Speaker Fader Switch

[JMallows]

Hi, i have just acquired a speaker fader switch from an early golf, and want to put it in mine. Does anyone know how they are wired up at all, Haynes wiring diagrams are a little confusing!?

Thanks

[rubjonny]

from what info I can gather they are only fitted to models with the aktiv amplified speaker system, I dont think you can wire em into boggo non amplified speakers!  I think the way it works is to change the voltage to the amplifier in the speakers?

[JMallows]

Hmmm, how can you tell whether the car is Aktiv or standard? The switch came from a very basic '84 Diesel

[rubjonny]

the speaker covers in the door pockets will have an 'aktiv' logo on, but this doesnt mean much as someone could have pinched em from a scrappy.  if you look at the back o the speakers if it has only 2 wires then it'll be bog std, if it has more than 2 then they're prob aktiv.

here is a site dedicated to aktiv system
http://www.corrado-club.com/aktiv/

and here is a cool site which amongst other things has pinouts for the akiv system:
http://www.a2resource.com/

[mattneck(Beavis)]

john - i took a look at one of these in an early d palte golf once to.. jsut  a plain 1.3 it was a front and rear fade iirc.. fitted cause the radios didnt have it.. it was just spliced and soldered in line with the iso plug.. as far as i can tell its just like a gate tool..

[rubjonny]

o rly, interessant! how the devil have you been mate!  2.0 fitted yet? get on msn

[tobz.]

Yep they are just a basic variable resistor (something like 20ohms) which adds some series resistance to either the front or rear speakers depending on the setting. My advise would be not to bother mr mallows, both the '84 golfs I've owned have had this fader and it's pants. They are always crackly and the speakers will cut out at random. I dismantled the one in my current a plater and cleaned up the wiper contacts etc which made it work really well while I only had a 2-channel blaupunkt in there. However I soon saw the light and replaced the stereo with a 4-channel gamma and bypassed the fader.
They were only ever a crude solution to a problem that has now gone away.

[mattneck(Beavis)]

o rly, interessant! how the devil have you been mate!  2.0 fitted yet? get on msn

i has been good as you well know and that is defiantely gonig to take some time now with the money situs.. o the joys of being a student! but i may go and get the head back.. later this week 

tobz - glad you confirmed my thoguhts. you have any shots of the setup inside the switch? would be interested to see how basic it really is.. is it wrong of me i find enjoyment in taking apart electrical items and components and building things with them??  :embarassed:

[rubjonny]

hmm, the switch i had used really chunky wiring rather than speaker wires, this is why i assumed it was for the aktiv powewr adjustment.  i just hacked it out of the car rather than bothering to find where the wires went tho 

[JMallows]

It was definately a very basic car, in the clocks, it had the speedo, and a blank for the rev counter/clock! It was really weird in fact only to have the speedo, and a large blank circle! Anyway, i digress! I shall probably fot into the blank space then, and not bother to wire it in!

You say it was a solution to a problem, but what problem?

Beavis, long time no speak, hows things?! I shall try and get a shot of the switch workings if you are interested?