I'm wanting to hook my power antenna up. It has 2 wires coming out of it and I found out that it operates by connecting them to obviously a ground and a 12v. The direction of it reverses by reversing the wires. I've been thinking about using a 3 way switch or 2 - 2 way switches.. but I really don't think it will work. How can I hook it up so it works both ways and so I can turn it to an off position?
Thanks in advance for any help/idea's.
The three way switch should work, or if you using an aftermarket radio just use the power antenna wire?
-Gary Mazzone-
1986 GLHS #168
Are you using an aftermarket radio?
Most radios have a blue wire for power antennas. The radio usually controls the up and down.
I think even the OEM radios can control the power antennas too. Its worth a try to wire it to the radio either way.
later
James Dempsey Jr 91 Dodge Shadow ES convertible 95 Dodge Neon Sport sedan 2.4 5spd
If you're set on using a switch, I'd try to find a self centering 3 position rocker. That way you can wire it so that when you push up on the switch the antenna goes up, when you push down on it the antenna goes down, and when you release it it stops.
Eliminates the possibility of the switch accidently getting left in the up or down position.
I bet you could make a power window or power door lock switch work nicely.
Well.. the problem is.. I have a 3 way switch.. it only has 3 contacts on the bottom..technically I need 4 right?
I would like to use my Kenwood to operate the radio, but I 'may' have prematurely convinced myself that it wouldn't work. I was pretty sure it was meant for a 3 wire antenna.. 1 for ground 1 for power and 1 for the signal wire from the radio?
--yup
Yeah, I don't think 3 terminals is going to cut it. You need to be able to switch both the power and the ground one way for up and reverse the polarity for down. That's why I suggested a power window or lock switch. That's what they're designed to do.
I may be wrong and I'd imagine it depends on the particular switch but I think it wires up like this. The switch should have 6 terminals total, 2 at the top, 2 in the middle, and 2 on the bottom. The middle set will be your power and ground. The top and bottom sets (4 wires) will go to the 2 wires for the antenna but opposite each other so that when the switch is pushed in one direction current flows one way and when it's pushed the other direction the current reverses. Make sense?
If you grab a power window switch somewhere and spend a little time with it and a multitester you'll figure it out no problem. In fact I could probably have explained it alot better if I had a switch to test.
i would just get a 3 wire antenna and use the decks antenna wire
How much do replacement power antennas run now? Last time I priced one they were pretty high, but that's been several years ago. Yeah, if the price is right, run the 3 wire antenna. It'll save having to fool around with wiring a switch and make for a cleaner looking install.Originally Posted by JDAWG
No no no.. You have the antenna all wrong.. Two wires.. Are they white and red? Either way.. Make sure the antenna has a good ground. Now, connect one wire to the battery +.. Does the antenna go down? If not, unhook it and try the other wire. If the antenna is already down, hook both to positive to get the antenna up, then uhook both. Now try again to find the single wire that runs it down. That's the constant feed, it needs constant battery power. Leave that one hooked up. Now hook the other wire up to the battery too, antenna should go up. Pull that wire back off and it should go back down using the constant feed. Now this wire you just pulled back off to get it to go down, that goes to the power amp or power antenna (blue wire) coming out of your aftermarket deck.
Excellent explanation
-Gary Mazzone-
1986 GLHS #168
That seems like a nice explaination.. but.. well I'll give it a shot. From my experience already.. reversing the polarity on the wires makes it go the opposite way... but like I said I'll give your way a shot.
The ONLY antenna's I've ever seen like that were on Honda's.. Not a normal style.
Well.. some new info. There is actually 3 wires.
I found a ground wire hidden behind the fender. So now I'm really confused. I tried connecting the other wires (green one and red one) to the 12V constant and the Power antenna lead but nothing seems to be happening. I checked it with a multimeter and it was getting 0.00v's.
It still seems to only way it will go up is with the red wire connected to power and the green connected to ground.. vice versa to get it down.
It may just be bad, and you'll have to jury rig it like that to make it work.
Well I dont know.. maybe something is wrong maybe not. But I can get it to go up with the radio but it wont go down no matter what when connected to the antenna lead wire. I notice there is a 12v charge when the radio comes on in that wire, but nothing when it turns off.
Anyways, thanks for the help.
Could setup a pair of relays in the standard 5 wire reversing polarity setup like they use for doorlocks.. Kind of confusing to build the first time..
you need a double pole double throw switch with a center off. It shoud have 6 connections. Wire one of the middle ones to +12 and the other middle one to -12v. Hook one antenna wire to top left and bottom right. The other antenna wire goes to top right and bottom left. When the switch is off there is no power. When you flip it one way it should go up. When you flip it the other way it will reverse the polarity and it should go down.
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