Stereo Drains My Battery

[ballarman2]

I installed a new Pioneer stereo into my car with an amp sub woofers, the whole ordeal. Theres no problem with my stereo, it sounds good and everything. My questions is, when i have my car turned off and I want to hear my stereo I have to turn the key half ways. The red light turns on the speedomotor. Is that normal? Should the red light stay on? Does that drain the battery faster? Is there a better way to hook up my stereo? I want to take my car to the drive-in, but I dont want it to drain so fast. Is there any way to connect the stereon to where I dont need to turn the key on my car, and if so, is that better? What should I do, if anything? Or does everything sound about right. Thanks for any advice

[bluebug]

The red light is the generator/alternator light. When the key is on you are powering the coil, points, and carb fuel cutoff solenoid.
Where did you tap in for radio power? You could go back and tap into a fuse lug that is hot with the ignition off, but you will have to make sure it is off when you actually leave the car.
Clark

[ballarman2]

The yellow, memory wire is connected to the battery, and the red wire is connected to the ignition switch, which explains why i need to turn the key to turn on the radio. When the key is on and I am powering the coil, points, and carb fuel cutoff solenoid, is that a bad thing or a good thing? Is it better to do that, or get power straight from the battery and only the battery?

[bluebug]

If you are going to run the radio with the engine not running it is best to run the red radio wire direct to battery power. With the key on you are powering the points and coil, that significantly shortens their lifes. Can overheat coil and burn out the points.
Clark

[ballarman2]

What drains the battery faster while the car is off? Turning on the stereo with the key on, or turning on the radio with out turning the key? Should i connect the red wire to a hot fuse or straight to the batter?

[BoatCop]

Originally Posted by ballarman2

What drains the battery faster while the car is off? Turning on the stereo with the key on, or turning on the radio with out turning the key? Should i connect the red wire to a hot fuse or straight to the batter?

Having the key on without the engine running isn't so much about the drain, as it is about screwing up your ignition system. With the key on, you're putting power into the coil, condenser, points, etc. That can burn out those components.

If you're bound and determined to run a high powered stereo in your Bug, go with a second battery wired in parallel (+ to + and - to -).

To run the stereo with the engine off, wire it directly to a constant hot terminal.