Radio relocation wires

[vigness]

I'd swear I've seen them, but I'll be damned if I can find them now.

Want to relocate the radio to mount my new Garmin. I have the adapter harness that came withe the aftermarket radio I put in a few years ago, so I'm not mystery wire hunting.

Basically I need to extend 10 or 12 wires about 5'. Primarily the paired speaker wires ( 8 ), and then the on and switched positive. The ground can be picked up about anywhere, and I don't use the Aux. I see a few kits for some of the high end cars that are 15' to 20' long and have all the right factory ends and the high factory end prices. Anybody know where a guy could just get a decent chunk of just the correct colored wires? Speakers use a purple, green, white, and gray pairs, one with a black strip on each. I could just get a roll of wire and color code via tape or shrink tube, but if I can find the wires that would be preferable.

 

[RonD]

I doubt you will find the color matches you want

You should be able to find the 7 wire trailer light cables, two of those would be 14 conductors of correct gauge

Just color code them to match what you want

 

[Uncle Gump]

I'm cheap... and good wire isn't so cheap these days. I would find a good deal on a singe color large spool the correct gauge. Then just build the extension harness using the single color with enough exposed original color at the connector ends and tape up the extension.

 

[RonD]

+1 ^^^

Good idea
And if you get white wire you can use fine point sharpie to write color codes on the wire ends
Any lighter colored wire can work as well

 

[vigness]

Ohhhh, I love the white wire idea! I was thinking read and black with some tape or shrink tube to color code, but she has loads of gel pens and pint markers and all sorts of different things for her craft junk.

Next time I'm near the electronics shop it's time to start getting a spool of wire. I'll have to look to see just what gauge they are, but I remember all the fun I had soldering those tiny wires so I know that aren't' that big.

 

[RonD]

The 12v and ground will need to be 18ga, so just use all 18ga, easy to tin and solder

Don't forget antenna extension

 

[vigness]

I should be good on the antenna. I'm relocating it to a visor shelf. Not too picky on where it goes up there. The aftermarket radio is half as high and only three inches deep. The big hole where the factory radio was is an almost perfect fit for my OTR800. Going to use the slider mount for the radio to let me pull it forward and rotate it to portrait mode if I want, but back to landscape for control / vent access. May even make a 'hidden drawer' behind the Garmin.