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    #31
    Originally posted by chpthril View Post
    Speakers need a positive (+) and negative (-) to run, so they need 2 wires running to them. Typical speaker wire is made up of 2 twisted strands of wire that is encased in a common insulation, but physically and electrically separated. That's what's called 2-conductor. Some 2-conductor will use silver colored wire and gold colored wire so the user will be able to differentiate between POS and NEG when making the connections on both ends. This is called polarity. Some 2-conductor may have a solid color on one side and a strip on the other, some will have a round side and a square or "D" shaped side and others will use a ribbed (for her pleasure) and a smooth side to keep track of the polarity. As far as the wire is concerned, there is not a + and - side, you just need to make sure both ends are connected the same and be consistent through out the install.

    If you speakers are wired up using the factory wiring (the newer models are pre-wired stereo) then you will see 2 single-conductors plugged up to the speakers. Single-conductor is just a single strand of twisted wire in it's own sheath of insulation. If you went to the auto parts store and bought a roll of wire, that's single conductor. If you went to Best Buy and bought a roll of speaker wire, that would be 2 conductor.



    Circuit Protection: either a fuse or circuit breaker of proper rating to carry the amperage (load) of the circuit (electrical device on the other end). The C/P needs to be placed with in 18" of the voltage source (battery).

    Most amp installs in autos use a fuse holder of some type. For boats, I prefer to use a manual-reset circuit breaker that is marine rated. They work just like a breaker in your home's breaker-box......when the circuit is overloaded, the breaker trips. Fix the problem, reset the breaker, and the lights come back on. The marine rating means they are ignition protected. This means they will not have lose arching (sparks flying ) when they trip.

    Ok, since it looks like you are going with 2 amps, I would say go with a single POS (+) and single NEG (-) wires for both amps. This would be a length of wire from the battery's + to the amp install area for the amp's + and a length of wire from the battery's - to the amp's install area. For those 2 amps, the zx700.5 and zx450.2, you will need 2 lengths of 1/0ga power/ground cable. For circuit protection, you will need a fuse or breaker with a rating of no less then 150A or one that is no more then 200A. Just to clarify, breakers and fuses do not come in ranges, but set ratings, typically in 10A increments.

    Once the 1/0ga wire is run to the amp area, it then needs to be split off to each amp's + and - lugs. For this, you will need 2 non-fused (sometimes called "Ground") distribution blocks and a few feet of 4 ga pos and neg cable. You will need 2 distro-blocks that have at least one 1/0ga in and at least 2 4ga outs. I typically keep the length of the wires between the blocks and amps down to 3ft or less, so once you decide where the amps will go, then take some 5/16" rope and lay it in where the cable will go from the battery to the amps, then mark and measure it.

    You will need two sets of stereo (a pair) RCA's to run from the head-unit to the amps. Try to keep them as short as possible. You dont need them stretched tight, just dont need 6 extra feet of RCA cable.

    You will need a length of 12ga wire, probably yellow, to run the head-unit's power off the amp's power lug and a length of black 12ga to do the same with the H/U's ground and run it to the amp's - lug.

    You'll need some 14ga wire to run from the H/U's "amp remote turn-on" to the amps. Blue or green are good colors to go with.


    man I wish you could install this into my boat instead of me... anyway you could map that out for me... if not its cool I will try to figure it out

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      #32
      so for my breaker are you talking about this in a 200 amp?

      http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...551&hasJS=true

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        #33
        where do you recommend buying the wire, breakers, and everything else I will need to install the system?

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          #34
          Originally posted by petrey10 View Post
          so for my breaker are you talking about this in a 200 amp?

          http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...551&hasJS=true
          Here are the ones I use. This outlet only has up to 150A, but I have a couple other sources that carry up to 200A, but this 150A will be fine.

          Originally posted by petrey10 View Post
          where do you recommend buying the wire, breakers, and everything else I will need to install the system?
          I can supply everything for you if you need, just PM me your email and i'll put an estimate together for you.
          Mikes Liquid Audio: Knowledge Experience Customer Service you can trust-KICKER WetSounds ACME props FlyHigh Custom Ballast Clarion LiquidLumens LEDs Roswell Wave Deflector And More

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            #35
            ok so I am going to try and map this out a little and see if I got it right

            Start with my dual battery setup

            connected to the dual batter setup will be one length or 1/0gauge wire on each or the + and -

            then down those wires will both connect to a non fused distribution block with 2 4ga outs

            then i will hook up one of the 4ga + and - to each amp

            so now my amps should have power right?




            o crap where is my circuit breaker supposed to be? On the 1/0 ga positive only wire?

