• To anyone looking to acquire commercial radio programming software:

    Please do not make requests for copies of radio programming software which is sold (or was sold) by the manufacturer for any monetary value. All requests will be deleted and a forum infraction issued. Making a request such as this is attempting to engage in software piracy and this forum cannot be involved or associated with this activity. The same goes for any private transaction via Private Message. Even if you attempt to engage in this activity in PM's we will still enforce the forum rules. Your PM's are not private and the administration has the right to read them if there's a hint to criminal activity.

    If you are having trouble legally obtaining software please state so. We do not want any hurt feelings when your vague post is mistaken for a free request. It is YOUR responsibility to properly word your request.

    To obtain Motorola software see the Sticky in the Motorola forum.

    The various other vendors often permit their dealers to sell the software online (i.e., Kenwood). Please use Google or some other search engine to find a dealer that sells the software. Typically each series or individual radio requires its own software package. Often the Kenwood software is less than $100 so don't be a cheapskate; just purchase it.

    For M/A Com/Harris/GE, etc: there are two software packages that program all current and past radios. One package is for conventional programming and the other for trunked programming. The trunked package is in upwards of $2,500. The conventional package is more reasonable though is still several hundred dollars. The benefit is you do not need multiple versions for each radio (unlike Motorola).

    This is a large and very visible forum. We cannot jeopardize the ability to provide the RadioReference services by allowing this activity to occur. Please respect this.

2019 Chevy Silverado install

Status
Not open for further replies.

mmckenna

I ♥ Ø
Joined
Jul 27, 2005
Messages
23,617
Location
Hiding in a coffee shop.
Hello,
Where did you pull the power cable through to the radio from the battery? The firewall? I have a 2018 Siverado with a similar terminal block on top of my battery also. I want to connect directly to the battery like your Dad did, but where , specifically did he pull the power cable into the cab? In the past I have installed a radio into my pickups using a grommet through the firewall, but in this truck there is no grommet in an obvious location. I really don't want to drill a hole through the firewall with all the stuff they cram under the dash now.
Thanks,
Shane

As H2Owl said, there's a nipple on the grommet in the firewall.
You can either pierce it or just cut the end off.
I've put 6 gauge wire through those. Same setup on the Ford pickups. For #6 wire, you may need to use a bit of lube to get it started.
 

clovisb31

Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2014
Messages
78
Location
Sanger,Ca.
Thanks guys,

I did see that nipple and grommet. When I looked under the dash the area behind that grommet was completely covered by a large junction box...much larger than earlier year Chevy pickups. I really didn't want to remove or disassemble that box from the inside firewall just to see where the back of the grommet was.
Maybe I'm overthinking this as I have used that grommet/nipple on Chevy trucks before , but older ones with more room under the dash, and you could actually see the back of the grommet so you were sure you weren't piercing a wiring harness.
I will try probing through the grommet with a stiff wire or fish tape to see where it comes out inside the cab. I only need to fish a 10 Ga. power lead through there for the transceiver, not a pair of 0 Ga. for a 1 Kw boom box.
 

mmckenna

I ♥ Ø
Joined
Jul 27, 2005
Messages
23,617
Location
Hiding in a coffee shop.
Maybe I'm overthinking this as I have used that grommet/nipple on Chevy trucks before , but older ones with more room under the dash, and you could actually see the back of the grommet so you were sure you weren't piercing a wiring harness.

Feed the wire through and you'll see it start to appear behind the box. When you get enough in there, have someone help feed it through from the engine compartment and pull on the interior end carefully.

