How many power wires does a stereo need?

[arf145]

This is similar to a question asked back in March, but not quite. I'm installing a Clarion stereo unit in our boat cabin and have put in a breaker dedicated to the unit. Black from the unit goes to the panel ground. Small yellow memory wire with 3amp fuse goes to the constant side of the breaker. So far so good.

But then we've got three power type leads:

Large Yellow w/15amp fuse described as "bus power lead"
Red described as "power lead"
Orange described as "illumination lead"

Experimentation shows that having the Large Yellow connected does not make the unit work. Connect the red to the breaker, and the unit works fine. So what is the Large Yellow for? Why no fuse on the red? The Orange, of course, turns on the nifty blue lights, so I guess that will go to the breaker.

Illuminate me, please

[scottyt]

normally if a radio has an illumination wire you would connect it to the dash lights in the car. that way they are dimmed with the dash light dimmer. also most times cars have a radio fuse but a constant source marked for the back up does not exist.

connect the red wire and orange wire together, if when you shut the radio off the lights go off. if they dont go off when the radio is turned off hook it your interior light breaker, so when you turn the interior lights on the radio lights up. or not hook it up at all

edit the yellow wire is the memory feature. i think the best way to hook it up is to the main dc breaker, that way when you are the boat it will keep the settings when you shut the radio off. but when you shut the boat down for the week you wont have the drain, even thou it is a really small drain, then you will have to reprogram it thou

[camaraderie]

ARF...combine the orange and the red.
The yellow BUS wire is only used for some CD changers and Ipod adapters.
I think you are mixed up. The 15amp yellow is usually the memory and the 3 amp is usually the bus. Pls. check and confirm.

[sailingdog]

the memory wire is usually a 1 amp fuse, not a 15 amp fuse.

Originally Posted by camaraderie

ARF...combine the orange and the red.
The yellow BUS wire is only used for some CD changers and Ipod adapters.
I think you are mixed up. The 15amp yellow is usually the memory and the 3 amp is usually the bus. Pls. check and confirm.

[arf145]

Good catch, Cam & Dog! You are right. I just checked the diagram, and the 15amp with larger wire is the memory backup, the 3amp is the bus.

OK, now that we're past that bit of confusion--so I should combine the orange and red. And I guess I'm OK putting the memory yellow to the permanent side of the breaker? It looks like all the breakers are connected to positive with a copper plate.

Thanks again.

[timebandit]

I think the 3amp is for a power ant.

[camaraderie]

NO timebandit ...it is not. Clarion is different. The power antenna lead is blue.

[camaraderie]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

the memory wire is usually a 1 amp fuse, not a 15 amp fuse.

Attention...Attention...the Dawg Made a mistake...I have captured it here before he can edit it out!!

[sww914]

If you connect the red and yellow together you will loose something. Either you will loose your memory if the power is switched before the radio or you will see that the lights stay on in the display and buttons all the time.

[nereussailor]

Whatever you do, don't cross the streams......nevermind, it's late.