Subject:            Some fodder for your Volvo site
   Date:            Mon, 19 Feb 2001 08:18:43 -0800 (PST)
   From:           Vladimir Ferdman <vferdman@yahoo.com>

Michael, great idea for the site.  Here's some info I've accumulated on
installing the changer.
 
 
 

Close-up of l-bracket mating with oem bracket	Close-up of OEM Bracket #1	Close-up of OEM Bracket #2	View With Carpet Pulled	View in normal use

=============================================================
As far as I know the Peripheral is the best adapter to use.  It may be the only
one, but I am not sure about that.  I bought my whole setup (changer and
adapter) on line from carmedia1.com. The adapter was around $50.  It seemed to
be of good quality.  I think any store that sells the changer units will
probably be able to get an adapter for you.

Read the instructions below and if you have any more questions or suggestions
as to how to improve these, please let me know.  I mail quite a few of these
out to people.
 

================= CD changer installation instructions =================

1. Connection of the adapter.

Removal of the head unit is the easiest I've ever seen in a car.  Look at your
head unit carefully.  On each side close to the vertical edge of the unit
you'll see a long slim rectangle.  If you push gently on these with a coin or
even the tip of your finger they'll pop out slightly.  When they pop out grab
them and pull.  The head unit will follow.  You can pull the unit out
sufficiently to see the connectors on the back.  You don't have to actually
disconnect the head unit to connect the CD adapter.  If you have and know how
to use a voltmeter you can find the constant (unswitched) +12V on one of those
connectors by turning off the ignition (remove the key, even so you are sure)
and poking the voltmeter at pins on the connector from the BACK of the
connector (the connector is still plugged in to the head unit, remember).  If
you don't have or know how to use a voltmeter, refer to the picture below which
shows the view of the head unit connectors from the back and indicates which is
the constant 12V.  Always double check your electrical connections, though.
The way I connected to the ground and 12V is also from the back of the
connector without having to even disconnect it from the radio.  I tinned the
ends of the wires on the adapter and jammed each wire into the back of the
connector between the appropriate pin and the plastic housing of the connector.
 The connection is not perfect, but pretty firm.  I made sure to provide plenty
of slack in the adapter wires (they are long enough) for stress relief and put
the head unit back in.  It's been over 6 months and no problems yet.  This
gives me the piece of mind that I didn't alter the original Volvo wiring
harness in any way. If I pull out the adapter wires it's like nothing ever
happened there.  I like that.
 

click here for .jpeg and pin designations

=======   View of the head unit connectors from the back. =========

          big connector             small connector
    +--------------------------+  +-----------------+
    | G|  |12|XXXXXXXX|  |  |  |  |  |  |XXXXX|  |  |
    |--+--+--+--------+--+--+--|  |--+--+-----+--+--|
    |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
    +--------------------------+  +-----------------+

     G - Ground
    12 - Constant 12 Volts
 XXXXX - No pins

====================================================================
 
 

2. Placement of the changer.

Your car is pre-drilled/pre-threaded to accept a (Volvo OEM) CD mounting
bracket.  In my S70 the place is on the left side of the trunk floor between
the wheel well and the tail lights.  If you purchase the OEM CD changer bracket
from your dealer (part #: 3533737 price: $12.56) and figure out how to rig the
Alpine to it (it's possible -- I've done it) then you'll have a very sturdy
mount designed and sold by Volvo.  It really is a pretty simple and well
designed bracket.  I used the L-shaped brackets that came with the Alpine and
screwed them onto the Volvo bracket (required drilling some holes in the Volvo
bracket).  You'll need to install the L-shaped brackets onto the Alpine facing
in, not out, though (see picture below).  After the changer is mounted to the
bracket screw the whole thing to the floor where it'll fit like hand-in-glove
(the bolts are provided with the bracket and the holes in the floor are plugged
with black foam rubber material that you just screw through).  You are done.
Enjoy!  I love the CD changer.  The head unit seems pretty good for sources
other than radio.  Many people on BB complain, but I think the whole system
works pretty well together.  Then again, I don't listen to my music on the
radio (NPR is mostly what I use radio for and it's adequate for that).
 

click here for .jpeg and pin designations
 

          Alpine CD changer
                 |
                 |
                 V
           +-------------+
         | |CHM-S620     | |
         | +-------------+ | <- L-shaped bracket (comes with Alpine changer)
         +---           ---+
       =======================
                 ^
                 |
                 |
     Volvo OEM CD changer bracket ($12.56 at my local Volvo dealer)