How to turn on car amp without remote wire?
The easiest and most inexpensive solution is to run your amp’s remote terminal off of a switched accessory wire.
Table of Contents
One of the most common amp setup issues that automobile owners need to address is the remote turn-on wire, whether it’s on a car, truck, boat, UTV, or golf cart. It is because the remote turn-on wire is responsible for turning your amp on and off. But, what if your factory radio has no remote wire, how do you turn your amp on and off? In this post, we will teach you how to turn on the amp without a remote wire.
Run Your Amp’s Remote Terminal Off Of a Switched Accessory Wire
If the factory radio installed in your vehicle does not have a remote turn-on wire, then the easiest and most inexpensive way to turn on your amp is by running your amp’s remote terminal off of a switched accessory wire. It will create a new remote wire with a default setting.
This new remote wire is only activated when the ignition switch is in the accessory or run position. When you switch off the automobile, the wire loses power, and both the head unit and the amp are turned off. When your vehicle is turned on, your amp will turn on, and when it is turned off, the amp will also turn off.
Switch Inline with the New Remote Wire
You may connect a simple switch inline with this new remote wire if you don’t want the amp to always be on while the vehicle is on. Typically, you’d leave it turned on so that it activates only when the factory head unit is turned on.
However, if you wanted to turn off the amplifier, you could do that by turning it back to off, which would cease the flow of 12 volts to the remote turn-on terminal of the amplifier.
There are additional units that detect the voltage on the speaker wires of the head unit and transmit a +12 volt signal to the remote wire. These devices are a good choice for individuals who don’t want their gear on all of the time (when the ignition is turned on) and don’t want to wire in a switch.
Wire the Remote Turn on To a Switch
Another way to turn on your amp without a remote wire is to connect a continuous power wire and ground to a switch, then connect the switch’s output to the amp’s remote turn on. By flipping a switch, you can control when the amp switches on and off manually.