FM Signal Booster Install Pictures

[ragingfish]

For those who've been following my story, I got an FM signal booster to help boost the weaker radio signals in my area...finally got it installed yesterday, here are pics of it during and post install.The booster has an on/off switch which lets you obviously disable it. Unfortunately, the booster kills my AM signal, so I have to turn it off to listen to AM stations (YES, I still listen to AM...).Here's what it looks like from the driver's seat. As previously mentioned, I had to mount it somewhere accessible because, when turned on, the booster kills my AM band...so I mounted it in the glovebox, where I can just reach over, pop open the glove box, and turn it off. This is the wire bundle at the rear of the booster module that goes up into the dash. This is a picture with the glovebox removed that shows how the wires snake up into the radio area... Of course, what's a signal booster without power! The module only has one wire. The one wire goes to the power source, the antenna and/or radio provide the grounding...I stole power from the wire harness that flashes the passenger seatbelt warning light...But I didn't want to mess with the harness, so I didn't solder this in, and I didn't secure it in any way. I just shoved the wire in the rear of the harness, it made contact, and I zip-tied them together to keep it from backing out and losing the connection.The booster wire is the solid red one with the "12V" sticker on it... Finally, a closer shot of the harness with the booster power. Again, booster power is solid red with the "12V" sticker on it.

[msmyer]

quote:The booster has an on/off switch which lets you obviously disable it. Unfortunately, the booster kills my AM signal, so I have to turn it off to listen to AM stations (YES, I still listen to AM...).700 WLW

[NovaResource]

Mike, why don't you run the power wire to an external switch first and then to the unit? Mount the switch in one of the blank spots to the left of the steering wheel and then you could hide the FM Signal Booster under the dash and not have it take up glove box space. This way the switch is easier to access without having to reach over and open the glove box.

[ragingfish]

Where will I find a switch that fits those spots?

[NovaResource]

You don't need one that fits exactly. Just pop out one of those covers, take it to Radio Shack and find a switch that will fit in the cover. Drill a small hole in the cover and mount the switch. Then just run the power wire from the supply to the switch and then to the unit. Snap the cover back in and you're done.There are all types of switches but I'd a small push-button switch like the ones used for the A/C and Recirc. Push on / push off:This one lights up but you will have to run 1 extra wire (just a simple ground wire for the switch):

[ragingfish]

Ok, I got a switch...Unsure how to wire it though. The diagram for the wiring shows three contacts -- Ground, Load, Power. I guess I just wire the ground terminal to the ground point in teh car people are using to disable the DRL system...Of Load and Power, which gets the FM module? Which gets the incoming power from that wire harness I hijacked current from?Thanks guys...

Attached files

[ragingfish]

Had a CLOSE call tonight!Was working on my bypass switch, and totally forgot to disconnect the battery first. I guess two wires touched, and I had the car in "run", all of a sudden the radio and gauges went out, and the car started beeping as if it were in accessory and a door was open. I couldn't figure out what I did! I figured I blew the CIG fuse (now remembering the battery was connected ) but no!!! I started panicking. Knowing tomorrow is Sunday, no one would be open, I had no gauges, the car wasn't even working right...so I got desperate...pulled every fuse...all of a sudden, BULLSEYE! I had blown the AM1 fuse. Apparantly this is important. And naturally, of all the spares we have, a 25 amp is NOT one of them...so I stole the 25A from the wipers...praying it doesn't rain before I can get a new one tomorrow.Today's lesson: ALWAYS DISCONNECT THE BATTERY BEFORE PERFORMING ANY WORK ON THE CAR!!!That being said, Scott, the bypass switch is a failure. See, all it does is cut power to the amp...it doesn't actually bypass the amp as the button on the amp itself does...so if I turn off the switch, it simply disables the amp, but interferes with my FM, and still does not permit, an AM signal...So while the button looked cool (and cost me a 25A fuse in the process!) it, unfortunately, now serves no purpose. Thanks for the idea though..would've been killer if it actually worked!

[NovaResource]

How did you wire it? The wire that you "hijacked" from the harness goes to the POWER terminal. Then you run a wire from the LOAD terminal to the FM amp. Last is a ground wire from the GROUND terminal to any metal part of the dash. LAstly, you need a good switch that is able to handle the load. It shoudl have a 25 amp or higher load rating.

[ragingfish]

I used a 30A switch. I wired the LOAD terminal to the FM amp, the POWER terminal to that harness, and the GROUND terminal to the grounding point people are using to disable the DRL system...It functions as it should: the light comes on in the switch, the FM amp goes on and off with the switch. But the problem is, the switch built into the FM amp actually bypasses the amp circuit when in the off position. It reroutes the antenna signal to act as if there is nothing there. This switch I wired cuts power to the amp, but the antenna signal still goes through the unpowered amp, seriously degrading my FM signal, and still killing the AM signal...Know what I mean?Any workaround for this? I'm proud of my wiring job, wish it could be functional now though...Will get pics of the button tomorrow anyway...'tis storming out now...

[NovaResource]

This may be more complicated than what you would want to do but what I would do is rewire it back to the way you had it and then open up the amp, disconnect the switch inside the amp and wire those leads to the new switch. Similar to the way this guy wired in an inverter into his Mustang:http://www.mustangworld.com/ourpics/fcar/inverter1.htm

[ragingfish]

Good call...I'll look into that tomorrow...

[joatmon]

Does the FM booster help with your poor FM reception?

[ragingfish]

Eh...it helps with the signals that are just a bit too weak...but if someting isn't more or less audible without it, the booster doesn't help.

[russ257]

i went to pep boys and they sell a switch that fits exactly into the blank to the left lighted or not