14 replies to this topic

[BTA168]

Hi, I have recently installed my car stereo (Kenwood KDC-4547) and a rev counter (Autogauge Smoke Series).
Firstly the car stereo. I have installed it using all the information I can find on this forum! (Thanks by the way!). I have connected all speakers ok, earth ok. Now.. The 12v permanent live (yellow wire) I have attached to my fusebox on the first fuse (25amp). I know it is meant to be (35amp) on first fuse and only works when first ignition is engaged, but I think the previous owner swapped the connections around so the first fuse is now constant.
I have connected the 12v ignition wire (red wire) to the 3rd fuse in the fusebox (5-6 25amp).
Now the problem is if I use the headlight flasher, the headunit will seem to restart itself and will turn back on straight away. Being limited to knowledge, I assume that the headlight flasher takes a big current and somewhat affects the current going to the headunit? I'm not sure if it is the red or yellow wire that is affected (I think yellow though) Any ideas at all?

Secondly, the rev counter. I have six wires (2xblack - earth. green - sensor. orange - illumination. 2xred live?.)
Everything is connected ok. Apart from the two reds. One allows the backlight of the rev counter so it enables me to see it. The other actually powers the rev counter (needle movement).
The one that allows the needle movement, once connected to a 12v supply will make the needle go over 8k revs and stays there? (As if someone over-revved the car and doesn't let go!) Any ideas on this one aswell?

Any help will be greatly appreciated! Cheers!

[LukeMoss]

I'll give this a bump as my stereo does the exact same and can't find what it is :/

[david_vennard]

my stereo (kenwood aswell) does the same either by indicating or even butting my foot on the brake, silly mini

so bump (:

[coopdog]

maybe your battery is a bit duff :L
mine used to do it if i used a lot of things like the radio and heater, i tried to flas someone and the radio went off :L
so i bought a uprated altenator

[northbrook]

Secondly, the rev counter. I have six wires (2xblack - earth. green - sensor. orange - illumination. 2xred live?.)
Everything is connected ok. Apart from the two reds. One allows the backlight of the rev counter so it enables me to see it. The other actually powers the rev counter (needle movement).
The one that allows the needle movement, once connected to a 12v supply will make the needle go over 8k revs and stays there? (As if someone over-revved the car and doesn't let go!) Any ideas on this one aswell?

Any help will be greatly appreciated! Cheers!

Does one of the red wires (needle movement) need to be on the coil live maybe, with the green on coil -ve? \only guessing mind, what do the instructions say that came with it?

As for stereos, I would say it was drawing too much current on one circuit, probably as they have enourmously long battery cables being in the boot an all lol. I would run a live from the battery and then run your red and yellow power cables from stereo through relays, switched by the lives that you have connected them into tho obv the permanent live can just run from the cable you have installed, just make sure you put a fuse in..

Edited by northbrook, 29 October 2011 - 01:57 PM.

[lorry]

If you are still having problems i live round the corner from you,drive past your mini every day.not that im spying lol

[jb93]

Mine does this aswell (Alpine IDA-X305s). Could it be due to a dodgy connection on the battery?

[adamjohnson1990]

i had the same problem when i fitted my head unit, it turned out on mine that i had the switch and permanent live the wrong way round since i swapped them over its has been fine.

is your head unit saving settings?

[BTA168]

For the rev counter, i have tried both 12v live and coil + but still does the same thing?

Car stereo, I have taken the wires off at the moment. Reason being was in Tesco, first ignition ok. Second ignition, the car failed to turnover? (as if the battery was flat!) no warning lights, no power at all! When I disconnected the stereo, I had to wait a couple minutes before the mini got power again?

Lorry - will drop you a message in a bit thanks.

[BTA168]

i had the same problem when i fitted my head unit, it turned out on mine that i had the switch and permanent live the wrong way round since i swapped them over its has been fine.

is your head unit saving settings?

Yeah, my head unit did save settings (equaliser, time etc.) But since, I have disconnected it.
I have one theory? On the fuse box, is there much difference between the left hand side connectors and right hand side connectors? The top two fuses, I have two spare terminals on the rh side. The bottom fuses, I have two spare terminals on lh side? Also, on each side, there are two connectors on one side (i.e. each fuse would have a total of 4 connections - 2 left, 2 right)?

