How do I wire my speaker amp so it's off when the ignition is off

Never have found good wiring diagrams for stereo's. Bought them and color codes didn't match. I have mitchell and alldata at work, they don't match. I wire them in with a volt/ohm meter. I find B+, Then hook ignition the the heater control wire. Ohm out the speakers. Thing is, you have infinity. You'll have to find the amp and cut the speaker wires and patch them there also, first. Just a note.. All speaker wires are twisted/paired wires. Cut the tape back 4 to 6 inches to find them. Another note. The speaker wires from the stereo to the amp will be a set of colors. From the amp to the speakers will be different colors.

Hi Daniel

You need to test & label all the loose wires.

Use a multimeter in Ohms mode to place a tickle of electricity to each speaker wire. you should hear each speaker crackle. (Multimeters only use a 9v battery internally)
Label each pair of wires for speakers.
Their color coding may help. Keep the negative & positive wires to the speakers correct so that the speakers all travel in a forward motion together or you will have distortion from one speaker that is out of phase with the others.
You will also have a permanent +12v line and a Ignition Key +12 volt line.
One keeps the station memory etc when the ignition key is off.

Cheers

Car Stereo Wiring Explained In Detail

Car Stereo Wiring Basics
How to Install Replacement Car Stereo

Here ya go...

Power and Accessory Wiring:

Red = 12v Switched Source (Ignition)
Yellow = 12v Constant Source (Battery)
Black = Ground (Chassis)
Orange = Illumination (Dashboard Lights)
Blue with White = Power Antenna Up / Down Signal
Blue = Amplifier Power On / Off Signal


Speaker Wiring:

White / White & Black = Left Front speaker + / -
Green /Green & Black = Left Rear speaker + / -
Gray / Gray & Black = Right Front speaker + / -
Violet / Violet & Black = Right Rear speaker + / -

12V CONSTANT WIRE RED and PINK/BLACK Ignition harness
12V IGNITION WIRE DARK BLUE Ignition harness
12V ACCESSORY WIRE BLACK/ORANGE Ignition harness
STARTER WIRE YELLOW Ignition harness
PARKING LIGHTS (+) BLACK/YELLOW At Headlight switch
POWER DOOR LOCK (5-wire reverse polarity) ORANGE/PURPLE Harness Coming Into Vehicle From Driver's
Door
POWER DOOR UNLOCK (5-wire reverse
polarity)
PINK/PURPLE Harness Coming Into Vehicle From Driver's
Door
DOOR TRIGGER (-) YELLOW/BLACK At Headlight Switch
DOMELIGHT SUPERVISION (-) Use door trigger
TRUNK TRIGGER (-) GRAY/BLACK At Light In Trunk
TACHOMETER WIRE TAN/BLUE or BLACK/GRAY At Ignition Coil
BRAKE WIRE (+) WHITE/BROWN At Brake Pedal Switch
HORN TRIGGER (-) BLACK/RED Harness Coming From Steering Wheel At
Column
CAUTION! SRS airbag wires are not enclosed in protective loom at the steering column. They are a twisted pair of wires that run with rest of
ignition harness. Be careful not to cut or probe these wires.

Radio:

(Black plug)
Rear Right speaker -: Blue w/White stripe
Rear Left speaker -: Brown w/Yellow stripe
Front Right +: Purple
Front Left +: Dark Green
Rear Right speaker +: Blue w/Orange Stripe
Rear Left speaker +: Brown w/Blue Stripe
Power Antenna/Amp: White
(Gray Plug)
+12v battery wire: Pink or Pink w/White Stripe
+12v Ignition wire: Red w/ White Stripe
Front Right speaker -: Blue w/ Red Stripe
Front Left speaker -: Brown w/ Red Stripe

either a speaker is blown, a speaker wire has shorted to ground, or the amp has a blown or blowing component...check the impedance (resistance( of the speaker outputs on the amp. if almost shorted, disconnect the speaker wires and check the impedance at the amp and then the speaker wires to determine where the fault lies.

Here is the color code. Will that do or do you need more?
2000 Chevrolet Cavalier Car Stereo Radio Wiring Diagram
Car Radio Constant 12v+ Wire: Orange
Car Radio Switched 12v+ Wire: Ignition Switch (The radio harness does not provide a switched power source. Run a wire from the Ignition Switch.)
Car Radio Ground Wire: Black
Car Radio Illumination Wire: Gray
Car Stereo Dimmer Wire: N/A
Car Stereo Antenna Trigger: Pink
Car Stereo Amp Trigger Wire: N/A
Car Stereo Amplifier Location: N/A
Front Speakers Size: N/A
Front Speakers Location: N/A
Left Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): Tan
Left Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Gray
Right Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): Light Green
Right Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Dark Green
Rear Speakers Size: N/A
Rear Speakers Location: N/A
Left Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Brown
Left Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Yellow
Right Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Dark Blue
Right Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Light Blue

The mechanic should check on the connection of the wires to the battery and the ignition system . Because of may be there is a wire that have been accidentally been disconnected. When you remove the the speaker box , and the amps out of the car.Check the wires , the fuses and the ignition switch and the ignition switch wires and fuses. It is because when you place the amps and the speaker box ,May be there is a wire that you accidentally disconnected that's why it wont start.When you place back all the equipment to the car.

go to installer.com

Car Radio Constant 12v+ Wire: Orange
Car Radio Switched 12v+ Wire: Ignition Switch (The radio harness does not provide a switched power source. Run a wire from the Ignition Switch.)
Car Radio Ground Wire: Black
Car Radio Illumination Wire: Gray
Car Stereo Dimmer Wire: N/A
Car Stereo Antenna Trigger: Pink
Car Stereo Amp Trigger Wire: N/A
Car Stereo Amplifier Location: N/A
Front Speakers Size: N/A
Front Speakers Location: N/A
Left Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): Tan
Left Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Gray
Right Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): Light Green
Right Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Dark Green
Rear Speakers Size: N/A
Rear Speakers Location: N/A
Left Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Brown
Left Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Yellow
Right Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Dark Blue
Right Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Light Blue
Good luck and hope this helps.

with the ignition in the "off" position get a test light and touch one wire at a time while cycling the ignition switch to the "on" position, When you see that the test light goes off when the ignition switch is in the off position then you found the hot wire, make sure you dont hook it up to the "alway hot " wire or you might drain the battery hope this helps.