Explorer Stereo Wires

This goes out to either Al or anyone with a 99 or so EX. For factory speakers, which is the positive lead? With a voltmeter, we came down to the white wire being positive, but aren't quite sure because for some reason, both sides of the harness provide a positive reading when grounded. The diagrams I have don't match the colors either.

you won't be able to find which one is the + using a voltage multimeter. Your best bet is hook a speaker up and see which way the speaker moves. If you have it backwards, the speaker will move in, not out.

Sublime i tried the same thing on my truck...and both wires had current so i was like WTF. Brandon, how do you expect to be able to see which way the cone moves?

9sdime9 wrote:

Sublime i tried the same thing on my truck...and both wires had current so i was like WTF. Brandon, how do you expect to be able to see which way the cone moves?

turn the radio on and look at it before you put the panel back on or grill, you can see it moving in or out.

I know, i know, but it can be hard to do it by sight, because the cone moves in AND out! Are there any other ways? jw

have a factory one wired up too and they should move the same then

they should only move one way.

And yah, don't screw them in or antying, just hold them and look. May have to crank it for a second or two so you can see the movement.

aha! Sublime if that doesn't work then look at your factory speakers and disconnect one of them, but remember which color went with which terminal on the speaker. Then hook up some short wire leads to the speaker and using a AA or AAA battery hold on wire firmly to the - end of the battery and then quickly touch the other wire to the positive end, DO NOT HOLD THE WIRES ON THE BATTERY FOR VERY LONG. When contact is made if the cones moves out then the positive is connected to the positive of the batt and neg to neg, but if the cone moves in then the polarity is reverse. Then since you know what terminal on the speaker is pos and which is neg you just remember which wire each went to! Tada!

You da man 9Dime. Have to tear the doors off again and check and make sure the blockers are on the right channel. They SOUND like they're on the right channel, but sounds can be decieving