Spare wire behind radio >>Now with pictures<<

dovestar · Post by **dovestar** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:25 am

Hi everybody,

Being new around here I hope you'll be kind enough to help me out. I just picked up my tintop Bongo yesterday and I'm about to fit my in-dash DVD/Radio. I've got an ISO cable converter that plugs in to the Bongo's wiring fine and I recognise the aerial connector but there is another wire back there. It's black and red and has an unfamiliar black plug on the end. Can anyone tell me what it's for please?

Also I've just bought this screen for the sprogs in the back. Has anyone fitted anything like this, does anyone have any advice?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=003

Thanks in advance

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:30 pm

Hi Dovestar, welcome to the forum!

Ive not got that plug behind my radio...it certainly doesn't sound familiar

Have you got any mysterious holes on the dash? Or suspect marks that may have been filled in?

I,m thinking the plug may have something to do with the "plumbing" for a previously installed car phone or suchlike?

Any signs of an extra external antenna anywhere on the rear windows?

I have a DVD player under my middle seat, with a 7" monitor on each front headrest...the kids love em! ( i love em too, it keeps em quiet

)

I'm looking for a more stealth position for the monitors though,they are a little on show where they are...

dovestar · Post by **dovestar** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 6:00 pm

It's possible that it's from something the previous owner installed but it looks so original. Further back in the dash it's wrapped up in a bunch with the rest of the radio wires.

I've added spome pictures which may help the mystery

It looks like it says AVSS on the side.

clogger · Post by **clogger** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 6:19 pm

i`ll stick me neck out here and say it`s an earth wire
mine has one and i use a spade connector to clip in it for the extra earth wire that was on my radio iso lead ( i think )
i take it everything is working ok

note far right wire

my old jeep had one as well it earths the actual radio to ground it also acted as a suppressor on the jeep ie without it connected it would work fine but turn on the lights it would be buzzier than a buzzing bee on buzz day
connected it up to earth sorted

pippin · Post by **pippin** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 6:23 pm

Yes, it is original, I remember it on mine.

It is either an earth wire or a 12V wire, can't remember which, despite it being fairly crucial!

Brain in gear - I will go for a spare earth.

madmile · Post by **madmile** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:52 pm

Yep - pippin is right. You should also find that your Mazda - ISO connector as per cloggers pic has a spare earth wire - I always connect this to the red/black one that normally pushes into the back of a standard mazda radio.

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:26 pm

Where's mine?... I'm fairly certain it isn't there on my bongo

I'll have a nosey tomorrow....

dovestar · Post by **dovestar** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 7:54 am

Thanks for that all. It certainly would fit nicely with my spare earth wire.

Peg leg Pete · Post by **Peg leg Pete** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 12:50 pm

Have one on ours

Post by **aitch** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:53 pm

by the look of the plug it is an earth the "old" hillman models had something similar I remember from the early '70s which we used to cut off the plug and then use a screw to connect to earth and this helped with reception on the old medium (am) waveband reception on poor transmission stations. Hope this might help.

andyfb78 · Post by **andyfb78** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 9:22 am

My digging around in the electrics seemd to show that black with thin red was a permanent 12V feed.
(you'll notice black/red goes into perm feed in the back of the fuse boxes.

My radio has a perm feed to keep presents and clock alive, even though radio is powered down, normal poer comes from the acc position on the ign switch.

Praps this is it?

pippin · Post by **pippin** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:28 am

You are right there, but those wires are usually very thin.

This one is quite thick.

dovestar · Post by **dovestar** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 2:54 pm

The general consensus seemed to be that the wire went to ground and so I connected the ground wires from my radio and LCD screen to it and kept my fingers crossed. I'm happy to report all worked brilliantly and so I can confirm that the wire is ground.

Thanks for all your help!

Spare wire behind radio >>Now with pictures<<

Spare wire behind radio >>Now with pictures<<

Pictures