CAP VHF radio install in 2005 Toyota Corolla

[skymaster]

I recently acquired a 2005 Toyota Corolla, and am interested in installing my E.F. Johnson 5300-series radio in the car. The problem that I have run into in reference to the installation is how to run a power cable through the firewall to provide power to the radio. I do know that some ham radio operators advise just using a screwdriver to punch a hole in one one the two large grommets that most of the car wiring is bundled through, but Toyota's head office does not recommend any 3rd-party radio cables come within 4 inches of any factory installed wiring, and that any 3rd-part wiring should cross factory installed wiring at a right angles if at all possible. If that is the case, then how can anyone get power cables through the firewall to power the radio in the first place? Has anyone out there installed an EFJ in a 2005 Toyota Corolla, and if so, could any of you provide me any advice along these lines?

[Duke Dillio]

First off, why in the Lord's name would you want to install a CAP radio in a sedan?

I digress....  Why not try to find a hot wire near your steering wheel and tie it in there or find a connection near the ignition?

Please note:  I do not have any experience wiring radios into sedans.  We normally run them into vans and SUV's.

[wuzafuzz]

I installed some ham radios in a 2002 Corolla and ran the power wire as you describe.  No problems.  Note that was not the antenna cable, which is probably what the Toyota folks are concerned about.  In my case the transceiver was in the trunk, so I put the antenna on the center of the trunk lid.  Nice short coax run and it was nowhere near the vehicle electronics.  The only other cable was the CAT5 cable that ran to the control head in my dash.

Finding a place for a complete EFJ 5317 up front is another story altogether.  Finding a spot where you can operate the radio, but it doesn't look horrible, is a real chore in smaller cars.  For that reason control head radios are the bomb for small car installs. 

[skymaster]

I installed some ham radios in a 2002 Corolla and ran the power wire as you describe.  No problems.  Note that was not the antenna cable, which is probably what the Toyota folks are concerned about.  In my case the transceiver was in the trunk, so I put the antenna on the center of the trunk lid.  Nice short coax run and it was nowhere near the vehicle electronics.  The only other cable was the CAT5 cable that ran to the control head in my dash.

Finding a place for a complete EFJ 5317 up front is another story altogether.  Finding a spot where you can operate the radio, but it doesn't look horrible, is a real chore in smaller cars.  For that reason control head radios are the bomb for small car installs.

Did you use the large grommet more on the driver side, or the large grommet more on the passenger side to run the power cable? Since my power cable is 10 gauge fused red and black cable, one of those two grommets would be about the only 2 large enough for the power cable, unless Toyota has another firewall grommet not listed in the service manual. Luckily for me, this particular radio has the remote head with 17 feet of remote cable and a head bracket, so once I can get the power wires run, I can mount the main unit in the rear of the vehicle, and use a Lido LM-300 type seat bolt mount to hold the head bracket up in a usable position.

http://www.lidomounts.com/catalog/item/1478816/4979410.htm

Of course, if anyone has any better ideas for mounting the remote head, I will gladly listen to them.

[JoeTomasone]

I put mine on the dash:



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[a2capt]

I've run wires through the big grommet, including today, mostly finished installing an EF Johnson in a 2011 Grand Caravan.  Putshed though a piece of 1/32nd music wire, with one of my three intended wires to pass through, taped around it. Then a little further back, a second and then the third. So they all come through eventually, within a 6 inch span. Then go to the front and pull it thorough. Presto. Done.

Put the tap P-Lead into the fuse box, and the OEM battery clamps just happen to be the type with a bolt and nut that hold an eyelet nicely..

[wuzafuzz]

Sorry, I don't remember which grommet I used in the Corolla.  Since my transceiver was in the trunk I only ran positive through the firewall, and grounded the whole thing in the trunk.  No need to run ground back up front.

If you can find an open spot on your fuse block inside the car you can pull power from there.  That assumes you have one available that can support the EFJ current draw (15 amps).  If you do that you can avoid the firewall altogether.

[SarDragon]

I ran my power off of one of my terminal blocks in my 'Burb. It's a spare accessory line that comes from a 30 amp fuse under the hood. You might look for something similar in your car. Having a wiring schematic helps a lot.

[Brad]

I have a Yaesu FT-7900R for ham use that came with a remote mount kit installed in my 2009 Ford Focus What I did was bolt the transceiver mount bracket sideways along the passenger footwell on the inside just forward of the gearshift. I then ran the power wire through a factory provided hole to a fuse block on the outside of my footwell out of my way that I purchased and that goes to a 10ga wire that goes through the grommet hole for my hood latch cable then connects to my battery.

