AdamPetrycki

So ive had an ongoing issue with the 20 amp fuse under the hood blowing out, taking out my marker lights and dash lights.

Played around today and this is where i am:

Radio with all wires in except the antenna wire i guess? (the black one with a silver metal tip that is on its own and pops in)

Turned on the car, radio on, fuse didnt blow. Okay, great! But then i pulled the headlamp switch out.. radio lost power, however the dash lights and marker lights came on and all worked, okay now i am getting somewhere.

Went to plug in the antenna while car was on, sparks flew. Turned off car, plugged in antenna, turned on car, fuse blew, radio stays on, pull headlamp switch radio stays on, dash and marker lights out.

Among the wires there is a black one that end in a plastic clip thing, with metal inside the clip, has the word "amp" on it.

Should my radio have a ground wire coming off of it? Wires all go into a clip that plugs in to the back of radio, and the antenna wire plugs in. Nothing coming off the radio otherwise.

Thanks!

Turbo X_J

"Went to plug in the antenna while car was on, sparks flew."
^
Seriously? too funny. I think it's safe to say your stereo is really ****** up.

prcherokee

If it is the factory radio,make sure is grounded.
Look at Fig.3 Number 4.

AdamPetrycki

Its not a factory radio, however ive been thinking of running to the scrap yard to find out and just throw it in for now.

AdamPetrycki

I'm guessing it shouldn't do that? Electricity is the rare subject im ignorant about, I blame the science teacher who would leave the room whenever i asked questions during the electricity unit .

investinwaffles

Pretty sure the antenna is passive (not powered unless it's plugged into a head unit.

The head unit could have a possible short, or the antenna could some how be causing the short (no clue how that would be possible)

There is obviously a short somewhere if you are popping the 20amp fuse. Do the internal ones blow as well (in the pass. side kick panel)? That could help narrow down the cause of the short...

Is everything normal with the radio removed from the car? What about with the antenna completely unplugged? Start eliminating suspect areas (wiring, head unit, etc) to trace the source of the short/problem.

AdamPetrycki

When I completely unplug the radio everything is okay.
When I plug it in the clip with all the wires but no antenna: Radio turns on when the car turns, once I pull on the headlamp switch either to the first or second position, radio goes completely dead, however all the marker lights and dash lights work. Push the headlight switch back in to turn off the headlights, radio turns back on. So it kinda works then but not really.
When I plug in the antenna, the fuse under the hood pops, headlights still turn on when the switch is used but marker and dash lights are out. Radio unit works as it should no matter where I pull the headlamp switch out too.

The kick panel fuse for the instrument lights has not blown at all.
Unfortunately it have zero access to tools except wrenches, a needle nose plier, a screwdriver and a hammer lol.

prcherokee

Is this a new install?

AdamPetrycki

I bought the jeep off of someone who wired the radio and new speakers in.
I didn't notice dash and marker lights were out till it got dark on the way home. Don't know if he ever got it working properly originally.

AdamPetrycki

I should mention too, when I left the antenna unplugged the fuse didn't blow as long as the radio was outside of its hole but powered up. When I slid the plugged in radio ( without antenna plugged in) back into the dash the fuse popped again, I'm guessing because the antenna touched the radio or something.

prcherokee

Check the ground on the stereo harness on the jeep the ground is not part of the radio oem harness, is a black wire that plugs in a tap behind the radio.
Can you post a picture?

Turbo X_J

Forget the JY stereos, they are junk.
Consider something like for ~$100 and you are set.:
Head unit & 2 speakers

Pain free harness:

Single DIN plate:


ETA: Are the wires on your stereo marked at all LF+,LF-, etc? If so and a wire marked "dimmer or illumination" is connected, cut and tape the ends of that wire see what happens.

prcherokee

Car Radio Constant 12V+ Wire: Pink/Yellow
Car Radio Switched 12V+ Wire: Red/White
Car Radio Ground Wire: Black
Car Radio Illumination Wire: Orange/Black
Car Radio Dimmer Wire: Black/Light Blue
Car Radio Antenna Trigger Wire: N/A
Car Radio Amp Trigger Wire: N/A
Front Speakers Size: 5 1/4″ Speakers
Front Speakers Location: Doors
Left Front Speaker Wire (+): Dark Green
Left Front Speaker Wire (-): Brown/Red
Right Front Speaker Wire (+): Purple
Right Front Speaker Wire (-): Dark Blue/Red
Rear Speakers Size: 5 1/4″ Speakers
Rear Speakers Location: Roof Mount
Left Rear Speaker Wire (+): Brown/Yellow
Left Rear Speaker Wire (-): Brown/Light Blue
Right Rear Speaker Wire (+): Dark Blue/White
Right Rear Speaker Wire (-): Dark Blue/Orange
OEM.




Aftermarket

AdamPetrycki

I'm not sure of the terminology to use but here goes. Right now behind the radio there is a bundle of the factory wires most of which I've been able to match up to some of the wiring instructions out there. There' are also thicker gauge wires for the new speakers in the door (I think, there are also new speakers in the hatch however from the colour coding I saw the OEM rear speaker wires looked like they were still being used) 4 new wires +/- front L&R. Dimmer wire not being used for sure.

All these wires are soldered to the radio wires I guess?(thinner uni color mostly) into a single plastic plug that is one piece but two layers on top, is that single din or double din? This plugs into the back of the radio.

I will take a picture tomorrow of the wire I'm not sure about, black, little plastic end that says amp on it and looks like it plugs into something.

Turbo X_J

If it looks like that connector next to the middle "x" that's the radio ground that plugs into that tab on the stereo.