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Radio Fuse Keeps blowing as soon as I turn the key

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Old 04-15-2010, 11:43 PM
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Default Radio Fuse Keeps blowing as soon as I turn the key

Well it just started today. When I got the jeep they had the radio with current all the time was hooked up to the 12v. Had to turn the radio off manualy. Well today I took it apart and put the correct wires where they should go, but now it keeps blowing the fuse. I disconnected the 12v wires from the harness just to see if it would still blow the fuse and it did. Gonna run a wire direct to the fuse over the weekend to see if it's the harness or the fuse box. What else can I look for?
Old 04-15-2010, 11:49 PM
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Must be a short in the wiring. I cant think of anything else. I would discard of it. lol
Old 04-16-2010, 07:07 AM
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Sounds like you rewired it wrong somewhere. Hopefully you didn't fry radio.

Here is a link to another thread where I tried to help someone else. I also posted a radio wiring diagram for an '89 Cherokee there as well that may help you figure it out.

GOOD LUCK!!!
Old 04-16-2010, 09:25 AM
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I'm guessing this is a aftermarket head unit. Becuase the orginal factory units, sounded like carp. you should have 1 blk neg. ground, 1 red pos. (to fuse box. works w/ keys) 1 yel. pos. (to fuse box. works w/ lights for illumination) 1 violet (for power ant.) 1 blu. remote on/off (for possible amp.) 4 sets of 2 (for speakers) If you have RCA pulgs, use them for the amp. JMO!
Old 04-16-2010, 09:38 AM
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I had a Dodge that did that too. The wire in the harness was bad. Im guessing thats why the po had it wired to the fuse box. All you need to do is wire it to a fuse that shuts it off when the key is off. Thats what I did and had no problems.
Old 04-16-2010, 11:33 AM
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Same thing happened in my cherokee, I rewired it and accidently ran 1 wire to the wrong 12v switched in the dash.

2 of the wires in the dash where the radio go's are switched 12v power wires meaning they come on with the key. Test which one you have it hooked up to and swap it over to the next one.
Old 04-16-2010, 01:15 PM
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Checked the positive wire with a multimeter and it the meter beeps when I touch the positive and ground. So I need to find where the two wires are touching.
Old 04-16-2010, 01:17 PM
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put a bigger fuse, like a 50A or 100.
Old 04-16-2010, 01:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Metlic53
put a bigger fuse, like a 50A or 100.
DO NOT DO THIS!

This is a GREAT way to fry your wiring and potentially start a car fire.

fuses are rated at a certain amp so they blow if there is to much resistance in the wire.

I bigger fuse wil not blow and cut power which forces the resistance to go to the next weakest link which is the wiring.

As soon as the wiring gets hot enought it will melt and burn the plastic coating on the wires.

Never replace a fuse that is blowing for a supersized amp rating.

Not only is it dangerous but you are masking the REAL problem and taking a huge risk.
Old 04-16-2010, 03:34 PM
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Hi, Just do what other posters suggested and run a wire to the "ign" hole in the fuse panel and you should be OK...Tj
Old 04-16-2010, 04:16 PM
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Originally Posted by Nor-CalJeeper
DO NOT DO THIS!

This is a GREAT way to fry your wiring and potentially start a car fire.

fuses are rated at a certain amp so they blow if there is to much resistance in the wire.

I bigger fuse wil not blow and cut power which forces the resistance to go to the next weakest link which is the wiring.

As soon as the wiring gets hot enought it will melt and burn the plastic coating on the wires.

Never replace a fuse that is blowing for a supersized amp rating.

Not only is it dangerous but you are masking the REAL problem and taking a huge risk.
X2 on this. The fuse is there for a reason! Why use a fuse if its not going to blow when it needs to? Might as well just wire straight to the battery! Anyways, get a test light and start touching fuses in the fuse box with the ignition on and off until you find one that only has 12v power when the ignition is on. Get a fuse tap from autozone, wire your stereo to that, and your ready to rock. JMO
Old 04-16-2010, 06:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Nor-CalJeeper
DO NOT DO THIS!

This is a GREAT way to fry your wiring and potentially start a car fire.

fuses are rated at a certain amp so they blow if there is to much resistance in the wire.

I bigger fuse wil not blow and cut power which forces the resistance to go to the next weakest link which is the wiring.

As soon as the wiring gets hot enought it will melt and burn the plastic coating on the wires.

Never replace a fuse that is blowing for a supersized amp rating.

Not only is it dangerous but you are masking the REAL problem and taking a huge risk.
Originally Posted by The91XJ
X2 on this. The fuse is there for a reason! Why use a fuse if its not going to blow when it needs to? Might as well just wire straight to the battery! Anyways, get a test light and start touching fuses in the fuse box with the ignition on and off until you find one that only has 12v power when the ignition is on. Get a fuse tap from autozone, wire your stereo to that, and your ready to rock. JMO
it was a joke. GEEZ!!!
Old 04-16-2010, 07:55 PM
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it's not very funny as this guy is looking for help with his jeep and turned to other people. You're an idiot for even joking about this.
Old 04-16-2010, 11:41 PM
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It's the purple with red line wire that goes to the fuse box that is grounding out somewhere so I just ran a wire to the other side of the fuse that turns on with the key. Not enough space to try to find the short. Thanks all.
Old 04-17-2010, 12:49 AM
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Originally Posted by Metlic53
put a bigger fuse, like a 50A or 100.
please, tell me you were joking.


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