Solution for current drain from headunit?

[EvenM]

Hello

I have a Alpine 117ri headunit in my 93 coupe that is causing one of my current drain problems, with 0,36 mA.

I know of the thin red wire some of you use, but then I have to program my headunit every time I'm driving. That is soo

I had a coupe before this one and never had this problem, so it has to be something I can to do fix this ? Better ground ?

thanks

Kind regards

Even

[johne]

I don't think grounding will help you.

You will have two wires from the Alpine unit, one that should be connected to the battery +12volts all the time and the other through the ignition switch. The ignition switch wire can be the thin red one you mention.

Is there a programmeable option with the Alpine unit to keep it on/auto turn off that might be helping or causing your problem.

You don't have an aerial/antenna with an amplifier in it that's staying all the time rather than just being activated by the Alpine head unit? Or the same with a remote CD unit?

If your drain current is 36mA then whilst not great, that may just be the way it is with that particuler Alpine unit. If it's 360mA then you have a problem and a flat battery in very little time.

John

[newsh]

Maybe you have the power and ignition wires reversed?

[mdz]

My friend has Alpine and it drains current if front panel is in place even with headunit switched off. I took a look at it, it's wired up correctly but I found out that headunit feeds ~3,xxV in remote/antenna line if front panel is on unit. When i took off front panel, voltage on remote/antenna line as well as drain disappeared.

[rj scotty]

Alpines, whilst sounding great must have an ignition switched live BTDT

[Henkjan]

I measured my Pioneer, and without frontpanel it draws less current than with; the same goes for the CD magazine in the changer, if that is removed it draws less current. so guess how I have it in the garage: CD magazine removed and frontpanel detached

another thing might be that some radios assume that the main power supply will be ignition switched, our cars have an always live supply to the radio. I had an old Sony that has a switch that needed setting in a different position to ensure that the unit is fully off and draws minimum current

[dest]

I had an Alpine in my S2 and it did exactly the same!
It was wired up correctly with battery perm live and switched but still drained current when turned off.
I rewired the switched live from another source (cant remember what now, I think it was glovebox lamp?) and it never did it again

[Error404]

On a slightly different but possibly related subject, to do with my Becker.
It has a permanent and switched live. I too the switched live from the back of the ignition switch, as is common. The Becker unit has a function whereby if you press the on button within a few seconds of switching off the ignition, you can leave the stereo on with the keys out of the ignition. But during this few seconds period if you open the door you get the warning buzzer normally reserved for leaving the lights on
Is the buzzer triggered by any significant current drain following the switched live being switched off? Or are my stereo and lighting circuits interfering with each other somehow?

[EvenM]

Thanks for good advice guys Will try to do as you say johne - wire up two wires

[andy10v]

On a slightly different but possibly related subject, to do with my Becker.
It has a permanent and switched live. I too the switched live from the back of the ignition switch, as is common. The Becker unit has a function whereby if you press the on button within a few seconds of switching off the ignition, you can leave the stereo on with the keys out of the ignition. But during this few seconds period if you open the door you get the warning buzzer normally reserved for leaving the lights on
Is the buzzer triggered by any significant current drain following the switched live being switched off? Or are my stereo and lighting circuits interfering with each other somehow?

My mums 80 had the original factory cassette/radio fitted, if you opened the door with the keys out the ignition and the radio on you got the warning buzzer.

[Sonic]

I had an Alpine in my S2 and it did exactly the same!
It was wired up correctly with battery perm live and switched but still drained current when turned off.
I rewired the switched live from another source (cant remember what now, I think it was glovebox lamp?) and it never did it again

I have mine wired up with both the live and switched, and even without the faceplate on it flats the battery within a few days... think i need to put both on switched.

[EvenM]

thanks it seems to be alright now, when I take out the key the drain drops

[rj scotty]

I have mine wired up with both the live and switched, and even without the faceplate on it flats the battery within a few days... think i need to put both on switched.

I've solved this issue with a trickle charger