PLEASE HELP! Need radio off when ignition is off!

[southernhummerguy]

Okay, so I searched the all mighty interweb and basically found nothing that addresses how to fix my problem. I have the monsoon sound system as well as an aftermarket sub-woofer and amp. I wired the remote "on" wire for the amp to the "on" wire in the head unit. This was fine and dandy until my battery started dying out within a year of replacing it (so it's definitely not the battery). My problem is that the radio stays on even after turning the ignition off, thus causing the amp and sub-woofer to continue draining the battery. I was hoping somebody could provide an alternative wire I could attach it to, :huhr even better, a way to have the radio turn off when the ignition turns off. Thanks for the help!

PS. I disconnected the power to the amp, and it's been turning over fine ever since.

 

[M22KLARS]

You could always connect your auto turn on wire for your new amp to the auto turn on wire for the monsoon amp... Let me find the schematics for that wiring.

 

[erdlen65]

You could also add a kill switch for the aftermarket amp

 

[abearden]

Run a power relay for the radio/amp off of the ignition-ON instead of directly to power. Radio/amp will only get power when the ignition is in the 'on' position, and it will cut when in the 'off' position.

 

[southernhummerguy]

Thanks for the quick replies! Erdlen65, ironically the idea of a kill switch hit me about 2 hours after submitting this post:giggle: so I picked up a relatively cheap one at Wallie World. However, I'm still hoping to make the entire head unit turn off when I turn the ignition off. Abearden, do yo know which wire in the ignition relay I would need to "hack" to attach my head unit power wire?

 

[abearden]

In the Hummer I have no idea which wire you'd need to splice.

Also, if just occurred to me that you may want to check your wires. Radios usually have 2 power wires: memory and power. Power goes to the ignition-on line and the memory goes to the battery to keep stations saved. Didn't accidentally tap the memory line for the amp sensor, did you?

 

[erdlen65]

If you do decide to use a kill switch I would recommend getting an illuminated switch so you don't forget to kill it before you get out, or if you accidentally turn it on you'll know. Good luck

 

[Steve #1]

Not sure I completly understand your problem.
Is the radio staying on or is just the amp staying on?
Did you connect the amp's remote turn on to the pink wire on the radio?

 

[algin5109]

This happens with my factory radio. Never really noticed it till recently. When I turn off h3 and remove key from ignition radio stays on till I open door. Guess its cool to be ale to listen to radio like that till ur car don't start

 

[southernhummerguy]

Surprisingly the hardest part has been trying to fit the toggle switch into the designated area for the factory switches (for the off-road and marker lights). The remote wire is now spliced with the pink power wire in the back of the head unit. From there, I cut the amp power wire and attached one end to one side of the toggle switch and the other end to the other end of the toggle switch. I definitely agree Erdlen65, and I was intending to install the illuminated switch, but the dimensions didn't work. :shame: So I had to settle with the metal one, but at least it has an "on/off" labeling plate. Anyways, from there the amp power wire runs to the amp like it normally would. It worked fine, so hopefully there will be no more battery issues!

I'm going to check to see if I still have the wiring schematic for the H3 saved somewhere on my computer. I still want to figure out which wires I could splice to have the ignition control when it turns on and off. Oh, and to help clarify, it's just like Algin5109 said, my radio stays on until I open my door. This was causing the amp to stay on (since the remote power was still getting a signal) and draining my battery. Hope that helps!

 

[M22KLARS]

I thought all newer cars had radios that stayed on until you opened the doors.........

 

[f5moab]

This happens with my factory radio. Never really noticed it till recently. When I turn off h3 and remove key from ignition radio stays on till I open door. Guess its cool to be ale to listen to radio like that till ur car don't start

That is known as the RAP circuit and stands for retained accessory power and like you noted, it leaves the radio on until the door is open OR IT WILL SHUT OFF AFTER 10 MINUTES REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE DOOR IS OPENED OR NOT. Pretty common on all new vehicles.