If I wire something to the radio... Subaru Gauge Pack FMU?

[farmerjon]

If I wire something to the radio's wires to steal power from it, does the radio have to be on for the other device to work?

Here's what I'm thinking... I'd like to put a Subaru FMU in below my radio, and it is in feet/inches, so it's like a Hilux FMU, (same manufacturer), but cheaper and easier to acquire...

BUT: I don't want my radio on all the time, it's just annoying with all the lights.

Thoughts?

Also, I've never done electrical or wiring in my life, so this will be interesting to figure out.

Source of idea and photo: Subaru Gauge Pack (FMU) in 4Runner? - YotaTech Forums

 

[magnumxix]

** EDIT** I forgot to answer you question; No if you jump off of the stereos 12v it will not affect your doohickey just makesure that you are making a nice connection and electronic tape to seal it up nice, you might get dimming on your doohickey if you blast music really loudly, but I doubt it as they only draw like 80 watts max.


There are different 12v sources you can jump off of.


The 12v that is connected to your stereo is a "remote" line that will only be on if your key is turned to that click before start (power?) that line is used with your stereo to turn it on or off.

There is definitely a Dedicated 12v line, that is routed to the lights, but you can access them easily. There are a few 12v lines throughout the car, but the lights I know are on 24/7.

If you want it able to be on without the car being either running or key in the ignition you can by running off of a light circuit.
(Not recomended as I believe that the unit is constantly on 24/7 resulting in instadeadbatteryovernightsyndrome or IDBONS)


To sum it up USE the stereo's power, you will only be able to use the device with a key in the ignition but you wont IDBONS.






(Also there is a 3rd option I DONT recommend it as you dont know much about car wirings and such, but that is a toggle switch that toggles power which allows you to run of the 12v always on but you can cut it off, that would allow you to run off of the battery when a key is not in the ignition.)

 

[farmerjon]

Not necesarily, There are different 12v sources you can jump off of.


The 12v that is connected to your stereo is a "remote" line that will only be on if your key is turned to that click before start (power?) that line is used with your stereo to turn it on or off.

There is definitely a Dedicated 12v line, that is routed to the lights, but you can access them easily. There are a few 12v lines throughout the car, but the lights I know are on 24/7.

If you want it able to be on without the car being either running or key in the ignition you can by running off of a light circuit.
(Not recomended as I believe that the unit is constantly on 24/7 resulting in instadeadbatteryovernightsyndrome or IDBONS)


To sum it up USE the stereo's power, you will only be able to use the device with a key in the ignition but you wont IDBONS.

I'll look into the wiring diagram for you, as I was going to do the led mod and wanted to change the cigarette lighter to 24/7 on anyways.



(Also there is a 3rd option I DONT recommend it as you dont know much about car wirings and such, but that is a toggle switch that toggles power which allows you to run of the 12v always on but you can cut it off, that would allow you to run off of the battery when a key is not in the ignition.)

Wow, thanks a ton for the well explained answer! I don't need to run the FMU when the key is not in the ignition, I don't want IDBONS It would be nice and simple if I could just wire into something else, but seeing as I've never done it, I'm not sure what it'll be like.

That's kind of you to look into the wiring diagram - even if I have a diagram, I'm not sure how that would help me?

 

[JWaldz]

Like stated above...

The stereo works of a power source and I'm sure a relay to tell it to start when the key is switched from either acc or to fully on. An on/off feature on your radio however should not kill the current for power, it just works as a on/off switch for the specific device. So no, turning the radio off should have no effect if you tapped into it's power.

I tapped into one of my dc adapters (where your car chargers and such go) for my cb radio. It has constant power to it but the cb radio has it's on on/off switch. This allows me to use it while the truck is off. I don't think you would need that option but if your dc adapters don't have the constant power mod done then you can tap into them and use them just as easily.

