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Dimming HU with Headlights... 

 

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 Post subject: Dimming HU with Headlights...
Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 10:32 am 
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Brought a new headunit on saturday, Pioneer DEH-P8650 (I splurged, I know...)
Was wiring it up, all fairly easy.
Found what I was 90% sure was the dim wire, so I got the multimeter and checked it.
0 volts with no headlights, .05 with.
So me thinks all good. (should have checked if voltage varied with instrument panel dimming)
Put it all in, switch the dimming feature on in the headunit setup.
No dim.
Now I'm starting to think the reason for this is the dimming wire to the unit is variable voltage, same as instrument panel, so brightness can be adjusted.
Obviously never going to work with an Aftermarket Headunit.
Now me not being an electronics whiz, is it possible to somehow get this line outputting a steady voltage of whatever it is the Pioneer headunit needs?

 

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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 5:29 pm 
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Im not to sure, i wired in a pioneer head unit into both my car, and my brothers. Neither of the two decks (one that was lower end of the pioneer range, one worth 850 or something?) and neither of them will dim. I havent reread the manual yet, as i cant be bothered, but im not sure what it requires either? Unless its meant to go to ground or something through a relay... not sure

 

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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:55 pm 
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the difference between 0v and 0.05v is nothing, even if it IS working, you won't notice it.

The standard way the stock units dim, is they are supplied +12V (which doesn't change), and the BEM regulates the - wire, between 0V and 12V to control the dimming. You need to know what the HU wants (if it does even support dimming, see below)

I don't know of any aftermarket HU that will dim anyway. I've never installed one with a 'dim' wire (I've done more than a handful of various brands and prices).

 

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Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 7:50 am 
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It's actually marked "I.L.L." (Illumination Level Lowering?) from the headunit.
My sisters Clarion one had it (and it works in her laser, no dash dimming control), and this Pioneer one definately supports it.
I understand I won't be able to modify it's brightness like the stock HU, with the instrument panel dimmer, I just hate having my car lit up like a christmas tree when driving at night.
I'll word the question better.
Does anyone know...
a) What voltage is output along that wire without the variable dimming (low series guys)?
b) Is there then a way to take a variable voltage signal, and step it up/down to a set voltage?
c) is the voltage a Pioneer HU requires different to what ford runs along that wire?
I'll do some research myself, fire off an E-Mail to Pioneer, but if you guys know the answer to b) that'd be really helpful.
Like I said, electronics aren't exactly my forte.

 

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Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 9:04 am 
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the variable lighting wire, is as I said above. 12V fixed on one side, and usually the brown wire (to TC/CC etc) is between 0 and 12V controlled by the BEM. Now this may seem strange, but the lights will end up with a varaible voltage of between 0 and 12V, but if it's less than full birghtness, the voltage will NOT be referenced to ground.

If you want a on/off type signal for the HU, hook it up to the parker light switch.

 

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Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 1:50 pm 
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Im fairly sure i have mine hooked up to the park lamp circuit recieving a constant 12v when the park lamps are on. Ill have to check it, but i know i was ending up with over 12v when the lights were on. But theres no dimming what so ever. Have to look closer into it i think.

 

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Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 2:44 pm 
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From memory mine is also attached to parkers and it does dim when I turn parkers on. But you have to turn the dim setting on the HU.. My HU is a Pioneer 7650.

 

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Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 3:17 pm 
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well, my pioneer head unit dims? DEH P646

it has an wire marked ILL.. hooked that upto the factory loom wire that dims the stock head unit when the lights are turned on...

so it runs at full brightness normally, then parkers/headlights on and the unit dims automatically

 

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Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 3:19 pm 
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Hmmmm, ill have to have a closer look at it then! The other option is that something might have been wrong in the commdore, and has hence damaged something in both hadunits as they both first lived in the commodore.

 

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Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 7:28 pm 
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if the head unit supports i.L.L the wire will be orange with a white stripe and on most falcons the dim wire is brown so if u hook em together u shouldnt have a problem let me know how u go

 

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