2004 VY Holden Commodore Full Install (AU)

soyfish · 04-28-2008, 05:04 AM

Hi All, this is the work log for my 2004 Holden Commodore. It's an Australian car and my first car pc. The idea is to put one of the stage 3 mp3car.com carputers under the passenger seat, and a small amp (4x35wrms) under the drivers seat. This will then be hooked up to 2 jaycar 6.5" splits in the front, and jaycar 6" speakers in the rear doors. All doors will be sound deadened.

I'm planning on putting a Xenarc 8" screen in the dash where the original double din head unit was. This will require some fabrication.

The Car -

Parts List:
- Xenarc 800tsv 8" touchscreen
- Stage 3 carputer
- Jaycar 6.5" splits
- Jaycar 6" speakers
- 4X35wrms and 1X120 sub out Eurovox amp
- A Bulk pack of Dynamat.
- Audiopipe 8 gauge wiring kit
- Audiopipe battery terminals

Haven't got any decent pics of the dash, will get some ASAP. Here is the initial wiring diagram for how I want to set it out. I would appreciate your comments / experience as I'm sure I've left things out.

Currently I'm not real sure on if the power wiring for the amp and PC is as good as it could be. The benefit with the way it is now is that it keeps audio and signal cables away from the power lines, however it does mean more wiring. Again, suggestions much appreciated

Fox_Mulder · 04-28-2008, 05:24 AM

What state you located in? I think there is someone else on here with a carputer in a VY..

soyfish · 04-28-2008, 05:30 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Fox_Mulder

What state you located in? I think there is someone else on here with a carputer in a VY..

I'm in the ACT, I think you might be refering to the guy with the VY Calais, and the slick 8 inch screen in the dash. He goes by VYCalais on streetcommodore.com, and has been helping me out so far :P

Fox_Mulder · 04-28-2008, 05:44 AM

Ah that sounds right, if you plan on powering your screen with your computer's power supply, you might want to wire in a relay controlled by ACC. Otherwise your screen is going to be on when your computer is on, and say you get out of the car and your M2 isn't set to turn off straight away your screen will remain on. A screen that is on inside a vacant vehicle might be a theft magnet.

edit: I'm in Melbourne

soyfish · 04-28-2008, 05:53 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Fox_Mulder

Ah that sounds right, if you plan on powering your screen with your computer's power supply, you might want to wire in a relay controlled by ACC. Otherwise your screen is going to be on when your computer is on, and say you get out of the car and your M2 isn't set to turn off straight away your screen will remain on. A screen that is on inside a vacant vehicle might be a theft magnet.

edit: I'm in Melbourne

So you mean when it is on stand by etc? I have a wire from the ACC or IGN on the diagram from the old head unit to the power supply (could be a bit hard to see), if i set windows to hibernate when the "power button" is tripped by the power supply, and also set it to turn off the monitor, would that do it?

Fox_Mulder · 04-28-2008, 09:09 AM

When the computer enters standby, the 12v line is powered down so your screen will turn off. I believe on the M2 you can get it to get windows to enter standby within 5 secs of you taking out the key (as you said by simulating a button press), so you should be fine there.

But if your computer fails to enter standby after the "button press" the screen will be on, regardless of whether the key is in the ignition or not. Untill your M2 cuts it off - Which could be anywhere from 1 min to Never depending on the setting of your M2.

soyfish · 04-28-2008, 05:34 PM

Thanks Fox, that all makes sense. I'll have to do some testing with a test rig and a normal computer power supply to mimic a car when I get the PC (has been shipped).

I've been reading this thread, and I'm wondering if the fuses he has before the power supply are needed, what do you reckon?

Fox_Mulder · 04-28-2008, 10:19 PM

With the setup in that post you would be wise to place a fuse near the power supply this is why:

Little text base schematic here:

Battery -> Fuse 1 (125a) -> Cable ->
-> Fuse 2 (25a) -> M2
-> Fuse 3 (50a) -> Amp 1
-> Fuse 4 (50a) -> Amp 2

Fuse 1 is designed to blow if the cable is shorted agains the chasis etc, but it has to allow for 25a for the m2 and 50a for amp 1 and 50a for amp 2 (25+50+50 = 125). So thats why there is a 125a fuse there.

Now fuse 2 on the M2 is designed to blow in case something shorts out inside the M2, now if you were to remove Fuse 2, and something shorted inside your M2 125a would have to surge through your M2 before the the fuse would blow. By that time your M2 will be utterly destroyed

. So Fuse 2 Is designed to protect the M2. It's the same for Fuses 3 & 4.

HOWEVER:

I have wired my setup this way

Batt -> Fuse 1 (25a) -> Cable -> M4

As I'm only running 1 device off the cable, and dont plan on running anymore I only have to use one fuse. The fuse protects both the cable and the m4, as i's amperage rating is within spec for both of em (cable can take up to 30a m4 can take up to 25a).

