The harness that I got with my 9813 had a plug on one end (to plug into the back of the head unit) and wires on the other end (to splice to another harness).

If Alpine has a harness that is plug and play, it would have to replace the harness that comes with the head unit. I don't know even if such a thing exists.

 

According to this thread there is.

https://my350z.com/forum/showthread....threadid=15922

 

If you solder the conection or crimp and solder the connection, make sure you use the right kind of solder. It has to do with the flux in the solder. There's a good article about crimping and soldering auto conections in the last issue of Zmag. If you don't have solder that allows you to remove the flux, the connections will become brittle and crack.

 

Ok, explain about this flux? What kind of solder do you need then?

 

Interesting, indeed. I've soldered about 5 decks using the metra wiring harnesses in the past and have never had a problem with the solder cracking over time. I've only used generic solder, so I doubt it's the solder you're referring to.

 

Sorry - I was at the office when I last posted and didn't have the article with me. I wasn't aware that there was a longevity difference in solders until I read it a few days ago.

The Mag article is in Sport Z Volume 3 Issue 2 Spring 2003. It might be on the web at www.sportzmagazine.com (I have a hard copy and haven't checked the web). The article is titled "Z Connections: Why are my headlights dim?" In addition to being a pretty good article about resto and electrical on a 240z, he states the following about solder:

"In order to get the solder to incorporate the parent metals, the surfaces must be clean and free of metal oxides. This poses a problem to the act of soldering, since copper and nickle oxidize almost immediately in air. Enter the flux. Flux is a chemical agent used to remove the oxide and allow the amalgam to form. Historically there were two flavors of flux: acid and rosin. Both of these fluxes, unless neutralized after the soldering process will continue to be active, and will, over time, destroy the very joint they helped create in the first place. I believe this is why the general consensus that soldering is bad, came about. Today we have no-clean flux or water soluble flux. I prefer to use the water soluble flux and rinse off my parts after soldering. Unfortunately, neither is available at your local Radio Shack. You can order either of them from Mouser Electronics. The water soluble flux core solder is Kester 331, Mouser part # 533-24-6337-6411. The no-clean solder is Kester 245, Mouser part # 533-24-6337-8817. Both are around $12 per spool. Also unfortunate is that these fluxes are not very strong and will not prepare heavily oxidized metals."

A new Z and new HU harness should not be heavily oxidized so the weak flux should not be a problem. The flux is in the solder and is generally labled acid or rosin core solder, but apparently you can get the no-clean and water soluble types. Also, don't heat the solder and drip it onto the joint, heat the joint and allow the solder to flow into it.
Hope this helps.

 

So what's the verdict on this as far as the V-Drive H/U goes? Use the normal merta kit and solder with a lead to the battery, or use the double plug and play kit and splice a lead to the battery?

 

I gave up on the plug and play idea. I'm just going to solder the alpine harness to the metra harness I bought. I got a 12 guage wire for the battery connection.

 

Can you post a picture of your H/U in the dash kit?

 

I will by the end of the week. I won't get my harness and HU until at least Friday I would assume.

 

I have found one possible reason for confusion regarding the existence of a "snap and play" harness. The ever-so-wise teenager at circuit city said that ONLY they sell the Alpine to universal harness #AL2X8-80 that snaps together with the metra harnes # 80-7550 (nissan to universal). The guys at crutchfield and audiowarhouse both recommend a metra harness # 70-7550(nissan to universal) to which you have to crimp/soder the alpine harness that comes with the HU.

A couple negatives to the CC snap together harnesses are that you still have to splice the power from the battery into it. As well as the fact that the two harneses cost $36.44 from CC.

The metra harness #70-7550 was $6.95 from Audio warehouse!