Need help with wiring and illumination on a Subaru radio in a regular neg ground vehicle. I don't think this is discussed anywhere and I cannot find it in any threads.

 

I am such a fan of my Outback that I researched what I think is the best radio possible- a Subaru AM/FM/Cassette/Weatherband head unit with the 6 disc changer. Adding a ipod hack for an Ipod connection gives me the best of all worlds including Weatherband! :headbang:I want to put one in my camper van.

 

Here is my problem/question:

 

If I am installing the Subaru radio in another vehicle everything seems to be straightforward except the dimmer circuit for the lighting.

 

Most vehicles use a variable voltage positive with a negative ground for guage illumination......... But Subaru is using a 12v+ on the positive side and a variable positive as the grounding circuit for illumination.

 

So:

1. If I connect up the 12v illumination (+ orange) hot to the gauge lighting in the car, and the illumination (- orange/white) to a ground will the radio lighting work correctly? It seems it might.....

 

2. BUT! --Are there common circuits in the radio that if I hook it up that way will short circuit something in the radio? I know sometimes there are common hots and grounds in radios and I don't want to damage the camper or Subaru radio.

I'm inclined to say the illumination is separate. There are 4 illumination wires it seems on most subaru radios. Two wires in the main radio harness, and two more wires in a small separate harness. Both sets have the same function, and the same two different color wires, but each one is for certain backlighting in the radio.

Woo slow down before you make a very expensive mistake. i do not know what you are installing this in, but subaru uses a lighting controller, which breaks the lighting into zones. The lighting does not go to ground, but goes back to the controller.

 

Modern cars generally use this same kind of system. You wirit wrong you kill your dash lights and have to replace a black box (which is 100.00 new in a sooby).

I don't think the Subaru radio is specifically designed to work only with that type of dimmer circuit. It should work in either vehicle, just like an aftermarket unit would. The weatherband unit can even operate a power antenna, even though it was never available with one from the factory.