Head Units with Memory......
 

Who makes a head unit with setting memory if the battery is cut off? My boat is infrequently used and I really don't like keeping the memory wire hooked up. It's also a PIA to redo all of the settings that are lost when the battery is switched off. I notice that I didn't lose memory in my truck when I installed a new battery and I think the Fusion units may have this feature. Anyone else?

bringing this wildly popular topic back up...

bringing this wildly popular topic back up.....

Almost all of the new head units from a good manufacturer will keep the settings stored if power supply removed. However this will only last for so long. Your truck is the same way. They usually have a capacitor on the circuit board to store energy. When power is removed it keeps the memory do to the energy in the capacitor. The bad thing is they don't keep it for more then a few hours at best that I know of. The only way to do what you would like it have the settings you would like set into the board on the head unit. This would require the factory to set that up I imagine.

wire up a cigarette lighter outlet to the memory wire and your ground wire....then before you turn off the main battery switch on the boat, plug in one of these memory savers you can either buy or make yourself. should keep the memory long enough between uses not to loose stations.

Did a little more research on this and the feature to be looking for is called "eeprom". I have only found a couple so far that have this feature for sure; Rockford Fosgate, Kicker, and some discontinued Alpine. JL and Fusion are rumored to have this feature, but I can't confirm this from their published specs. I'm really surprised this isn't a standard feature on all "marine" head units now that simple control knobs are out and complicated revenge of the nerds menus are commonplace . Its a PIA scrolling through menus to reset your settings, especially when you don't use the unit that often. I would bet the typical, "seasoned" boat owner uses his bot no more than once every 3-4 weeks and leaving the memory wire hooked up is an unwanted draw on the battery. Some head units seem to be worse than others. Most of the solutions out there are more geared for the short term, like changing out batteries. From what I've read, the item above that Wally shows, is more for the short term. If anyone can confirm that a certain head unit has the eeprom feature (or similar), please add it to this thread.

If not too difficult, you could run the memory + wire to the battery or back of battery switch.

You can add JL to the list. This is the response I got: "Yes, the MM100s should keep it's memory and the settings indefinitely even if master power is turned off during the off season or in between outings. The unit does not require a constant 12V connection like conventional car radios (or the car radios rebranded "marine"), it simply uses a switched 12V and ground."

just wire the memory to unswitched 12v source. the draw would be microscopic and not anymore noticeable than natural parasitic loss.

It appears the upper end Fusions have eeprom memory also.

I ran a small memory wire directly to the battery and have had zero problems from it even when stored for 4-5 months. Stereo memory draw is only .007ma, so on a typical boat battery of 800 cca it will take 4762 days, or 13 years, to drain the battery to zero. At that point you should've sold the boat anyways.

50 milliamps is what my alpine drinks , it will take the spring out of the step of one deep cycle in about 3 months.

I ended up buying the JL Media Master. It does have the eeprom feature. Not hooked up yet, but it appears to be a little easier to use (intuitive) than the single din Sony it is replacing.