Tower Speaker (and light) help

[Waterski-Rebel]

Well, I picked up a set of used tower speakers, and lights today. My current stereo only has 4 speakers under the seats in the main cabin, and I do not have an amp.

So, my first question is, how do I get the wires run. I looked where the steering cable runs, and it appears as if there is a black wire that goes into the tower. I looked in the tower and don't see this wire. I assume, I just have to push it up a little more and use it to fish the wires, but don't know how to get to it. Do I remove the back from the seat? If so, how do I do that?

2nd question. Can I add 2 more speakers to my system, without an amp? If I can, do I just tap into some of the other speakers? If not, should I just disconnect 2 of my cabin speakers, and use those feeds for the tower? My boat only has 1 battery, and I would like to add another battery before I add an amp. (probably next year, I've just spent too much right now).

I'm pretty sure I know how to hook up the lights. I want to bring all 4 blacks to a single black, and all 4 whites to a single white, and run those to a ground and also to a switch on the dash (probably with a fuse??). Can I do this before I fish it through the tower, or should I run 4 sets of wires through the tower to the switch? Also, what size wire should I use?

Thanks for your help!

[Waterski-Rebel]

OK, new problem. I tested it with my bimini, and the speakers will be in the way of the bimini. If I remove the lights, and mount the speakers upside down, is that a bad idea??

[chpthril]

Well, I picked up a set of used tower speakers, and lights today. My current stereo only has 4 speakers under the seats in the main cabin, and I do not have an amp.

So, my first question is, how do I get the wires run. I looked where the steering cable runs, and it appears as if there is a black wire that goes into the tower. I looked in the tower and don't see this wire. I assume, I just have to push it up a little more and use it to fish the wires, but don't know how to get to it. Do I remove the back from the seat? If so, how do I do that?

2nd question. Can I add 2 more speakers to my system, without an amp? If I can, do I just tap into some of the other speakers? If not, should I just disconnect 2 of my cabin speakers, and use those feeds for the tower? My boat only has 1 battery, and I would like to add another battery before I add an amp. (probably next year, I've just spent too much right now).

I'm pretty sure I know how to hook up the lights. I want to bring all 4 blacks to a single black, and all 4 whites to a single white, and run those to a ground and also to a switch on the dash (probably with a fuse??). Can I do this before I fish it through the tower, or should I run 4 sets of wires through the tower to the switch? Also, what size wire should I use?

Thanks for your help!

1st: Fishing wire through the tower is typically not hard, what tower do you have? Pics help. I would run the tower speaker wires through the port side.

2nd: You will really want an amp for your tower speaker. What tower speakers did you get, specs will help in choosing an amp. Do you intend to listen to the stereo while beached/anchored? If so, a 2nd battery is highly recommended. Can be done for around $100.

3rd: I would run the tower light wires up the starboard side of the tower. You should only need 1 Pos (+) and 1 Neg (-) going up the tower for the lights. I would use 12ga wire.

[Waterski-Rebel]

Here is a link to a post with my tower.

http://www.tigeowners.com/forum/show...ighlight=tower

Here is a pic of the speakers. I have no info on the speakers, I don't even know what brand they are. On the sticker on the speakers it has a big "K", then under the K, it says resolution. Are they Kicker speakers? Are they any good?

I will have to mount them upside down, and point them up, and remove the lights, because they won't fit with my bimini. Is mounting them upside down, pointing up a bad idea? Will it look dumb?

thanks for your help.

[Jeff T]

The visual of mounting speakers pointing up is personal preference. I would suggest you have somebody hold them up and see what you think about it. With that said, I would personally worry about the speaker clamp's ability to hold the wieght of the speaker upright, especially in rough water. I could be wrong, but if the clamp is mediocre (not robust enough), the speaker will be pulled down by gravity and the force of slamming off waves. If you have a painted tower, this rotation will rub your paint and leave marks/chips.

I don't know anything about those speakers. I'm sure Philwsailz will chime in as he knows a lot about kicker equipment. I concur with chpthril, you will likely need to power with an amp. If you add an amp, you should add an isolated battery as well. This will keep you from getting stranded.

It seems like a lot to do, but take your time and figure out your plan up front, then work that plan. I have a feeling you won't be happy with non-amped tower speakers. If you don't plan to use the lights, sell them and put that money toward amp/battery. Once you find out the specs on the tower speakers, jump on ebay and find a value amp that will get the job done. Battery is easy, just do a search for the many posts about adding a battery.

PS. I suggest you take it one step further and isolate your second battery. It is an additional cost of about $75, but it will be worth the security IMO.

Good Luck.

[Waterski-Rebel]

So, if I issolate the 2nd battery, and may main battery is dead, can I use the 2nd battery to start the boat?

My last boat had a switch that let you run off of battery #1, #2 or both. Is putting in a switch like that a good or bad idea?

[Jeff T]

The isolator will allow you to power amps off one battery without pulling power from the second battery. Switches are popular too. I personally feel better having an isolator because it take the "oops...I forgot to switch" factor out of the equation. I have an iso and and on/off switch and it works well for me.

[dogbert]

I doubt you will be able to add those speakers to your head unit, so you will need an amp.

The best way to fish wires is to drill holes at either end of the tower section you want to run them through and then use string and a shop vac to suck the string through the tower section.

As for whether or not the speakers can be mounted above the tower, there are lots of boats that have this, it's really a matter of preference.

[Jason B]

Get an "add-a-battery" kit from Blue Sea and you'll have a simple on/off/combine switch and an isolator all in one nice matching package that is very simple to install and looks great---also no need to switch batteries or any fiddling with it.

http://bluesea.com/category/1/productline/overview/329

[dogbert]

Get an "add-a-battery" kit from Blue Sea and you'll have a simple on/off/combine switch and an isolator all in one nice matching package that is very simple to install and looks great---also no need to switch batteries or any fiddling with it.

http://bluesea.com/category/1/productline/overview/329

That's pretty cool!

[Waterski-Rebel]

That looks pretty cool, but now for some dumb questions.

Do I have to rewire all of my accessories to one side of that switch, and the engine to the other side? Or is there a main power cable that runs to the accessories from one spot in the back, and I just tie that into the 2nd battery?

I also don't see the ground in the diagram. Do you just tie the grounds together, or do you tie them to the same spot on the motor, or ???

Does everyone run an isolator? My last boat didn't have one. I see why you'd want one, but at the same time, I can add a 2nd battery for $100 less if I don't use one.

thanks for the feedback!

[dogbert]

You can just get the Perko switch (it's like $30). Then you'll need a ground cable to connect both negative terminals on the battery together and tie the original positive from the engine along with the two cables from the positive terminals to the battery switch.

It's not as automatic, but does give you all the capability of the isolator. You just have to remember to switch the batteries.

[Waterski-Rebel]

So, with my old boat, we ran with "both" batteries all of the time, then when we beached the boat and listend to music, we just listened to battery #2. Is this safe, or should I run the boat with battery #1, then beach/music with battery #2?

I also currently have an on/off switch on my battery, so I would think I can just swap that our with a Perko, then run a positive from battery #2 to the perko, and the neg from battery #2 to the neg from battery #1. (Does that sound right?)