Help with wiring an MXT575

[Josh00333]

My radio is powered from the constant hot wire from the Aux bundle, no interference issues here.

Same, the constraint hot seems to be clean power for the radio. You just have to remember to turn it off

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[Shift Happens]

I may be misunderstanding but you're trying to run power from the passenger side, to the driver side firewall grommet, then across the engine bay to the battery on the passenger side?
Can you run the cable behind the glovebox, and up the door frame behind the plastic and out through the passenger side cowl?

 

[Sw00per]

I may be misunderstanding but you're trying to run power from the passenger side, to the driver side firewall grommet, then across the engine bay to the battery on the passenger side?
Can you run the cable behind the glovebox, and up the door frame behind the plastic and out through the passenger side cowl?

Yes to the first part. As for the second I will need to explore the route.

 

[Sw00per]

I had a similar requirement mounting a Midland MXT275 to the passenger side of the console. My solution was to tap into the 12V power outlet circuit (i.e., the 'cigarette lighter' socket). This is a higher amp capacity circuit, but note that it is only powered when the vehicle is in Run or Acc.

To avoid cutting into the harness, I used the adapter below. I've seen in on various vendor sites - got mine off of Amazon. https://a.co/d/gc2lzvG

Here is the final setup. Note to installer: I needed to R&R connecters on one end of the cable to feed the wires through the console, but that was a simple task using a small pick to pop out the crimp connections from the housing.

Nice write up thanks. I am positive that this information will prove useful for anyone doing the install. As for the power requirements I believe your model is designed to run from the cigarette powered whereas the 575 requires more power.

 

[SamJ3]

Nice write up thanks. I am positive that this information will prove useful for anyone doing the install. As for the power requirements I believe your model is designed to run from the cigarette powered whereas the 575 requires more power.

You are welcome. Good point, that one should be mindful of power capacity. You are correct that the 275 was designed to be powered from that source.

The Jeep's 12v dash outlet is rated for up to 160W, 13A @ 12v. (More than 13A will blow the fuse, per the manual.)

The MXT575 maximum current (per Midland) Is 10A. The MXT275 requires less - 3.5A maximum.

That said, you are probably safe tapping into the 12V dash power circuit.

 

[Sw00per]

I posted this in another thread but the short story is I used a CMM Off road universal mount for the radio bracket. Although I can angle the mount not sure it would help with the wires that I think are a bit of a snag hazard.

 

[cranbiz]

I have run several wires on the passengers side. I have a 50W dual band Yaesu that I ran to the battery with 12 GA wire, I come up thru the dash and out under the speaker cover. Pop off the cowl cover and pull the 4 bolts holding the windshield in place. Fold down the windshield about 1/4 the way down (so you don't need to pull the wiper arms) and route the wires thru there. The gasket cushions the wires, they hide under the cowl cover and come out right by the TIPM.

I did the same on the drivers side for the VOSwitch and my red emergency lights (front and rear).

I don't have any leaks or wind noise and it was super simple.

 

[hjdca]

Hi all,

I want to mount the MXT575 on the passenger side of the center console (that is where the bracket is currently installed). The included wire harness is to short to attach to the battery and run across the engine bay. By the time I route across to just about the access port in the firewall I only have 3 ft left.

Wondering if the is a route on the passenger side without drilling a new hole or taking the dash apart.

Alternatively attempt to lengthen the harness although not sure of the gauge of wire to use (EDIT I found it in a Q&A on the midland site its 14 gauge).

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance

Note: There is a good place to install the MXT575 base unit underneath the steering wheel completely hidden away. There is a spot for it there. I used velcro to secure it and it sits flat on an existing bracket, so, no issues at all after a few years of hard 4wheeling... "Ozark Overland Adventures" on you tube has a video on installing it under the steering wheel. Before the MXT575, I had the MXT275 hooked up to my 12 Volt constant wire in my Aux switches package. I kept having random interference that the squelch would not quiet down..... I believe it was the 12 volt constant wire that was causing the random noise.

With the 50 watts of the MXT575, I went directly to the battery and skipped the Aux switches.... -- I now get zero interference on the radio. Squelch at level 3 keeps everything quiet.

 

[Sw00per]

Note: There is a good place to install the MXT575 base unit underneath the steering wheel completely hidden away. There is a spot for it there. I used velcro to secure it and it sits flat on an existing bracket, so, no issues at all after a few years of hard 4wheeling... "Ozark Overland Adventures" on you tube has a video on installing it under the steering wheel. Before the MXT575, I had the MXT275 hooked up to my 12 Volt constant wire in my Aux switches package. I kept having random interference that the squelch would not quiet down..... I believe it was the 12 volt constant wire that was causing the random noise.

With the 50 watts of the MXT575, I went directly to the battery and skipped the Aux switches.... -- I now get zero interference on the radio. Squelch at level 3 keeps everything quiet.

The reason I did not use that spot is I thought I would have trouble hearing from the speaker. BTW I will try out lol 3.

 

[hjdca]

The reason I did not use that spot is I thought I would have trouble hearing from the speaker. BTW I will try out lol 3.

For the MCT575, Both the speaker in the head unit and the speaker in the Mic are pretty loud. I have them both "on" in my installation. I do not have any problem. I have a soft top, and with the soft top down, windows down, 70 mph on the fwy, MT tires screaming, stereo on almost full blast so I can hear it, I can still hear if someone is talking on the MCT575. However, I may have to ask them to "come back on that", and stick the mic in my ear. lol...

 

[Sw00per]

For the MCT575, Both the speaker in the head unit and the speaker in the Mic are pretty loud. I have them both "on" in my installation. I do not have any problem. I have a soft top, and with the soft top down, windows down, 70 mph on the fwy, MT tires screaming, stereo on almost full blast so I can hear it, I can still hear if someone is talking on the MCT575. However, I may have to ask them to "come back on that", and stick the mic in my ear. lol...

Ok maybe my mic is bad or I don't know how to enable the speaker in the mic.

 

[chorky]

watched an install video and it basically said you will have problems hooking the radio up via the AUX wires. A potential way around it is to install ferrite on the line. I have no experience with this so YMMV.

I'm curious as to what video said this. I have both my GMRS and CB hooked in parallel to Aux 1 for over a year and have had zero issues or weird feedback. Everything is crystal clear.

 

[Sw00per]

I'm curious as to what video said this. I have both my GMRS and CB hooked in parallel to Aux 1 for over a year and have had zero issues or weird feedback. Everything is crystal clear.

I looked at so many videos when researching radio that I could not tell you which one. Safe to say if it works for you then you are good to go.

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