Sansui rx-500 wiring

Hi, I’m not a regular here and know very little about wiring car radios specifically (although I have good knowledge of amps and speakers in general.) I have just picked up a Sansui rx-500 cassette player for nothing (I’m told it is working), which I want to use to replace the awful radio in my car (1992 Nissan Vannette). The radio that I have taken out includes a wiring diagram, http://www.pbase.com/image/25406661 The wires of the Sansui are in two groups which I presume are power and speaker. The first group is Black (earth?), Red, Yellow, Purple and Blue. The second group is Grey with a black stripe, Grey, Green with a black stripe, Green, White and Brown. The black, Red, Yellow and Purple wires run through an external fuse / transformer (??) unit http://www.pbase.com/image/25406671 I essentially want to know which wires I attach where (I have no problems with soldering etc.) Thanks

forbidden wrote: Sansui is one of the good oldies in the industry, no longer in car audio production. What you have found for wiring though is still in use today, so your assumptions are correct.

Thanks, This should be useful. I've got a couple of individual questions though?

forbidden wrote: Black - ground Yellow - +12v (should be fused) Red - +12v (may be fused) Purple - (may be illumination +12v) - is this wire fused? Blue - power antenna

Ok, based on the following picture (link), which was on the radio that I took out of the car, which wires should I connect? Only the bottom 3 on the left and the 4 speaker wires on the right are actually connected to wires on the car end. http://www.pbase.com/image/25420726

forbidden wrote: Grey / black is right negative Grey  is right front positive Brown should be right rear positive Green / black is left negative Green is left front positive White should be left rear positive Does the player have a fader control? If so then the white and brown should be the speaker wires, I may have them backwards (as in left is right, right is left)

I presume I connect the two grey and the two green for stereo operation (Only two speakers)?

Correct for 2 speaker operation, grey is usually right and green left. For the main power wiring on the plug with 3 wires I see on the top left pin  is ground, directly below I see the ignition line, beside to the right I see the illumination wire. On the other plug I see the power antenna out on the top left, directly below I see the constant power line. To the right of these wires I see the 4 speaker wires. Hope this gets things working for you.Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.

forbidden wrote: Correct for 2 speaker operation, grey is usually right and green left. For the main power wiring on the plug with 3 wires I see on the top left pin  is ground, directly below I see the ignition line, beside to the right I see the illumination wire. On the other plug I see the power antenna out on the top left, directly below I see the constant power line. To the right of these wires I see the 4 speaker wires. Hope this gets things working for you.

The problem with that is that the ground is therefore not connected?? (that and the power antenna don't actually continue on to wires on the vehicle end). Would it be grounding through the antenna plug? (the radio on my old car did that).

forbidden wrote: Attach the ground wire to the vehicle metal chassis (any spot in the vehicle that is metal and goes to ground). Do not use the power antenna wire, tape it off so it does not short anything.

I was going to do this - I was trying to figure out how it had been working. Possibly the casing of the radio was in connection with the chassis of the car?

forbidden wrote: ....directly below I see the ignition line..... ....On the other plug I see the power antenna out on the top left, directly below I see the constant power line....

Ok, last question (and thanks for all your help). Of the two +12v power lines (yellow and red), which goes to the ignition line and which goes to the constant power line? And please tell me if I'm off track on this.

moody wrote: forbidden wrote: Attach the ground wire to the vehicle metal chassis (any spot in the vehicle that is metal and goes to ground). Do not use the power antenna wire, tape it off so it does not short anything. I was going to do this - I was trying to figure out how it had been working. Possibly the casing of the radio was in connection with the chassis of the car? forbidden wrote: ....directly below I see the ignition line..... ....On the other plug I see the power antenna out on the top left, directly below I see the constant power line.... Ok, last question (and thanks for all your help). Of the two +12v power lines (yellow and red), which goes to the ignition line and which goes to the constant power line? And please tell me if I'm off track on this.

Bump for this last tiny question.

Yes, the antenna will reference a ground.  You should still connect to chassis ground as well.  Yellow is constant, and red is ignition/accessory.My ex once told me I have a perfect face for radio.

geepherder wrote: Yes, the antenna will reference a ground.  You should still connect to chassis ground as well.  Yellow is constant, and red is ignition/accessory.

Thank you - that's all I need. Thanks everybody.