I hope this makes sense lol

soyfish · 05-03-2008, 12:45 AM

Hey Mate, yeah that make sense! I bought an 8 gauge wiring kit off ebay a little while back, and want to utilise that as much as I can, but I'm thinking 8ga probably aint enough to power the PC and the Amp, not to mention that getting fused distro blocks for 8ga in and out is not really possible. So here is what I'm thinking.

Batt -> Fuse1 (75 or 80a) 4ga cable -> distro block - Fuse2 (50a) 8ga Cable -> Amp

- Fuse3 (25a) Cable ?ga -> M2

So bascily the same as what you suggested, but I'm just running the little amp (which I think draws a max of 50a as it has two 25a blade fuses on it), and the M2(25a) = total of 75 - 80.

Fuse 1 protects the full load and wiring, fuse2, which will be in the distro, will protect the amp, and fuse3 the PC.

You reckon that would do it?

Oh yeah, and I ordered my Xenarc today! I was a bit ****ed off, they where on sale a while ago on mp3car for $US250 and I saw it when I was at work on friday and thought "cool, ill order one tomorrow when I can read all the terms etc and do it properly". Come Saturday I go to order and they are all sold out! Long story short, I had to pay $US359 for one of 12voltpc.com. Hope all goes alright :S

soyfish · 05-05-2008, 07:04 AM

Here is the latest revision of the wiring Diagram. Also, has anyone ever taken apart a VoomPC 2 case? I got one of the pre-made stage 3 ones from mp3car, and want to get into it so I can run power to my screen, but am a little hesitant to pull it apart. I had a dig tonight, but it all seems tightly packed in there, and I don't want to break anything!

MitchellO · 05-10-2008, 05:46 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Fox_Mulder

When the computer enters standby, the 12v line is powered down so your screen will turn off. I believe on the M2 you can get it to get windows to enter standby within 5 secs of you taking out the key (as you said by simulating a button press), so you should be fine there.

But if your computer fails to enter standby after the "button press" the screen will be on, regardless of whether the key is in the ignition or not. Untill your M2 cuts it off - Which could be anywhere from 1 min to Never depending on the setting of your M2.

That's how I have mine setup. 5 secs then hibernation begins. As soon as it hibernates power is cut to the screen.

Make a cable using an a molex plug and the cigarette lighter cable for the screen. Connect it to the yellow (12V+) wire on the molex, and plug it into your powersupply. Here's a (terrible) photo of mine.

soyfish · 05-18-2008, 12:37 AM

Thanks for the tips guys.

My PC is here, and I have been doing some work on it, going well so far. I've also purchased some 6 inch jaycar splits, not the 6.5's i said originally. I think these should fit better into my doors. The Xenarc is on the way. Some pics below.

soyfish · 06-03-2008, 07:51 AM

Bit more of an update, Stuff I have bought:

Kenwood KFC-M1628A speakers for the rear
Bulk pack of Dynamat (36 sq. ft.)
Some $10 USB hub off eBay

And probably more stuff I have forgot to mention. Zero hour is this Friday! I have taken a week off work (over the Queens birthday weekend, making it about 8 days workshop time) and will be doing a late night death run from Canberra to Ballarat after work on Thursday.

I anticipate mounting the screen will present some problems, but will see how we go.

I had a problem with the touchscreen waking the PC up from hibernate on the workbench, that seems to be all fixed now thanks to this thread

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/faq-...de-devcon.html

Some very useful info in there. Anyway, bed time ... my next post could be the steps to completion! *crosses fingers*

soyfish · 06-08-2008, 05:44 AM

Ok so after about 2 days of work I have pulled all the interior bits and pieces out (seats, center console, radio, radio surround) and starting running the power into the cab.

I've put the 4 gauge from the battery, through the breaker, into the distro and then out to the amp and the PC. The amp and PC are wired in (For power), but i just need one more ring terminal to be able to test it all works.

Tomorrow I am going to run power to the double DIN space for the monitor, and hopefully I can mount it too.

Car after seats removed, and a good vacuum.

PC in its location, power to it.

4 Gauge running through breaker and grommet into the cab

Location of grommet the 4 gauge is going through, I think it is where the clutch would go. This was a fair biatch to get the cable through. What I ended up doing was pulling the grommet out, drilling a hole for the cable in it and putting it back in. Then spray some WD-40 on it, and feed the cable through. Be careful only to feed through as much as you need, otherwise when you push it back it will pop the grommet out.

Location for distro, under steering column

Tweeter location in bottom corner of windscreen

Standard tweeter bracket, the Jaycars should go in there ok. The standard tweeters had this bracket that screwed into the base of the magnet, luckily the jaycars will go straight onto the existing bracket, with the addition of a nut to hold them in.

Lots more to say, but I'm a bit to buggered to say it! Any questions, just ask.

BGH · 06-08-2008, 08:36 PM

I'm just finishing up an install in my VY ute at the moment. A few similarities to yours. Will be posting pics soonish.