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Just installed an under seat active subwoofer
#1
Photo 
Just installed an under seat subwoofer in the Berlingo and here it is!
   
OK so there is a dip in the flooring which puts the sub out of sight but just goes to show the acres of space available under the front passenger seat. A Kenwood KSC-SW11, its an active subwoofer meaning the amplifier and subwoofer speaker is in one box and it comes with all the cables and remote control. The Berlingo has a big thick metal seat frame/bar that goes across the floor which protects the sub from any kicks or stops feet resting on it.

Pull the front seat completely forward and here is the subwoofer in place. In this picture the subwoofer is even lower as I removed the Berlingo hidden under seat false floor so the sub is slightly below the floor level. On the passenger side that compartment is for the wheel changing kit, but its an empty cubby hole on the driver side otherwise and I put it to good use here.
   

The sub is easy to install into the standard Berlingo car radio system partly because it can take the sound output from the left and right speakers cabling (the Citroen RD4 radios dont have the phono type connectors), and also because I didnt have to worry about drilling or fiddling through the firewall to the engine bay and directly connect to the car battery. Thats because there's a white 8 gauge spare power cable already plumed in the boot of the Berlingo - its activated by inserting maxi blade fuse in the empty slot 2 position in the engine bay fuse box - its there in case you want to fit a tow bar and electrics - which I didn't.

The rear speakers of the Berlingo have no bass - its like the sound of a cheap hand radio Smile - so everyone now seems happy. Also, its nice to get some low frequencies or kick in some more oomph when required - its all pretty controllable from the remote.

When I get a minute I will add some install notes and pictures in case it inspires others who are thinking of doing something similar.
2012(62) XTR 1.6 92bhp Airdream Modutop
[-] The following 3 users say Thank You to patch for this post:
  • Blingo_for_life, DrewKrewUK, finny
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#2
Hi Patch,
Tidy job mate ! I may well copy this in mine, what did the Kenwood set you back ?
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#3
Some pics and how to would be great. Cool
                                     Smile  It's too orangey for crow's It's just for me and my dog  Smile

                                                        Heart Heart Love a lot trust a few  Dodgy
 
                                                        

                                        
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#4
(24-03-2016, 08:03 PM)Satellitemark Wrote:  Hi Patch,
Tidy job mate ! I may well copy this in mine, what did the Kenwood set you back ?

We got ours from Amazon and it cost about £100. I may be selling mine now though!
Just had the chance to try out an active sub a local is selling, JBL and I think I have decided to take it instead. It goes in the boot though because it is huge.
2012(62) XTR 1.6 92bhp Airdream Modutop
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#5
Photo 
Jed here goes... Smile
The constant 12v power supply earmarked for the active sub is a thick white cable tucked behind the left boot trim panel of the Berlingo (see here for notes on panel removal). By the way, that cable is activated once a fuse is put in the engine bay fuse box for this line. Its slot two. When boot trim panel is removed identify that thick white cable - its got a bulky black and red plastic connector on the end.
   

Connect your active subwoofer power wire (in this case its the yellow cable) to the thick white Berlingo 12v power cable. I used a Posi-loc connector to join them because its strong and easy, and if need be removable in future and or terminates that live feed.
   

Note: If you would rather keep the big connector attached to the end of thick white cable, say for future towbar use, you could crimp a spade connector to the end of the active sub power cable, and plug that spade straight into the corresponding spade receiving end in the thick white 12v cables black/red connector. I tried this and it appeared to be a very strong hold in itself.

There is already a ring connector on the black ground wire of the active sub, this is shorter so has to be attached to ground near the sub. There are bolts for the seats which could be used but I didnt have good enough tools to remove them (or is that because of my weakness/arthritis) so I used the bolt from the bottom of the front seat belt which was easy to unscrew.

At this point the active subwoofer would be powered 24/7 as the feed is a continuous 12v from the car battery. Kenwood supply a blue cable to splice in to any 12v power wire in the car that is live only when the engine is switched on. With this the sub now senses when to power off. The Berlingo has a 12v accessory socket in the back thats live when the engine is on so we can spice into that wire.
   

