• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

TR5/TR250 Pros and Cons to Wiring The Radio Direct

Share this page

Got_All_4

Got_All_4

Luke Skywalker
Country flag
Offline
Putting in a modern radio in the Tr250 and the TR6 that has a constant 12v yellow line. I would like to combine the yellow and red to a constant 12v source so I can listen to the radio without using the ignition key. If washing the car or just around the car and all you have to do is push the power button and you got your music. Anyway would like to know the thoughts and wisdom of what the forum thinks.
 
Do you have one hot or two hots to radio?? I is OK to have a hot all the time or you lose any clock and if it has a USB port for music on a stick. I turn off my car at the battery cut out switch. when parked for a time but it is all fused so It's all good. If you have electronic in stead of points they do not like key switch without running also. Madflyer
 
There is a accessory position to the left if I want to do that but as stated trying to get away from using the key. Yes there is a clock, USB and Petronics. Yellow is the constant wire and the red goes to the ignition or a switch to 12v. Yellow is for the memory.
 
I don't see a problem with doing that. The main disadvantage is that you could flatten the battery if you leave it on by accident, but that's probably unlikely. Of course, be sure that you fuse BOTH lines to the radio, even the keep-alive line, which doesn't draw much current.
 
I think this is fine but you may want to disconnect it (or leave a post-it note) if you ever take it to a shop.

The kid who brings the car into the bay may want to try the stereo, then turn it down but not off when he parks it. 3 days later the battery is flat.

If that sounds like the voice of experience, it is.
 
The only car the family has ever owned with a hot radio was our 1967 VW Bug. The battery went dead at least 2 dozen times because of the radio over the 25 years we owned the car.
 
"Pros and Cons" was the title of the post.
I don't see a 'pro' except it complies with your desire not to use the key...which I don't understand, not that it matters.
 
Back
Top