Got the stereo working in my car after the PO FUBAR'ED it.

Problem is it's not retaining the settings (clock, fade/balance, bass/treble). There's three wires in question: a small red one, two big yellow ones with a .03a inline fuse for each.

Currently I have: constant 12V going to the red, and switched 12v going to one of the yellow ones. It works. Just doesn't retain settings.

Is it possible the other yellow wire is where the constant 12v needs to go?

It wouldn't be a problem to figure out except it actually has a battery that will retain the settings for almost 6hrs. So there's no real way of knowing if it's working correctly. FML.

Dunno - most of mine have been orange for constant power, IIRC. Certainly the small size would vote for your first guess, the red, but guess not (or it's broken, possibility the third..)

Might see if one of them (start with the red, since you know it isn't the constant power already) affects brightness of the stereo lights if hooked to your dash light circuit and you play with the dash light dimmer - that won't be the constant power one.

If it has a battery, then maybe the battery just needs to be replaced?

go ahead ,and give me the number for the head unit,and i'll get you a wiring diagram.
But just going by what you got here ,the 12v  constant is not the red wire.
The red will be the ignition source,and 12v constant is usually orange or yellow.
-CS

Buy a new stereo 

Have an auto electrician install it 

Drink beer while it is being done 

Michael

Yellow wire is 12v CONSTANT
Red wire is 12v SWITCHED

I do custom car audio and other work as a profession. If you need some more help please LMK.

Quote from: mister on July 28, 2012, 12:36:48 PM
Buy a new stereo 

Have an auto electrician install it 

Drink beer while it is being done 

Michael

Send me the money and I will.

Quote from: weedahoe on July 28, 2012, 12:48:32 PM
Yellow wire is 12v CONSTANT
Red wire is 12v SWITCHED

I do custom car audio and other work as a profession. If you need some more help please LMK.

Great. Thanks man. Any idea why there's two yellows? The third does absolutely nothing that I can tell.

I switched it around this afternoon, so we'll see if it worked. It may be that BOTH the yellow wires have to be connected? It's an older Clarion unit.

2 yellows are 15A and 3A. The 15A is memory backup lead and 3A is bus power lead.
Connect them both to the constant source.
The 3 amp wire is to power clarion add ons.
-CS

Careful which yellow wire you connect first. Get it wrong and the universe will end 

Quote from: mister on July 29, 2012, 01:04:47 AM
Careful which yellow wire you connect first. Get it wrong and the universe will end 

D'OH!

Quote from: burnchassis on July 29, 2012, 01:02:17 AM
2 yellows are 15A and 3A. The 15A is memory backup lead and 3A is bus power lead.
Connect them both to the constant source.
The 3 amp wire is to power clarion add ons.
-CS

Hmmm...okay I think that's how I have it. I'm about to go check to see if it saved the settings this time, if not, I'll try another way.

There is no need to try another way.....The way I stated is the ONLY way it can work proper.
Red to the ignition source,and the 2 Yellows to the constant (battery).
IF it does not? Your head unit/wiring is broken.
-CS

Quote from: burnchassis on July 29, 2012, 12:39:53 PM
There is no need to try another way.....The way I stated is the ONLY way it can work proper.
Red to the ignition source,and the 2 Yellows to the constant (battery).
IF it does not? Your head unit/wiring is broken.
-CS

Well...with the one yellow connected to the constant like you suggested, and the red connected to the switched, it worked.  Got in it today after it sat for over 18hrs and all my settings were there. So...go figure.

Thank you for the help man. +Karma for you!

yep,that's cool too,just remember the yellow 3 amp wire is hot...tape it up well ..hook it up ...or pull the 3 amp fuse.
You're very welcome,and thanks!
-CS

Quote from: burnchassis on July 29, 2012, 01:02:17 AM
2 yellows are 15A and 3A. The 15A is memory backup lead and 3A is bus power lead.
Connect them both to the constant source.
The 3 amp wire is to power clarion add ons.
-CS

yup. btw is there a marking paper on top of the head unit? one of the two yellows is hte memory wire.  since both are fuse protected it wont hurt to connect both.  youll find out that memory settings are saved. then after doing this , DISCONNECT oen. and see if settings retained. if not. reconnect that oen, then disconect other oen. if memory goes away like a pothead, youve foudn the wire oyu need

Quote from: burnchassis on July 29, 2012, 08:09:37 PM
yep,that's cool too,just remember the yellow 3 amp wire is hot...tape it up well ..hook it up ...or pull the 3 amp fuse.
You're very welcome,and thanks!
-CS

I...sort of snipped it off. LOL