Where do I hook up the remote wire for an amp?
If you’re thinking about where to connect the remote wire for a car amplifier, you have a few options. You can tap it into your car’s fuse block, connect it to the ACC wire, use any 12v switched source, utilize the power antenna wire, or a turn-on module for this purpose.
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The remote wire for a car amplifier is located at the back of the stereo. It’s commonly a blue and white wire on aftermarket stereos. When the stereo is turned on, the remote wire will “command” your amp to turn on.
Since auto-turn-on technology detects the incoming signal from the head unit via the RCA or speaker level inputs, some modern amps don’t require a remote turn-on wire. However, if your amplifier doesn’t have that feature, you’ll need to connect the remote turn-on wire.
In this post, we will go through the steps to connect the remote wire for a car amplifier at five different spots.
Use Your Car’s Fuse Box
Taking advantage of empty fuse box spaces is one of the easiest ways to tap into your vehicle’s electrical system. To begin, locate the fuse box. Look through your car’s owner’s handbook if you don’t know where it is. Next, glance at your fuse diagram and try to figure out where you want to begin.
See this video for visual help.
As long as your remote wire is only powered up while the car is turned on, you may connect it to nearly any fused output terminal.
You must use a voltmeter and begin probing to see if that’s the case.
Turn your voltmeter to DC (which is the solid line with dots blowing it), connect the black test lead to good ground, and place the sharp point of the red test lead into one hole first, then the other.
When the ignition is switched on, the voltmeter reads 12 volts, and when it is switched off, it reads nothing, indicating that the fuse turns on and off with the automobile. As a result, the remote turn-on cable can be connected to that fuse.
Connect it to the ACC wire with a tap connector
Connecting the remote turn-on wire of your amp to the accessory wire is essentially the same as tapping into the fuse box.
There are several ways to tap into an electrical line, but the simplest is to buy a quick tap connector, insert the wire you wish to tap into it as well as the new wire, and tighten it down. This procedure does not necessitate any splicing or cutting.
In this video, you can see exactly how it’s done. You can buy the connector here!
Try with a Turn on Module
A turn-on module is essentially a little gadget that provides a turn-on signal to the amplifier. The majority of turn-on modules can generate a remote turn signal from any voltage source that is more than +0.8V. It means that you can use a speaker wire to turn on your remote.
When the turn-on module detects voltage on the speaker wire, it sends a +12 volt signal over the remote wire to the amplifier’s turn-on circuit.
Switched 12v Power Source
You can get your amp to switch on and off automatically using methods other than connecting the remote turn-on wire to the ACC wire. Practically any 12v switched source will suffice. If your amp is located in the trunk, for instance, the switch-on wire can be connected to the fuel pump wire.
Power Antenna Wire Option
On your head unit, you can use the power antenna as a remote turn-on wire. However, you must ensure that it is active in all modes.
The majority of automobiles have permanent antennas. Otherwise, those that don’t generally become charged when the head unit or the key is switched on.
In other words, when the radio is turned on, the power antenna wire in certain vehicles will only output 12 volts.
