KickerCS Upgrade with Kicker Key amp Install Assistance

I was wandering ,can you supply power to the kicker key amp by adding a fuse block under the driver side amp fuse? Or does it need to run from the battery lead? Or can you tap in the hu ? If can where on the hu

 

Dug around/searched, and couldn't find an answer. Crutchfield is recommending that I get a PAC T-harness with my Key for my 2019 non-JBL. Anyone know if this works? If it saves me the time of making my own T-harness, I'm all in for $60.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_541LPHTY01/PAC-LPHTY01-LocPro-Advanced-T-Harness.html

 

This is a cool piece but still requires the same amount of work as building your own. You still have to crimp or solder wires so I would personally just get the red-wolf harness for $13

 

Thanks for the quick reply. Can you clarify on the Red Wolf? I've seen it mentioned elsewhere, but not sure about how to use that versus making my own T-Harness with the Metra harnesses mentioned everywhere.

And is it this Red Wolf?

$14 RED WOLF Add AMP Amplifier Subwoofer Speaker Wiring T-Harness Radio Stereo Plug Connector Compatible with Toyota 2018-2022 Camry RAV4 Tacoma Corolla Non-JBL System

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09DTY8PMD

 

Yes, thats the correct one.

Basically, you cut it in half and color-match the wires from the key. You will need a power wire kit as well. The EFX

$12 ICAK12 True 12 Gauge Hybrid OFC 2-Channel High Current Amplifier Wiring Kit Accessory Installation Wiring Kit for Boat, Motorcycles, ATV’s and UTV’s

ICAK12 kit from crutchfield is good and cheap

 

I think I got it-safe to say it's more or less using the Red Wolf and the EFX

$12 ICAK12 True 12 Gauge Hybrid OFC 2-Channel High Current Amplifier Wiring Kit Accessory Installation Wiring Kit for Boat, Motorcycles, ATV’s and UTV’s

ICAK12 to have the same functionality as the what the typical T-Harness does?

And in that case, any preference for one over the other? It seems like the typical t-harness could be a bit easier than wiring in the EFX ICAK12/Red Wolf?

 

That t-harness doesn’t really allow the amp to pull enough power. The key has a 20 amp fuse and the radio fuse does not allow enough power for both the radio and the key. Between the fuse and the wire, it’s just not big enough for all that extra power The amp needs.

When you say “wiring in“ you’re doing the same work in both scenarios. The wires from the key harness have to get soldered or crimped with butt-connectors either way, so I would personally save $25 and have less extra wiring piled up inside my dash, which is somewhat limited for space.

update, $11

$12 Scosche Install Centric ICAK12 True 12 Gauge Hybrid OFC 2-Channel High Current Amplifier Wiring Kit Accessory Installation Wiring Kit for Boat, Motorcycles, ATV’s and UTV’s

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FRRDZ31

 

Thanks Destin. So your suggestion, then, is to cut the Red Wolf in half, wire half to the input side of the Key harness and the other half to the output side of the Key harness. Then those plug into the headunit/car wiring, placing the Key between the existing radio and the speakers.

On top of that, wire the

$12 ICAK12 True 12 Gauge Hybrid OFC 2-Channel High Current Amplifier Wiring Kit Accessory Installation Wiring Kit for Boat, Motorcycles, ATV’s and UTV’s

ICAK12 from your Amazon link to the power pigtails from the Key harness.

So with those, we've wired up the speakers and the power. That's it?

I really appreciate you walking me through this. Almost everything I've read references the T-harness which uses the existing radio power. I like your idea above, but just want to make sure I have a handle on what to wire up, especially so I know what to order before I have a chance to hands-on look and understand!

 

That’s correct! Make sure to get the correct sides of the harnesses matched up. That’s where people tend to mess up.

 

Thanks again! Ordered everything, I'll post here for a checkup when I get things taped up before solder.

 

The power and ground wires can be a pain so I just want to warn you. Leave yourself some slack so you’re not stuck trying to solder those connections inside the dash cavity.

ALSO learn from my mistakes I used to make and run the from the battery into the cab. The fuse holder is permanent so you can’t go from the cab into the engine compartment

 

Great advice...I could see those being a "god damnit" moment :-D

 

It’s not the worst thing if you’re at the house in the garage with a few beers. It’s an easy fix. But in my scenario, I was at work (sadly no beer) and usually I was already running behind and my next client was there waiting to drop their car off for my next time slot. When you’re allotted an hour to do the whole Key install and another 1.5 hours to do all 6 speakers, making two or three 20-minute mistakes sucks!

 

Everything came, getting things lined out now. Few questions:

1. Blue "turn-on" wire from the key...do we just ignore that and the key will use speaker voltage?
2. I want to confirm the Red Wolf harness works for the 2019 non-JBL stereo. I read somewhere that it's for 2020+.
3. I assume I wire the male end of the Red Wolf harness to the input side of the Key after I cut off the RCA plugs.

Edit: It's clear to me now that I need to switch gears and use the Metra harnesses to make my t-harness. I'm curious, though, if you'd still recommend that I grab amp power directly from battery. If so, in the t-harness, do I just pass black to black and yellow to yellow on the Metra harness (pic below) and then take the Key power (double wires) straight to battery/ground?

 

/Sorry about the red wolf! I truly didn’t remember what year the new connectors started
-I would personally still go straight to the battery, especially since you have the kit
-yes, just go straight across with the black, yellow, red, orange

 

I recently installed kicker cs 6x9s up front, subi tweeters, and kicker cs 6-3/4s in the rear. I think next step is kicker key 200.4 but i have zero experience with wire splicing, soldering, t harnesses.

Anyone want to make me a harness for my premium entune non jbl headunit? I'll pay you for materials and labor.

 

No experience needed! All you need is crimpers and wire strippers, both available at harbor freight

 

Can I get a harness check before crimping? I'm going to wire amp ground direct to the chassis and amp power directly to the battery.

Thanks again for the help!

 

Nailed it!

 

Thanks again for all of your help!