Vehicle Installation

[dustin486]

Hi everyone.

I'm not sure if this is the correct section to post this in. I couldn't really find anything that fit. I apologize if it is the wrong one.

I have a motorola gtx (mobile version) that I want to install into my vehicle. I believe everything is here to install it. Here are the pictures: http://www.esportsea.com/dustin/newradio -- Also on the mobile power cable, it has two of the metal rings that look like they should be on a wire and go directly to the battery.

Does anyone know what I need to do to install this?

Thanks,
dustin

 

[Al42]

Does anyone know what I need to do to install this?

1) Whatever kind of mounting bracket you want. Motorola, angle iron from a hardware store or anything else that'll work.

2) Put the fuse lead in series with the red wire. You're correct about the "rings" going directly to the battery - both positive (red) and negative (black).

3) An antenna. (A snake if you mount the antenna on the roof, otherwise you should be able to snap off [and snap back on] enough trim to feed the cable from the trunk, hood, read window, etc., to the radio.)

 

[dustin486]

Thanks for replying.

The radio came with a mounting bracket, I just forgot about it to include in the pictures. I'm not really concerned about physically mounting it as thats pretty much self explanitory. The problem I'm having is getting the power to it.

"2) Put the fuse lead in series with the red wire. You're correct about the "rings" going directly to the battery - both positive (red) and negative (black). "

I'm not exactly sure what you mean about that. Could you elaborate just a little?

I already purchased an antenna, it will be here hopefully tomorrow.

Thanks.

 

[dustin486]

Also I've read about a vehicle ignition switch. My take on this is that it gives the radio power only when the ignition is turned. That is in the 16-pin accessory kit I believe.

Here is some info on that radio: http://www.batlabs.com/gtx.html

 

[dustin486]

Ok, I found out that I plug the red end of the long wire into the mobile power cable. This leaves me with two wires, one black and one red. They both have "raw wire" on the end of them. The mobile power cable came with two of those metal rings that look like they go to the battery. Do I put those on the end of the wires? (If so, how? Just slide them on and clamp them down with pliers?)

Also, someone told me that the red wire goes to the battery, and the black wire is a ground that you dont hook up to the battery. Where does this black wire go?

Also, do I need to hook up an ignition switch?

 

[coolblueneon]

Ok, I found out that I plug the red end of the long wire into the mobile power cable. This leaves me with two wires, one black and one red. They both have "raw wire" on the end of them. The mobile power cable came with two of those metal rings that look like they go to the battery. Do I put those on the end of the wires? (If so, how? Just slide them on and clamp them down with pliers?)

Yes they go on the end of the wires. The Red goes to the Positive post on the battery, the black is the ground wire. As for attaching the rings to the wire, crimping them works, but I'd also solder the ring ends to the wire just to make sure they don't slip off.

Also, someone told me that the red wire goes to the battery, and the black wire is a ground that you dont hook up to the battery. Where does this black wire go?

The black wire can be can be attached to any GOOD grounding point on the car.

Also, do I need to hook up an ignition switch?

If you want the radio to stay on all the time hook it up to the battery, otherwise, I'd suggest tapping into the fuse pannel so the radio operates only when the electrical system (radio etc..) is operational.

Greg
WQCQ785

 

[Al42]

Ok, I found out that I plug the red end of the long wire into the mobile power cable. This leaves me with two wires, one black and one red. They both have "raw wire" on the end of them. The mobile power cable came with two of those metal rings that look like they go to the battery. Do I put those on the end of the wires? (If so, how? Just slide them on and clamp them down with pliers?)

If they're not already connected to the wires, yes. They look as if they are, though.

Also, someone told me that the red wire goes to the battery, and the black wire is a ground that you dont hook up to the battery. Where does this black wire go?

To the negative post of the battery, if you want the full noise-eliminating benefit of the battery. (You can't buy a better noise filter than the battery that will still fit under the hood.) If you connect the black wire to ground - even to the same bolt the negative battery wire goes to - you might still pick up some ignition or alternator noise on the black wire.

Also, do I need to hook up an ignition switch?

If you want the radio to shut off when you shut the car off. That's probably part of the "mounting kit". Look for a green or orange wire coming from that (the usual Motorola colors for that). It goes to switched 12 volts. The easiest place to pick that up is from a fuse (in the car's fuse block) that protects something that's controlled by the ignition switch - like the car radio. Radio Shack sells taps you can use to tap into a line like that - their part number is 270-1204, and a pack of 4 of them is $1.49 (up from about $0.50 the last time I bought any.)

Or ...

The radio draws so little current on receive that you can leave it on. If you forget to turn it off it'll take a week or two to really start draining the car battery.

 

[Voyager]

Hi everyone.

I'm not sure if this is the correct section to post this in. I couldn't really find anything that fit. I apologize if it is the wrong one.

I have a motorola gtx (mobile version) that I want to install into my vehicle. I believe everything is here to install it. Here are the pictures: http://www.esportsea.com/dustin/newradio -- Also on the mobile power cable, it has two of the metal rings that look like they should be on a wire and go directly to the battery.

Does anyone know what I need to do to install this?

Thanks,
dustin

The plug with both wires goes to the back of the radio. The plug on the other side of the red wire goes into the jack on the fuse wire. The other side of the fuse wire goes to the battery. You can ground the unit to the chassis near the radio. DO NOT connect the black wire to the battery unless you install another fuse in it. You risk burning your radio up if your car loses the chassis ground to the battery. Yes, I've seen it happen (with units installed by the half-trained monkeys that work for the competition).