The blue cable already has bullet connectors and has a pass through design. So pull the fuzzy black wire covering back/off and cut the Berlingo power cable which is the green wire. Now cut, those two exposed green power cable ends need corresponding bullet connectors crimped on. That way the blue sub wiring cab be connected. The Berlingo accessory power socket continues to get its 12v fed and the sub now gets its remote control/switch on and off signal.
   

If one day you remove this active sub woofer and this blue remote subwoofer cabling, the male/female orientation of the bullet connectors means the green power wire connects back together easily.
   
2012(62) XTR 1.6 92bhp Airdream Modutop
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#6
Photo 
I have the stock Citroen RD4 radio which does not have a sub out or any other amplifier phono type connectors on the back. So the Kenwood active subwoofer has additional cabling which enables it to splice into existing car speaker wiring, where it can then put low frequency sound through the subwoofer. Im already working in the boot with both side trim panels off so far in the installation, therefore I'm going to tap into the rear speaker wiring. The red and white speaker wiring has a plug connector to the speaker.
   

The active subwoofer speaker wiring splice or tap is similar to the blue remote turn on cable with bullet connectors.
   

Cut both red and white berlingo speaker wire and add corresponding bullet connectors. The speaker cable/plug can now clip back into the speaker and the sub has its sound input. On the berlingo speaker wiring the red cable was "+" and the white cable was "-", The corresponding Kenwood speaker wiring was the all grey cable "+" and the grey and black line cable "-".
   

If one day you remove the kenwood active sub and speaker cabling you are left with a male and female bullet connector on the berlingo speaker cable, so they connect and continue feeding the speaker.
   
2012(62) XTR 1.6 92bhp Airdream Modutop
[-] The following 1 user says Thank You to patch for this post:
  • DrewKrewUK
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#7
Photo 
With both side boot trim panels already off there was no need to completely remove the next bit of side trim that goes toward the rear doors. I found that using a tool to lift the panel out of the floor locator holes sufficient. There are two of these - see picture below with red arrows. So you can route speaker and yellow power or speaker and blue rem cables inside.
   

Otherwise, you know what, just feed them under the carpet - the carpet is not nailed or locked down just well tucked.

I went for the tidy/ protected behind plastic route. The door cabling cover/corner shroud pops out with tugging around the bottom edges by hand too. In the pictures you may be able to see the speaker or yellow power cable wiring.
   

By the sides of the back seat/rear doors, following the cable routes with the other berlingo cabling under the carpet.
   

The blue remote cabling and right side speaker wire  are on the other side so I route them along the footwell below the back seats, towards the other side to join with the yellow and speaker cabling route. Its quite easy because the berlingo rear boot capeting stops at the bottom of the rear seating area along the floor, and tucks under the middle of the car carpeting.
   

Continue routing cables under carpeting and plastic trim as you see fit or necessary. There are a few slits, gaps or  holes in carpeting around under the front seating area and bottom seat belt bolts too. Also I noticed the front carpeting of the car meets the middle carpeting along a line toward the forward end of the front seats.

Here is the sub
   
2012(62) XTR 1.6 92bhp Airdream Modutop
[-] The following 1 user says Thank You to patch for this post:
  • DrewKrewUK
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#8
Its a small active subwoofer. Its the Kenwood KSC-SW11 and to give you an idea of its size it even fits in the under seat drawer!
   
2012(62) XTR 1.6 92bhp Airdream Modutop
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#9
Thank you patch great pics and instructions top work Cool  have the day off. Smile
                                     Smile  It's too orangey for crow's It's just for me and my dog  Smile

                                                        Heart Heart Love a lot trust a few  Dodgy
 
                                                        

                                        
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#10
Just discovered the underseat Kenwood sub from this thread in my draw, which has prompted me to get on with selling it. If any fellow forum members in and around Hertfordshire is interested in it just PM me. It has been used for literally less than a couple of days in total - I say that probably less. I kept the JBL active sub in the end which I think is amazing!
2012(62) XTR 1.6 92bhp Airdream Modutop
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