Illumination wire (white/orange)?

Post Thu Aug 17, 2006 7:31 pm

Sort of a cheeky double post really 'cos i've asked this in a post in the tech help section!!

Just wonderin' if anyone has this wire connected and what to???

I presume it's just a very small current and i could just hook it into a dash light or something, but i'm not keen on doing that really!

Any ideas??
Hoping to have this h/u installed before gaydon!!

Post Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:04 pm

your instruction manual should tell you how to wire it up.

Post Fri Aug 18, 2006 11:53 am

Nah mate, that would be far too easy!!
Generally they'll expect it to be already connected on the ISO connector, but there's nothing connected to it on the stereo that's there at the mo!!
Just wondering if anyone else has this connected and what to!
I would assume there should be a standard connection point for this somewhere - factory fit systems must have been wired so the radio buttons light up when the headlights/dash lights etc are on!!

Post Fri Aug 18, 2006 1:33 pm

find out which one it is on ya clock/obc and connect it to that.... will be much easier than getting the dash out

Post Fri Aug 18, 2006 5:13 pm

ad318i wrote:find out which one it is on ya clock/obc and connect it to that.... will be much easier than getting the dash out

wicked idea ill do that to mine when im fitting my new head unit

Post Fri Aug 18, 2006 5:56 pm

dont quote me mate but im 90% sure its for the dim on your head unit. ive connected it to mine and when i put the lights on the head unit dims down. to be 100% get a leccy tester get a good earth put the positive on the wire and turn the lights on. if you get a current then thats what its for.

hope that helps

Post Sat Aug 19, 2006 11:05 am

ad318i - good plan man!! Bugger, just re-done the wires for the clock!!

kingcruizer - yeah, i know it's for the dim and it doesn't have to be connected, but just wondering where to connect it to make it right!! It also illuminates the unit when it's not switched on (when u're lights are on obviousely!)

Cheers guys!

Post Sun Aug 20, 2006 8:08 am

Not all H/Us have the "dim" thing fitted, got a Pioneer H/U in front of me now and it's missing the dim wire from the ISO connector. The H/U I fitted does though.
I think that wire switches something in the H/U to turn the dimmer on, it doesn't do the dimming itself.

Andy

Post Sat Dec 27, 2008 9:15 pm

Hi miniblob,

Im in the same boat as you, just slotted a new pioneer P88rs-II into my dash and Im unsure what to splice the orange and white wire into to get the units lights to dim when you turn the h/lights on. Have you had any success finding where it goes?

Post Sat Jan 03, 2009 2:10 pm

Hi guys, surely someone with an E30 has a Pioneer headunit fitted?

Im still trying to find out where the orange and white illumination wire should be attached.

One suggestion has been the ciggy lighter illumniation wire.

Post Sun Jan 04, 2009 6:03 pm

Wow - a post back from the dead!!!!! Good to see people searching!!!!!

I never actually got round to sorting this out, but i'll be changing the h/u in the next couple of months, and i will probably be trying out the idea of splicing into the clock illumination wire.

I'm sure there should be a proper connection for it somewhere though - maybe one of the pins in the accessory socket thingy at the back of the glovebox (behind the cover at the top) - so i may have another poke around up there with a meter!!

Alternatively, i wouldn't mind a proper cable that goes from the accessory socket, to the stereo. I'm sure there was a thread that said you can still get a cable from the dealers, that has all the wires there with a standard iso connector on it!!
Anyone know what i mean, or even got a part number???

Post Fri Jan 09, 2009 12:35 am

the j shaped connector end of the radio loom that plugs into the accesory board has a wire for the illumination, there should be 4 wires on it, a live, a switched live and an earth & the illumination wire is grey with a red trace on.

Post Fri Jan 09, 2009 1:03 am

tomtomiS wrote:the j shaped connector end of the radio loom that plugs into the accesory board has a wire for the illumination, there should be 4 wires on it, a live, a switched live and an earth & the illumination wire is grey with a red trace on.

ill need to look at mine I've got 2 of these in the garage

Post Fri Jan 09, 2009 6:16 pm

Im going to suss this out on saturday, I'll probably tap into the ciggy lighter but will check out the grey/red wire whilst Ive got my head in the glove box lol

Post Sat Jan 10, 2009 2:49 pm

Cheers Tomtom,

Yup the pioneer orange/white wire just needs to be connected to the grey/red wire from the cars original loom that actually sits at the rear of the radio opening.

Thanks for the input guys.