Wiring Question / Request

Hienkel429

Hey all, 

I have a 1951 Hornet with a stock radio.  I am rewiring the car to 12v but I would like the light ONLY to come on when you turn on the radio.  I took a swing at it tonight thinking I understood the switch but obviously not.  Can anyone walk me through wiring this switch to do this 12v neg ground?  Thanks all in advance. 

Ray

superwasp

I'm confused. So, you have the round button 225908 radio? If it's wired anything like the Sylvania 758 square button, that light is a true pilot light and is energized only when power flows from the radio switch to the rectifier tube. Dash lights are a totally separate circuit. You might want to track down the schematic for that radio and see if it's wired the same way already.

Hienkel429

Sorry for the confusion.  It is a 225908.  I am not using the guts of the radio at all, but instead just want to bypass the radio and just wire the left side switch to turn the back lights (pilot lights) on and off. 

I believe the frame is grounded so I am dealing with just the power. I did attempt wiring but it did not work.  It'd be great to know what terminal on the switch did what.  

Thanks again. 

Ray



  

superwasp

On that model the knob is power and volume control, right? 
That knob should work as you want, you just have to figure what two terminals have continuity after that initial click. Time to break out the multi-meter.
Typically on those the switches are stacked. Power will be on one level and volume will be further back or forward on the post if that makes any sense. 
I can't tell from the pic, but I suspect the terminals on the very end you have the wires on are volume. Are there 3? Are there only 2 more further down toward the front of the radio? Power is likely the 2 terminal stack.

50C8DAN

Did you have someone do an upgrade of the radio to put in modern electronics?  If so they should have done this mod for you.  The guy that does all of mine asks that question upfront, "do you want the radio illumination to work with the headlight switch or the radio on/off switch"

superwasp

The way I interpreted it, he just wants it to appear to power up. I think he's doing something else for sound.

Hienkel429

Indeed!  I am using a self-contained bluetooth adapter/amp for sound.  I pulled out the multimeter and realized I could just check for continuity and figure out the switch.  Amazingly I had wired it correctly the first time.  (I thought thats the way it should be but didn't trust myself.  Tested it on a 12v source and yes.  I turn the radio on and the lights come on.   👍  Mission accomplished.  If only I could find the bracket for mounting the radio.  LOL.  

Thanks all. 

Ray

superwasp

I kind of thought that's what you were up to. Are you using the factory speaker location too? Sounds like a nice, clean way to do bluetooth.

Glowplug

Hienkel429 said:

...  Mission accomplished.  If only I could find the bracket for mounting the radio.  LOL.  

Thanks all. 

Ray

Ray the braket is nothing more that a 90 degree bent piece of 1/8" metal.  It has a rectangle on one side and a triangle on the other and it mounts to the radio and fire wall.