davidl051

Hey folks,

First and foremost, please understand that I am NOT responsible for what caused this issue! I'm not that ignorant!

I've installed a new head unit, amp and sub (Zenclosure box) in my 2006 350Z. I got everything working just fine, however, the radio reception was very inconsistent. Here's my thread that I created regarding this issue:

https://my350z.com/forum/audio-and-video/288607-inconsistent-radio-reception-after-amp-install.html

I made certain that I connected the power amp wire to the harness before doing anyother troubleshooting. Check!

Before going any further, let me include the fact that I chose to install my small monoblock amp underneath the drivers side seat. Like I said, it worked great, but the radio reception was very inconsistent. I did some research and I noticed that the lead antenna wire and ground ran underneath the driver seat. So I went ahead and uninstalled the amp, thinking that the amp
might possibly be pinching the lead antenna wire.

Upon doing this, I noticed that the radio reception improved immensely. So in an attempt to further troubleshoot, I set the amp back down on the carpet
floor underneath the drivers seat and the radio cut out once again. I then moved the amp, felt around underneath the carpet and the radio reception changed as I pushed on a certain area. I then lifted the carpet a bit and slit a 2 inch gash into the carpet to see what was going on underneath it in that specific area. What I would then find was nuts. Someone, apparently the previous owner, had accidentally severed the lead antenna wire completely. It was simply taped together with electrical tape. Along with that wire was a wire of similar size and another wire that was smaller (3 total wires). All severed. So I undid their engineering job and the radio lost power and the reception was obviously gone as well.

So, here I am with three severed wires underneath my drivers seat and no radio at all. These wires are very complex as they are not your traditional copper wires. They have a single solid copper core with a plenum-like PVC coating, a thin layer of metal mesh, and then your basic rubber outside layer. My question is....how in the world am I going to repair this? Something tells me that I might have to look to the manufacture to get a whole new wire(s) and rerun them accordingly. I'll take pics of this if you'd like to see what I'm talking about.

Any suggestions would be great!

Thanks,
David
dllowe@swbell.net

Voboy

iTrader: (58)

these cables?

davidl051

BINGO!

So how in the world should I approach this repair?

Thanks,
David

Voboy

iTrader: (58)

I tried to type out an explanation but it didn't sound understandable so I googled another pic:


Do this to both ends... you'll then buy a female connector:



and connect both ends

This is just the easiest way in my little experience with coaxial cables... I have no idea how you would actually "repair" it. This might leave a bump in the carpet... hopefully it's not a big deal... maybe you can hide it with dynomat or something.

350zx6r

i love this web site. extremelly helpful ppl! good job there voboy!

Voboy

iTrader: (58)

If -^ that wasn't the right wiring... it could be an RCA... you'd probably do the same thing... it might be a little harder to splice since that wire is a bit smaller.

Not really out of the woods yet... it's just a guess of what type of wiring davidl051 dealing with. With luck it'll be an okay fix. But we'll just have to wait and see!

davidl051

Awesome find, Voboy. That picture is fantastic!

You know, this very same thought crossed my mind last night in regards to the bnc style connectors, but I too was worried about the bump in the carpet. However, the bump will reside underneath the drivers seat so it shouldn't be a big deal at all.

And FYI: I will be moving my amp over to the passenger side seat (underneath).

Thanks to all,
David

davidl051

Also, I do believe it's an RCA type cable pair. The core is very thin. There's a white sheath protecting the core on one cable and then a red seath protecting the core on the other cable. The 3rd cable is just your traditional copper wire which will be very easy to repair.

I'll take pics today before I begin to make a stab at the repair with the bnc connectors.

Thanks,
David

davidl051

IT'S FIXED!!!

I didn't use Voboy's exact recommendation, but what I did was very similar. I could not use the F-type connector because the cable itself was not thick enough to physically clamp or screw down over it. After giving it some thought, I was pretty certain that it was an RCA style wire because the inner core was so thin.

So I went to Radio Shack and purchased (4) male RCA connectors and (2) RCA couplers. I wired them up accordingly and BAM! Everything fired right up just as I had hoped. I do have to admit that hooking up the RCA connectors was a bit tedious as I was forced to have to strip down the wire to the very inner core and screw it into the RCA connector. But for the most part, the results are very clean and it works. I attempted to take pictures of the outcome, however, my digital camera batteries are dead (blames it on the wife!).

Thanks again to all that responded.

David

davidl051

Here's the RCA plugs that I used:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...entPage=search

Here's the RCA coupler that I used as well:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...entPage=search

Voboy

iTrader: (58)

Cool. I'm glad everything worked out for ya!

davidl051

Here's what the cables looked like before I fixed them.