A specific question re stereo wiring

[jyeager]

My 97 has a separate turn on wire for the amp and power antenna.

My aftermarket head unit only has one circuit to power up externals.

Can I simply splice all 3 together?

 

 

 

 

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[Kingman]

Yes.

[jyeager]

I have another question. Perhaps tonight when I am home, I can call their tech support number (crutchfield), but just to get a head start on my curiousity I thought I would ask here for anyone that has used the adapter harness for an R50 installation.

 

I received the adapter harness with my purchase. It has a schematic included in it. This schematic doesn't match the wiring in the adapter. Here is a version of the adapter's wiring from Crutchfield's site: http://a248.e.akamai.net/pix.crutchfield.com/Manuals/120/120707550.PDF

The diagram in my kit, was an older revision and shows a wire (in the top connector) just above the yellow one. It says it's orange/black and is unused. However, the connector I have is empty at that location and has a black wire in the upper leftmost location that is shown empty in this diagram. So now there are 3 versions:

1) the actual connector I was provided

2) the instruction sheet included with my connector

3) this online diagram that is newer

and there's another one that is different:

4) http://crutchfield.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/6743/kw/1997%20nissan%20pathfinder/session/L3RpbWUvMTM5NzU3MjM5Mi9zaWQvNCo1YjRTUmw%3D

 

Looking at the factory service manual, that connector is described on page EL-140.

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Pathfinder/1997_Pathfinder/el.pdf

 

It calls that upper leftmost pin number 9. It appears to provide a ground used by the amplifier. That would agree with the black wire there in my actual adapter plug. Also, the location that my included instructions say holds an unused orange/black wire, but that is empty in mine is pin #7 and is listed as ILL CONT. Would that be the dimmer switch or the light switch?

 

So which pins in this really are 'Illumination' and 'Dimmer'? I would imagine that the aftermarket radio might not use 'Illumination' at all, that's just a wire that signals that the headlights are on, right? And the 'Dimmer' circuit is the one the radio would probably utilize to adjust it's brightness.

In the FSM, it shows pin 8 as 'LIGHT SW' and pin 7 as 'ILL CONT' which must be their way of saying dimmer?

This aftermarket harness is using the one labeled as 'LIGHT SW', so I'm wondering if they have it backwards and I may end up with no dimmer function in the radio.

 

This is a lot of work to read and comprehend, I know. So I won't blame you for ignoring this one!

 

 

 

[ahardb0dy]

Crutchfield offers lifetime support so use it and let them know about the differences you found, they will take care of you.

[ferrariowner123]

I have another question. Perhaps tonight when I am home, I can call their tech support number (crutchfield), but just to get a head start on my curiousity I thought I would ask here for anyone that has used the adapter harness for an R50 installation.

 

I received the adapter harness with my purchase. It has a schematic included in it. This schematic doesn't match the wiring in the adapter. Here is a version of the adapter's wiring from Crutchfield's site: http://a248.e.akamai.net/pix.crutchfield.com/Manuals/120/120707550.PDF

The diagram in my kit, was an older revision and shows a wire (in the top connector) just above the yellow one. It says it's orange/black and is unused. However, the connector I have is empty at that location and has a black wire in the upper leftmost location that is shown empty in this diagram. So now there are 3 versions:

1) the actual connector I was provided

2) the instruction sheet included with my connector

3) this online diagram that is newer

and there's another one that is different:

4) http://crutchfield.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/6743/kw/1997%20nissan%20pathfinder/session/L3RpbWUvMTM5NzU3MjM5Mi9zaWQvNCo1YjRTUmw%3D

 

Looking at the factory service manual, that connector is described on page EL-140.

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Pathfinder/1997_Pathfinder/el.pdf

 

It calls that upper leftmost pin number 9. It appears to provide a ground used by the amplifier. That would agree with the black wire there in my actual adapter plug. Also, the location that my included instructions say holds an unused orange/black wire, but that is empty in mine is pin #7 and is listed as ILL CONT. Would that be the dimmer switch or the light switch?

 

So which pins in this really are 'Illumination' and 'Dimmer'? I would imagine that the aftermarket radio might not use 'Illumination' at all, that's just a wire that signals that the headlights are on, right? And the 'Dimmer' circuit is the one the radio would probably utilize to adjust it's brightness.

In the FSM, it shows pin 8 as 'LIGHT SW' and pin 7 as 'ILL CONT' which must be their way of saying dimmer?

This aftermarket harness is using the one labeled as 'LIGHT SW', so I'm wondering if they have it backwards and I may end up with no dimmer function in the radio.

 

This is a lot of work to read and comprehend, I know. So I won't blame you for ignoring this one!

 

 

 

 

Crutch field will usually get their stuff right, so i highly doubt that they are wrong, But the reason the crutch adapters do not have a amp ground is because they want you to by pass the amp, if you simply run past through the amp, and you crank the volume, it will be super quiet, you can max it out and it wont be very loud. (had this happen before i started to figure out cars..) So you need to go back to the amp and figure out which wires are speaker and run those up the head unit, or better yet, figure out what is signal in and out at the amp, and just wire them together, much simpler, If that is even possible or course. since you seem to have figured out the FSM, that shouldn't be too hard.

 

Dimmer and illumination will generally do the same thing, (from my experience that is true). For the decks that i have worked with, they don't dim the head unit so much as switch it from day mode to night mode.

 

-Kyle

[jyeager]

This question was ancient history, but I wanted to close the loop and describe the outcome.

 

That extra ground wire in my harness, but not described by Crutchfield's information....I didn't take any chances and grounded it. It might be the amplifier's ground wire as something indicated (seems weird, you should ground the amp right as close to the amp as possible, IMO). Either way, I grounded it and everything is fine. It should be noted that Crutchfield does NOT know that our pathfinders had 3 stereo options. They only know about the base radio with no amp and the Bose. They don't know about the middle option...so their harness description won't mention amplifier circuits.

 

The illumination wire..well the factory radio used the dimmer switch and the aftermarket HU doesn't. It has a dimmer function internal to the unit itself. It only uses the illumination wire to signal it to dim to the preset on the HU. So it was intended that the pin 8 : 'LIGHT SW' be the one that goes to the head unit and the dimmer signal isn't used.

 

So when these issues were answered, I wired it up and all worked well...factory amp still in the loop. (but I'm now thinking of an amp upgrade).