Help please, Identify this wire

angusis2fast4u · Postby **angusis2fast4u** » Sat Nov 09, 2013 7:48 pm

So i have had this wire in the car since i got it but i recently was trying to fix my antenna and got curious if was a standard plug from factory or something previous owners have changed?

As you can see in the image the blue wire which is connected directly to the battery terminal which is unplugged and the female adapter. this plug has always been unplugged and tried to plug it in but i don't know what it would be for as everything seems to work. the wire seems to follow the radio antenna wires down through the car but thats as far as i have seen.

So, is this wire standard issue (i.e. on all mx-5's) if, so, what for? and if it's not standard issue any ideas what it could be?

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Sat Nov 09, 2013 7:52 pm

It is a copper wire

Based on the way it is wired I would say not stock.

aka_juffa · Postby **aka_juffa** » Sun Nov 10, 2013 9:40 pm

That plug looks like a in-line fuse. I would suggest that it is the power supply for an aftermarket headunit.

J.

angusis2fast4u · Postby **angusis2fast4u** » Sun Nov 10, 2013 9:44 pm

aka_juffa wrote:That plug looks like a in-line fuse. I would suggest that it is the power supply for an aftermarket headunit.

J.

There doesn't seem to be any fuses unless it is broken. It's not for the headunit as it came with a stock one and I have since installed one and it works so It couldn't be.. I have no idea what it is :/

TieNN89 · Postby **TieNN89** » Sun Nov 10, 2013 9:53 pm

Because it's unclipped the fuse would of fallen out

But I agree with aka_juffa it looks like an in-line fuse holder to me as well.

angusis2fast4u · Postby **angusis2fast4u** » Sun Nov 10, 2013 10:00 pm

TieNN89 wrote:Because it's unclipped the fuse would of fallen out

But I agree with aka_juffa it looks like an in-line fuse holder to me as well.

YES! That's it. Okay so the question is now what is a fuse here used for? I believe it used to have a killswitch wired in on the battery but I believe it was a simple pin to disconnect the battery( well that's how he described it) that may be it but I doubt it. Thought/suggestions

Smacca · Postby **Smacca** » Mon Nov 11, 2013 4:41 pm

The inline fuse was probably installed to protect an aftermarket accessory or unit, such as an alarm, central locking module, head unit, UHF radio, additional lights or amplifier (although amp installs normally use a higher gauge wire and larger fuse), etc. I'm not sure how a kill switch is wired up, but this fuse could be for that too. Can someone else confirm this?

You'll probably just have to follow the wire and see where it leads you. You may even be able to remove some dead weight out of the car if the wire and what it's attached to is useless.

angusis2fast4u · Postby **angusis2fast4u** » Mon Nov 11, 2013 4:51 pm

Smacca wrote:The inline fuse was probably installed to protect an aftermarket accessory or unit, such as an alarm, central locking module, head unit, UHF radio, additional lights or amplifier (although amp installs normally use a higher gauge wire and larger fuse), etc. I'm not sure how a kill switch is wired up, but this fuse could be for that too. Can someone else confirm this?

You'll probably just have to follow the wire and see where it leads you. You may even be able to remove some dead weight out of the car if the wire and what it's attached to is useless.

Thanks man, when i got this car it was Completely stock, even after 5 years in Aus (being an import) it still had the japanese radio, so i think in that case i'll have to follow the wire and see what i find, the only other thing i could think of is an anti-corrosion device as the car has got an anti rust coating on the belly. i wouldn't have thought the last owners would do this and electronic anti rust?

taminga16 · Postby **taminga16** » Mon Nov 11, 2013 7:30 pm

Angus,
Is it live? and if so there is a possibility that whatever it powered has long been removed.
Greg.

emily_mx5 · Postby **emily_mx5** » Mon Nov 11, 2013 7:43 pm

It is not stock.
It could be wiring for a frequency expander. my import has one to aid the jap head unit, so it can function with out radio waves.
Follow it, and possible remove if its just sitting there doing nothing.

angusis2fast4u · Postby **angusis2fast4u** » Mon Nov 11, 2013 11:40 pm

emily_mx5 wrote:It is not stock.
It could be wiring for a frequency expander. my import has one to aid the jap head unit, so it can function with out radio waves.
Follow it, and possible remove if its just sitting there doing nothing.

Hey emily what do you mean without radiowaves? what does a frequency expander do/used for? i've never heard of it so im a bit curious

taminga16 · Postby **taminga16** » Tue Nov 12, 2013 12:39 pm

angusis2fast4u wrote:
emily_mx5 wrote:It is not stock.
It could be wiring for a frequency expander. my import has one to aid the jap head unit, so it can function with out radio waves.
Follow it, and possible remove if its just sitting there doing nothing.

Hey emily what do you mean without radiowaves? what does a frequency expander do/used for? i've never heard of it so im a bit curious

I think that Emily may be refering to a radio signal amplifier, they were a great idea but amplified everything.
I agree that it is not stock and if it is live, or not for that matter, insulate it and secure it out of the way, chasing it may lead to a whole new heartache.
Greg.

aka_juffa · Postby **aka_juffa** » Tue Nov 12, 2013 9:47 pm

angusis2fast4u wrote:
emily_mx5 wrote:It is not stock.
It could be wiring for a frequency expander. my import has one to aid the jap head unit, so it can function with out radio waves.
Follow it, and possible remove if its just sitting there doing nothing.

Hey emily what do you mean without radiowaves? what does a frequency expander do/used for? i've never heard of it so im a bit curious

The Japanese market use a different radio frequency range to us. Therefore without an adaptor/expander a Japanese market headunit will not work in Aust.

J.

emily_mx5 · Postby **emily_mx5** » Tue Nov 12, 2013 9:57 pm

sorry i meant to say "with our radio waves"
thanks juffa thats a great explanation!

angusis2fast4u · Postby **angusis2fast4u** » Wed Nov 13, 2013 1:09 am

emily_mx5 wrote:sorry i meant to say "with our radio waves"
thanks juffa thats a great explanation!

aka_juffa wrote:
angusis2fast4u wrote:
emily_mx5 wrote:It is not stock.
It could be wiring for a frequency expander. my import has one to aid the jap head unit, so it can function with out radio waves.
Follow it, and possible remove if its just sitting there doing nothing.

Hey emily what do you mean without radiowaves? what does a frequency expander do/used for? i've never heard of it so im a bit curious

The Japanese market use a different radio frequency range to us. Therefore without an adaptor/expander a Japanese market headunit will not work in Aust.

J.

The stock headunit didn't work at all, never heard sound out of it, either rendering the Expander useless or it's something else, i have insulated it and im guessing it is something to do when i have a bit of spare time