boat audio question

samcollett · Posted: May 28, 2008 4:44 pm Post subject: boat audio question

so i'm familiar with car audio, i've done several installs, blahblahblah. right now my boat has two shatty speakers from west marine, powered off of a mid range pioneer head. i'm about to upgrade to two of the 6.5" wet sounds drivers and i want to install an amp as well.

question 1: any of you had experience with a marine amp suitable for two of the wet sounds drivers?
question 2: where are you guys running your remote wires (for the amp) from?

urinal mint · Backside 180 Joined: 20 May 2005 Posts: 1991

run your remote wire from the hot wire of your boat.

samcollett · Posted: May 28, 2008 4:56 pm Post subject:

yeah that's what i figured, but my problem is that whoever originally installed the electrical system on my boat completely shat it up, so i have no idea where any of the wires are. it should come directly from the rear battery though, right?

cheapskate · Guest

samcollett, best thing would be to completely start over. if the previuos installer did shatty work. I wouldn't trust the rest of it. just use the head unit you have and re-install it correctly with your new shat. good luck hope it jams.

samcollett · Posted: May 28, 2008 5:17 pm Post subject:

yeah man i did that already. spent an entire day rewiring the whole sound system. i have that how i want it, all i need to do is add the amp. it's the entire electrical system that's messy. and the install wasn't "bad," it's just completely haywire to the point where i have no idea where anything is. maybe i'm confused as to what urinal mint is talking about for the hot wire? what wire are you talking about?

cheapskate · Guest

your 12 volt reference. the main power wire for the stereo system. it is most always the red wire coming from the stereo wire harness. Be sure to use a fusible link for the main power wire, then run the remote wire from the stereo harness directly to the amp. It is what powers up the amp when turned on. hope this helps.

samcollett · Posted: May 28, 2008 5:46 pm Post subject:

ah ok i got you. that's easy enough. that makes things a lot more compact too so i can run my amp close to my head unit.