Stereo Systems

jjonesnc · 03-12-2004, 11:26 PM

Hi Friends!
Would love to hear about any Stereo System Mods anyone has made and any thoughts or ideas on Stereo Systems....
-Jason

uwe · 03-13-2004, 09:25 AM

Hello Jason,
My 1971 Tradewind had no Stereo System at all. Just gaping holes where the speakers once were, and a mounting plate with contacts, probably some early form of theft proof radio.
I decided to purchase a Sony CD Radio with 50W x 4. ( probably more like 5W x4 in reality). I also bought and installed a set of high quality 5 1/4in two way speakers. They were a perfect fit for the already existing holes. I chose the Sony head unit because it was not a travelling light show ( hate that) and it had a full function remote. ( love that) I also bought an under-dash mounting box which fit in the front overhead compartment, with only minimal modifications. I made a few extra 1in holes for ventilation, as the box seemed almost hemetically sealed, and CD players do emit a good amount of heat.
The system sounds quite good, and the sound dispersion is very nice for the front area of the trailer. Definitely not overkill, but good enough to enjoy listening at low to medium volumes, for sure. The entire little system resides in the front cap.
Coincidentally, this is the exact same Stereo that they had used at teh Airstram factory for a while, at least in 2003.
My plan is to add wiring and a second pair of the same speakers for the bedroom area. I have not figured out how to elegantly run wiring to the front cap, though.
Good Luck with your project.

baldeagle · 03-13-2004, 09:29 AM

To add a wrinkle Jason, has anyone installed satellite radio?

Thanks for the "ride".....

Dave S.

tin can luv · 03-15-2004, 09:57 PM

OK, glad to find this thread, I had the same question, but how does one find the prober wiring harness for a new radio? I will either mount it overhead, or figure out a way to run it back up to overhead.

Also, Does a CD player work when mounted face-up, as will need to be done if I install it in the 'box'?

Thanks!
Ron

tin can luv · 03-15-2004, 09:58 PM

THis is the mess that came out of the antiquated radio...didn't check to see if it worked prior to removal

RivetED · 03-15-2004, 10:12 PM

If you have four speakers, it looks like the 4 (12-volt-type) polarized plugs might be the speaker wires, although those are not any type of standard harness for a stereo. The others ground & power. I would check them with a meter to see which goes to which and then label & use the existing wiring. Might check the power & ground carefully for size & contact condition.

uwe · 03-16-2004, 11:03 AM

Ron,
You will have to produce your own harness. It is fairly simple.
But first, you need to figure out which wire goes where. Disconnect your battery, then look for the speaker wires. If you have speakers installed, then you can "ping" them out by using a 1.5V battery and touching the plus and minus to the speaker wiring, preferably without causing a short circuit, which will kill the battery very quickly.
Hols one of the wirs to the negative pole, and brush the other wire over teh positive. The corresponding speaker will make a scratching noise.
This is also how you can check the proper polarity of speakers once you install the new system.
All speakers must be moving in teh same direction, other wise the sound will be phased and thin. To check this, just hold the suspected negative wire to the negative ( 1.5V) battery terminal, and brush the positive to the positive battery terminal. The speaker cone must now move forward. If it goes backwards, then you're out of phase.
A car stereo needs a solid, good ground, a well grounded antenna, a power source that is constantly on, and a switched power source.
The 2 grounds will ensure good reception and overall radio function. The constant on power will draw very little energy, but it will keep your memory and clock set. The switched power supply wire is the one that carries the current to the unit, usually the one witht the biggest amperage fuse.
As Ed&Debbie suggested, you should use a test light or volt meter to check what you have, and then go on from there.
Or, drag the entire affair down to a car stereo place. You can often find deals with free or low cost installation.

Big Dee · 03-16-2004, 11:46 AM

I installed a Sony DVD surround-sound system. It's the one with the 5 little satelite speakers and a subwoofer. I ran the speaker wire behind the curtains and behind the sofa. It looks awesome and sounds even better. I also use it for CDs. I just added a wide screen LCD tv for the ultimate home theater on the road. I recommend it highly!

**Stefrobrts** · 03-16-2004, 01:59 PM

BigDee! Aren't you just livin' large! Wide-screen LCD

I'm also looking into installing a car stereo and speakers into my Caravel. There's a place for speakers, but nothing's there. There are wires for power and ground going into the front overhead. I just don't know what to do about the antenna. How do I make sure I get the right antenna? I have a ball mount antenna on the front of the trailer which looks original. Is there any chance it would work? How would I tell?

uwe · 03-17-2004, 11:23 AM

It's a matter of just hooking it up, see if you get FM.
Mine has the ball mount antenna also, and it works great.

**Stefrobrts** · 03-17-2004, 11:43 AM

Ok then, I'll give it a try. I was under the impression I could ruin the radio if I hooked it up to the wrong kind of antenna.

uwe · 03-17-2004, 11:55 AM

Stef,
A radio antenna is only little more than an insulated metal rod, hooked up to coax cable. The antenna mount should be grounded well, and the coax cable shouod not be shorted, other wise it's not a dangerous issue.
No damage will occur if the antenna is defective, it just won't pull in stations.