Connecting Bluetooth to 2014 Wakesetter 23 LSV

[shawndoggy]

1 minute ago, Argonaut said:

@shawndoggy I like your idea of plugging the input directly into the amp...does it make sense to split it somehow so you retain the glovebox use? I realize you could only use one input at a time. Or everything is Bluetooth these days so one really only needs the Bluetooth adapter

 

To be clear, don't plug the output of the BT module into an amp, plug it into the AUX input on the black box (which is essentially the "headunit" or "brain" for the factory stereo).  It's mounted in the observer's compartment next to the amps.  Usually as configured from the factory, that AUX input is already used up with the 3.5mm cord from the glove box, so I'm suggesting that that be disabled / replaced with the BT module output.

Can you rig up a way to retain multiple AUX inputs?  Yes.  here's an example: http://www.jlaudio.com/cl-ses-car-audio-system-expansion-98114

That said in my experience once you have BT, nobody uses the 3.5mm cable anymore.  My cars all have 3.5mm inputs and I either use USB direct to the phone or BT.  I don't think I've ever plugged a 3.5mm cord into any of them.  Of course your mileage may vary and the next poster is sure to sing the praises of 3.5mm vs BT.

[BSUBU_Kris]

Here is the easiest way to have both the Bluetooth and Aux in option.  I have the excile unit and just got an RCA to 3.5mm adapter and ran the end of that cord into the glove box (I mounted the Bluetooth module near the Black Box).  I plug the Bluetooth 3.5mm cord into the Aux input when I want Bluetooth and keep another 3.5mm cord in the glove box for when we just want to use the Aux input.  I have had a few times where it was hard for someone to connect to the Bluetooth module so this makes it easy to just use the headphone jack.  I also took power from the amps with an inline fuse.  Very easy install.

[Fish209]

For those that installed to the Exile "Digital Media Center - Bluetooth" (or the similar JL one), did you connect it to your stereo head unit, or directly to your amp?

 

 

Edited April 9, 2019 by Fish209

[shawndoggy]

2 hours ago, Fish209 said:

For those that installed to the Exile "Digital Media Center - Bluetooth" (or the similar JL one), did you connect it to your stereo head unit, or directly to your amp?

 

 

If you go straight to your amp(s) you would have to run it in place of your headunit. 

This is the one that I was suggesting that you run into your headunit aux: https://exileaudio.com/store/install-accessories/bluetooth/exile-premium-bluetooth-music-receiver.html

 

[Stevo]

I was getting noise from my black box on my 14’LSv so I went bypass.

used a WS420 EQ and a exile BT adaptor. Solved my problem, and I was never a fan of the Rockford OEM dash interface, kids would walk by and brush up against it and change the source or power off entirely.

in my 17 I have full stereo delete and the Exile DMC with Bluetooth 

[hawaiianstyln]

50 minutes ago, Stevo said:

in my 17 I have full stereo delete and the Exile DMC with Bluetooth 

This is what I have done as well.  I realized everyone just connected to BT so why have the blackbox anymore.  I was able to get rid of a mess of wires too.  My Exile BT hooks into the Exile ZLD.  I used the accessory power wire from the blackbox to have everything turn on/off with ignition.

 

 

[shawndoggy]

2 hours ago, hawaiianstyln said:

This is what I have done as well.  I realized everyone just connected to BT so why have the blackbox anymore.  I was able to get rid of a mess of wires too.  My Exile BT hooks into the Exile ZLD.  I used the accessory power wire from the blackbox to have everything turn on/off with ignition.

haha I went to a lot of work to NOT have the stereo turn on and off with the ignition.  I hated that when I keyed off to pick up a rider the stereo would turn off.  

[hawaiianstyln]

1 hour ago, shawndoggy said:

haha I went to a lot of work to NOT have the stereo turn on and off with the ignition.  I hated that when I keyed off to pick up a rider the stereo would turn off.  

I imagine I will find this out the hard way this summer and end up putting a switch in.  What was your end resolution or fix, a rocker switch?  I haven't had it out since I made the change.  It does make a chirp sound thru the speakers when I turn the ignition on.  I think that means I need a relay on my exile ZLD.  The amps might be turning on before the ZLD does, making that zip or chirp sound.

