Help Wiring Sound System
 

I have never been into sound systems in any of my cars, so when it comes to setting them up I would be considered a newbie.

I purchased my boat and it has an older system in it, however it really was wired in very poorly. The amps are mounted in the bilge which my surveyor told me was a no-no, so I would like to move them. Everything else is hard-wired to the battery so I have to remove my faceplate when I am done with the boat otherwise it will drain the battery... stupid.

I would like to move the amps, clean up the speakers to make them visually more appealing, and re-wire everything so it functions as it should, won't drain my battery, and maybe get a little more punch out of the system depending on how it is currently wired.

Here is the set-up:

(2) Rockford Fosgate Amplifiers (P2002, [E11]021752
(4) Larger component speakers under the rear seat.
(1) Single 10" Punch Sub mounted between the component speakers under rear seat.
(2) Smaller component speakers up front down by the front seats


Any help is appreciated it. Annoys me how it will drain the battery so I want to rewire it all and clean it all up. I would also like some more Punch out of this not so "Punch" set-up, therefore maybe get a better amplifier or something? Any input appreciated, I don't like what I'm working with! Thanks


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There should be a terminal on your amp labeled 'remote', and there should be a matching blue wire on the back of your head unit. That blue wire needs to be connected between the two so that the amps will turn off when the H/U does.

Is there an enclosure around the sub? Enclosures make all the difference with speakers. If you're really handy, you could pull the two closest speakers to the sub and use those holes as ports for your sub's box. That will net you a lot more sound.

Post the model numbers of the amps as well, so we know what you're working with and how to wire everything to optimize the load.

Awesome thanks for the info. The Amps are P2002's. I will check for an enclosure, never looked!

If you were close I'd help you out. I've been doing Car audio for some 20 years now. You have some REALLY nice equipment there.

The issues with boats are always ......space. It looks like whoever installed your system installed the amps in the easiest place. You have to use some imagination and ingenuity on an install sometimes, then you can make things more invisible and stealthy.

As for your battery draw, if your amps are poorly wired, they can still creat a draw, even though they aren't on. I've seen this in the past, especially on older amps. If you're worried about the amps drawing on the batteries, install a high current circuit breaker on the amp wire, then when you shut off your batteries, you can flip the breaker and stop your draw. Plus the breaker makes it easier to work on things in the future too.

Thanks Jonesy,
My biggest concern is how it is all hard-wired. I am unsure if a lot of marine stereo's are this way or not, however key on power would be much nicer!

you should have a battery switch. I ran the power for my zues off the battery switch

true to a point, though 32 speakers makes that amp unstable. depending on the amp, most decent amps are stable to 1 or 2 ohms. decreasing the ohm load does increase power to the speaker, but it also creats more distortion and heat.

the key to driving those amps is to load them with ohms by wiring the speakers differently or adding more.
drive the ohm load down and the power will dramatically rise.
Back in the day my buddy had 32 speakers running on a punch 45 watt amp. You would not believe the power

I do have a battery switch, however with it in the off form the sound system still runs as it is hard wired directly to the battery. I have to pull the face plate to kill power or else it will stay on forever.

Then hard wire + to the battery switch, not the battery. The only thing that should be fused and hard wired to the battery is the automatic side of the bilge pump circuit,