Well guys I got my 94 civic hatch back from insurance after it was stolen in June, of course my hu and subs/amp were stolen, but luckily they left the JBL Speakers! Anyways I went to install an old sony hu today for now i figured but I couldn't get the damn thing to power up after connecting the 12v ignition and battery wires. I thought it might be dead after a few years abuse so I went and bought a pioneer hu like the one that got stolen from me, went to hook this new unit up and same thing. Question #1 can I make my own 12v test light to check these wires that seem to be dead or should i just spend the $7 and get a 12v checker from canadian tire, #2 could this be messed up wiring now because the theifs hot wired the car before? or could it possibly be my ground is not right? (the ground is around a bolt bolted to the metal under the dash where it always was, and I am using the right wires for 12v hookup according to google research, I am not a noob lol at stereo stuff as it is. Any help is appreciated

 

Mate go and fork out for a multimeter. Or just lick it and see what happens. Naa in all honnesty, u are probably getting ur 12v perminent power to it but your aux power cable was probably damaged when it was hotwired since ground and perminent power are both generally straight from the battery, and the aux runs via the key, hence it won't turn on. I am no autoelectrician but I've wired up my fair share of head units in my time, and that's where I would start.

 

When ripping out your stereo, they probably shorted the permanent power wire to ground. This will blow the 7.5 A "BACK UP" fuse in the fuse box next to the battery under the hood. This fuse feeds the yellow wire. The radio fuse under the dash feeds the red wire, only when the key is on.

You can take a small bulb and socket, such as a side marker light, out of a junked car and use that for a test light. But buying a cheap digital volt ohm meter will be very useful for this or other electrical problems in the future.

 

hey thanks guys, I just actually went and picked up a cheap volt tester this morning and I will be playing around with the stuff tonight. Ill let you guys know how it works out and what i find and thanks fpr the tip mk, thanks chaos for sharing your knowledge as im no electrician either! LOL

 

dito most likely it just blew the fuse under the dash..... and maybe the memory fuse under the hood.

 

Haha sorry, I just assumed the fuses would have been the first thing you checked. Yea start there. Then if they are ok, go prodding around with ur volt meter to find whqat power u are getting and what u arnt.

 

well sure enough I check the fuse box in the engine bay this morning and of course the 7.5 amp fuse is blown, all others including in the car were fine. Im going to switch this one out and install the stereo this afternoon. Be sure to check my thread again as Ill post up some pics of the new hu in the car later today. Thanks alot guys (now I hope my amp gets here soon, My other sub and box are waiting for it, my system setup will be identical to mylast setup except for the amp and hu, )

 

hang on i talked too soon there is a blown 15amp fuse inside the car that i need to replace as well. the 12 battery works now, the 15amp is for ignition power. ill postsome pics later

 

Yeah like everyone says its probably something to do with that that acc + wire that is supposed to tell the head unit to turn on when the car electrical power is on. Sersiously, go get a digital multimeter. Go to walmart and get one, and if they have this one:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...5L._SL500_.jpg

get it, seriously I paid $25 for it like 2 years ago and its the best voltmeter I've ever had. Does all you need and more, voltage, resistance, amps, battery load tester, it even has a continuity tester (great when your wiring stuff up). Just check the voltage to each wire, first measure the regular power wire to the head unit and if that doesn't work make sure your ground wire is good (test continuity to the chasis or to the negative side of the battery). Then turn the car on and check it to the acc wire thing.

 

im more of a fan of the cheap light tester simple and effective!