I am going to install an amp in my trunk and was wondering where I can find the trigger wire in my '99 Maxima with the non bose stereo. Is it behind the head unit or near the electric antenna? What colour is the wire and what guage wire should I use for the trigger wire? Thanks.

 

Is it the lead you be lookin for, in which case you can use any old gauge wire you want. The lead can be connected to anything that is powered once the ignition is on, try the ignition lead under the steering column.

 

I just installed a rockford fosgate amp and a jl sub. it's good to use a line level converter to convert signals to RCAs. this requires splicing of speaker wires behind the factory head unit. while doing this, i also spliced the remote wire to the 12-volt ignition wire. This wire should be blue on one of the factory radio harnesses. You can get an amp kit if you haven't already. This includes everthing you need to install your amp minus the RCA wires: power wire (battery to amp), ground wire (amp to grounding point), remote wire (amp to head unit), and fuse holder. all this cost me around 30 bucks. good luck!

[Edited by j2chan on 12-13-2000 at 03:42 AM]

 

Thanks for the help j2chan! You said that you spliced the remote wire to the 12-volt ignition wire. Where can I find the ignition wire on my '99 Maxima and what method did you use to connect the wires? Also, did you buy a monster cable wiring kit and which company is it made by? Thanks again.

 

you would want to use a line level converter...a small box that splices with the rear + and - terminals for both the left and right sides. This box converts the speaker level signal to low-level, which goes out in the form of RCAs. To splice this, you need to get to the back of the head unit. behind the head unit are two wiring harnesses. for a diagram, go here: http://www.installdr.com/Harnesses/Nissan-Wiring.pdf

The blue wire on one of the harnesses is the 12 volt ignition wire that needs to be connected to the remote wire on the amp. The easiest way to splice the wires is using butt connectors. You can find these at any hardware store. you insert the wires into the butt connector and crimp it using a crimping tool. not hard. The difficult part is getting behind the head unit which you can find at http://www.installdr.com/
I used this blue wire that was behind the head unit because i was using a line level converter for better quality. However, if you are using fosgate's high level inputs on the amp, you dont need a line-level converter. but i do not know of any other place you can connect the remote wire to.

The amp wiring kit i bought was Monster Cable - the 200 watt version should do. Monster Cable is the actual brand.
sorry this is so long and wordy...hope it helps.

 

Thanks for the help j2chan. I am very new to car audio and need as much help as possible. How much should I expect to pay for a 200watt Monster Cable kit? Thanks.

 

the kit should be around 30 bucks

 

Trigger wire? You mean the remote wire. Im guessing you have the factory HU. In this case you need a line converter that converts your speaker outputs into a RCA line. You would use one of the wires from the converter. This runs around $30 or so.

If you HAD the Bose unit, the converter would cost over $100. Luck you.

Call up crutchfield or any local car audio shops.

 

J2 and Synki are correct, of course, but perhaps 1 more piece to clarify....

There are two different things going on here.... (1) The 12V Amplifier turn on signal, and (2) the input to the amplifier (the music signal).

the turn on signal is just a simple 12V signal, not really used for anything other than telling the amplifier to turn on. That's why it's tied to the Electronic antenna circuit of car stereos

the signal source, since it's the factory head unit, yes, will either require an amp that takes speaker level inputs, or converting the signal to RCA pre-out signals that any amp can accept.

Prediction: If you still have the factory head unit and factory speakers, you're about to begin something that won't stop until you've eventually replaced everything and added an amplifier for the 4 main speakers too. It is fun, though... Start saving.

 

Can anyone give me a picture of a line level converter. Is there a certain brand I should look for or are they all the same quality and price wise? Thanks.

 

Here's a pic of the one Crutchfield sells....

http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S...i=101PL2&a=&o=


And one of Radio Shack's... http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...5Fid=12%2D1338

Short term... it's only 20 bucks.. why not?

