XTL5000 Question

[K6GBW]

I'd like to put a Moto XTL5000 in my Subaru Crosstrek. Problem, can't find a way to get power through the firewall. This car is has the worst firewall I've ever encounterd in my life! There is an available 20 Amp fuse in the fuse block I could tap, but I'd never want to push it. This is one of the 45 watt models. I can turn the power down in CPS, but I have no idea how many amps the radio would draw at say 15-20 watts? If anyone has an idea please let me know.

Planning to put the radio under the drivers seat and use a HHCH mic for it. I already installed a nice NMO mount and installed a PCTel low profile antenna. If I just can't do this then fall back is to use an XTS5000 with a BNC connector. But that wouldn't be as clean as a regular install.

 

[Outerdog]

The spec sheet will give you power draw at various levels.

https://www.motorolasolutions.com/content/dam/msi/docs/business/products/two-way_radios/mobile_radios/government_and_public_safety_mobile_radios/xtl_5000/_documents/static_files/r3-1-2031a_astro_xtl_5000_w-o3_3_1_.pdf

 

[vagrant]

I have an XTL5K UHF R1. I adjusted one of the buttons on the control head to switch between 10W and 40W. I draw my power from an interior fuse block and I think I used either a DC clamp meter, or an inline meter to check the draw. It was around 10 amps at 40W. I have been using it for years without problem.

 

[a417]

I'd like to put a Moto XTL5000 in my Subaru Crosstrek. Problem, can't find a way to get power through the firewall. This car is has the worst firewall I've ever encounterd in my life! There is an available 20 Amp fuse in the fuse block I could tap, but I'd never want to push it. This is one of the 45 watt models. I can turn the power down in CPS, but I have no idea how many amps the radio would draw at say 15-20 watts? If anyone has an idea please let me know.

Planning to put the radio under the drivers seat and use a HHCH mic for it. I already installed a nice NMO mount and installed a PCTel low profile antenna. If I just can't do this then fall back is to use an XTS5000 with a BNC connector. But that wouldn't be as clean as a regular install.

Don't tap fuses for radios, recipe for disaster.

In a crosstrek, i'd sacrifice that rear accessory power point for a radio. How big a fuse is on that power point?

 

[K6GBW]

The spec sheet will give you power draw at various levels.

https://www.motorolasolutions.com/content/dam/msi/docs/business/products/two-way_radios/mobile_radios/government_and_public_safety_mobile_radios/xtl_5000/_documents/static_files/r3-1-2031a_astro_xtl_5000_w-o3_3_1_.pdf

THAT is exactly what I was looking for. It looks like if I turn it down to 15 watts it will draw 8 amps. That seems pretty safe for a fuse tap job. I'm taking the car to a friend of mine. He's another radio nerd and a genius at installs. If he can't find a way through the firewall then I'll move forward with the fuse tape idea.

Thanks again!

 

[K6GBW]

Don't tap fuses for radios, recipe for disaster.

In a crosstrek, i'd sacrifice that rear accessory power point for a radio. How big a fuse is on that power point?

Not arguing, just asking, why a disaster? I've been installing Motorolas, Kenwoods and GE's for forty years and on the lower draw models we've done it before. As long as everything is fused and kept well within the power draw specs it should be fine, or is there something I don't know?

 

[K6GBW]

Not arguing, just asking, why a disaster? I've been installing Motorolas, Kenwoods and GE's for forty years and on the lower draw models we've done it before. As long as everything is fused and kept well within the power draw specs it should be fine, or is there something I don't know?

I'm always willing to learn something so if there is a pitfall I'm not aware of please let me know.

 

[K6GBW]

Managed to score a UHF low split model yesterday. Now I just need to find the piece that replaces the control head for the HHCH to plug into. Does anyone know what that part is called?

 

[Outerdog]

You should seek out the XTL 5000 Basic Service Manual.

 

[K6GBW]

Yeah, I probably should. I just bought another one last night. Now I have two XTL5000 R1 UHF models. I'm scrounging up the parts to convert the one I just bought to a remote control head model. Fortunately I managed to find a place to get 12v through my Crosstreks firewall. I swear, that car is the worst I've ever had to work on as far as putting a radio into it. With luck I'll have everything together and installed in about a week or so.

 

[W0JJK]

Part number is HLN6915 for the HHCH W3 TIB.

 

[K6GBW]

Thanks everyone. I got the proper part enroute and it should be here in a few days. I also managed to get through the dash of my Subaru Crosstrek. It took some doing but we eventually found a spot between the brake booster and the main wiring grommet that worked out perfectly. Now I can run the XTL at full power and everything is gonna be nice and tidy.

Here you can see the hole in the firewall and the cable gland I used to make it clean.

 

[K6GBW]

Part number is HLN6915 for the HHCH W3 TIB.

Thank you very much! Looks like I found it and it's on its way!

 

[K6GBW]

It's funny, I posted the pics above on a Subaru XV/Crosstrek forum because there are lots of people asking about running wires through the firewall. I immediately got smarmy comments from people that taped wires to a coathanger and shoved them through the main wiring grommet, which comments such as "why not just do this!" I remembered a radio car we had where someone had done a hatchet job install. About two months after we got the car the whole wiring harness grounded out and melted down. Fortunately a quick thinker pulled a batter cable and stopped it. But the damage was done. A $40,000 dollar radio car with less than 2,000 miles on it got sold off for scap because the cost to completely replace the wiring harness was going to exceed the insurance companies threshold for repair. I've never touched anything that has anything to do with the cars wiring since.

 

[nokones]

My 44 watt mobile only draws about 8.5 amps when it is keyed.

 

[K6GBW]

My 44 watt mobile only draws about 8.5 amps when it is keyed.

Good to know, thanks. I ended up getting a 10AWG wire through the dash so the power isn't a problem now. I should have the radio installed by the end of next week, barring any incidents.

 

[kayn1n32008]

THAT is exactly what I was looking for. It looks like if I turn it down to 15 watts it will draw 8 amps. That seems pretty safe for a fuse tap job. I'm taking the car to a friend of mine. He's another radio nerd and a genius at installs. If he can't find a way through the firewall then I'll move forward with the fuse tape idea.

Thanks again!

If that radio is actually drawing 8A @ 15w, you have serious issues with that radio.

@40-50w it should draw in the region of 8-10A.

My XPR5550 draws a hair over 4.5A @25w

 

[K6GBW]

We're just going by what Motorola has on their spec sheet so it may be less in actuallity. But now that I have a regular 10AWG power wire straight from the battery it is less of a concern.

 

[nokones]

Is your steering column mechanical or electric? If mechanical, you should be able to squeeze the wire through the grommet for the column. Also, look underneath the car in the area under the driver's and passenger's seats are overhead and see if there are any grommets through the floor pan and that is another place to push the wire through. If there is/are any grommet(s) you can punch a hole through to push the wire and then seal it back up with some sealing gook.

 

[K6GBW]

I already put a cable gland through the dash between the brake booster and the main wiring harness. I have a 10AWG 12v wire from the battery to under the dash. It terminates into a bullet connector and the radio harness plugs into that. The radio is then grounded to a seat bolt. I generally try to to touch any of the cars electronics or wiring when I'm doing an install. This method completely seals where the wire passes through the dash and is super protected from any kind of wire damage.