Works like a charm and redundantly fused.

[EMT-83]

For those suggesting grabbing power under the dash, the proper place is the battery. Just like it says in the installation manual.

[SarDragon]

For those suggesting grabbing power under the dash, the proper place is the battery. Just like it says in the installation manual.

What advantage does direct power from the battery provide?

My power goes from the battery to the under hood junction box, to a terminal block under the dash, to the radio. There are no spliced wires, and it's double fused - one under the hood (30 A) and the provided inline fuse. I've been running it that way for over a year, and have had no problems.

[Brad]

For those suggesting grabbing power under the dash, the proper place is the battery. Just like it says in the installation manual.

What advantage does direct power from the battery provide?

My power goes from the battery to the under hood junction box, to a terminal block under the dash, to the radio. There are no spliced wires, and it's double fused - one under the hood (30 A) and the provided inline fuse. I've been running it that way for over a year, and have had no problems.

From my Yaesu FT-7900R manual, at the very beginning when it mentions wiring into a vehicle:

To minimize voltage drop and avoid blowing the veihcles' fuses connect the supplied DC power cable directly to the battery terminals.

[SarDragon]

The wires in the circuit are the same size as, or larger than, the red and blue wires in the EFJ harness. I doubt voltage drop will be an issue. Anything else?

[wuzafuzz]

My guess is telling people to wire direct to the battery is their way of avoiding problems when some folks connect their 100 watt transmitter to a 2A circuit on the fuse block.  . You know it's happened.

Heck, I torched my first car because I didn't understand current. I inherited a 1974 Chevy Nova from my brother. He left a 12v lead under the dash and I kept connecting stuff to it. Turns out it wasn't fused, and I over taxed it with scanners, CB's, and a Motorola Motrac. Yes, I said Motrac, as in the Adam-12 style radio.   I let the smoke out, in spectacular fashion. 

[EMT-83]

Reminds me of when I wired the power relay incorrectly on my old GE Progress Line radio, a pre-TPL tube unit! Managed to run the high current lead right through the power switch on the control head. It survived for several months before the magic smoke appeared.

I loved installing those old radios – Motrac, Mocom 70, Micor, Mitrek. I thought Systems 90 was the greatest thing since sliced bread.

[N7MOG]

Real reason for wiring direct to the battery is filtering out noise.  Main consideration is to fuse the wire nearest possible to the battery as well for safety reasons. Just a good practice, many have gotten away with "cigarette lighter plugs", but not a good practice!

[wuzafuzz]

So hey Skymaster...did you ever complete the install?  Did it work out OK.  Got any pics?

[skymaster]

So hey Skymaster...did you ever complete the install?  Did it work out OK.  Got any pics?

     I did manage to hook everything up, and it tested well. Hooked up a Powerwerx RGH-10 (http://www.powerwerx.com/fuses-circuit-protection/atc-inline-fuse-holder-ring-terminals-10-gauge.html) to the battery, then ran a 15 ft 10-gauge red and black power cable with 45 amp Powerpole ends through the driver side wiring grommet. Routed the 15 ft cable at right angles to all other installed wiring as much as possible, using preexisting cockpit instrument supports to keep the power cable safely out of the way, then under the driver side trim near the door. After temporarily folding the back seats forward, I ran the remaining few feet of power cable to the trunk area. My EF Johnson power cable already has Powerpole connectors (red positive lead and voltage sense on the red Powerpole side, with the blue negative lead connected to the black Powerpole side). The control head cable coming out of the radio is connected to a remote cable coming forward out of the trunk, run under the passenger side door trim, coming out under the passenger seat, up to the remote head, attached to the EFJ remote head bracket, which is itself attached to an adjustable Lido LM-300 "seat bolt" bracket(http://www.lidomounts.com/catalog/item/1478816/4979410.htm).

     The Powerpole power cable setup allows the greatest versatility in my case, as I am also an amateur radio operator, and the Powerpole system is the ARES and RACES standard, as well as the recommended standard for other emergency groups functioning under the direction of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency. Both my APRS TNC and my amateur radio are outfitted with Powerpoles, and my base station power supply came from the factory with those type connectors on the front already.

     The audio from the control head speaker is fairly decent in this setup, but sometimes I think that that could be improved upon, so I plan to acquire a Kenwood KES-5 Commercial speaker. Not only is that speaker great for noisy environments, but it already has the proper pins on the speaker wire to connect to the EFJ accessory connector.

     I would have taken some pics, but I had to temporarily take the radio out of the car for a firmware update to match up with the new EFJ Programming software version I had been provided.