remote for amp '93 Accord

[PolarCivic]

I'm installing an amp in my '93 Accord. My luck has gone dry for a remote power. The head unit is out of question....spent 2 hours trying to get it out, and ended up messing up the tabs holding it in place, but never succeeded in removing the head unit from the basket. Any suggestions? I've tried the trunk, but found wires that were ALWAYS dead or ALWAYS hot.

[kicker1_solo]

I had the same problem when I was putting my brother's stereo in. So what I did first was hook it to his parking lights, so when he wanted his amp on he just turned on his parking or driving lights. After a while I decided to change it, so I made a little switch for it. It was a little toggle switch that I mounted in the car. Ran a hot wire from the battery with a fuse on it to the switch, and then ran the rest of the wire to the amp. Want the amp on, just flip the switch, want it off, just flip the switch. We both liked that a lot better.

[PolarCivic]

That is an idea. The only problem is if I forget to turn off the toggle I get a dead battery. What I'm hoping to do is find something that only has power when the car/stereo is in the ACC or ON position, that way when the car is off, the amp goes with it.

[93speed]

You could probably just tap into the antenna remote wire (blue) so when your radio turns on the amp will too. Plus the wire is already run for you

On a side note, I know how much of a bitch that radio is to get out. I had like 8 different extensions and adapters and all kinds of shit on my ratchet to reach in there to get the dumb bracket out. But its soooo worth it

[PolarCivic]

I know about the blue wire on the head unit for the power antenna, but then that brings me back to the problem of getting to the head unit. The bracket removing devices were taken as a token to bestbuy (I had them install it 'cause I was lazy, and the took the removing clips). When I tried to remove, I nearly bent the retaining clips (the clips that keep the headunit in a nice flush position) and the head unit would slide whenever you'd press a button. I'm not sure if they actually tapped the blue wire from the head unit into the factory plug. I know when I intstalled my pioneer headunit into my Civic I just left it hanging 'cause it wasn't necessary. Like my Civic, my wife's Accord doesn't have a power antenna (it's a DX model). I guess I took the long way of asking, but, where in the trunk would this wire be? When we were back there looking for a hot, we checked 2 accessory plugs that were just hanging and only found the one constant hot that was mentioned earlier. Somehow that thing has power regardless of the car's accessories. Lemme know where this wire can be found. I apprecaite it.

[93speed]

Did I read correct, you don't have a power antenna? In that case, I have no idea where or if you have a power wire back there. In my car, I pull the left side of the trunk lining and its right there. They have a harness type deal with power/ground/etc. Hope this helps...

[PaulD]

Originally posted by 93speed
You could probably just tap into the antenna remote wire (blue) so when your radio turns on the amp will too. Plus the wire is already run for you

That isn't too good of an idea unless you only want a radio ...... when you turn the CD player (which turns the radio off) most radios will lower the antenna which will turn off the amp. Also, the antenna lead may only be active while the antenna is raising or lowering. Try hooking the same on/off switch mentioned above to a point that turns off when the car is off - that will prevent you from accidentally leaving the amp on and draining the battery.

[PolarCivic]

Does anyone know where a 12v power source that is only present when the car is in the ACC or ON position is located? I gots no power antenna, every wire I checked in the trunk is either dead, or has power at all times, regardless of switch position. I can run the wire where necessary (except from the head unit...too big a headache to get out). I can't run a toggle switch because I'm afraid that it's too easy to forget to turn off (if I forget my lights, I'll forget the switch for my amp). Any help is appreciated, and I also appreciate the ideas I've recieved so far.


93speed: I checked for the antenna 'cause I knew that gen Accord had 'em. All I found was about 5ft antenna cord rolled up slopily, and no indication of a harness. The harnessess I did find if I remember correctly were very near the driverside brake lights, and near the driverside rear speaker location (but not the driverside rear speaker harness). I don't know what accessories these were meant for. The harness near the brake light was the one that had one wire that was constantly hot.

[Duatone]

if you really want itthat bad, you can tap your remote wire into your radio fuse in thei nternal fusebox, though, i must worn you, if that wire gets to hot it will burn everything around it, we did thato nce to a buddies beater car, toasted the internal fusebox, a couple external fuses under the hood, and burnt the carpet around the wire from the front to the back of the car. this was the first time ive ever seen anything like that, i think itj ust got to hot in the fust panel. but id take itb ack in where you had it installed, most stores have it mandatory that they run a little extra wire for remote and/or RCA...we use to just run a foot or so and tuck it under the carpet, thus if they dont need it, they dont see it.