If the radio is programmed for ignition control, you will need another switched wire to the 16-pin connector on the back of the radio. If it's not programmed for ignition control, you will be fine without it.

Joe M.

 

[Voyager]

Also, someone told me that the red wire goes to the battery, and the black wire is a ground that you dont hook up to the battery. Where does this black wire go?

To the negative post of the battery, if you want the full noise-eliminating benefit of the battery. (You can't buy a better noise filter than the battery that will still fit under the hood.) If you connect the black wire to ground - even to the same bolt the negative battery wire goes to - you might still pick up some ignition or alternator noise on the black wire.

I've never seen ignition noise to be an issue at 800 MHz.

But I HAVE seen radios that were burnt because the idiot who installed it connected the black wire to the battery without protection. Even with protection, you can do a lot of damage to the radio before a fuse blows. Think of all the traces in the radio that are much smaller than a fuse wire.

Connecting the black wire to the battery is more trouble and risk than it is benefit. Connect it to the chassis near the radio. The Motorola wire harness is not designed for the ground to be run to the battery. That's why there is no fuse in it and it's shorter than the red wire. It's only long enough to go to a good ground point.

Joe M.

 

[cellblock776]

And when you are done with the install don't forget to post a couple of photos in the "Photos of Mobile Setups" thread ( http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=16174 ) so we can all go "OOhhhh, nice," and "Wwhhooaa, sweet."
Seriously, whats the fun of having it if you can't show it off? :wink:

 

[BoxAlarm187]

I agree with CellBlock, show it off!

Lest we not also forget some of the REALLY custom installs over at Batlab's Batboard - http://batboard.batlabs.com and scroll down to "vehicle installs".

 

[Al42]

I've never seen ignition noise to be an issue at 800 MHz.

But I HAVE seen radios that were burnt because the idiot who installed it connected the black wire to the battery without protection. Even with protection, you can do a lot of damage to the radio before a fuse blows. Think of all the traces in the radio that are much smaller than a fuse wire.

I won't get into a pissing contest with you, but I've been in the commercial two-way radio business since 1964, so I think I have just a little bit of eperience.

 

[Voyager]

I've never seen ignition noise to be an issue at 800 MHz.

But I HAVE seen radios that were burnt because the idiot who installed it connected the black wire to the battery without protection. Even with protection, you can do a lot of damage to the radio before a fuse blows. Think of all the traces in the radio that are much smaller than a fuse wire.

I won't get into a pissing contest with you, but I've been in the commercial two-way radio business since 1964, so I think I have just a little bit of eperience.

OK, you tell me. If you connect the radio to the battery (unfused) and you lose the ground to the chassis, where is the current going to flow from the starter? What will be the result?

You may have a longer experience, and perhaps more experience, but I've seen the result several times FIRST HAND. The only good that comes out of it is that we get to sell the customer a new radio and the knowledge that they will never go to the shop that improperly installed that radio (or should I say paperweight) again.

The Motorola harness is not designed to run the ground wire to the battery.

Joe M.

 

[AndrewGeil]

While the professionals over there argue and banter, I recommend taking some advice from the weeekend wanna-be installer here:

Take your radio, the equipment, and other goodies that came with it and take it all down to the local radio shop. Ask them to show you how to crimp up your connectors, attach the cables to the batteries, maybe run it through the fire wall, etc.

You won't risk burning out your radio, you'll (hopefully) get a semi-professional install job done, and then when you move the radio onto a new vehicle, you'll have the knowledge of how to do it.

 

[Al42]

I won't get into a pissing contest with you, but I've been in the commercial two-way radio business since 1964, so I think I have just a little bit of eperience.

OK, you tell me. If you connect the radio to the battery (unfused) and you lose the ground to the chassis, where is the current going to flow from the starter? What will be the result?

I never said to install an unfused battery lead.

The Motorola harness is not designed to run the ground wire to the battery.

Motorola has made more than 1 harness over the years, so there's no "the" Motorola harness. And there's nothing magic about Motorola wire - it can be extended or replaced.

 

[Voyager]

I won't get into a pissing contest with you, but I've been in the commercial two-way radio business since 1964, so I think I have just a little bit of eperience.

OK, you tell me. If you connect the radio to the battery (unfused) and you lose the ground to the chassis, where is the current going to flow from the starter? What will be the result?

I never said to install an unfused battery lead.

OK, what happens to the radio traces that are designed to carry 15 amps of current during the time it takes the fuse to blow?

The Motorola harness is not designed to run the ground wire to the battery.

Motorola has made more than 1 harness over the years, so there's no "the" Motorola harness. And there's nothing magic about Motorola wire - it can be extended or replaced.

I'm talking about the harness that the gentleman gave the picture of. The standard cable for the Maxtrac series. Yes, there are two - one is lighter and has a 15A fuse, and the other is heavier and has a 20A fuse. Neither are suitable by themselves for connection directly to the battery without adding more components (which are not supplied with the harness which is what I was talking about).

In any case, connecting the negative lead to the battery, even with adding the fuses, is not a good idea. There is NOTHING wrong with connecting the ground to a good solid chassis ground point. If Motorola intended the nevative lead to go to the battery, they would have included the parts necessary to do that. They don't becuase it's not a good idea. There is no valid reason to risk any damage to your radio. Most noise issues happen because the radio was not connected to a good ground to start with.

I've seen the results of battery ground connections. I won't do that to our customers. It's not worth the risk. I highly recommend that anyone else not take that risk either. You would feel the same if you've seen what I have.

Take the advice of taking the radio to a professional radio shop. That way, if they do something stupid and something happens, you can go back on them and they can buy you a new radio.

Joe M.