New guy installing deck and speakers
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=3054
Printed Date: July 07, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Topic: New guy installing deck and speakers
Posted By: VWboogie
Subject: New guy installing deck and speakers
Date Posted: August 25, 2002 at 2:47 PM
This will be my first attempt at doing any car audio upgrades, so I read as much as I could. I was given a pair of Pioneer 6x9's for the rear deck of my 1992 honda accord LX and have nearly decided on the Alpine 7894 headunit. Someday when I get the $ I'll put in new front speakers (unless I get the $ to get a new car  ) anyway, my questions are: what do I NEED to get besides the aforementioned stuff. It is not the stock head unit that is in the car now, but it was a slop job of an install. wiring harnesses? strange 90 degree tools? new speaker wires? The Alpine people suggest you wire it right into the battery like a separate amp, so I probably need a 10 or 20 guage wire for that? or a kit? just looking for a quick outline of what I need to do... thanks.
Replies:
Posted By: Dan M C
Date Posted: August 25, 2002 at 6:06 PM
It's there a harness ?or you could go ahead and use a dedicated power line right from the battery,i recomend a 10 gauge and make sure you fuse it,otherwise try to use silver solder,heat shrink tubing or good 3M super 88 electrical tape (don't use the cheap vinyl tape...)some gold plated connectors and for speaker wire i like 12 gauge,it's a little hard to work with but you eliminate and minimize your loss,and it must be OFC (oxigen free cooper) and a digital tester to check your conductivity and such,good luck and let us know how you doing.
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Dan M C
Posted By: VWboogie
Date Posted: August 26, 2002 at 12:02 PM
Dan, thanks for the response. So this is how I understand what you wrote. I need: 10 gauge dedicated power line to the battery (I'll probably get the RF kit) something to secure the connection to the battery + terminal new speaker wires - 12 gauge, OFC and a conductivity tester Now, do I need a wiring harness of any type? I assume so, just not sure for what exactly...
Posted By: mobiletoys2002
Date Posted: August 26, 2002 at 2:40 PM
all that for a simple head unit install ???????? why 10 guage wire??? 12 guage speaker wire for 6 by 9's???????why?????no need for that .that head unit wont put more than 17 watts rms 20 max this is no amp install it is a head unit and simple speakers. 
Posted By: mobiletoys2002
Date Posted: August 26, 2002 at 2:42 PM
YOU MAY ALWAYS BE BETTER WIRING DIRECT NOT USING FACTORY WIRING BECAUSE FACTORY WIRING IS INFERIOR QUALITY AND VERRY THIN,BUT THIS IN NO WAY SAYS YOU WILL NEED 10 GUAGE FOR A HEAD UNIT AND 12 GUAGE FOR SPEAKERS. I THINK WHAT THE GUY MEANT AT ALPINE IS TO USE A SUFECIENT WIRE LIKE AN AMP AND NOT USE FACTORY WIRING. UNLESS YOUARE PLANNING ON ADDIMG AN AMP LATER THEN THE SPEAKER WIRE AT 12 GUAGE IS USELESS. ANOTHER THING I USE 12 GUAGE WIRE FOR MY SUB AND I AM PUTTING 475 WATTS RMS INTO IT THATS WERE THE CABLE MATTERS AT THAT SIZE. YOU WILL BE PUTTIMG ABOUT 15 WATTS RMS 20 MAX TO THAT SPEAKER DO YOU SEE THE DIFFERNCE????? A RADIO THAT DRAWS MAYBE 12 AMPS OF CURRENT LIKE THE ONE YOU WILL BE ADDING DOES NOT NEED 10 GUAGE WIRE SIMPLY BECAUSE A VOLTAGE DROP WILL NOT OCCUR BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT BE DRAWING ENOUGH CURRENT THE WIRE CAN HANDLE. A 10 GUAGE WIRE CAN HANDLE ABOUT 40 AMPS OR SO, A 14 GUAGE WIRE WILL HANDLE WHAT THAT RADIO WILL BE DRAWING GIVING NO VOLTAGE DROP AS LONG AS CONNECTIONS ARE WELL MADE. . I WOULD ONLY USE A THICK CABLE LIKE 10 GUAGE IF I NEW I HAD MORE COMPONENTS GOING ON THAT WIRE AT A LATER TIME. ALSO MAKE SURE YOUR GROUND WIRE IS OF SUFICIENT SIZE AND MAKE A GREAT CONECTION TO THE BODY OF THE CAR. A BAD GROUND WILL GIVE YOU A VOLTAGE DROP OR YOUR RADIO MAY NOT TURN ON AT ALL.
