What is a "trip wire"

[JimHam]

Just installed a new Jensen RV stereo in my Cougar and things went very well. Figured out the differences between terminology on the wire tags and then just switched out all the wiring one wire at a time. Stereo, CD, DVD all worked perfectly. One wire on the Jensen wiring harness is left without a mate and that one is marked "Trip Wire 12V-DC". Nothing on the camper wire harness to hook it to. Anybody tell me what this is for and if I need to hook it to something?

[Desert185]

Well, in Viet Nam it was a wire connected to a device making a very loud noise that removed limbs and/or killed you and your buds or them and their buds. I'm sure the one in your trailer is comparatively benign, but I have no idea what it does even though I don't like the sound of it.

[bitten]

Trip wire allows another audio component to be turned on automatically.

[sourdough]

Have you looked at the documentation for the unit? Is it for some sort of security device for the unit?

[JimHam]

Yeah, I found it when I was looking at information on hooking up a sub woofer to upgrade my sound system and it is a TRIGGER wire not a TRIP wire. My poor memory again. It somehow turns the powered sub-woofer on and off when you turn off the head unit so you don't have to do it manually.