Installing a subwoofer - the Remote wire

Hi all,

I am about to attempt installing my aftermarket stereo plus underseat subwoofer.

The only thing that scares me at the moment is the remote wire.

Anybody tell me step by step how to do this?

I have seen conflicting advice on the net.

Do I need to earth it/connect to battery/ strip any wires etc?

I'm a bit stuck.

Many thanks!

samuelodog wrote: The only thing that scares me at the moment is the remote wire.

Its only a bit of wire

samuelodog wrote:Do I need to earth it/connect to battery/ strip any wires etc?

Do not earth it out, do not connect it to the battery.

Connect one end of the wire to the bit on the sub that is marked 'remote' or whatever indicates that its the remote control enable connection. It should show you in the instructions for the sub.

Connect the other end to the the wire that is/was connected to the back of the radio which is on pin 5 of the 'A' plug. Probably an orange wire. Yes, you may need to cut and strip the orange wire, but it depends on what other wiring you have for a new stereo?

The diagram shows you which is plug A and B of the ISO plugs and you can see pin A5 there too.

See! It began so simple and then it went all crazy!!:

'Connect the other end to the the wire that is/was connected to the back of the radio which is on pin 5 of the 'A' plug. Probably an orange wire. Yes, you may need to cut and strip the orange wire, but it depends on what other wiring you have for a new stereo? '

Please can you clarify this bit?

I connect the other end of my wire to my radio, or to a wire that is going into the radio? Why does it depend on the radio? Would it help if I told you my radio is Pioneer DEH X5500BT?

Many thanks

Sorry for being such a doofus!

Ah - my pack has this: Two blue/white wires, one labelled Remote. Will the remote wire just go in one of these, or does it need to connect to both halves of the blue/white wire? Like some sort of 'T' junction?


Thanks

Check with your installation instructions, in the description of the blue/white wire it will say something like 'connect to remote input on external amplifier'.

You're interested in the part of the wire that connects to your radio. Insulate the part that connects to the car's wiring with tape. All you want is the signal from your new radio.

Looking at your picture, you have a choice of a bare wire connection or a crimp bullet connector. You can use whichever you have connections to fit. Personally I'd go with a bullet connector, but I've got a box of them at home Soldering and then insulating bare wire to bare wire will do just the same job.

Thanks

It just looks like the two parts of the blue/white wire belong together. I can't see why there are two parts to it if I just slot my remote wire into the one that goes into the stereo.

The wiring harness you get is 'universal', it is designed to be many things to many radio installers. There is no reason why you can't plug the two parts together and pick the signal up further into the car's wiring. For cars with built in separate amps you may need to do this. In your case, why complicate the job. Pick the wire up before it has chance to do anything it shouldn't!

samuelodog wrote:Please can you clarify this bit?

The problem was not knowing what addition wiring you have over just the standard citroen plugs.

samuelodog wrote:I connect the other end of my wire to my radio, or to a wire that is going into the radio?

Its the same - the wire going to the stereo is the same wire that connects to the back of the stereo. Just find a nice easy point to connect to anywhere along that wire. (it will be anywhere from the stereo to the original citroen wiring loom).

samuelodog wrote:Why does it depend on the radio?

Because different radios are supplied with different wiring adaptors.

samuelodog wrote:Would it help if I told you my radio is Pioneer DEH X5500BT?

Yes

samuelodog wrote:Sorry for being such a doofus!

Sorry I didn't make it a bit more clear

This helps

samuelodog wrote:

wiring adaptor sub install citroen C3

samuelodog wrote: Like some sort of 'T' junction?

This would work Just strip your wire from the sub and jam it between the 2 parts that join, then cover with insulating tape.


Oh, and everything Missing Lincs says

So I have 3 options:

1: I strip the wire, jam it between those two connections and then tape it all up.

2: I add a 'bullet?' connection to my remote wire.

3: I remove the blue tag thing and underneath it is a bare wire? And I crimp on a connection here and crimp on a connection to my remote wire? This would leave the bullet connectors dangling - or do I hook them up?

Are all the above feasible?

One better than any other?

Many thnaks

samuelodog wrote:One better than any other?

Yes, the 'best' one is where you use a proper ratchet-action crimping tool (here).

Like in this video

samuelodog wrote:1: I strip the wire, jam it between those two connections and then tape it all up.

Why not? Its quick and cheap but not very professional.

samuelodog wrote:2: I add a 'bullet?' connection to my remote wire.

And the female version to the wiring. Its probably the most professional way to go, but you need to make a good crimp and not mash up the bullets with pliers or some other unsuitable tool. (see video)

samuelodog wrote:I remove the blue tag thing and underneath it is a bare wire?

I don't know what that is

samuelodog wrote: I crimp on a connection here and crimp on a connection to my remote wire? This would leave the bullet connectors dangling - or do I hook them up?

Hook them up, otherwise you have wires dangling and if its not connected your radio stations may not tune in any more