometime they function, other times not. Sometime they are constantly hot, other times the work as expected. I’ve been tearing my hair out trying to figure out the issue.
Is there an actual wire from the ignition switch to the fuse panel? What could cause this kind of behavior? Thoughts?
P.s. I’ve removed or moved all new accessories to a new fuse block. So, it’s as stock as can be. I’m pretty sure all my grounds are good but will check again just to be sure.
Is there an actual wire from the ignition switch to the fuse panel? What could cause this kind of behavior? Thoughts?
P.s. I’ve removed or moved all new accessories to a new fuse block. So, it’s as stock as can be. I’m pretty sure all my grounds are good but will check again just to be sure.
the radio is intermittently supplying a constant 12V.
Is there an actual wire from the ignition switch to the fuse panel?
Last edited by Vintage Chief; October 14th, 2021 at 11:11 PM.
#6
Like Fun71 said, you can twist wires together and solder them. Wrapping connections with tape instead of using heat shrink is asking for trouble. You can buy it pretty cheaply at Horrible Freight. Wire nuts commonly used in household AC wiring (i.e. a ceiling fan or light switch) should never be used in DC, multi-strand wiring.
Make sure you're using at least 12 AWG wire for your additional circuits. Of course, a higher current draw from your stereo might require bigger gauge wire. FWIW, I used 10 AWG wire and the manufacturer's supplied 20 A fuses when I installed my ham radio in my 96 98.
Make sure you're using at least 12 AWG wire for your additional circuits. Of course, a higher current draw from your stereo might require bigger gauge wire. FWIW, I used 10 AWG wire and the manufacturer's supplied 20 A fuses when I installed my ham radio in my 96 98.
#7
Found it!
So update! When I changed my alternator, I did a single wire conversion. In doing so, I did not replace the ground capacitor on the wire. I reinstalled the ground capacitor and all is right.
for future reference to anyone doing something similar.
for future reference to anyone doing something similar.
#8
Like Fun71 said, you can twist wires together and solder them. Wrapping connections with tape instead of using heat shrink is asking for trouble. You can buy it pretty cheaply at Horrible Freight. Wire nuts commonly used in household AC wiring (i.e. a ceiling fan or light switch) should never be used in DC, multi-strand wiring.
Make sure you're using at least 12 AWG wire for your additional circuits. Of course, a higher current draw from your stereo might require bigger gauge wire. FWIW, I used 10 AWG wire and the manufacturer's supplied 20 A fuses when I installed my ham radio in my 96 98.
Make sure you're using at least 12 AWG wire for your additional circuits. Of course, a higher current draw from your stereo might require bigger gauge wire. FWIW, I used 10 AWG wire and the manufacturer's supplied 20 A fuses when I installed my ham radio in my 96 98.
All of my new accessories are on the new painless wiring harness. Only things running on the original harness is what is original to the car. :-)
#10
🤷🏾 Beats the hell out of me. As soon as I put that wire back to ground all things returned to normal. Could it have been that capacitor wire serves a dual purpose as a ground?
#11
If re-attaching the ground wire on your alternator fixed the problem you probably had an open circuit. I mention properly terminating, crimping and soldering connections because they are important to preventing electrical problems like intermittent opens and grounds. Twisting wires and covering them with tape is the same way the OE harness was done in my 86 Ford F250. Thankfully, all it caused was a few melted down switches that I was able to repair. In the worst case, improper wring can cause the whole vehicle to burn to the ground.
BTW, 100 and worst or screaming chicken? I'm just a dirty leg.
#12
x2
If re-attaching the ground wire on your alternator fixed the problem you probably had an open circuit. I mention properly terminating, crimping and soldering connections because they are important to preventing electrical problems like intermittent opens and grounds. Twisting wires and covering them with tape is the same way the OE harness was done in my 86 Ford F250. Thankfully, all it caused was a few melted down switches that I was able to repair. In the worst case, improper wring can cause the whole vehicle to burn to the ground.
BTW, 100 and worst or screaming chicken? I'm just a dirty leg.
If re-attaching the ground wire on your alternator fixed the problem you probably had an open circuit. I mention properly terminating, crimping and soldering connections because they are important to preventing electrical problems like intermittent opens and grounds. Twisting wires and covering them with tape is the same way the OE harness was done in my 86 Ford F250. Thankfully, all it caused was a few melted down switches that I was able to repair. In the worst case, improper wring can cause the whole vehicle to burn to the ground.
BTW, 100 and worst or screaming chicken? I'm just a dirty leg.
thanks for the advice on the wiring. I will likely go back and solder.
82nd. I won’t hold your low energy grounded status against you ;-) lol.
#13
#14
You can also get them at HF, Summit and Jegs.
#15
To get good crimps make sure you use a ratcheting crimper with the proper jaw for the terminal you're crimping. Here's one.
https://www.amazon.com/Crimping-Tool...43&s=hi&sr=1-5
You can also get them at HF, Summit and Jegs.
https://www.amazon.com/Crimping-Tool...43&s=hi&sr=1-5
You can also get them at HF, Summit and Jegs.
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