Factory amp hook up
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
Factory amp hook up
I recently bought a factory amp and sub combo for an Explorer. I also have an aftermarket cd player in my explorer. I was wondering if anyone could tell me what two wires are the inputs and what wire is the remote amp turn on wire. A wiring diagram would be a great help.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 8,462
Likes: 4
From: Durant, OK (SOSU)
When you bought the factory radio they woulda had to put a wiring harness to connect the aftermarket HU to the vehicle's stock sound system.
If it's a harness of any decency, it will have an amp remote turn on wire running out of it, in most cases it's a dark blue wire.
The inputs are RCA cables that run from the back of the HU to the amp. They will probably be the only RCA outputs on your HU and inputs on your amp, just connect + to + and - to -. That should do it!
If it's a harness of any decency, it will have an amp remote turn on wire running out of it, in most cases it's a dark blue wire.
The inputs are RCA cables that run from the back of the HU to the amp. They will probably be the only RCA outputs on your HU and inputs on your amp, just connect + to + and - to -. That should do it!
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
This is a FACTORY amp and sub combo with factory style connections. No RCA inputs on the amp. There is five wires that run into the amp and they are RED=positive, YELLOW=ground, BLACK=?, WHITE=? and BARE=?. There is two wires that come out of the amp and go to the sub. What I really need is wiring diagram for the amp. It came out of an old explorer that someone has clipped the connections that went into the back of the original head unit and took the head unit.
New User
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Only 5 cable going into the amp? You need at least 2 for power, one for "turn on" plus the audio signal, that's 2 per channel. Or this amp only provides one channel for the sub (combining left and right channel), but in that case You either need a Head Unit that has an output for a subwoofer, or You need a special coupling facility, that "extracts" the very low frequency from the two stereo channels into one. Don't know how they name it.
How do You know about the colors You have already identified?
How do You know about the colors You have already identified?
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
I know about the positive and negative wires because I was able to trace them back to there source but the other three I was not able to trace because they were already clipped when I took the amp and sub out of the old Explorer. This amp only had two output wire and they were connected to a single factory sub, I also believe this amp is only a single channel amp because of the fact that there are only two wire for a input. The three that I need to know inorder to hook the amp up are BLACK=?, WHITE=? and BARE=?. Two of the three are the inputs while the other is the remote turn on. I know how I would hook up an after market amp to my after market head unit but like I said this is a factory amy with factory style conections, a wiring diagram of the factory amp should help me identify the other three wires but I can not find a wiring diagram in any of my manuals for my Explorer.
Trending Topics
New User
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
tja.
How about opening the case and checking - it should be fairly easy to distinguish between the power on and line input, once You can have a look at the circuit board.
The rest would be pure guessing. What do You mean with bare - no insulation, or transparent insulation?
How about opening the case and checking - it should be fairly easy to distinguish between the power on and line input, once You can have a look at the circuit board.
The rest would be pure guessing. What do You mean with bare - no insulation, or transparent insulation?
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 6 Best Deals Available on New Fords & Lincolns Right Now
Brett Foote
This Hennessey Takes the Expedition Tremor's Off-Roading Capability to the Next Level
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals
Joe Kucinski
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
New User
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
no insulation - that can neither be used for sound signal nor plus or power on. Are You absolutely positive about the yellow cable being ground? The only purpose of a bare cable in a car may be ground - so I would suspect Your yellow cable is something else anyways. Sorry, but I won't be able to help You in this (unless You take it to me, and we have a look at the insides - but then You would have to cross the Atlantic)!
Best regards,
Olof
Best regards,
Olof
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
The black, white and bare wire were at one time wrapped together in to one insulation. The positive and negative wires are on the opposite side of the three unknown wires so I am sure on the yellow being a ground, besides the red and yellow are a bigger wire then the rest.
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
I did open the case and it looks to me as if the black wire is the input negative, the white is the input positive, and the bare is the remote turn on. Does this sound right? Also what I'd like to know is what typr of watts the factory sub amp puts out?
New User
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
I am afraid You will have to give it a try! 
I can't tell You the power of the amplifier, but maybe You can find it in old advertising or a brochure on that model of Ford Explorer. Sometimes they make some kind of a secret of it though. I wouldn't give too much on that anyways - as long as the sound is good. There are more important quality criteria for audio equipment than pure power (unlike for the cars engine
).
I can't tell You the power of the amplifier, but maybe You can find it in old advertising or a brochure on that model of Ford Explorer. Sometimes they make some kind of a secret of it though. I wouldn't give too much on that anyways - as long as the sound is good. There are more important quality criteria for audio equipment than pure power (unlike for the cars engine
).
