Fault and/or best way for Ignition feed for radio?

Hi Guyz.

Already related in thread http://www.fiatcoupeclub.org/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=509933&fpart=2
that fitted a new cheapo radio/CD/MP3/SD/USB/Aux/etc unit midweek with ISO connections.

I guess I had a premonition then when I said all had gone okay & "Hopefully the car's battery won't be flat tomorrow...."

Hadn't used the car for last 48hrs. Tried to start the car this morning to head out for lunch with friends and instead of the 99.9% leap into life, it was one dead growl and silence.

Pleased to say a jump lead start from neighbour got me going and after 30 mile drive, it started again promptly after lunch (11V on meter, 13V when driving). I took the new radio out as finger of suspicion points 100% at it.

I'm assuming that the new radio unit has drained it over the last few days while OFF (I'm 99% sure I didn't leave it on though can't be 100.00% sure) - ie that the ISO feed labelled by them '12V ignition/Car Key symbol' MEANS ignition and NOT permanent 12V as provided by the std Fiat loom/ISO as the radio circuitry must be lazy (they got it to £40 somehow) ?

So two questions:

1) Does that seem feasible ? ie that drains away or is it likely it's just a faulty piece of junk ?

2) Othwerise is there a ready/simple way to provide 12V ignition ? I saw mention on here of tapping into cigarette lighter; but then also comments about unused connectors on fuse panel ?

Thanks for any input.

I've soldered a wire into the cigarette lighter loom for my ignition feed

Well pleased to say the support email for the Tevion replied promptly to my chase email.

They say the unit does require IGNITION SWITCHED power on its red/ISO7 lead and NOT a permanent feed.

So just looking for guidance as to best/simplest/elegant/safest way to implement that (no soldering iron here, lol).

Sounds to me as if there's some design weaknesses in their circuitry for it to use current while off but I guess that's what you get for £40 for a 3yr warranty item (though emails replied to personally within 2 hours is a service I bet very few ICE firms provide!)

Did a bit of digging around in the site and found this:
http://www.fiatcoupeclub.org/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=367896#Post367896
Seems like a lot of soldering/etc though

The more I think about this the LESS HAPPY I am. Surely a 'fit for purpose'/'merchantable quality' radio should NOT drain that much juice when off (which I'm 99% sure it was) and shouldn't REQUIRE (per importer/support) an ignition switched 12v supply. After all the Clarion sat there very happily NOT killing my battery in 9 years, let alone 48hours! I'm leaning towards returning it to ALDI as not fit for purpose.

PS:
Been reading up about alternative units - eg Kenwood do a similar unit for not much more - and its manual specifically documents all the permutations of ISO 4/7 eg "The A4 yellow is not connected while A7 red is constant (or both A7 and A4 are constant)" ... "always make sure to turn off the unit's power when the ignition is turned off".

Argh

Well to wrap this one up....

I did some more research with Sony website (dreadful!); Panasonic (tallied with Kenwood, ie 100% supported idea of a permanent feed, and VW/Audi backtofront wiring); and had emailed Kenwood too and got a prompt/full personal reply confirming their models support permanent 12V as one would expect.

So on basis the Tevion was peverse in requiring an ignition switched feed; clearly consumed noticable power even when off; and hadn't had any expert input here: I decided to call it a day.

So back to Aldi it went - the supervisor hummed and hah'd a little bit as it was just over 30 days (their usual 'returns' period) but I guess she knew I wasn't going to take no for an answer so she gave me a full refund - so that's one annoying learning experience that the Coupe doesn't like the cheapest radio lol.

Gotta consider my options a lot more now - as the Tevion was all singing all dancing : ie FM/MW/LW and CD/MP3/WPA and Aux and USB and SD card - and need to be sure which features I need now (other than permanent 12V) while driving around with a silent/blank hole in the console...

hi i am not convinced it was your stereo that was causing the drain, [although it could be]i.e. an old alarm led can drain in 3 days, the dodgy wire`ng the coop has i.e the doors , worst of all the starter motor as i found last year, would be a good time to check with out a stereo in for a week or two maybe,

Hey Mule

Thanks for the idea, but I do think it would WAY too much of a coincidence for it to be some other new/novel cause. My lovely LE has only ever "let me down" once with the oil cooler/piping going on the M1 after 33000/5.5 years, and the OEM Clarion radio had not once been left on to deplete the battery.

Since my Sunday jumper-start and two 30 mile journeys, I've just tootled round town half a dozen times and Volts have remained at normal 11V on dash on start, and 13V when running and no hints of any starting problems.

So I'm reasonably sure that fitting the new radio had caused a sudden loss of juice that had only ever happened to me once before when the original battery was on its very last legs in the middle of a cold winter snap after 7.25 years (when £34 in Costco for a Bosch Silver 6PN came to my rescue).

The radio's UK distributor was adamant that to solve my battery drain problem I needed a 'switched' connection feeding their unit.

Anyway shall soon find out I guess as have fitted this afternoon a fresh Kenwood unit that's fully documented in the manual as wiring suited to permanent 12V supply, and confirmed by their UK support as such.

Nice thing about the Kenwood is that it's 'colour-coordinated' to the LE with a Titanium like surround, with black, and then relatively discrete Red illumination = made for the LE

I am 100% sure it was OFF when I put the car in the garage this evening. (My test meter was showing steady 12V on ISO A pins 4 & 7 before fitting BTW.)

Tho you are of course right it MIGHT be coincidence AND as I originally said while I was 99% sure I'd turned the Tevion OFF before parking up the car, it's just POSSIBLE I might not have. Anyway it's an issue to be alert to; if nothing else for Coupe'rs to decide if you DO want to change the std radio wiring to be ignition switched to avoid any chance of such battery drain while car is off.

Fingers crossed anyway, and jumper leads kept in the boot!

DT

Yep one week one and battery has been fine. Even after 3 cold inactive days in the garage the volts were entirely normal and car starting fine so problem definitely 'cheapo' radio that didn't like permanently on supply.

Anyone else stimulated to say goodbye to their old cassette, the Kenwood KDC-W3037A (variant of the W311A I got from Argos with my vouchers) is £59.99 with free fitting at Halfords # 965715 right now (which would simplify things if you've lost your Clarion removal tools).

Well that might confound my problem of why my battery light is still on, its only started happening since my new head unit was in...

well done deetee im glad that its cured, and glad you sorted it your self well done again.