I will be installing a Alpine in a 1997 Pontiac Gran-Am. I never understood why the wire harness on later GM cars have a dimmer wire and a illumination wire. What is the difference? The only thing I would think would be the a dimmer line would very in voltage with the dash lights and a illumination line would be a fixed voltage when the lights are turned on. Obviously on a Alpine receiver you would not want to very the voltage for the dimming feature so I would assume on a CDA-7894 you would use the illumination lead for this install, AL.
Sounds like you have the right idea. If one doesn't want to dim the radio, they wouldn't hook it to the dimmer - you'd need a constant voltage, and vice-versa. If the stereo was illuminated by the main power feed, you'd not have the option to dim. I also imagine its possible that part would always be full (like the display) and the controls could dim - though I don't know why that would be desireable.
AL, I think you are talking about a single stage dimming. When you turn your lights on, the dimmer wire has 12 volts, and dims the radio a set amount. Lights off, no voltage on the dimmer wire. The illumination wire varies voltage via the dimming control on the dash.
Alpine / GM Wiring Larry, so in short I would use the dimmer wire or a non verable fading display? AL.
I suppose so AL, On all the later GM cars I've owned, when you turn on the lights, the radio controls, and clock dim a set amount. Put a multimeter on the dimmer wire, and the illumination wire, and see how they react when you switch on the lights. If the dimmer wire is no volts with the lights off, and 12 volts with the lights on, you can use it that way. Depends on the radio you are installing. Does it have 2 wires for illumination like the GM radio?
Alpine / GM Wiring Larry, no the Alpine receiver has only on line for the display. The Alpine I installed in my wagon (CDA-7878) has no previstions for dimming but the old one did (CDA-D855) The instruction show the dimmer wire being used, AL.
Alpine / GM Wiring :error: Larry, correction. The wire diagram shows the receiver wire and lists it as "dimmer" and the it show it being connected to the instrument cluster illumination lead on the car side of the wiring, AL.
Al, I emailed a friend of mine with your original post. He installed Alpine stereos for a living for over 10 years. I will post his reply when he gets back to me. He will have an answer for us!! G
Al, sorry I took so long. Chris emailed me back and sounds like you have the right idea. I will be installing a Alpine in a 1997 Pontiac Gran-Am. I never understood why the wire harness on later GM cars have a dimmer wire and a illumination wire. What is the difference? The only thing I would think would be the a dimmer line would very in voltage with the dash lights and a illumination line would be a fixed voltage when the lights are turned on. Obviously on a Alpine receiver you would not want to very the voltage for the dimming feature so I would assume on a CDA-7894 you would use the illumination lead for this install, AL. Here is his email to me: That's basically correct, but if you want to dim the lights on the deck also you can hook up to the dimmer wire. Use one wire or the other, but not both. So if i read this correctly, use the illumination wire if yo do not want to dim the deck and use the dimmer wire if you do want to dim the deck, but DO NOT use both wires. HTH, I know he is correct. He installed these for over ten years into trophy winning vehicles. Just the stereos were trophy winners. People putting $10K stereos in cars worth $500 always made me o No: and ou: If there is anything else, let me know and I can ask him if it is alright if I give you his direct email. I don't think he would have a problem with it.
Alpine Question Greg, see if you installer knows a Tech that can answer this question; Does a Alpine CDA-7876, CDA-7875, CDA-7875, CDA7873 use the same CD transport carriage as the CDA-7878? I have a spare CDA-7878 that has a damaged CD disc transport carriage and may have a Alpine CDA-7876 and a CDA7873 that I may buy to fix the one I have. The reasons I listed the other numbers is because they were build the same year by Alpine. AL.
Al, email sent. Iwill post his reply when I hear back from him. Most likely be tomorrow night after I get home from work. I don't get home til midnight central time.
Al, sorry it took so long again. Chris emailed me back and the answer is: Yes. They are all high power decks built in the same year so they should all use the same transport assembly! Enjoy the K-balling!! (Military term = Canabalizing) Let me know if there are any more ??'s as this guy is an incredible font of knowledge there for the asking>
Alpine Question Greg, I got in touch with a Apine parts house and the part numbers all a different from model to model o No:. AL.
