alright, i need to indepth help here.
i installed my deck in a 1987 dodge caravan, and didn't have a wiring harness handy (lesson learned) so i cut the plugs off. i ended up running new speaker wires anyway, but i've had nothing but trouble ever since from the power wires.
deck works fine, i was able to locate the +12V constant, and +12V switched, and my chassis ground. NOW... there's a mysterious orange wire left over. for about a year i drove with it not connected to anything, and my dash lights did not work.
recently, i discovered that by connecting the switched +12V to that orange wire, the dash lights worked again. i was happy, until i found that my park lights were now not working.
when i have that orange wire (which is listed as the dimmer wire in the chart found on this page) connected to 12V, it constantly blows the fuse. normally a 20A fuse is needed. it even blew a 35A fuse in the same slot. i'm at my wit's end. either i have no dash lights, or no park lights. i don't expect this is normal. HELP!
i'll never cut another stereo plug again.
Bobby
disconnect power from the orange wire, take it up or put an end cap on it... and then go to the fuse box and find the blown dash light fuse and replace it..... and NEVER cut off a harness again if you dont know what you're doing lol
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Kevin Gerry
Certified Electronics Technician
MECP First Class Installer
Owner/Installer
Classic Car Audio
since 1979
And if you run across anything Bose, run it over, burn it and bury the ashes.
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Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.
Because you did not know what the dimmer wire is you accidentaly put power to it and burnt up your dash light dimmer. Very common mistake when not using a wiring harness. If you replace your dimmer and cap off all wires that go to the lighting circuit you will have dash lights again. Also, never replace a fuse for a higher amperage one. That's a cause for fire.
it's not just a blown fuse that's my problem. i've had the orange wire disconnected for almost a year now, and even after replacing the fuse, the dash lights still do not work. it seems to me the orange wire NEEDS to be attached to something, maybe a lower voltage than 12 V. perhaps that was provided by the factory stereo. any thoughts?
I understand your problem, but what happens when you burn up the dimmer is just that, you burn up the rheostatt in the dimmer and the light input wire is no longer connected to rheostatt. So by putting 12v on the orange wire you are essentially sending 12v to the output of the dimmer and burning the rheostatt up and engaging your dash lights. They will work, but they won't dim.
forbidden wrote:
And if you run across anything Bose, run it over, burn it and bury the ashes.
Here is what to do when encountering bose equipment: 1. run over, 2 burn (anything flammable works well), 3 piss on it, 4 return it to its natrual enviroment (aka the dump or trashcan). You must then install or listen to some excellent aftermarket equipment to rid yourself of the bose sound.