Can someone help me please? I want to try and fit a car cd radio into my van. Are there any site or books or info off here that would help me? I have found the one, but need more as it's my first time fitting one. I have my old car cd radio, Sony CDX-MP40, but can't remember the number? Need to know things like what wiring, fittings and the like?
Hi how old is your van? you may find by looking around the roof lockers that it is already wired all you have to do is fit the speakers and head unit...
------------- "common sence is not so common"...Voltaire
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If there isn't any existing wiring in the van, then you will need most probably need one of the ISO block connectors, which I would guess the head unit has. This will have bare wires coming from it for you to wire up to power, earth, speakers etc. I think the ISO connector will have a wiring diagram with it to show you which wire is which. If not, try a trawl of the net for a wiring diagram, or try your local Car HiFi shop, who may be willing to help you out. If you haven't already looked, you might even find the back of the unit marked with the outputs or a label on the underside with it on.
I would fit the unit in a wall cupboard rather than cuta hole in the front.
Its also out of sight to prying eyes!
The permanent live(memory) should be wired straight from the leisure battery via an in-line fuse otherwise you will lose the memory every tim you connect to the car (post 1996ish vans--habitation relay).
I went the easy route. Made a little plywood box for mine and mounted the radio and speakers in it with a rubber fold down aeriel and a lighter plug on the power leads. I run it from a power pack and it means that I can take it outside into the awning . The only downside is that it won't store radio stations, but where I camp, you don't get that good reception anyway.