That will NEVER come out of my stereo..........

My MSD ignition prefers Tracy Chapman and Buddy Guy

most head units turn off below 12 volts

I take it you guys don't have a 4 way ignition (start, on, off, acc)? Mine is run to the acc with a few other things like in older cars. Seen way to many people with dead batteries because something was left on and not known. My key is out there is nothing on.

Well, you are still posting. Might want to check that key.

I don't want to leave my keys in just to party on the boat, dangerous IMO...especially with drunk girls and kids running around.

Imagine a motor home that needs the key turned to acc for everything in the living area to work?

Mine is fused and live all the time..... I don't want to have to set the fade, bass and treble every time I get on the boat. I'm wiring my amps up to a switch so they can not be left on.... I run all my speakers off amps

Basically I was thinking hook the ignition wire to the ignition and to a switch. Memory wire straight to the Perko switch of course. When your running no chance of it being bumped and turned off, but you can pull the key and still toggle it on.

Amps and remotes have a "remote wire" why add and extra switch when you can just use the power button on the head u it to turn the amps off? Once the amp no longer sees voltage from the remote wire the amps turn off

I hope you mean the live side of the perks switch??


I don't know why everyone is making it so complicated. Why anyone would want a stereo as part of their boat ignition is beyond me.

My stereo gets all it's power from two main wires coming from a battery that can be isolated or joined to main battery system of boat.

The positive has a 200 amp breaker with switch inline, if I ever need to cut power to all.

Amps, and head unit have a common power wire and ground directly to battery. Power is controlled by head unit power button (that is why it is there) power button is two stage, stand by and hold down for complete off.

Run a 0/2 gauge power wire to a distribution block and hook everything to do with your stereo to that block.

Simple, safe, reliable, and if you have a problem with the stereo you look in one area. Also, if you happen to have a problem with your ignition you have no worries that it could be the stereo.

Ignition is for the engine. Your tabs, trim, lights, fridge all work without the ignition switch, why does the radio have to? Because it is that way in your car?