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TheRogues · 01-17-2022, 09:47 AM

Trying to install a new dash stereo in my 2000 Fleetwood Southwind, and I wonder if anyone can tell me which wire in the speaker wire pairs is the positive? There is a solid and striped wire in each pair, but both are copper and I got different info from JVC about the norm for coloration and from what I've read on the internet, so I wondered if anyone has actual experience on a similar unit? JVC said the stripe wire was usually positive, but I read online that the solid color wire is usually positive. I tried contacting Fleetwood but because my RV is pre-bankruptcy of Fleetwood they said they cannot access that info. Thanks for any help!

Jon_C · 01-17-2022, 10:00 AM

If you wire each speaker the same it will work and sound fine. When you reverse polarity on a speaker it still plays but the sound is 180 degrees out of phase acoustically. As long as all speakers wired in the same phase your good.

bigb56 · 01-17-2022, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRogues

Trying to install a new dash stereo in my 2000 Fleetwood Southwind, and I wonder if anyone can tell me which wire in the speaker wire pairs is the positive? There is a solid and striped wire in each pair, but both are copper and I got different info from JVC about the norm for coloration and from what I've read on the internet, so I wondered if anyone has actual experience on a similar unit? JVC said the stripe wire was usually positive, but I read online that the solid color wire is usually positive. I tried contacting Fleetwood but because my RV is pre-bankruptcy of Fleetwood they said they cannot access that info. Thanks for any help!

Wire it up then power it up, if the cone jumps forward when powered on it's correct, if it jumps backwards it's reversed. Some speakers don't move much so you have to gently put your finger against the cone while supporting it with the frame and feel which way it jumps.

Alan_Hepburn · 01-17-2022, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigb56

Wire it up then power it up, if the cone jumps forward when powered on it's correct, if it jumps backwards it's reversed. Some speakers don't move much so you have to gently put your finger against the cone while supporting it with the frame and feel which way it jumps.

You can check this before wiring: just grab a handy battery (AAA, AA, or even a 9v). Touch the wires across the battery terminals: if the speaker cone moves outward then the wire that's on the + terminal of the battery is the + wire.

US1 · 01-17-2022, 12:09 PM

I just replaced my stock radio. Stripped wires were Neg. This was labeled on the head unit, as it was wired up this way.

TheRogues · 01-17-2022, 04:15 PM

Thanks everyone. I didn't think to look on the old head unit. Both it and the new one have the striped wires as negative, so I'll keep it consistent with the striped wires on the RV side, and hopefully all will be well.

nehog · 01-17-2022, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan_Hepburn

You can check this before wiring: just grab a handy battery (AAA, AA, or even a 9v). Touch the wires across the battery terminals: if the speaker cone moves outward then the wire that's on the + terminal of the battery is the + wire.

This is probably the best answer... A single AA cell should be sufficient.

Also, little known fact is that some installations if the rear speakers are reversed polarity the sound is actually better! Sometimes experimentation is one way to improve sound quality.