T3 Radio Wiring

[bunnynogood]

Morning all When I bought my van it had <shock horror> no CD/MP3/Teasmade head unit, just a blanking plate. On pulling this plate gently off I have discovered the wiring for something, assumed to be a VW radio but with old non-ISO connectors and a small puzzle of wires.

Pictures at..

http://picasaweb.google.com/VHFamily/WiresAndWheels#

Done a lot of searching on here, and got a few good pointers, but not found a definitive post / wiki on which wires are for what. So please peruse pictures and .. all assistance gratefully recieved.

Once I know which wire is which I can then either DIY them into a new ISO connector (you know the sort, with bullet connectors) or get the new head unit fitted 'professionally', but still feel confident I know what's what under the dash.

BTW. Ignore the pics of alloy wheel.. those are there for another newbie question post. Arf. [/url]

[Mocki]

ok, cant really see from your pictures, but
I would suggest that if you dont have a multimeter and know how to use it you get someone to do the job for you, as to rely on a picture posted here and the replys to come to connect up you expensive boom box would be dangerous to say the least
that said, if they are correct and original to the vehicle ,

Brown is -12vdc on VW's
Red will be perm live (There is NO key aux pos on these vans)
blue/white will be illumination

speakers will be either missing completely if you are lucky enough to have a original van that never had a radio, or will be grey, grey.black and purple and purple/black in pair s or a single pair from centre dash speaker.

if you are not sure, dont do it, get someone with a meter to look for you, it will be cheaper in the end.

[bunnynogood]

Moki.. thanks for the super- rapid response

> if they are correct and original to the vehicle ,

They are.

>if you are lucky enough to have a original van that never had a radio

I am thus blessed

>There is NO key aux pos on these vans

OK. I have read elsewhere about this and possible battery drainage if connected wrongly in the new ISO (something about swapping of pins 4 and 7 apparently).

Is this likely to be a problem, or am I just confusing your advice above with something else ??

Either way, sound advice to get it done by an experienced pro.

I guess I'm just a bit paranoid, and aware that some car radio fitters my be happy enough with a 'modern' vehicle, but get drawn up short by the more arcane VW electrics, which may just be simpler after all

[Mocki]

the main issue with modern wirelesses seems to be the power required to maintqain the memory of the CPU is to great if the vehicle is left stood for more than a couple of days, many fit a kill switch on the memory wire, personally it think this is pointless and simply wired the memory wire to the leisure battery in my camper.

Honestly, fitting it from scratch is easier than trying to sort out someone elses mess, and if it were me i would start from scratch and leave the wires you already have along, making sure they are either isolated or insulated correctly.

You are only looking to pick up a perm live feed from the fusebox, a neg and your speaker wires really, the memory wire can be connected to the perm live with the "ignition live" on the iso connector anyway.im assuming you will be installing speakers anyway, so your speaker wires will be where ever you lay them.
Im a bit far from you or i'd offer to pop over and sort it.

[bunnynogood]

the main issue with modern wirelesses seems to be the power required to maintqain the memory of the CPU is to great if the vehicle is left stood for more than a couple of days, many fit a kill switch on the memory wire, personally it think this is pointless and simply wired the memory wire to the leisure battery in my camper

Therein might be the rub for me, as the van will sit idle for more than a couple of days at a stretch and I don't have a leisure battery (yet). Might need that switch..

Many thanks for the offer of some hands on .. but it is a long'ish way. I used to drive through Sutton Bridge every day commuting between Notts and Norwich

[phade]

Hi everyone,

Here's the best way to wire up a stereo in your van:-

- Terminal 30 (red wire) battery plus to + memory (yellow wire)

- Terminal 15 (black wire) ignition to + switched live (red wire)

- Chassis Ground (brown wire) to - (black wire)

Some modern radios nowerdays take up a fair amount of current even when the radio its self is in standby and could flatten your battery.