simple way to find which wires go where

[85c10]

here is a simple way to tell what wires are which. black is always ground no matter what(im in auto tech. is school, doing electrical this semester)anyway if you have a bunch of wires and dont know where they go get a 12v. battery(like the ones out of a smoke alarm), and a dvom(digital volt ohm meter). to look for power put the black lead on a good ground, the other lead on the wires, one of them should say 12 volts with ign.off thats the memory, next wire should read 12v, with ign.on thats 12v. batt. supply. The battery is used to find the speakers, put one wire on the pos. side and toush the rest to the neg, one of the speakers will buzz, indicating witch wires go where, hope this helps.

Shane

Edited by: 85c10 at: 2/24/05 10:32 am

[duke350]

just wanted to say, black is NOT always ground. best thing to do is get a diagram. places like crutchfield will send you one with purchace from them, autozone has free schematics avail online, the12volt is a good source, etc. as odd as it seems, some cars black is power. just yesterday i had a car here in the shop that had messed up wiring because the guy tried to install his own stereo and assumed that black is always ground. its not hard to do, but if there is any doubt always get a schmetic first.  

[redrum4441]

also never probe a yellow  orange or purple behind the head unit... lots of auto manufactures use them colors for air bags.. so if you want your face dont probe you will take a bag goin 160 mph   good luck and id get a wireing diagram

[85c10]

i wish my truck had airbags
Shane

1985 chevy c-10 silveraldo

[Narcisist]

I've always just used a 12v test light and a AA battery.  I ground the light on the body and touch wires til I find the hot one, then do it with the ignition on to find the power wire, then I hook up to a power wire to find the ground, (it is not always black, I learned that when I tried to install an aftermarket ignition in my old LUV and the starter would only engage with the clutch in, every time you put the clutch in).  Then when I know which wires are for the the stereo I start touching them to the battery in different combinations until a speaker ticks.

[Chevynut]

Airbag?  Whats that?  

'73 Cheyenne
Long live the Chevy Truck

[Lt.Del]

Heck, you could always blow into a gallon size zip lock bag and duct tape it to your dash just in case you are in a crash.

Airbag defined....that is that device that makes everyone's collison insurance increase, whether you have a bag or not.  You would think insurance premiums would drop due to the saving of lives....not so.

SgtDel

Edited by: SgtDel at: 1/19/06 3:50 pm