Long term... you want a new stereo with line outputs, because -
- It sounds better - You're not amplifiying lower quality speaker level outputs
- You can use a crossover, and keep the regular speakers from wasting their time trying to produce bass, since you have a subwoofer
- you can wire it so you can use your fader, without changing the volume setting of the subwoofer (depends on the brand/price level of your receiver). For example, now, you'll most likely tie the subwoofer level to the fade level of your rear speakers... But a lot of people, once they see how great a subwoofer sounds, start listening mainly to their front speakers.

 

jsmiam, thanks for the help. Is there any difference in quality between the line level converter Radio shack sells or the one that Crutchfield sells. Also, after installing it, does it stay behind the head unit out of sight, or does it sit outside somewhere? How should I mount it and where? Thanks so much.

 

I don't know which is better, I'm sorry.... As a trained audio snob (kidding), it is my job to say they all are bad, and that you should win the lottery, and buy all new equipment. :-)

But seriously, though.... Why not just do the Radio Shack one? I bet there's a Radio Shack close to you. Be really careful not to damage or scratch it, open the box or package it comes in really carefully, and keep the unit and it's packaging looking good as new, so that you can return it if you don't like it. No shipping headaches to deal with either.

 

I agree with jsmiam, There is a definite difference in sound quality between the convertor and RCA's. Best bet is to run a new deck, but if you want, for ease, just splice the convertor into the sound wires underneath the rear speakers. Open your trunk and you should see them clearly under the rear deck.

 

I got the line level converter and there are 4 wires on one side(right+ right- left+ left-) and the speaker output wires on the other side. Do I have to connect all four wires even thought I only have one subwoofer?

 

Yep you need all four wire. You will have a total of 2 RCA cables, left and right channels. You need to use all 4 of them so they RCAS will work. The Left channel will need a pos and neg to work. Same w/ the right channel. You would mount this behind the HU.

 

Hey Synki,
I was trying to hook up the wires for the entire system but the amp wouldn't turn on. I tried both of the blue wires behind the head unit for the turn-on lead but it still didn't work. Can the amp turn on just with the lead and the power wire because mine doesn't, or do I have to hook up everything because I wasn't sure if I hooked up the line level converter correctly. I think the problem may be the connections because I didn't solder them together or the line level converter hooked up incorrectly. Can you help me out. Thanks.

 

You need a volt meter to test which has current. YOu can slo do this if you cant find it. Run a small wire from the AMP power wire terminal and run that to the remote terminal. It will work but you wil lahve to yank the remote wire off everytime you shut your car off or your battery will be dead. The best thing like i said get a volt meter adn see which wire basck there has current when the HU is on and has no power when the car is off.

 

make sure you have a proper ground. very important.
the blue remote lead should be spliced with your power antenna.
hope this helps.

 

Thanks so much Synki, Enticiveblkmax, and Jsmiam for the help. The reason why the amp didn't turn on was the ground wire. Thanks to you guys, everything works and now I can start building a box for my sub! I really appreciate the help guys!

 

where is the best place to connect the line convter to?
behind the radio to the sperker wires or to the rear deck speakers?? will noise be picked up running the rca's from the front to the back of the car more than just having it hooked up to the back shelf? i think it would look better if ran from the front to the back.. also is this the only way to hook up an amp useing the bose head unit? thanks..,.,

 

Wicked, the best plave would be right behind your HU. Just ziptie it or use velcro to hold it in place. That is where i mounted them when i had to use those for factory radios.

 

well i just kinda shoved mine in there and stuffed the hu in the hole after it. i used good old electrical tape to wire my HU! when i put in my new system, clarion deck... speakers and amps up the wazoo... i'll be soldering connections.

anyone want to buy pioneer deck, line out convertor or BOSE speakers and amps included?

 

from the installdr.com it looks like Nissan harnesses have 2 ground wires, correct? pin F Amp Ground Wire and pin K Ground Wire. since both wires are grounded, we can either one?

http://www.installdr.com/Harnesses/Nissan-Wiring.pdf