Running wires & RCA's

[Dave K]

'06 VLX

I will have the Wet Sounds WS 420, sat radio, and ipod on the drivers helm and obviously the amps batteries etc on port side.

Can someone help and tell me the easiest way to get all the power wires, remote wire, and RCA's from starboard side to port side.

[FastFreddy]

'06 VLX

I will have the Wet Sounds WS 420, sat radio, and ipod on the drivers helm and obviously the amps batteries etc on port side.

Can someone help and tell me the easiest way to get all the power wires, remote wire, and RCA's from starboard side to port side.

I just did this and I drilled a hole on each side of the ski locker, one under the driver helm and the other from the storage near the observers seat where I mounted my amps. I used loom to run all the wires and since they are fairly forward you can't even tell they are in there unless you stick your head in the locker.

I also added a front ballast so here is the picture prior to running the RCA's. That is the hole I used/made.

[t a]

From helm I went up through gunnel toward bow, at cut-out ran wires under cushions and back behind the bow tank and over to the observers compartment. With front cushions out u can see about 2-3inches of wire, with cushions in not visible at all...

[nuttyskier2002]

I have a hard ballast tank under the floor between the front port locker and the console so I had to do like "t a" did and run RCAs under the gunnels and around the front to the port locker where my amps are. The runs are quite long put this didn't seem cause any issues with my sound system. Dave I'm betting your boat has the hard tanks as well. If you find you've picked up any noise by doing this you can install a line driver between your source and RCAs. You would want the line driver as close to the source as possible for best results.

[Dave K]

From helm I went up through gunnel toward bow, at cut-out ran wires under cushions and back behind the bow tank and over to the observers compartment. With front cushions out u can see about 2-3inches of wire, with cushions in not visible at all...

I have the hard tank as well, ad I was concerned about drilling a hole in the floor on the inside of the helm supports in fear I would be drilling where I shouldn't be. Could these 2 holes be drilled and just fish RCA's and power wires across the top of the hard tank. Or is it just as easy to run all the way round front?

"TA" what do you mean at "cut-out"? You ran the RCA's and power wires right around inside of the bow compartments under the seat cushion?

I have a hard ballast tank under the floor between the front port locker and the console so I had to do like "t a" did and run RCAs under the gunnels and around the front to the port locker where my amps are. The runs are quite long put this didn't seem cause any issues with my sound system. Dave I'm betting your boat has the hard tanks as well. If you find you've picked up any noise by doing this you can install a line driver between your source and RCAs. You would want the line driver as close to the source as possible for best results.

Yes you are right about hard tank. By chance do you recall how long the RCA's where that you needed?

Appreciate all the advise guys.

[nuttyskier2002]

Dave, I think FastFreddy's boat (being a '99 year Model) did not come with hard tanks. Not 100% sure about that but let's let him speak for that. The length of RCA cable needed was approx 20' on my boat. I have an '06 Vride which is only 21'. I think your Wakestetter is 23' so you might need a little more length. I ran 4 separate cables bundled together as I'm using 4 amps. I wanted to be able to divide zones as I saw fit so thus the 4 sets of RCAs. I also ran a twisted pair of 12 AWG red/black from my amp board to power my HU and WS420. So far it has worked great with zero noise.

[wake1923]

If you have the bow tank you can take the cushions out and remove the step up to the bow tank where the tank empty pump is and there is already two holes on each side for your battery cables and wires to run through no drilling and easy to get to. This is how i ran mine.

[FastFreddy]

You're right I don't have a hard tank.

[nuttyskier2002]

If you have the bow tank you can take the cushions out and remove the step up to the bow tank where the tank empty pump is and there is already two holes on each side for your battery cables and wires to run through no drilling and easy to get to. This is how i ran mine.

I'm not sure I know what this is "step up to the bow tank where the tank empty pump is". Both fill and empty pumps are located just beneath the removable floor piece between the driver and observer seats. I tried running a fish tape thru the hole where the steering cable feeds thru and also thru the hole that the batt cables go thru. Couldn't get it to go where I needed. Maybe my front tank is not setup the same as yours.

[Dave K]

I'm not sure I know what this is "step up to the bow tank where the tank empty pump is". Both fill and empty pumps are located just beneath the removable floor piece between the driver and observer seats. I tried running a fish tape thru the hole where the steering cable feeds thru and also thru the hole that the batt cables go thru. Couldn't get it to go where I needed. Maybe my front tank is not setup the same as yours.

My set up is the same. I am thinking it is leaking (and pretty good at that) where the hose connects to the 90 deg fitting on top of the tank....where that is.

[dalt1]

If you have bow tank, run wires here.

Edited June 19, 2013 by dalt1

[Dave K]

Mine is the middle tank in floor. runs from between helms and forward

[Dave K]

Well, with a little info from Mike's Liquid Audio I was successful in running wire from helm side to port side consol.

- Be sure to use a shallow hole saw or just be careful when you feel you are almost through the floor. There is a couple of inches though between the floor and top of the ballast tank.

- Pretty easy to do, with a fish line.

- Your able use shorter RCA's from the helm to the port locker,

[TallRedRider]

Well, with a little info from Mike's Liquid Audio I was successful in running wire from helm side to port side consol.

- Be sure to use a shallow hole saw or just be careful when you feel you are almost through the floor. There is a couple of inches though between the floor and top of the ballast tank.

- Pretty easy to do, with a fish line.

- Your able use shorter RCA's from the helm to the port locker,

That is exactly what I did.

BTW, what is that hole into the walkway? Heater tube?

[stang233]

Would anyone have pictures of what Dave did on the next generation of Setters. My pumps too are in the floor. I need to get wires from one side to the other.