            Comment


              #36
              See the red

              Originally posted by petrey10 View Post
              ok so I am going to try and map this out a little and see if I got it right

              Start with my dual battery setup: How far apart will the batteries be and will they be isolated into 2 separate banks or wired in parallel as one bank?

              connected to the dual batter setup will be one length or 1/0gauge wire on each or the + and -: The answer to the above question will have a say on what size wire you need to connect the batteries together. This may have been discussed earlier in the thread, but are you adding a 2nd battery that will be dedicated to the stereo, for a total of two batteries in the boat, or adding a 2 battery to an existing stereo bank, for a total of 3 batteries in the boat

              then down those wires will both connect to a non fused distribution block with 2 4ga outs: Breaker needs to be on the positive cable within 18" of the battery/source

              then i will hook up one of the 4ga + and - to each amp

              so now my amps should have power right?




              o crap where is my circuit breaker supposed to be? On the 1/0 ga positive only wire?
              Mikes Liquid Audio: Knowledge Experience Customer Service you can trust-KICKER WetSounds ACME props FlyHigh Custom Ballast Clarion LiquidLumens LEDs Roswell Wave Deflector And More

              Comment


                #37
                ok I believe the batteries are in parallel

                remember there is already a two amp system already in place I am just upgrading but I just don't know what or how they wired it up

                ok so I understand where the breaker goes... I need a 200 amp breaker then?

                Comment


                  #38
                  Originally posted by petrey10 View Post
                  ok I believe the batteries are in parallel

                  remember there is already a two amp system already in place I am just upgrading but I just don't know what or how they wired it up

                  ok so I understand where the breaker goes... I need a 200 amp breaker then?
                  Ok, so your boat only has 2 batteries, correct? They need to be separated in some fashion so you have a 2-bank system - 1 for starting, one for stereo. If wired together, in parallel, the stereo will draw from both and may leave you stranded if you anchored and played tunes for a while. A simple 1/2/Both/Off switch will work, an ACR such as the Blue Sea Auto-combiner relay, or a diode type Isolator.

                  For a breaker, 150A will be the minimum and 200A can be the max.
                  Mikes Liquid Audio: Knowledge Experience Customer Service you can trust-KICKER WetSounds ACME props FlyHigh Custom Ballast Clarion LiquidLumens LEDs Roswell Wave Deflector And More

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                    #39
                    ok I will do that for the battery.... now when I hook the 1/0 guage wire to the battery do I just hook directly to one battery?

                    Where do you buy your supplies for a system like this? such as the breaker, wire, etc...

                    Comment


                      #40
                      k so I am going to try and map this out a little and see if I got it right

                      Start with my dual battery setup- make sure stereo is drawing on only one battery

                      connected to the dual battery setup will be one length or 1/0gauge wire on each or the + and -

                      about a foot or so from the battery and on the + wire I place the breaker

                      then down those wires(- and +) will both connect to a non fused distribution block with 2 4ga outs

                      then i will hook up one of the 4ga + and - to each amp



                      Ok I edited my original list. Hows it sound now?

                      Comment


                        #41
                        Love this thread since I am starting all over on the stereo this year. I only have a single battery set up now. We usually only listen to the stereo when underway. Can I do this 2 amp set up with all the speakers with only one battery?

                        Comment


                          #42
                          Originally posted by laserfish View Post
                          Love this thread since I am starting all over on the stereo this year. I only have a single battery set up now. We usually only listen to the stereo when underway. Can I do this 2 amp set up with all the speakers with only one battery?
                          Yes, just watch how long you play the system while engine is off, till you add a 2nd battery.
                          Mikes Liquid Audio: Knowledge Experience Customer Service you can trust-KICKER WetSounds ACME props FlyHigh Custom Ballast Clarion LiquidLumens LEDs Roswell Wave Deflector And More

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