[NEED HELP] Sub not working

**liman** · 19-05-2008 01:27 PM

Hi guys,

I just bought another car recently and already has a sound system with pioneer headunit, subwoofer running on an amp.

I swapped the headunit with alpine xda-x100, plug the RCA cables to the back of the headunit to SW, but the sub isn't working at all.

I did the rewiring myself, just matched all the colours.
Everything's working fine except the sub isn't working.

Any idea what's goin on?

Thanks,
Steven

**rice_civic** · 19-05-2008 02:31 PM

are the lights on the amp turning on? if not check that you connected the trigger wire.

**liman** · 19-05-2008 03:01 PM

What's a trigger wire? I didn't touch any of the wiring on the amp or the sub.

I never checked if the light is on or not when the sub is still working.
But it's definitely working fine with the old headunit, I wonder if there's a compatibility issue, correct me if I'm wrong, I know nothing bout audio system.

Note: I've already turn on the sub on the headunit. Amp is pioneer GM-3100T, and I don't think there's a light coming out from it after I swap the headunit.

**Mugen Civic** · 19-05-2008 03:12 PM

You need to check the wire that switches the amp on when u turn on the Head unit (trigger wire)

Plugging thous RCA plugs from the head unit to the amp is not enough, they only output sound.

**liman** · 19-05-2008 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by Mugen Civic

You need to check the wire that switches the amp on when u turn on the Head unit (trigger wire)

Plugging thous RCA plugs from the head unit to the amp is not enough, they only output sound.

Ah...Thanks for enlighten me...
Any idea what the wire looks like? Cause when I unplugged all the cables that's connected to the old headunit, I don't think I saw that wire...

Maybe it's unplugged when I took it out.

EDIT: I think I know which one it is, I remember there's like a single grey cable unplugged but has a electrical tape attached.
Just googled trigger wire, and it should be connected to blue power antenna cable off the headunit.
I'll give it a try tonight...

Thanks guys.

**micka** · 19-05-2008 03:37 PM

I haven't looked at any of the newer alpine headunits so I am not sure if this will apply to you. On many of the older Alpine units (of the vintage of 9815, 9813, 9811 etc) the default setting was for Sub out on the headunit to be off. When adding a subwoofer you had to turn the Sub on in the function menu, that would turn on sub output and activate applicable tuning functions (sub level, crossovers). Have a look in your manual.

Again, I have not looked at the newer alpine stuff, so this may not be applicable. Manual is your friend

Above assumes that the amp is turning on.

**k20man** · 19-05-2008 03:42 PM

All aftermarket radios standardized there wiring harnesses. The blue/white wire is usually for the amp turn on and the solid blue wire is for the power antenna. or vise versa on the colors. but either way it will work just fine if you hook it up to either one. The orange wire is for your dimmer on your radio, that goes to the head light switch wire. What ever you do DO NOT hook the amp wire to that wire.

So the steps are as below.

1. Go to the AMP and check the colour of the wire in the REMOTE slot (should be a small thin wire)
2. The other end of this wire should be connected to the back of the head unit blue/white colour wire. (might be labelled REMOTE on the head unit)
3. If the Blue/White colour wire on the back of the headunit cannot be found, you can also share a connection to the RED power wire althou this is a last resort it will work fine.

Dont let all the wires scare you its easy... hope this helps

**liman** · 19-05-2008 03:46 PM

Yup that certainly helps clear things a lot...
Cheers guys.

**gach2** · 19-05-2008 05:32 PM

easier option
this is what ive done on all my cars
with the remote (trigger) wire
connect it straight to the ignition fuse.
connect it to a fuse that turns on and off with ignition (though its called ignition fuse, there are a few that stay on after the ignition is turnd off, to be safe just use the same fuse as the headunit - should say radio on the diagram)