Another Wetsounds Install

[Jason B]

I am doing this install now. I put 2 batteries under the forward port storage and hooked them to the starting battery with the Blue Sea "add-a-battery" that has the isolater and the selector.
When they are charging they all charge- when they discharge the isolator prevents the start battery from being used. If my starter battery dies I can combine the forward and aft battery sets to start the boat.

If you do this install be forewarned--you will need an a$$load of 0 Gauge wire with that system(unless you put your batteries in the back storage compartments, wasting the space for ballast sacks). I actually skipped the run/link from the battery switch to the stereo and opted to take my chances turning off the stereo when I put it away so I saved 80$ eliminating that run of wire, instead going from the batteries in that compartment to my fused distribution block to the stereo.

It was actually a pretty easy install...just a LOT of $ on wire and circuit breakers and what not.

[chpthril]

Phil,

I agree with how you feel the system (BlueSea Iso/Comm ACR) should work.

Jason,

I agree on the price of wire needed. There are a couple of wys to look at it. If the "House" battery(s) will only be used for the stereo, then you only need a gauge wire that will handle the load of the Alt for the length of the run between Alt, ACR, and "House" battery. Still need proper wire size between Batt and Amp(s)

If the battery(s) will be used to start engine, you will need to allow for about a 200A load for the starter, for that length of run.

[Jason B]

Phil,

I agree with how you feel the system (BlueSea Iso/Comm ACR) should work.

Jason,

I agree on the price of wire needed. There are a couple of wys to look at it. If the "House" battery(s) will only be used for the stereo, then you only need a gauge wire that will handle the load of the Alt for the length of the run between Alt, ACR, and "House" battery. Still need proper wire size between Batt and Amp(s)

If the battery(s) will be used to start engine, you will need to allow for about a 200A load for the starter, for that length of run.

Hopefully the second (and third) batteries don't need to be used to start the boat I just followed the instructions given in the package. I can see the logic of fat wire--the run is 14' from the second bank back to the switch.

I didn't see the logic in running another 14' run (@ $5.50/ft) just to turn the stereo off with the switch; I can be vigilant enough to turn the power off.

[Guest]

Phil thanks for the input re: Solid state isolator. I understand the diode drop and would also rather use a relay such as the ACR. I will read the ACR specs again tonight. I think they will solve my charging concern which is the impoortant one for me.

[Micah]

Jason, I hear you on the price of 0ga. I ordered up 45' to install an extra battery under the passenger storage. Since my plans changed I didn't know what I was going to do with all of it but as it turns out the previous sytem only had 4 ga running to the amps so I'm going to replace it with the 0ga from the battery in back to the ditribution blocks on the amp rack. Do you have any pictures of what you did with your batteries. Is the selector you are talking about similar to the one Blue Sea recommmended to me? Thanks

[Micah]

What a project! I got myself in deep with this install. I can see why the installers charge so much with all the time it takes. I have all the components installed, now I'm working on all the wiring. All the old stereo wiring was pulled out and I basically started all over. I had a question regarding all the remote turn on wires. The Ws-420, the CMD4 and the three amps all have them, can I connect all of them together and run them to the distribution blocks or is it best to run them to the boats ACC? I figure if I run them to the distribution blocks everything will turn on when the boat turns on. Is this okay? Should I have them all connected to an on/off switch to avoid automatically turning on. I ran the power leads (yellow and red wires) from the WS-420 and the CMD4 directly to the distribution blocks also. Thanks for any insight.

[dogbert]

With that many items, you will probably need a repeater.

[Micah]

What's a repeater?

[dogbert]

The remote power on/off are low voltage and can only handle so many devices. A repeater will allow you to add more than 2 or 3.

[Micah]

Would you run all of them to the boats ACC or the distribution block? Thanks

[philwsailz]

Would you run all of them to the boats ACC or the distribution block? Thanks

You will want to tie all remote turn on leads to a relay. The other side of the relay goes straight to the battery. The relay trigger input for the remote turn on comes from the radio, called remote turn on, or amp turn on. That wire is usually blue. On some radios, there is a separate ANTENNA turn-on. Do not use that, or the amps will only work when the tuner in the radio is turned on, not CD or anything else.

[Jason B]

I don't have a repeater (and I'm NOT saying you shouldn't) and my 2 amps work fine connected to the remote turn on lead from my CMD4.

I have the BlueSea "add-a-battery" kit that has a switch and an isolator, I'm not sure which you have when you asked if they were the same.

I had the same "project inflammation" it seems like a weekend project until you start right!?!LOL My weekend project is now --no exageration-- 50 hours and I still have about 20 more hours of work to do.

I don't have a picture of the platform I made to hold the batteries level, but I'll take one when I finish it which should be this weekend. I am actually considering putting my third battery in fromt of the sub on the SB storage side. My boat lists a bit too much to the left and putting another 50 lbs in there sounds like a bad idea. The only thing stopping me from moving the battery is the $$$ for another 30 ft of cable!!!


I enjoy doing this, but $hit am I tired of working on it!
I still have to finish the battery base, led plate behind second amp, mount 2nd amp, led rings around the pro80's, wire those, run speaker wire and power wire for leds through tower, Idrive install, and then install some more fuses for the wire runs.


And of course, then a real good cleaning

[Jason B]

You will want to tie all remote turn on leads to a relay. The other side of the relay goes straight to the battery. The relay trigger input for the remote turn on comes from the radio, called remote turn on, or amp turn on. That wire is usually blue. On some radios, there is a separate ANTENNA turn-on. Do not use that, or the amps will only work when the tuner in the radio is turned on, not CD or anything else.

Can you give us an example of a relay picture and a rudimentary install explanation?? I'm not sure what you mean by a "relay."

Thanks Phil!!

[philwsailz]

Can you give us an example of a relay picture and a rudimentary install explanation?? I'm not sure what you mean by a "relay."

Thanks Phil!!

A relay is just a switch that is controlled remotely. The typical relay for this application is a 12 volt 30A relay like in the pic below.

It allows a small current output device, (like the remote turn on of a radio) to flip a switch on, alllowing more juice to flow through the switch straight from the battery.

In this (very typical) application, we use the turn on lead from the radio to energize a tiny coil inside the relay. The coil works with magnetism to pull the big switch inside closed. This allows voltage to flow straight from the battery, through the switch, and to the turn-on lead inputs of the multiple amps and WS-420 preamp.

If you look closely, the schematic if the relay is printed right on top.

[philwsailz]

By the way, for the application, not all of the wires shown in the pic are actually used. Just a portion of the relay's capability is unused in this particular application.