Stereo fitting - Wiring

[phil19gti]

I've had a good search of past posts but I couldn't find an exact answer to my problem. I was trying to fit a stereo into my 1985 van today, but it would not work. The stereo works 100% in a different vehicle, so I'm after a bit of advice.

From the van, I've got a red wire which I believe is live and a black wire which I believe is the earth. From the stereo I've got a red and yellow joined together which I have connected to the red wire from the van. I have also connected the black van wire to the black stereo wire, but the stereo has not got any power.

Should there be two live wires coming from the van that should link up with the red and yellow stereo wires? I have found two brown wires that appear from behind the dash next to the red which don't connect to anything, does anyone know what these do?

I'm a bit stuck to why it's not working.

Thanks in advance.

[kevtherev]

brown is earth

[phil19gti]

brown is earth

So what's black? The black wire runs from the passenger side/fusebox direction.

[kevtherev]

not earth

[kevtherev]

you've got everything right except earth.
If you want I can trawl through the wiring diagram and find out?

this red wire is it from the leisure battery?

[phil19gti]

not earth

The two brown wires I found ran right next to the red wire. To me this makes sense to be for the stereo but I'm not sure why there is two?

Should there be two lives and an earth from the van?

[kevtherev]

the yellow is the memory.. and red is power.
You can join them no bother.
or you can connect them separate.

are you using a universal connector, power, memory, earth, speakers, electric aerial?

[VWCamperfan]

Black is also live but usually a switched live ie. by ignition key etc.

[phil19gti]

the yellow is the memory.. and red is power.
You can join them no bother.
or you can connect them separate.

are you using a universal connector, power, memory, earth, speakers, electric aerial?

I've got the speaker wires separate. I just want the stereo to receive power now.

Is there only one live feed from the van?

[kevtherev]

thanks Mark.

yes one live

Do you know where it comes from?
ie.. starter or Aux battery

the black wire could be a switched live from the key
the red wire from the battery

have you a multi meter to check it?

[phil19gti]

thanks Mark.

yes one live

Do you know where it comes from?
ie.. starter or Aux battery

the black wire could be a switched live from the key
the red wire from the battery

have you a multi meter to check it?

So from what you're saying the black wire from the van should be the live?

When I was trying to fit it there was a spark from the red wire indicating it's live.

[kevtherev]

yes the Black wire may be live with the ignition on or in it's first poition

red is constant live.. probably fused (or should be) from the battery

[phil19gti]

yes the Black wire may be live with the ignition on or in it's first poition

red is constant live.. probably fused (or should be) from the battery

I think I'll try wiring the black wire to the red/yellow stereo wires tomorrow, and try and get an earth from one of the brown wires.

Should I just discard the red live wire?

[VWCamperfan]

Red could be permanent live, black switched live.
Connect red to live on stereo and brown to neutral on stereo.
As kev says though, your live supply to the stereo is probably coming from the vans starter battery. If possible try to find out where this red wire is supplied from ie. vans starter battery of leisure battery. The stereo should ideally be wired into the leisure battery or you have the possibility of draining the starter battery.
When stereo is wired in, disconnest leisure battery ans see if it goes off. If it does then you should be ok.

[VWCamperfan]

yes the Black wire may be live with the ignition on or in it's first poition

red is constant live.. probably fused (or should be) from the battery

Baet me to it!