’Radio On’ signal line in Focus?
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=16988
Printed Date: May 28, 2024 at 10:56 PM
Topic: ’Radio On’ signal line in Focus?
Posted By: DM4CA
Subject: ’Radio On’ signal line in Focus?
Date Posted: August 01, 2003 at 9:28 AM
I've got a Sirius tuner and FM modulator installed in a 2002 4-door Focus. It takes power from 'always on' and 'key on' 12V lines. Radio is stock AM/FM cassette.
Now, this is a PITA when you want to listen to the satellite radio when the car is stopped. Without the key on, you can turn on the radio, but the Sirius won't power up. If you put the key in the ignition and open the doors the chime sounds continually.
I'm assuming that the 'key on' line is serving as a power-up signal to the Sirius gear. Is there a 'radio on' line at the back of the radio unit that I can use instead?
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Don't let your meat loaf.
Replies:
Posted By: esmith69
Date Posted: August 01, 2003 at 11:23 AM
Well the radio shouldn't turn on without the key in the ACC or ON position. Sounds like maybe the wire that's the supposed to give the radio it's switched power signal is actually putting out a constant signal. If you take a look at this picture, the wire you want to check out on your harness will correspond to the red wire on the right side plug. If you're starting from the left end of the plug it's the 3rd wire as you move towards the right side of the plug. This wire should only give you voltage when the key is in the ACC or ON position, not when the vehicle is turned off. If it still gets power even when the car is off then that would be your culprit. In that picture I showed you, since that single harness is intended to be used as a replacement for many different ford vehicles, they provide a connection for the remote turn on for a factory amplifier. This wire behaves basically the same way a power antenna wire would behave, except that it will still receive voltage even if you're listening to a cassette or a CD (whereas the power antenna wire does not get voltage unless its on the radio). I gathered from your post that you're using the factory radio, correct? In that case I'm assuming you're using an fm modulator, and with that being the case you could technically use a power antenna wire though because whenever you want the sirius tuner to turn on, you'd also need the fm radio on as well. However, because your vehicle did not come with a factory amplifier or a power antenna, it is likely that no wires actually exist on your harness. They may be present though, and if so after verifying them with a multimeter you can use either one to hook up your satellite tuner's switched power connection and you should be good to go. BTW what's the model number of your tuner? I think the last Sirius tuner I installed only used a switched power connection and a ground connection. I think it was the modulator that required all three connections though. ------------- Ethan
-----
"Patience, persistence, and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success"
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Posted By: DM4CA
Date Posted: August 01, 2003 at 12:09 PM
esmith69 wrote:
BTW what's the model number of your tuner? I think the last Sirius tuner I installed only used a switched power connection and a ground connection. I think it was the modulator that required all three connections though.
Both Kenwood. I forget the model #s. The Tuner does in fact have only the constant power lead. I would assume that a line in the control cable (from the modulator or "Sirius-ready" head unit) signals power-on.
I guess the question then is, do the factory FM/Cassette radios have a power antenna or equivalent lead?
------------- ____________________
Don't let your meat loaf.
Posted By: esmith69
Date Posted: August 01, 2003 at 12:59 PM
So do you have an aftermarket kenwood head unit already installed? Is that what you meant by "both kenwood"? ------------- Ethan
-----
"Patience, persistence, and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success"
Donate to the12volt.com
Posted By: DM4CA
Date Posted: August 01, 2003 at 1:08 PM
I don't understand the confusion there. My original post clearly states that I have a Sirius tuner and FM modulator, and a factory ("stock") radio.
The tuner and modulator are "both Kenwood". And if I had a Kenwood head unit, I wouldn't need the modulator, would I?
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Don't let your meat loaf.
Posted By: esmith69
Date Posted: August 01, 2003 at 1:10 PM
Nevermind I think I see now...you meant that your modulator/controller is the same as the tuner, right? I just checked the manual and it appears that it's just a constant power connection and that it'll turn on and off automatically. It has a 3A fuse but under the specs. section it lists the current consumption as 800mA. Again, a properly hooked up Ford radio should not turn on without the key in. It can be wired up to do this, but it's not the correct way. If you don't mind manually turning on/off the modulator/controller every time you turn the car on and off, then you can just give the modulator two constant power connections as well. You'll just want to make sure that you don't forget to turn it off because the modulator WILL still use power if it is left on, even if the radio itself is turned off. ------------- Ethan
-----
"Patience, persistence, and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success"
Donate to the12volt.com
Posted By: DM4CA
Date Posted: August 01, 2003 at 1:14 PM
Well this is interesting. I got email notice of the following message. But I don't see it here on the forum. (Thanks for the info, btw.)
esmith69 wrote:
If your vehicle's stereo has a power antenna trigger wire then it should be the wire next to the amp turn on wire that I showed you in the picture. So if you're looking at the grey plug, starting from the right side, it's the 2nd wire as you move towards the left side of the plug.
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Don't let your meat loaf.
Posted By: DM4CA
Date Posted: August 01, 2003 at 1:21 PM
esmith69 wrote:
Nevermind I think I see now...you meant that your modulator/controller is the same as the tuner, right?
No. The tuner (Kenwood KTC-SR901) and the FM modulator/control unit (Kenwood KCA-R70FM) are two distinct units. The "both Kenwood" phrase was in a reply to your quote where you (corretly) cite the tuner and the modulator as different units.
------------- ____________________
Don't let your meat loaf.
Posted By: DM4CA
Date Posted: August 01, 2003 at 1:36 PM
esmith69 wrote:
Again, a properly hooked up Ford radio should not turn on without the key in. It can be wired up to do this, but it's not the correct way.
Don't see how it can be the case. I spliced the Sirius key-on line into the radio key-on line. When the key is turned off both the head unit and the Sirius control unit turn off. If the car key-on line was tied high, they would both stay on.
Now that I think about it, Focus is a "world car", meaning that essentially the same car is sold in Europe too. In older European cars the radio functioned independently of the key position. (I ran a couple batteries down that way. <g>) So Europeans expect that behavior but Americans don't. I wonder it this is compromise? The key-on line dropping voltage triggers the radio to turn off, but a manual 'on' signal will turn it back on.
The VOM will tell the tale.
------------- ____________________
Don't let your meat loaf.
Posted By: bfog99
Date Posted: August 01, 2003 at 3:03 PM
I also have a focus, but mine is a '03. I can also turn the radio on without the key in it. The amp doesn't power up but the radio will come on.
Posted By: ViperATC5
Date Posted: August 01, 2003 at 8:02 PM
If you want to be able to use your sirius tuner without having to have the key on, why dont you just hook both wires up to a constant power source, instead of one constant and one switched. This way your sirius tuner will be able to work whenever you want it to, assuming that your radio is on, and you wont have the annoying key in chime the you are currently getting. The only drawback to this setup is that you will have to remember to manually turn off the sirius tuner or you will risk draining your battery
Posted By: DM4CA
Date Posted: August 04, 2003 at 8:33 AM
bfog99 wrote:
I also have a focus, but mine is a '03. I can also turn the radio on without the key in it. The amp doesn't power up but the radio will come on.
Do you have a factory amp?
------------- ____________________
Don't let your meat loaf.
Posted By: bfog99
Date Posted: August 04, 2003 at 11:16 AM
No, it is an aftermarket amp.
Posted By: DM4CA
Date Posted: August 08, 2003 at 5:59 PM
Anyone else want to weigh in on this?
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