Posted By: VWboogie
Date Posted: August 26, 2002 at 3:56 PM
thanks for the replies, keep em coming. I realize that the 10 gauge amp wire and 12 gauge speaker wire is severly overdoing it. and I don't think OFC will make much difference in this system. I was simply trying to understand what Dan was saying. The head unit is actually 27 x 4 watts rms, so I will certainly be changing the speaker wire to something else (less than 12 gauge though), but i don't plan on adding an external amp for these speakers (I'd only amp a sub if someday I decide i need more bass but I think i'd wire that directly and separately anyway). so now my question is, how do I get a quick lesson on wiring the deck in "correctly"?
Posted By: Dan M C
Date Posted: August 26, 2002 at 4:30 PM
Sorry man,i wasn't trying to confuse you,i just thought in the future you may wanna add more components,it sounded to me that you already have an aftermarket HU,yes for same 10 g power wire is more than what they need and goes the same for the 12g speaker wire,but if you decide to add an amp or two,or three...(has happend to me so now i use ...4amps!),anyway you decide,as far as HU wiring goes you will need to find out (and ths site has it) the wiring schematick for your vehicle,then you'll need your constant power(24 hr +) and one that is only on with when your ignition is on,ground ofcourse and if you don't plan on using amps just use the speaker wires that come out of your deck but make sure you respect polarity (+/-) and hoock up your antenna (i don't know if you need an adapter or not) and you should be in business.Before you even start disconect your ground from the battery ,good luck.
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Dan M C
Posted By: par3721
Date Posted: August 26, 2002 at 6:09 PM
no need to make it to difficult for you, it is very simple. the alpine you buy will be fused on the 12v constant (red wire) for sure and possibly the 12v switched (yellow wire). black wire is ground. the back speakers should have three or four screws that cn be accessed through the trunk with a phillips head scew driver or us a drill if you want. once the srews have been removed the speakers and factory grills will lift right out of the rear deck. allthough if i remember correctly it may have 6 1/2" speakers in the front and rear, (if the factory ones are still in). if it has aftermarket 6x9's in now pop the grills and remove the screws with a phillips head stubby screw driver. a 90 degree what we call in the install world as a "scewdriver" (brand name). you can get it at wal-mart is where one of my friends got his. it is a great tool you will always find a use for it. here is the factory wire colors that should be behind the deck in your car now. www.the12volt.com/installbay/detail.asp?info=alarm&year=1990-93&make=Honda&model=Accord&ID=17955&type=Stereo
Posted By: mobiletoys2002
Date Posted: August 26, 2002 at 6:25 PM
Hey par 3721 the red should be switched the yelow would be constant. just clarifing.
Posted By: par3721
Date Posted: August 27, 2002 at 12:40 AM
you are right mobiletoys2002. thanks for the info you you gave me. 
Posted By: VWboogie
Date Posted: August 27, 2002 at 7:29 AM
thanks for the wiring diagram link. that will come in handy. The rear speakers currently in the car are look to be the factory 6 1/2" ones, but everywhere I have checked (crutchfield.com and this site) says the rears are 6x9. Does that mean that the rear deck will FIT 6x9's ? I will check out the screws in the trunk as well. Is there a "standard size" 90 degree tool thingy for this/any car or do I have to measure/guess the right size?
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