old car radio

stegomon · Nov 28, 2013

i picked up a car radio at the local swap meet this summer. Realistic Am FM Radio model number 12-1888. i believe that is a 1981-1983 model year. i want to wire this in my 88 b2 for the heck of it. i just can't figure out what leads are what leads.

cvar · Nov 28, 2013

http://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/html/1982/h067.html

I'd open it up, and see where each of the colored wires go to. That would offer lots of clues.

stegomon · Nov 28, 2013

fantastic. thank you

cvar · Nov 29, 2013

Post a photo when you open it up, to see where each color wire goes.
The usual color codes were:

Red = Power (+12v)
Blk = Ground
Grn = ?
Grey = spkr 1
GY/Blk = spkr 2

Pretty hard to go wrong with so few wires. Not sure what Green is for, but I suspect it's for the dimmable radio lighting.

stegomon · Nov 29, 2013

cvar · Nov 29, 2013

Sorry, with such a fuzzy small photo, it's impossible to determine where is the other end of each of those external wires. Looks like they each go to that terminal strip on the back cover. And where do each of them go from there?

Also, have you tried an ohm meter (or continuity tester) to see which wire(s) are directly connected to the metal case? That'd be the ground wire(s). That's the most important one(s) to locate. Next important is power, so then check if RED one is connected to the input power supply, which usually always has the big-ass capacitors (those are cans that look kinda like batteries).

Where does the green go to?

The grey wires should attach to the biggest output transistors of the amplifier circuit.

stegomon · Nov 29, 2013

i cant seam to dig that far into the radio. but i will see what else i can do. see if the wife will let me use her camera. thank you for your help

stegomon · Nov 29, 2013

red +
antenna port is negative.
green and blackish color wire is one speaker
grey and black wire with white strip is other speaker.

but i don't know what wire is neg or positive per speaker. how can i test that out?

OilPatch197 · Nov 30, 2013

stegomon said:
but i don't know what wire is neg or positive per speaker. how can i test that out?

stegomon · Nov 30, 2013

wish i watched this before i started pocking around....lets just say i let the magic smoke out. onto the next radio. thank you for all of your help

killj0y · Dec 1, 2013

Striped is pretty much always negative. With the exception of ground which is black. Power is always red or yellow (yellow or orange is sometimes switched power)

killj0y · Dec 1, 2013

stegomon said:
wish i watched this before i started pocking around....lets just say i let the magic smoke out. onto the next radio. thank you for all of your help

It may not be gone since you have it apart look for a fuse or something.

stegomon · Dec 1, 2013

My father is looking into it. He thinks it may be a bad capacitor

Andy D · Dec 1, 2013

The single DIN Dual I bought for the Rat cost me 69$ and came with a wiring diagram. I got it from Crutchfield

old car radio

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