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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Stereo - wiring up

Imposing on your superior electrical knoledge again please. Have bought a Pioneer CD/USB stereo with speakers from Halfords today. Seems acceptable for what I want it to do and small enough to fit nicely into a custom made console....not the bread bin - yes it was a wind up!

Wiring.... I have run a live lead from the washer pump feed. As I understand things, do I simply connect this to the live (red wire) of the head unit and then run a suitable earth from aforesaid head unit? It has a 10A fuse fitted. Speakers - I will simply follow the wiring diagram - I have 4! 2 will fit in the rear partition twixt cabin and boot, not sure about the other 2 - and I don't really want to spoil the nice brand new door cards.

Many thanks again...
Oggers

Do you only have one power feed?

Some stereos have a permanent live and an ignition switched live, also.
Dave O'Neill 2

Dave

No, another one from the ignition..ostensibly for the voltmeter
Oggers

I think Dave means are there two live feeds required for the Pioneer unit.

Unless things have changed stereo only needs two speakers, you can set the Fader to fully favour their position (whether you've plumbed in as front or rear set on back of Pioneer unit).

As for washer pump feed it depends on where it comes from and it's prior switching, if any, as from factory the washer pumps were manual not electric so yours would have additional wiring from somewhere. As the battery is so close I'd start with a clean fresh supply (live wire, at least, from battery) and fuse(s) and switched as the unit requires.

Nigel Atkins

The usual would be to take the main live feed from a switched output of the ignition switch and the other from a permanent live. Then the radio doesn't accidentaly get left on to drain the battery when you leave the car, and the second connection means the radio retains its memory of stations (and code, if it uses one)
GuyW

Thanks chaps. Testing with a bulb, it appears I have a permanent live from the washer pump and a switched live from the ignition - so hurrah! I use the word stereo in its generic sense of course, as that is what the head unit is commonly described as.

As an aside, if it is permanently connected to the battery, is there a risk of draining the battery or is the current miniscule?
Oggers

2 problems I see

1st ... the radio counsel inn the us a car is NOT Deep enough for a CD Radio... so check that the radio fits the space

2nd... maybe it's just me and my set up but anything that draws power even a trickle kills the Battery in a week ... if your car is not a daily I'd avoid hooking up the memory wire or have it on a switch and just reset it up each time you drive... I had a simple clock at one time that chewed my battery in 3 days

If any thing see if you can mount a separate rechargeable battery pack that can power the memory of the radio

A suggestion ... buy or build setero boxes of if your going to mount in the shelf panel... the sound is much better and will protect the speakers much better as well.

I to would come directly off the Battery or the fuse box to avoid any issues of old car wiring

Prop
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Mine is also a Pioneer radio and fits fine in the dash. It also has a 2.5mm Jack plug and a USB connection on the front which is useful. The permanent live for retaining station memory is ok too - it takes about 3 to 4 weeks to drain the battery which is no problem since l normally use the car almost daily.

l have it hooked to 4 speakers; centre dash, centre rear panel and then two extra ones set into the trim panels at the top of the B posts either side.

My only gripe is that it continually scrolls the word PIONEER across its screen in bright blue letters whenever the ignition is on but a function is not selected. This could probably be programmed out but l haven't discovered how yet as l have only had it for 6 years.

The other problem is l am pretty deaf so l cannot hear it so it isn't often used.
GuyW

I went the deckless stereo route as they are not that deep and fit easily in console,Guy it sounds like yours might be in demo mode, usually you can display several different things on the screens.


mark heyworth

I may put a switch the permanent feed line as I may not use the car for some weeks - especially during winter. I too have CD/USB/Jack, and I admit to reservations in actually using it. I'll be far too busy enjoying myself with the Zetec up front. However, it would be pleasant to play a tune or two during open top summer days.
Oggers

Guy... I think battery drain is dependant on the radio it's self some are good others not so much

Something you might consider that I've done is ditch the radio completely install a big amp with a smaller preamp and just use your smart phone or a tablet

I'm not fond of local radio stations anymore and the radio stations I do listen to are national and are found on the internet but all my music is on my phone.

So the good thing is, when I go into walmart, I just unplug the phone and in my pocket it goes ... no worries of theft or damage to the car if someone wants to steal my none radio

And no Battery drain

Btw... you will need a pre amp to do this... the phone only pumps out around .5 volts (iirc) while the car radio is around 5 volts so the pre amp helps push the sound into the big amp to explode out the speakers
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Prop, you may well be right that different radios drain the battery faster than others. But l mentioned mine as it's the same make, and possibly the same model as the one Oggers has bought.

As for linking to your mobile phone for music, is that what is currently called streaming ? I am not up with these new use of words, streaming to me being what l do when l go to the gents.( Men's Room, to you, Prop)
GuyW

Something to watch for is Bluetooth. If your stereo has it I'd suggest making sure it's disabled. A girl locally kept finding the radio on in her Audi when she came out in the morning. Apparently it's possible for the stereo to turn itself on to try to pair with another Bluetooth device, like a phone in the pocket of a passer-by.
On the other hand it's a good way to play music from your phone without the need for a preamp.
Greybeard

Oggers,
surely (don't call me Shirley) one of the times you don't need any sort of stereo is during open top summer days especially with a Zetec/Duratec/K-series/A-series/1500 up front .
Nigel Atkins

Hey Guy

Streaming is the opposite... Streaming is anything you play from the internet thsts live or recorded that's not down loaded to your device as in watching a live ball game on your device is streaming, or listening to recorded music from a website is streaming

Down load is when you record a ball game or a song directly onto your device to play it back at a later time

Grey, that is funny... I never thought of that as being an issue with blue tooth... that has to be a niebor or somebody close by as I think Bluetooth has a short range of maybe around 10 to 15 feet

Something worth looking into is Bluetooth wireless speakers as they have been out for a few years and I'm sure the bugs have been worked out by now.

Prop
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Good call Greybeard--
I had a real struggle with my new camera ,keeping the battery charged and had a photographer mate have a look at it for me-
Ended up being the bluetooth option was permanently on trying to find other electrical friends to mate with
He turned it off for me somehow and now the battery lasts forever
The camera is probably peeeed with me for stealing it's friends, but who cares--
willy
William Revit

Bluetooth can be fun though. A mate switches his on when he gets to the pub. His phones device name is "send me porn".
Greybeard

Haha...now that's good, I'm naming my blue tooth connection device that also

Thanks grey
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This thread was discussed between 16/12/2017 and 18/12/2017

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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