Maxtrac install on a Toyota

[dxon2m]

Instead of taking the challenge myself, I've decided to take it to a repair shop to do it. I told the guy to power the radio off the battery (20A fuses installed on the battery side of the lead) but he said "no no you gonna drain your car battery if you leave it on." Well long story short the wise guy told me he ran it off from the ignition wires of the car.

Now, I'm kinda hesitate to transmit on the radio because I do not know how many gauge are the ignition wires and I don't want to see my car goes on fire in the middle of nowhere.

Should I tell him to rip it out and do it again from the battery? Or should I just leave it as it is? The car I have is a 1998 Toyota Camry and the radio is a 25W VHF maxtrac, 5 pin model.

Thanks

[va3wxm]

Powered solely from the ignition wires? Yikes!

Tell him to rip it out and do it EXACTLY how you originally wanted. While I'm not familiar with the Maxtrac at all, if you're concerned about draining the battery I'm sure there's some kind of ignition sense circuitry in the radio that can be used to shut it off if the ignition is off.

[Max-trac]

Tell him no, no, no, I'm a gonna sit a there with the engine off and the key on, and THAT will drain the battery - or worse! <G> And yes, the Maxtrac will accept an ignition sense line if you like.
Some cars have switched power that MIGHT handle the current, but probably not that vehicle. You also might get it to work but it could pick up alternator whine and noise.

[Richard Collier]

Tell him no, no, no, I'm a gonna sit a there with the engine off and the key on, and THAT will drain the battery - or worse! <G> And yes, the Maxtrac will accept an ignition sense line if you like.
Some cars have switched power that MIGHT handle the current, but probably not that vehicle. You also might get it to work but it could pick up alternator whine and noise.

Have him run it going into a seperate relay. All my radios run that way whats the problem?

[dxon2m]

I'm gonna tell the wise guy to rip whatever he did and run it to the battery. Problem solved! (at least I hope!)

Another Q though, for the ignition sense line,I understand that I need +12V on one of the pins. Is it OK to pull that from the cigratte lighter. IIRC the lighter plug is ignition controlled.