car stereo display dim *** UPDATED***

[Ryan_V]

I have a pioneer cd deck in my fish house. I hooked it up and everything works, but the display is too dim to even see unless your nose is about an inch from it. anyone have any ideas what the problem might be and/or how to fix it??

I was at the house today, and the model is DEH 245... does that help anyone diagnose if it's fixable??

[ice_it_06]

Ryan_V:

Does the deck itself have a display dimmer function that is turned down maybe. Should work if the illumination wire is powered and fused correctly !!

[Ryan_V]

I couldn't find a dimmer function. I don't have the wire fused, just wired directly, would that make a difference??

[18 inch Crappie]

burnt out lamp in the face of the deck. A guy could take it apart and go order a new lamp.

[Whoaru99]

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I couldn't find a dimmer function. I don't have the wire fused, just wired directly, would that make a difference??

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No, but many of the newer decks have two or three power wires.

One for constant/batt. 12V, one for switched/ign. 12V, and sometimes one separate for lighting 12V.

BTW - You should fuse it because one wrong move and it'll be toast. At least with a fuse you might have a second chance...

[ice_it_06]

Did the display work "prior" to your putting in the fish house or is it a deck you got somewhere ?

I have a Clarion that takes a (3) amp illumination fuse and another deck a (15) and another none is needed. The clarion does just what yours does without the correct inline fuse. Radio powers up but no display... Display lamp could be fried like mentioned above but I've never seen one go.

You have a deck model & number to research from ?

[Ryan_V]

this is a pioneer with cd deck. I can't get the model number as it is in my house up at Mille Lacs. if I put a fuse in, would I do it on the red or yellow or both??? sure would be nice to see what is on the display. I bought in from my nephew who I believe got it from a salvage car at work. he said the display was dim for him also.

[ice_it_06]

(red) main line I always have a (30 amp) in it.

If I spilce in to that line for illumination wire/fuse I always do it from existing location behind the deck.

If it requires one there should be a inline smaller fuse there already to find size unless it was cut off by the parts yard. They should have powered it up before sale to sell it as working.

Sounds like it was or is on its way out

[tonyjor]

take off your sunglasses before you look at it

Seriously though, I would first figure out if it has a dimmer function and then work through the other suggestions. Good luck!

[IFallsRon]

There's usually two power lines. If you hook it up correctly in the car, one goes to power and overrides when you turn the ignition. The second goes to a location on the fuse block that allows the clock/channel memory to take power all the time. Chances are that your second isn't hooked up properly or that you don't have a good ground connection.

[Whoaru99]

30A seems like a pretty strong fuse for an in-dash unit, IMO.

[PierBridge]

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you don't have a good ground connection.

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Agreed.

[Macgyver55]

30 amp fuse is waaaay too much for a radio. Most sensitive electronic equipment uses a 3 amp fuse, 5 amp tops. The fact that the radio operates ok, (except the display) would indicate that the ground is fine. Many radios have an auto dim function that dims the display when the vehicle lights are turned on. There is normally a separate wire to sense that. If it doesnt have that function then the display is probably burned out as was said earlier.

[McGurk]

I installed 12 volt for about 3 years, and there are a few things to look for.

1st- NO NEED FOR 30 AMP FUSE. You might as well not have a fuse, the damage will be done way before the fuse blows. Go with a 5 amp inline.

2nd- Red= switched/ignition, Yellow= Constant/memory. For this application you could wire both together (after the fuse if each lead doesn't have a fuse), and just us the power button to turn it on/off.

3rd- Illumination, if not a function in the menu, may have an independent wire lead (typically orange) that will dim the display when 12 volts are applied, and will backlight the buttons if they aren't already. This is just like the dash lights dimming when you turn your lights on at night. For this application, I'd leave it unhooked.

4th- Most radio displays are intended to be read as you are looking down at them, and seem substantially dimmer as you move your eyes lower in the car to read it (try it ). The radio I installed in my fishhouse is up high (also a Pioneer) and the display is pretty poor on it, too, as I am looking up at it.

[Ryan_V]

Model is DEH 245... anyone have ideas??

[ice_it_06]

wiring schematic for pioneer DEH245

Green, Green W/black-left front

Gray, Gray w/black- right front

Black w/green, Green w/red- left rear

Black w/gray, Gray w/red- right rear

Red- Acc. Hot

Black- ground

Blue-either Clock or presents- either way always hot

Orange-either Clock or presents- either way always hot

Unit looks to be about three model years old and discontinued according to the number given. Also looks to have 12 pin Pioneer connection. Found one on HSOList for $25 buy now though !!

It has a liquid crystal display but I was not able to pull up a operation manual to see if its has a internal dimmer function on its menu.

[Ryan_V]

would hooking up blue to hot make the display come up??? right now I just have the red and yellow hot and the negative hooked up. I saw the blue, but didn't know what it was for.

[ice_it_06]

According to the schematic it shows no matter what the blue function is, it needs to be "hot" so you wont have nothing to lose by trying.. I know on any of my newer decks the blue is always power antenna, or light blue a remote for amp.

[LMITOUT]

The blue wire is used to signal an amplifier to turn on. You probably could use it for a power antenna as well. DO NOT connect this to a 12V source as it IS a source from the deck.

Red= 12V constant

Orange= 12V switched (ignition)

Black = Ground

Blue = Remote turn-on signal to amplifier

[18 inch Crappie]

Like I said the display lamp is out, seen it many times. Worked at mach1 for years. There is little lamps in the face that back light the display, they do go out from time to time. It has nothing to do with power wires. You need a hot and switched to turn on. It is turning on so that part is fine.