 

[magnumxix]

It wont, it wouldve been usefull if you wanted IDBONS (my sister is not allowed in my car, or my friend jake, or my brother, or my girlfriend. They invented IDBONS)

The dash removal is EASY, i think you did it with your cupholder mod, just be careful not to ruin the holding clips in the shifter plastic piece, that comes up FIRST then the two trim ear bits around it then there are two screws behind the a/c thing, then you can start pulling the fake wood thing off and then 4 bolts that hold the radio system in.

I just joined up on t4r even though i've had my runnerer for a year now.
I'm gonna go do a build thread for my totally stock 4runner now. PM me with any questions I'll try to help you out.

 

[farmerjon]

It wont, it wouldve been usefull if you wanted IDBONS (my sister is not allowed in my car, or my friend jake, or my brother, or my girlfriend. They invented IDBONS)

The dash removal is EASY, i think you did it with your cupholder mod, just be careful not to ruin the holding clips in the shifter plastic piece, that comes up FIRST then the two trim ear bits around it then there are two screws behind the a/c thing, then you can start pulling the fake wood thing off and then 4 bolts that hold the radio system in.

I just joined up on t4r even though i've had my runner for a year now.
I'm gonna go do a build thread for my totally stock 4runner now. PM me with any questions I'll try to help you out.

Neither of the photos above are mine, in the original post - I just borrowed them from elsewhere. I don't have the Subaru FMU in my hands, it's a bit pricey (~$150) and I might hold off on that for a bit... I have removed the dash before, to install a radio pocket under my single DIN radio...

Welcome to T4R.org! I've owned my 4Runner since March of '12 and it's been a blast! This place is super helpful and a great way to bounce off ideas and get expert info... And thanks for the PM offer, I might just take you up on that when it comes time to mess with my wires! I know I'll have to do that too when I (someday) install off road lights as well...

Will be looking for your build thread!

 

[farmerjon]

Like stated above...

The stereo works of a power source and I'm sure a relay to tell it to start when the key is switched from either acc or to fully on. An on/off feature on your radio however should not kill the current for power, it just works as a on/off switch for the specific device. So no, turning the radio off should have no effect if you tapped into it's power.

Thanks ARKRWLR for explaining it another way... Makes sense, that was one aspect that I was really wondering about - if the radio draws power but just doesn't use it or if it doesn't when it's off, you explained it well. Thanks!

 

[Ilovemy97Limited]

I've been thinking about doing this mod, but I've only found one FMU and it was on ebay for $200. For that price I could order a Hilux FMU.

Where have you been able to find these cheaper?

 

[farmerjon]

I've been thinking about doing this mod, but I've only found one FMU and it was on ebay for $200. For that price I could order a Hilux FMU.

Where have you been able to find these cheaper?

There were just three on eBay for ~$150, with shipping included. I'd actually like these better, since I'd prefer mine down lower, because it feels like too much modification to change up what's up by the map lights...

 

[theizzardking]

wtf is IDBONS.....lol


i also wondered about toyota and subaru interchangeability.....they both seem to love denso sensors and some of the under-hood placement is eerily similar...i think similarities stop there though, i know not really on topic but thought it was cool your looking across brands with out going domestic, haha , let me know how this works out !

 

[BiggJerry]

Other thoughts.
I have a double din 7" touch screen radio installed in that area. And it's a pain in the ass to read. Like not even possible.
And a simple wire to hook up the power for that unit would be the ciggy lighter. On the back side. It comes on and off with the key.
Unless you have done the constant 12volt mod. I've done it and love it.

 

[farmerjon]

wtf is IDBONS.....lol


i also wondered about toyota and subaru interchangeability.....they both seem to love denso sensors and some of the under-hood placement is eerily similar...i think similarities stop there though, i know not really on topic but thought it was cool your looking across brands with out going domestic, haha , let me know how this works out !

Izzardking: see below for the definition of IDBONS, I didn't come up with it, magnumxix did:

(Not recomended as I believe that the unit is constantly on 24/7 resulting in instadeadbatteryovernightsyndrome or IDBONS)

Thanks! This isn't really my idea, I stumbled across it in the YotaTech article I linked in the original post... I like the idea of not having to do conversions and such (like from meters -> feet), and I think it would be cooler down by my radio... Thanks man, I will let you know how it goes, I'll probably document the whole thing in another thread or in my build thread! I think it will be a while though, because it's sorta pricey!

