Advice, wiring switched and constant power wires together on new stereo?

Hi,
I've got a new Kenwood stereo/cd player deck for a '90 Golf. The deck
is pretty basic, nothing fancy (KDC-1028).

Several folks in this group suggested using the key-in-ignition line
(SU contact, 12V when key is inserted) to operate a relay, the relay
then supplies switched power to the radio's yellow wire.

I'm wondering if I can wire the constant power and switched power wires
together. The Kenwood deck has a power switch and when pressed, the
deck display goes off and it appears the deck pretty much powers down.
I called Kenwood Canada and they confirmed that with the deck in
power-off mode, it's only drawing power to keep the memory and clock
alive.

The Kenwood radio would operate much like the stock VW radio did. The
VW radio turned on without any key in the iginition. The VW radio also
drew some power to keep the station memory and clock alive.

As for leaving the radio on, after 20 years with an A1 and A2, it's 2nd
nature to check that the radio is off, along with checking that the
windows were closed, trunk locked, passenger door locked, valuables out
of sight....when parking. The display on the Kenwood is much brighter
than the tiny LCD on the VW radio, so it shouldn't be hard seeing that
it needs to be turned off.

Soooo....I'm considering installing with constant power to both the red
and yellow wires.

Any advice to the contrary? Any downsides to having the new radio
operate just like the old?

Thanks.
-Tony

(How this all started. Wife's '85 Golf odometer stopped working. Take
dash apart, repair odometer. Hey, why not swap out the 20 yr old radio
from the '85 and replace with "newer" 15 year old radio from the '90.
Then get new radio with CD player for the '90).

as long as you have a half decent battery u should be fine ,I do it all
the time as is is easier and quiker

My Ilo radio wouldn't work unless this one wire got a ++ to indicate
ignition on... i like to use the radio with ignition off... so just
tied that wire into the main juice.

wrote:
> Hi,
> I've got a new Kenwood stereo/cd player deck for a '90 Golf. The deck
> is pretty basic, nothing fancy (KDC-1028).
>
> Several folks in this group suggested using the key-in-ignition line
> (SU contact, 12V when key is inserted) to operate a relay, the relay
> then supplies switched power to the radio's yellow wire.
>
> I'm wondering if I can wire the constant power and switched power wires
> together. The Kenwood deck has a power switch and when pressed, the
> deck display goes off and it appears the deck pretty much powers down.
> I called Kenwood Canada and they confirmed that with the deck in
> power-off mode, it's only drawing power to keep the memory and clock
> alive.
>
> The Kenwood radio would operate much like the stock VW radio did. The
> VW radio turned on without any key in the iginition. The VW radio also
> drew some power to keep the station memory and clock alive.
>
> As for leaving the radio on, after 20 years with an A1 and A2, it's 2nd
> nature to check that the radio is off, along with checking that the
> windows were closed, trunk locked, passenger door locked, valuables out
> of sight....when parking. The display on the Kenwood is much brighter
> than the tiny LCD on the VW radio, so it shouldn't be hard seeing that
> it needs to be turned off.
>
> Soooo....I'm considering installing with constant power to both the red
> and yellow wires.
>
> Any advice to the contrary? Any downsides to having the new radio
> operate just like the old?
>
> Thanks.
> -Tony
>
> (How this all started. Wife's '85 Golf odometer stopped working. Take
> dash apart, repair odometer. Hey, why not swap out the 20 yr old radio
> from the '85 and replace with "newer" 15 year old radio from the '90.
> Then get new radio with CD player for the '90).
>

Thanks for the advice. Have wired red and yellow wires from stereo to
constant power and installation is all done.
-Tony

Update. It's been 10 days since the stereo installation with the red
and yellow wires wired to always-hot power supply. Drain on battery to
keep stereo memory alive is negligible and is not having any effect on
the ability of the battery to start the car.

wrote:
>
> Update. It's been 10 days since the stereo installation with the red
> and yellow wires wired to always-hot power supply. Drain on battery to
> keep stereo memory alive is negligible and is not having any effect on
> the ability of the battery to start the car.

As you have found, tying the two wires together to constant +12V works
just fine. If you want the convenience of the stereo turning on and off
with the ignition, you can "steal" switched power from one of the
switches to the left of the stereo (on left-hand-drive cars, anyway).
The switched input to the stereo draws next to no current, so no need to
worry about relays etc. I put an after-market stereo in my '87 GTi last
year, and I believe I took switched power from the emergency flasher
switch.