[shawndoggy]

2 hours ago, hawaiianstyln said:

I imagine I will find this out the hard way this summer and end up putting a switch in.  What was your end resolution or fix, a rocker switch?  I haven't had it out since I made the change.  It does make a chirp sound thru the speakers when I turn the ignition on.  I think that means I need a relay on my exile ZLD.  The amps might be turning on before the ZLD does, making that zip or chirp sound.

on your boat the most straightforward way would be to run switched power from a rocker switch.  The rocker would just control the remote turn-on lead for each of your accessories (zld, amps, others?)

it sounds like right now your black box is acting as the remote turn on for the amps? or are you saying that you hooked the red wire that was going to the black box to your zld and amps?  What's turning the amps on and off?

[hawaiianstyln]

1 hour ago, shawndoggy said:

on your boat the most straightforward way would be to run switched power from a rocker switch.  The rocker would just control the remote turn-on lead for each of your accessories (zld, amps, others?)

it sounds like right now your black box is acting as the remote turn on for the amps? or are you saying that you hooked the red wire that was going to the black box to your zld and amps?  What's turning the amps on and off?

yes the blackbox was being used by the blue remote wire to turn everything on.  Since the blackbox has been removed entirely, I was left with the red and yellow wire.  Whatever one I tested, I think it was the red one, was used to have the ignition turn everything on/off (since it was already there.  Since all the remote wires on the ZLD/AMPS/BT controller were running to that remote wire from blackbox, I just ran the red wire in replacement to the remote turn on.  if that makes sense.

[shawndoggy]

2 hours ago, hawaiianstyln said:

yes the blackbox was being used by the blue remote wire to turn everything on.  Since the blackbox has been removed entirely, I was left with the red and yellow wire.  Whatever one I tested, I think it was the red one, was used to have the ignition turn everything on/off (since it was already there.  Since all the remote wires on the ZLD/AMPS/BT controller were running to that remote wire from blackbox, I just ran the red wire in replacement to the remote turn on.  if that makes sense.

So what I would do is put the yellow wire (or other B+ source that is hot when your battery switch is on) on a switch and use THAT was your turn on lead. If you are getting a turn on thump you may want to put the amps (but not the eq) on a relay to add a little delay after turning the switch on. 

[Fish209]

I gave the wrong link in my post above. I did order the one shawdoggy mentioned - Premium Marine Bluetooth 4.0

 

I had someone install it today. I had them also run the power to the stereo with the rest of the accessories that get power directly from the battery (not dependent on the ignition). So after this install, my stereo can be turned on or off as long as my battery (perko) switch is turned to power on the batteries. Now my stereo can run with the ignition on or off.

 

After reading the recent posts in this thread, I'm wondering if I had them do this the right way. I see you guys talk about a rocker switch to control the power on the stereo being the way to go. I just turn the stereo itself on/off as long as the batteries are powered? Would the rocker switch method you guys are discussing be a better way for some reason then I have it setup now?

[shawndoggy]

11 hours ago, Fish209 said:

I gave the wrong link in my post above. I did order the one shawdoggy mentioned - Premium Marine Bluetooth 4.0

 

I had someone install it today. I had them also run the power to the stereo with the rest of the accessories that get power directly from the battery (not dependent on the ignition). So after this install, my stereo can be turned on or off as long as my battery (perko) switch is turned to power on the batteries. Now my stereo can run with the ignition on or off.

 

After reading the recent posts in this thread, I'm wondering if I had them do this the right way. I see you guys talk about a rocker switch to control the power on the stereo being the way to go. I just turn the stereo itself on/off as long as the batteries are powered? Would the rocker switch method you guys are discussing be a better way for some reason then I have it setup now?

your method is fine.  A lot of people who run the rocker switch method are running with a "stereo delete" (no head unit).  The reason for the rocker in that context is that it controls the signal to the amps and other accessories to turn on and off.  In your case your stereo itself has a power switch and it has a remote device turn on lead (the blue wire) to turn amps and other accessories on and off.  You should be able to have it wired up in a way that turning the stereo headunit on and off also controls your amps and other accessories.  <--- interestingly, that's actually EXACTLY how my 2016 axis came wired from the factory.

Edited April 14, 2019 by shawndoggy

[Fish209]

It's not setup quite like that. The amps and accessories power on as soon as the Perko switch is switched to power the batteries. The stereo can be turned on/off from the power button on the head unit, but the amp and accessories are powered on with the boats batteries.

 

Any problems you might see with the way I have it setup now?

 

 

[MLA]

5 hours ago, Fish209 said:

but the amp and accessories are powered on with the boats batteries.