 

[farmerjon]

Other thoughts.
I have a double din 7" touch screen radio installed in that area. And it's a pain in the ass to read. Like not even possible.
And a simple wire to hook up the power for that unit would be the ciggy lighter. On the back side. It comes on and off with the key.
Unless you have done the constant 12volt mod. I've done it and love it.

Thanks for the thoughts BiggJerry - will have to keep that in mind... and that's not a bad idea, to hook into the cigarette lighter... Though sometimes I run my laptop off that port, will it affect the power draw if I have the FMU running off of that too?

 

[BiggJerry]

Thanks for the thoughts BiggJerry - will have to keep that in mind... and that's not a bad idea, to hook into the cigarrette lighter... Though sometimes I run my laptop off that port, will it affect the power draw if I have the FMU running off of that too?

No way would it affect your laptop. Tap into the wires on the back side of the lighter. Two wires on ground and one constant 12v switched on and off by the key :frog:

 

[hrt4me]

Other thoughts. Unless you have done the constant 12volt mod. I've done it and love it.

what is the "constant 12volt mod" (i.e. I understand what it is, but how do you achieve it?)?

 

[Ruiner]

** EDIT** I forgot to answer you question; No if you jump off of the stereos 12v it will not affect your doohickey just makesure that you are making a nice connection and electronic tape to seal it up nice, you might get dimming on your doohickey if you blast music really loudly, but I doubt it as they only draw like 80 watts max.


There are different 12v sources you can jump off of.


The 12v that is connected to your stereo is a "switched 12v" line that will only be on if your key is turned to that click before start (power?) that line is used with your stereo to turn it on or off.

There is definitely a Dedicated 12v line, that is routed to the lights, but you can access them easily. There are a few 12v lines throughout the car, but the lights I know are on 24/7.

If you want it able to be on without the car being either running or key in the ignition you can by running off of a light circuit.
(Not recomended as I believe that the unit is constantly on 24/7 resulting in instadeadbatteryovernightsyndrome or IDBONS)


To sum it up USE the stereo's power, you will only be able to use the device with a key in the ignition but you wont IDBONS.






(Also there is a 3rd option I DONT recommend it as you dont know much about car wirings and such, but that is a toggle switch that toggles power which allows you to run of the 12v always on but you can cut it off, that would allow you to run off of the battery when a key is not in the ignition.)

fixed

 

[Ruiner]

what is the "constant 12volt mod" (i.e. I understand what it is, but how do you achieve it?)?

find a constant 12v wire behind the dash and substitue it for the switch 12v on the lighter so you can charge things while the car is off, there should be a constant 12v wire for you radio (usually orange on aftermarket radios), or you can just run a wire with an inline fuse straight to the battery in the engine bay.

 

[hrt4me]

find a constant 12v wire behind the dash and substitue it for the switch 12v on the lighter so you can charge things while the car is off, there should be a constant 12v wire for you radio (usually orange on aftermarket radios), or you can just run a wire with an inline fuse straight to the battery in the engine bay.

what size inline fuse?

and would I have to run a corresponding ground wire somewhere too?

 

[Ruiner]

what size inline fuse?

and would I have to run a corresponding ground wire somewhere too?

whatever size is on the cigarette lighter in the car normally (probably a 15 amp ). You wouldnt have to wire a ground wire since the cigarette lighter alread has one. You are just switching out a switched 12v wire ( only on when the ingnition/acc is on) to a constant 12v wire ( always has powere regardless of if the car is on or not.

Think of it as having your laptop charger plugged into a surge protector, it wont charge unless the surge protector is switched on now, but if you bypass it and plug your laptop directly into the wall it will charge regadless of if the surge protector plugged into the same wall socket is on or off.

 

[Ruiner]

oddly most domestic manufacturers have their cigarette lighters/power outlets wired to constant from the factory, while most japanese manufacturers have them wired to the ingition. I wonder if its a saftey refulation in japan that we dont have here?