Remember to not use the negative post on the battery for the negative power lead for the radio (it's incorrect in the original photo, fixed afterwards) These trucks have a current sensor on the negative lead from the battery to the body to sense power consumption. Connecting the radio directly to the negative post will bypass that sensor.
Ground the negative power lead for your radio somewhere under the dash board. This will work fine, it also provides a much shorter ground path.
 

apco25

Batlabs OG
Joined
Sep 13, 2001
Messages
167
Location
Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, Antarctica
5teuRU6.jpg


Always a challenge doing an install on a new model. This one, like most full size American trucks is pretty easy.
[/QUOTE]

I'd ditch those glass fuse holders ASAP and go with a blade type for ATC or ATO. Also heat shrink your crimp ring terminals.
 

mmckenna

I ♥ Ø
Joined
Jul 27, 2005
Messages
23,617
Location
Hiding in a coffee shop.
I'd ditch those glass fuse holders ASAP and go with a blade type for ATC or ATO. Also heat shrink your crimp ring terminals.

Yep, that's what I usually do, but like I said, it's my dad's truck and he ran the power wire himself. He was happy with it and I doubt he'll change it.
 

cmdrwill

Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2005
Messages
3,984
Location
So Cali
And .. the negative power lead should be connected to the body NOT the negative battery terminal.

Should ground the negative power lead for the radio near the radio to the body of the vehicle.

And ditch those dnang glass fuses. Especially the Chinese ones, and some Jap ones, they are a source of intermittent failures.
 

mmckenna

I ♥ Ø
Joined
Jul 27, 2005
Messages
23,617
Location
Hiding in a coffee shop.
And .. the negative power lead should be connected to the body NOT the negative battery terminal.

Should ground the negative power lead for the radio near the radio to the body of the vehicle.

And ditch those dnang glass fuses. Especially the Chinese ones, and some Jap ones, they are a source of intermittent failures.

Yep, like I said, I advised him of that. This was my dad's truck, and I try not to tear down his own installs too far. It was his truck, just a few days old. He wanted me to assist with the antenna install, but he wanted to do as much as he could on his own. I let him do that, and I made suggestions, but I'm not going to put him down for it. When it fails, I'll help him fix it.
I did move the negative lead to the body after I took the photo.
 

danielhp89

Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2012
Messages
10
There is acc power under the dash in a blank acc connector if you want it on with the key, also cont. power there so you don't have to run to the battery. In the 07-18 Silverado,Tahoe, Suburban's the black acc connector box by the brake pedal all had an empty pin that you can get both acc an cont. power from with an insulated female spade connector. I usually use a 1/4" self tapping screw to one of the metal supports under the dash for power.
Antenna looks good. I use a hole saw made for NMO's and rarely ever pull the dome light, just check that my hole isn't going to hit a support brace and measure for center and 16" in from the brake light then feed the coax to one side or the other. depnding on where I am mounting the radio. GM is the easiest brand to put radios in, in and out of the shop in 20-30 minutes depending on if the customer is "helping"
 

mmckenna

I ♥ Ø
Joined
Jul 27, 2005
Messages
23,617
Location
Hiding in a coffee shop.
I never tap radio primary power into existing wiring. I want clean power off the battery. In larger installs, running a large gauge wire from a fuse/breaker at the battery back to a distribution block at the radios. Clean power, no risk of noise from other under dash taps'

For ignition switched circuits for driving timers or radios with the feature, it's nice to see GM is doing that. Fords have it also and it makes life easier.
 

Project25_MASTR

Millennial Graying OBT Guy
Joined
Jun 16, 2013
Messages
4,164
Location
Texas
I never tap radio primary power into existing wiring. I want clean power off the battery. In larger installs, running a large gauge wire from a fuse/breaker at the battery back to a distribution block at the radios. Clean power, no risk of noise from other under dash taps'

For ignition switched circuits for driving timers or radios with the feature, it's nice to see GM is doing that. Fords have it also and it makes life easier.

The RAPs (Retained Accessory Power) tap point provided in the GMT900 (2007-2013 GM full-sized) upfitter's guide also strictly states it has an electronic circuit breaker rated at 350 mA. The two newer generations have a RAP 20A fuse that can be tapped (but still only using for ignition sense is optimal).
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top