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Radio/ led light strip short!!

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Old May 20, 2014 | 01:13 AM
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Default Radio/ led light strip short!!

I recently picked up a 12v 6meter LED light strip and I wanted to install it under the dash board in my jeep. I don't have any other lights in my jeep so I needed to get these in. I took the old wires that we're going to my roof light(never worked) and wanted to attach that to the LEDs. I touched the two wires really fast to see if any sparks would show to see if there was electricity still running through the wires. They sparked so I knew there was.
Then I connected posotive to posotive and negative to negative on my LEDs and they didn't turn on. I turned on the car and tried again.

So I took the wires off and touched them together and they didn't spark.
I thought I might have shorted them out on accident.
Now my radio deck just shows a blank blue screen and no music playing.

Does anyone have an explanation for this?
Is my radio shot?

I checked the fuses and everything seems to be fine. all my headlights and turn signals still work along with the car starting up just fine.
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Old May 20, 2014 | 01:25 AM
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Get a multimeter, it's a much more effective way of checking for voltage. I'm not sure what went wonky with your short (that's what the sparks mean) but we won't be able to diagnose this unless you have a multimeter. You can get one from home improvement stores for $20 and up or pick one up from Harbor Freight for around $5.

You need to check the door pin that provides a trigger for the interior light and I would recommend checking the ground (might be the one under driver's side kick panel but someone will have to confirm), and double-check both sides of the dome and radio fuse with your new multimeter. It sounds like the illumination for your radio is working but the power is not... they may be on separate circuits so there's no need to panic, yet.
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Old May 20, 2014 | 02:22 PM
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Seems you shorted something out. How did you check the fuses?
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Old May 20, 2014 | 02:42 PM
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Originally Posted by cruiser54
Seems you shorted something out. How did you check the fuses?
I just looked at them to see if they were still intact
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Old May 20, 2014 | 02:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Makoa89XJ
I just looked at them to see if they were still intact
You should be checking them with a meter...........
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Old May 22, 2014 | 08:14 AM
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Or a test light.. Test lights are good for checking fuses and power.
Sounds like you shorted something or blew a fuse. Touching wires will create new problems.
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Old May 22, 2014 | 08:16 AM
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Originally Posted by JeepingDan
Or a test light.. Test lights are good for checking fuses and power.
Sounds like you shorted something or blew a fuse. Touching wires will create new problems.
Kinda like throwing gas on a fire to put it out.....

Meter is less than $10 and test lights just a few bucks.
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Old May 22, 2014 | 08:36 AM
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Check the mini fuse under the hood? Closest to the firewall it should be a 20 mini fuse.
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Old May 22, 2014 | 08:37 AM
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Originally Posted by OHHNOES
Check the mini fuse under the hood? Closest to the firewall it should be a 20 mini fuse.
Do we even know the year?

Renix had no underhood fusebox.
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Old May 22, 2014 | 10:54 AM
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It wasn't the fuses . I was able to lead a wire from on of my fuses directly to my battery and the radio works.weird right
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Old May 22, 2014 | 01:07 PM
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Originally Posted by Makoa89XJ
It wasn't the fuses . I was able to lead a wire from on of my fuses directly to my battery and the radio works.weird right
So the plug in the firewall may have a bad connection.
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Old May 22, 2014 | 01:08 PM
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Btw thread is pretty much tech, moved it to OEM.
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Old May 22, 2014 | 03:21 PM
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Do the other components on the accessory circuit work? Wipers, heater/A/C etc.
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Old May 22, 2014 | 04:03 PM
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Do you carry a fire extinguisher in your Jeep?
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Old May 23, 2014 | 12:27 PM
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Ya everything else works and no I don't carry a fire extinguisher at the moment. I'm not gonna be driving it for a couple months
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