[Background: Many cars these days have the aerial for the car radio embedded in the glass surface of one or more of the vehicle windows. A Wire is added to the surface of the glass much like a demister. Many Prado models use this method. If the vehicle in question does not have a retractable 'stick' aerial/antennae, then it probable has its antenna etched on the windows.]
Following a short trip to Lightning Ridge, the electrical contacts of our 7-Way Trailer connection required checking.
Co-incidentally, our Car Radio head-unit was off being repaired, so there was no radio in the car at the time.
To investigate the trailer wiring, the rear interior trim within the back of the vehicle, on the passenger side was removed, to allow clear access to the wiring [Image: Green Boxed area].
Tragically, I broke off one of the two electrical contacts for the (side, rear) window mounted Car Radio Aerial / antennae/ [Image: Red Boxed area].
Bugger!
I tried to solder the little sucker back, but it was totally uncooperative. Gravity was just adding to a neat pool of solder on my protective drop cloth. Double Bugger!.
These are several products on the market, that act as a ‘conductive glue’, for situations where soldering is not convenient or possible. Typically they are adhesives that have a metallic or graphite content that can provide a conductive solution.
I already had some of the Conducting Silver Lacquer, and now used that with some ‘Wire Glue’ also from Jaycar Electronics to re-attach the aerial connector back onto the glass of the rear window.
Checked continuity, …all ok; Bingo!
Re-installed window.
In the meantime, the car radio had re-appeared, and following installation, worked fine, except that the AM/FM radio was non existent. The Digital Radio [DAB] was ok, but had a separate aerial.
The Prado aerial system includes an RF amplifier [Image: Blue Boxed area], which looked, ok, but requires a 12v supply, which was absent.
The 12v connection which supplied the RF amplifier at the back of the vehicle was faulty. This 12v supply, plus the two shielded cable connections, are all wrapped in protective foam, and run from behind the radio, to the window panels at the back of the car. [See Photo: The roll of solder is sitting on the cables that run to the rear aerial.
Adjacent to the radio, there is a multi-way (20+ wire) connector and for reasons I cannot explain, this ‘hot’ side of this connection was faulty; (possibly a fault due to the multiple times that the radio had been removed/reinstalled?).
Using the ignition power located at the back of the radio to supply power to the RF App was straightforward.
OK! All working fine. Job Done!
bworth
The above image shows the window removed, and the metallic contact on the glass, where the short stub of electrical wire should connect.
This image shows the repaired window re-fitted. The feint wires forming the aerial can also be just observed.
The above image shows three 'cushioned' wires being subdued by the roll of solder. Two shielded cables, and one power connection. Could the smaller of these shielded cables be for a reversing camera??
These TWO Schematic shows the general terrain...
Following a short trip to Lightning Ridge, the electrical contacts of our 7-Way Trailer connection required checking.
Co-incidentally, our Car Radio head-unit was off being repaired, so there was no radio in the car at the time.
To investigate the trailer wiring, the rear interior trim within the back of the vehicle, on the passenger side was removed, to allow clear access to the wiring [Image: Green Boxed area].
Tragically, I broke off one of the two electrical contacts for the (side, rear) window mounted Car Radio Aerial / antennae/ [Image: Red Boxed area].
Bugger!
I tried to solder the little sucker back, but it was totally uncooperative. Gravity was just adding to a neat pool of solder on my protective drop cloth. Double Bugger!.
These are several products on the market, that act as a ‘conductive glue’, for situations where soldering is not convenient or possible. Typically they are adhesives that have a metallic or graphite content that can provide a conductive solution.
I already had some of the Conducting Silver Lacquer, and now used that with some ‘Wire Glue’ also from Jaycar Electronics to re-attach the aerial connector back onto the glass of the rear window.
Checked continuity, …all ok; Bingo!
Re-installed window.
In the meantime, the car radio had re-appeared, and following installation, worked fine, except that the AM/FM radio was non existent. The Digital Radio [DAB] was ok, but had a separate aerial.
The Prado aerial system includes an RF amplifier [Image: Blue Boxed area], which looked, ok, but requires a 12v supply, which was absent.
The 12v connection which supplied the RF amplifier at the back of the vehicle was faulty. This 12v supply, plus the two shielded cable connections, are all wrapped in protective foam, and run from behind the radio, to the window panels at the back of the car. [See Photo: The roll of solder is sitting on the cables that run to the rear aerial.
Adjacent to the radio, there is a multi-way (20+ wire) connector and for reasons I cannot explain, this ‘hot’ side of this connection was faulty; (possibly a fault due to the multiple times that the radio had been removed/reinstalled?).
Using the ignition power located at the back of the radio to supply power to the RF App was straightforward.
OK! All working fine. Job Done!
bworth
The above image shows the window removed, and the metallic contact on the glass, where the short stub of electrical wire should connect.
This image shows the repaired window re-fitted. The feint wires forming the aerial can also be just observed.
The above image shows three 'cushioned' wires being subdued by the roll of solder. Two shielded cables, and one power connection. Could the smaller of these shielded cables be for a reversing camera??
These TWO Schematic shows the general terrain...
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