phase 1 of fresh stereo build

[shadetreefab]

i guess I'm weird, I all ways have to look at the amp mounting and battery placement/ wiring. 

[isellacuras]

I'm too old for this crap. Or too big. Or both. I have learned the inch worms movements. And I learned why there's bolts in the bilge on a new boat. Dropped a few myself. 

[IXFE]

3 hours ago, isellacuras said:

I'm too old for this crap. Or too big. Or both. I have learned the inch worms movements. And I learned why there's bolts in the bilge on a new boat. Dropped a few myself. 

I hear ya... my body aches when I get into a stereo install. I told myself this year that it would be my last. 

[shawndoggy]

haha since I did my first boat install in 2010 my eyes have gotten soooo much worse.  Even with my progressive lenses, I'm ripping my glasses off and sticking my face right up to stuff sometimes to get it into focus.  Getting old sucks!

[isellacuras]

29 minutes ago, shawndoggy said:

haha since I did my first boat install in 2010 my eyes have gotten soooo much worse.  Even with my progressive lenses, I'm ripping my glasses off and sticking my face right up to stuff sometimes to get it into focus.  Getting old sucks!

I wish it were just my eyes. My back, my knees and my finger tips are what are sore. 

[BWS22]

This thread has taken a funny twist because I've been weighing my own stereo upgrade as a DIY project or one to hire a pro.  Deciding factor for me is I don't think I want to crawl around in the boat cave.  

[shawndoggy]

1 hour ago, isellacuras said:

I wish it were just my eyes. My back, my knees and my finger tips are what are sore. 

yeah you know you've had a good stereo day when your fingers are bloody messes and you feel like you've had the bamboo treatment under the nails.

(sissy office worker hands here)

[isellacuras]

50 minutes ago, BWS22 said:

This thread has taken a funny twist because I've been weighing my own stereo upgrade as a DIY project or one to hire a pro.  Deciding factor for me is I don't think I want to crawl around in the boat cave.  

Its been a full 2 day (10+ per day) project for me and I have a few hours left, unfortunately almost all of that will be in the boat cave or as Fman calls it, the death chamber.  I spent about 25% of that time just looking at stuff trying to figure out what to do next.

[shawndoggy]

YES.  The just sitting there part!  I do that a LOT.  

[IXFE]

5 hours ago, shawndoggy said:

YES.  The just sitting there part!  I do that a LOT.  

Been there, done that...

[isellacuras]

Quick questions. When wiring main power to the Perko, I think I saw @Fmanrefer to the line coming out of the Perko as "common". When I pulled the Perko off the wall and hooked it up, there were three posts. 1. input 1, 2. Input 2 and 3. Output. I am assuming output is what he is referring to as common, right?  First off, the terminals that come with the power kit from exile are BEEFY. Not the copper welding wire ends that @IXFE (hmmm? Won't let me tag @IXFE) showed in his posts. Anyways, these were tough to get mounted onto the Perko but I was able to manage. I did have to drill out the post hole. The Perko post is bigger than the battery terminal post. I hope the output is the correct post. (I have a 1,2, 1+2, off switch with 2 batteries. Question 2, should I use an inline fuse between the breaker by the throttle to the remote turn on switch?  I think I used the extra bilge breaker which had the lowest rating which was 10A I believe. My guess is the switch should prolly have 3A or maybe 5A on the high side. 

[MLA]

Yes, output is the common.

Your "perko" is actually a Blue Sea switch. WAY better than the perko and for the reason you just discovered. Larger posts, deeper posts, and more than one way for the cables to exit and enter. Perko makes a cheap price point switch IMO. Id suggest the proper size eyelet over drilling it out. That reduces the surface area contact for current transfer. The Blue Sea uses 3/8". Any B+ circuit should have some form of circuit protection at its source.  

[shawndoggy]

yes, common = output (perko vs blue sea speak)

as long as the wire is rated to carry 10a, and it's already on a breaker, you should be fine.

but begs the question whether you should pull new source wire for the switch.  I mean you definitely want to pull new power and ground wire (that terminates in common with your amps) for the EQ, and you can just piggyback that to power your switch anyhow, which is what I'd do.  And in that case you'd want a fuse back by the amps where you pulled the power and ground from.

[isellacuras]

I'm using the schematic that bawshogg drew up for Fman in his install. I have a pic but can't post it up right now. An inline fuse is not a big deal if it should get one. Power for ZLD is going to distribution block and ground to battery, again just like bawshogg a diagram. Already ran wire in flex loom so too late to change if itll work, even if just ok. As of now I'm on a time crunch. 3 days til vacation and still have a boat full of mess. 

[shawndoggy]

So just use that run for your power for your turn on switch. 

[isellacuras]

1 hour ago, shawndoggy said:

So just use that run for your power for your turn on switch. 

Yes, that's what I mean. Not sure if I said or inplied otherwise.  Run from breaker by throttle comes from 10A to switch to ZLD and amps.  Should they be fuse protected?  Iirc, that's 14 or 18 guage wire.  I think the switch I'm using is a 3A push button similar to the system power button for the boat but smaller   

 

Edited June 17, 2016 by isellacuras

[isellacuras]

Kinda done. Got it fired up today. I had to order a yard of vinyl to do a 6"x8" faceplate. I just mounted it on the plastic for our trip next week.

I wasn't able to get the bow speakers to work. I wired it up like the page in the manual but when I fired it up, only he bow speakers were on. I moved the RCAs to the other set of inputs and the cabins came on but the bows didn't work. It's almost like it needs splitters. I tried moving the 2/4/6 switch but no luck. Looks like I may have to make a call to exile unless someone might be able to shed some light.

i took it out on the water to tune it all up and It sounds great in the boat but I didn't get a chance to ride. The XM9's are a little harsh but that's what I expected. I will spend some more time dialing them in. Sub hits hard in the qbomb box.  so far, I am really happy with the way it's coming along. 

The amp rack looks ok. Not as clean as some of the others out there but good enough for me. Thanks for all the help along the way. 

Heres a couple pictures. 

home depot only had the larger flex loom in white. I went ahead and ran with it. Kinda wish I held out for black but @shawndoggy  assured me that nobody cares. 

[malibuskier2003]

^^^^ Nobody will ever look.....

 

Dave