Car radio power supply

[alive23512]

Hi Ant.

I intend to fit a new car radio/CD player to my 1998 Duo. One of the most annoying things I find with the Berlingo is the red battery light being on, even for the short spells, when I want to listen to the vehicle radio or a CD.
I have bought a radio with a remote control, which I consider ideal and logical for a motorhome. The thought of me being in the back with the keys in the ignition and a red light on in the dash does not appeal to me at all from the security point of view, especially at night when it is dark.

My question is, in theory, is it possible for me to join the yellow (memory) and red (12v positve supply, usually via ignition acc) wires together at the radio and connect to the leisure battery positive, which I would much prefer to using the vehicle battery? Can you forsee any problems? The leisure battery is fitted with an audible low voltage alarm so allowing the battery to accidently run down too low is not an issue with me.

Kind regards (as always),
Tony.

[ant]

Hi Tony.
On a '98 Berlingo there should be no problem to powering the radio as you describe from the leisure battery. Later vehicles use the radio as part of the dash display programer so cannot be altered as easily.
Ant

[Derek]

Hi Tony, It may be worth putting a switch in the feed, the CD/radios can have a significant standby current

[alive23512]

Thank you Ant and Derek for the quick replies.

All noted, cheers. Derek has made an interesting point, especially as my Duo sits for quite long periods without being used and it would be no trouble for me to enter the memory information again having switched everything off.
I will check the current being drawn when I install the radio and make a final decision then. Thanks again to you both.

Tony

[Derek]

I doubt that the yellow memory wire takes much, I would only switch the red ignition wire. Putting a meter on it sounds a good plan.