Sorry if this is confusing.

[oli8925]

If the stereo is wired in to the same circuit as the headlight circuit, it is likely that the stereo is shutting off from lack of power at times of high usage. HUs and amps have this system to protect their innards, and lights draw a comparatively large current. I can't remember how I wired the stereo on my gfs Mini now, but the easy option is to take a permanent live directly from the battery as has been said. You shouldn't need relays though as there isn't a big current draw, just protect the circuit with fuses. Nor will a relay mean a component draws less power from the battery, it just means the only current going through the switch in the circuit is enough to pull in the relay to connect power to component. As such it protects the switch, useful if putting higher wattage headlights in etc. Study the wiring diagrams to find a suitable switched circuit to take switched live from. You shouldn't be having any problems, my Mini didn't and neither does the gfs, so don't give up, it's not a Mini thing.

Not entirely sure how your tacho is meant to be set up. I guess the 'sensor' is for a shift light or something? I only have dealings with simple ones. Is 'illumination' the light for the shift light? Can't help much with that lot. I think it's standard (and is the way mine is wired) that one red goes to Coil +ve, and the green goes to Coil -ve. If you haven't already, try this set up and see how the tacho reacts, it will need both connected to the correct terminals on the coil to work. The backlight should be simple, I take it that works?

It should give you clear instructions in the leaflet that would have come with it. If you have that post it up if you're still having trouble.

[BTA168]

If the stereo is wired in to the same circuit as the headlight circuit, it is likely that the stereo is shutting off from lack of power at times of high usage. HUs and amps have this system to protect their innards, and lights draw a comparatively large current. I can't remember how I wired the stereo on my gfs Mini now, but the easy option is to take a permanent live directly from the battery as has been said. You shouldn't need relays though as there isn't a big current draw, just protect the circuit with fuses. Nor will a relay mean a component draws less power from the battery, it just means the only current going through the switch in the circuit is enough to pull in the relay to connect power to component. As such it protects the switch, useful if putting higher wattage headlights in etc. Study the wiring diagrams to find a suitable switched circuit to take switched live from. You shouldn't be having any problems, my Mini didn't and neither does the gfs, so don't give up, it's not a Mini thing.

Not entirely sure how your tacho is meant to be set up. I guess the 'sensor' is for a shift light or something? I only have dealings with simple ones. Is 'illumination' the light for the shift light? Can't help much with that lot. I think it's standard (and is the way mine is wired) that one red goes to Coil +ve, and the green goes to Coil -ve. If you haven't already, try this set up and see how the tacho reacts, it will need both connected to the correct terminals on the coil to work. The backlight should be simple, I take it that works?

It should give you clear instructions in the leaflet that would have come with it. If you have that post it up if you're still having trouble.

The first person to wire my stereo did a bodge job and did run a wire from the battery, but connected the other live to the switched 1st ignition. This made my mini break down one time (I think the wire melted) and caused the car to cut out!
So I decided to do a tidier job of it, now my car won't start with it connected to the fusebox at all. I tried changing the switched connectors to another and same problem, it would not turnover now.

I got two red wires which power the rev counter. One for the light, and one to power the sensor. The illumination (orange wire) only dims the light as I have heard. But the instructions that I received with it was too vague, they were just diagrams that were of no use! I will try and get a picture of it tomorrow onto here, but I know for sure that the backlight was more then simple to connect, just the needle movement is the problem?

[TA2DMAC]

An easy trick is to run the live directly to the battery, use an 8 guage wire to the a breaker or in line fuse then to the battery post. Second either run the secondary power wire to any line that works only when the car is turned on, also with an inline fuse, or ad a switch to turn the secondary on and off. I have a power switch to turn my Amps and Stereo on. Also have a second switch hidden as a kill switch for the ignition so the car wont start unless you know where it is.

[BTA168]

I will leave this topic for a week or so. I have to get car resprayed and suspension re-done. I will then take a picture of instructions and car stereo (unless I can get help beforehand) thanks for your help everyone!

[BTA168]

Hi, sorry to bring this topic back up! But the reason my car wouldn't turn over was the battery was loose and so was the negative terminal on the battery! But the stereo still switches on and off when using the flasher? Any suggestions? I don't want to re-wire directly from the battery as mentioned before.
Brandon.