If im reading this correctly, the amp turn-on is now connected a constant B+? I suggest you make use of the head unit's amp turn-on output to command the amps on when you turn the head unit on. 

[shawndoggy]

32 minutes ago, MLA said:

If im reading this correctly, the amp turn-on is now connected a constant B+? I suggest you make use of the head unit's amp turn-on output to command the amps on when you turn the head unit on. 

this

[Fish209]

Thanks for the input!

What would be the downside of the way it's currently setup? Is it something I NEED to change, or is the way it is now okay? The boat's in the water now so I'd have to take it out, bring it back to the person that did it and have him make the changes.

[shawndoggy]

14 hours ago, Fish209 said:

Thanks for the input!

What would be the downside of the way it's currently setup? Is it something I NEED to change, or is the way it is now okay? The boat's in the water now so I'd have to take it out, bring it back to the person that did it and have him make the changes.

Mostly it's wrong and a pro should've told you so.  If you paid to have it wired like that ... you paid someone who didn't know what he was doing.

Assuming that it's wired to the battery switch at least?  If it's wired straight to a battery then you have absolutely no way to turn the amps and BT unit off and your battery will get depleted pretty quickly (a few days at best, I suspect).

Since you said it's "in the water now," I'm assuming that means that you have the boat moored somewhere?  If that's the case, you NEED to make sure that your bilge pump works with the battery switch in the off position (and that the amps and BT unit turn off when the switch is in the off position), given that you cannot leave the switch in the on position because the idling amps are going to drain your battery.

Edited April 16, 2019 by shawndoggy

[Fish209]

I plan on turning the perko battery switch off to power off both batteries when the boat is not in use.  When the battery doesn't have power to it, would it still be drained by the amps and BT unit?

 

I have a dock behind my house and have a HydroHoist boat lift. The boat will be on the lift when not in use during the spring/summer months.

 

The bilge pump will not work without having power to the battery. Embarrassed to ask, but why do I "NEED" to make sure the bilge pump works with the battery switched in the off position? (I am very new to the boating world)

[Stevo]

1 hour ago, Fish209 said:

 

The bilge pump will not work without having power to the battery. Embarrassed to ask, but why do I "NEED" to make sure the bilge pump works with the battery switched in the off position? (I am very new to the boating world)

It’s to help prevent the boat from sinking in the event of an accident

[MLA]

On 4/15/2019 at 9:16 PM, Fish209 said:

Thanks for the input!

What would be the downside of the way it's currently setup? Is it something I NEED to change, or is the way it is now okay? The boat's in the water now so I'd have to take it out, bring it back to the person that did it and have him make the changes.

In some cases, you might experience an audio turn on/turn off pop. When the boat is in use but not listening to music, the amps are still powered up and in idle mode. A little unnecessary current consumption.  

[shawndoggy]

11 hours ago, Fish209 said:

I plan on turning the perko battery switch off to power off both batteries when the boat is not in use.  When the battery doesn't have power to it, would it still be drained by the amps and BT unit?

You are thinking about that a little bit wrong.  The battery ALWAYS "has power to it".  What the switch does is disconnect loads (which are otherwise connected to the switch) from the battery.  The bilge pump auto circuit is frequently wired direct to the battery, bypassing the switch.  And given the weird way the turn on and bt leads have been wired, it's not a given (to me) that your installer didn't wire the amps and BT unit straight to the battery too.  You'd definitely want to double check to make sure they are turning off with the switch.  If they are turning off, then no, they won't drain the battery.  Or at least shouldn't, barring some really weird wiring.

Quote

What would be the downside of the way it's currently setup? Is it something I NEED to change, or is the way it is now okay? The boat's in the water now so I'd have to take it out, bring it back to the person that did it and have him make the changes.

Murphy's law.  Hoist fails, floating your boat.  Something leaks, causing bilge to fill.  bilge pump not powered, so nothing to stop you from sinking.  Low probability but potentially catastrophic result.  Bilge pumps are there for a reason (one of them being to deal with water while boat is unattended). 

[Fish209]

Thanks for the great info for a newbie like me! I will double check things to see if the bilge pump will still power with the perko battery switched in the off position. I'll also make sure the amps and BT Unit will not power with the perko switched off.

 

Thanks again for the help guys!!!

[shawndoggy]

2 hours ago, Fish209 said:

Thanks for the great info for a newbie like me!

We've all been there too!