Stereo Upgrade Wiring Help?

[jacques2727]

Hello,
I am planning a small stereo upgrade to my 22Ve. Couple of amps, tower speakers, pretty basic really. I think I have it cased except for the whole main wiring around the dual batteries. I have a 2 battery set up with an on/off switch only, not a 1-2-both-off like a lot of them seem to be. I am not sure how to run the main power cables from the batteries and then back to the batteries for a ground. I can't really find a good diagram of how the dual battery is set up, and how to connect the main power cables to them. In my mind, if I run from one battery, then back to the same battery for a ground, how does the isolator switch come into play? Seems like there would always be power to the amps with no way of using the switch to isolate them when the boat sits for a while. My plan is to start ripping through my boat tomorrow to trace out all the wiring and try to figure this all out, but I thought as a hail mary I'd throw this out there in case this is way easier then I am making it out to be, and somebody has a basic explanation of what to do here. I feel like I'm in over my head here but if I paid a shop to do this, the install cost would be significantly higher than the components I am putting in. And I am pretty cheap. Thanks for reading this guys, and thanks in advance for any help that can be provided.

[mls6722]

Stereo Upgrade Wiring Help?

I have a 2008 22ve. The same battery switch. In my case, there is no need for an isolator switch. There is an isolator box in the engine compartment, which is just diodes so the alternator can feed both batteries to charge, but one battery can't draw current from the other.
Your amplifiers should all connect power and ground to the second battery. The first battery powers the engine and instruments. The amps are designed to not draw too much when off. There is a green wire from your head unit which activates the amp when the head unit is powered and turned on.

Make sure to instal an in-line fuse in the amp power wire

[mls6722]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1458711773.901249.jpg

Here is a battery schematic

[chpthril]

The factory EIDB dual battery system uses a simple ON/OFF between the main cranking battery and the starter. All other loads are wired battery direct. It uses a diode type isolator to allow the alternator to service both banks while the engine is running, yet isolate each bank from the other's loads when engine is off. All though there some things i like about factory setup, like its simplicity, one thing I have grown to dislike, is the battery direct connection of most all the loads. this seems to lead to a lot of dead house batteries over layup. The ideal setup is on in which you have a means to disconnect all loads from the batteries when the boat is put away.

The most ideal setup would be to upgrade to an ACR and a proper dual bank switch

If your boat had come OEM with amps, they would have had 8ga cabling feeding each amp. Two black and two red run right back to the house battery with inline fuse holders on the two B+ right at the battery.

How is the cable physically run? It comes off the amp and up to the ceiling of the port locker, across the ceiling to gunwale. Down the gunwale through a series of PVC loops glassed into the underside of the deck, back to the port side aft locker. Down to the batteries.

[Z3CO23]

What I have grown to dislike, is the battery direct connection of most all the loads. this seems to lead to a lot of dead house batteries over layup. The ideal setup is on in which you have a means to disconnect all loads from the batteries when the boat is put away.

I had this exact battery problem with my RZR when I pulled it out for each summer. Cranking battery would be good to go but house battery would be dead as a door nail. Must have been this constant load.

[jacques2727]

Thanks for the posts and advice guys. This is exactly what I needed, the drawing is great. Ideally I would like to find a way to put a switch in the power cable I run from the battery to the amps, in order to positively isolate them from the battery. We'll see what I can come up with, but at least for now I am more comfortable that I will be able to accomplish this task.
Thanks again I really appreciate the help!

[chpthril]

Ideally I would like to find a way to put a switch in the power cable I run from the battery to the amps, in order to positively isolate them from the battery.

Problem already solved. On boats like Tige and many other run-a-bouts where the batteries are in the engine bay, I use a manual reset marine circuit breaker over a typical automotive amp kit fuse holder.
1) stainless terminals and nuts over plated metal contacts
2) sealed and ignition protected
3) it can be used as a disconnect for the audio.

[mls6722]

I agree that there is a constant draw that would eventually draw down the house battery. My solution was to disconnect batteries during winter. Now I have a smart charger installed and I keep everything connected with the charger plugged in when the boat is in the garage.
Even if loads can be disconnected, or batteries removed, I would routinely charge the batteries every 3-4 weeks to keep them healthy.

[Vicseek]

Same issue here before I did my stereo over haul, added a third battery, and smart charger.
Something was making a slight draw on the house battery, I installed a switch. Single Pole, Single throw on each battery, that way I could for sure disconnect them during storage. I still think it was the old SYN amps making the draw, IMOP.

[chpthril]

Even with nothing hooked, batteries with dissipate over time and that can be accelerated with electronics connected, even with them off.

[jacques2727]

Problem already solved. On boats like Tige and many other run-a-bouts where the batteries are in the engine bay, I use a manual reset marine circuit breaker over a typical automotive amp kit fuse holder.
1) stainless terminals and nuts over plated metal contacts
2) sealed and ignition protected
3) it can be used as a disconnect for the audio.

Dang I already bought the typical in-line fuse holder, but I like this idea better of having a breaker that can be switched off during times of non use. Although the fuse holder and which fuse to use is also confusing. ANL, AGU, AFS... I may end up switching to this breaker idea anyways. So if the high end rating of the breaker is 100amps, then I can assume the breaker switches at 100 amps? So if I was going to use an 80 amp I would get an 80 amp breaker? Or do I need to get one rated higher than what I will be using? And just to clarify for me, this circuit breaker will protect the system every bit as good as the typical fuse, correct? Sorry, I am electronically challenged, lots of questions..
During the winter I also disconnect my batteries and trickle charge them monthly, my winters are long... I was more worried about the boat sitting for a week or so and drawing down the battery, maybe I am overthinking this. Thanks again for the help guys.

[chpthril]

The fuse or breaker size will depend on the potential current draw and the amp capacity of the cable. The fuse and breaker will handle spikes above their rating, but a dead short will certainly trip them. Unless there is an abnormal parasitic draw, you should not have low batteries after a short layup.

If you've already purchased the fuse holder, then the type of fuse has likely also been chosen.