Need help wiring a new Sony marine radio..

[roanoke4]

I just purchased a Sony marine radio to replace the original aquatronics radio that originally came with my boat ('03 Bayliner 195). I was able to physically uninstall the old radio and install the new one, but I've having a hard time with the wiring. For example, the wiring from my boat (2 speakers, btw) only has 8 wires total (red, blue, greed, white, etc), whereas the wiring from my new Sony radio has around 12 wires (including various "striped" ones). I'm assuming these extra wires are for the 3rd and 4th speaker I don't have, as for the amplifier that I don't have either. But, I'm having a hard time figuring out how to match-up the 8 wires I'll need from the Sony system to the 8 wires leading from my boat. Finally, my sony system contains a colored wire (I believe orange) that my boat simply doesn't have.

Any help or advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Need help wiring a new Sony marine radio..

you don't have an installation manual for this radio? If not, you need one to identify what each wire is. Radio colors and boat colors do not match 100%. Here is a list of the wires the radio has but I can't tell you with any certainty what the colors are:

Left Front Speaker: (2 wires)
Left Rear Speaker: (2 wires)
Right Front Speaker: (2 wires)
Right Rear Speaker: (2 wires) Total of eight so far.
+12 volts (probably red and may have an in-line fuse). This is a +12 volt connection at the fuse panel.
+12 volts station memory: (probably yellow). Needs a +12 volt source that is on all the time. It retains all the stations you've stored in memory.
Antenna: This is a +12 volt feed to a power antenna if one is used. This might also be used to power up your amp if you have one.
Ground: Probably black wire which is the system ground. Connects to the ground buss.
Total of 12 wires so far. If you have more, I can't help.

 

[roanoke4]

Re: Need help wiring a new Sony marine radio..

Well my problem is I have no clue what the wiring from the boat is/represents. My Sony radio came with wiring instructions, but I can't find the wiring instructions for my boat.

 

[rmassa1234]

Re: Need help wiring a new Sony marine radio..

im just guessing but you will probably have 2 seperate wires that are 2 conductor. those are your speakers. you will connect them to the white and white/black for the left and grey and grey/black for the right. purple and green are for the rears, if you only have 2 speakers just tape the extra wires up. for the next part you should use a test light. if you give the boat wire colors i might be able to tell what they are but its usually black-ground, red-constant 12v, ignition could be anything and you shouldnt have an 8th wire unless there is an amp or a power antenna. post the colors if you can

 

[roanoke4]

Re: Need help wiring a new Sony marine radio..

the wires coming from my boat are red, purple, yellow, white, green, blue, black w/ white stripe, and orange w/white stripe. The wires from the new radio include the above except orange, and has a gray, gray w/black stripe, green w/ black stripe, purple w/black stripe, and finally a solid black wire with a built in clip (c shape) on the end.

Also, should I worry about installing an aftermarket radio to my boat? I've read it can be bad for your wires and drain your battery if you don't install it right.

 

[slia67]

Re: Need help wiring a new Sony marine radio..

First off, get yourself a test light or voltmeter and check which wires are ignition power, constant power, and ground.

Next, pull your existing speakers and see what color wires are running to them.

Let us know.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Need help wiring a new Sony marine radio..

I'm beginning to get the picture here from a very confusing description of what's being attempted. You keep saying you don't know what your boat wiring represents. By this, do you mean you don't know which wires are coming from which "existing speakers"? Or do you mean you have no idea what any of the wires under the console are? Please be a little more specific. If your boat already has speakers, those speakers don't care which channel on the radio they are connected to. You can determine that after you power it up. If balance right balances left, reverse the pairs. If fade front fades rear, reverse those. All that's left is power and ground. A simple test light will tell you where you find +12 volts (switch on or not). Ground is ground wherever you find it but the GROUND terminal on any gauge is as good as any, or ground buss on the fuse panel.

 

[Whizbang]

Re: Need help wiring a new Sony marine radio..

Hello all. I'm in the process of installing a new pioneer deck in my 89 sea ray 230. The previous deck was removed before I got the boat, so I don't have the benefit of knowing exactly what went where.

I have identified the eight speaker wires in the boat and the corresponding wires on the deck. I have two sets of red and black wires remaining from the boat. The reds are the two power supplies I assume. One of the sets is spliced from the wiring passing through an adjacent cabin light. My guess is this is the controlled or non-constant terminal. (I plan to verify this before connecting it to the appropriate wire on the deck.) That would make the other the constant power supply.

Assuming I have everything matched up so far, I now have remaining two black boat wires and a single black deck wire. Here's were I'm stuck. Do I now ground the three blacks together by connecting them or by attaching them to the preexisting mounting bracket?

Any wisdom would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

[slia67]

Re: Need help wiring a new Sony marine radio..

Whizbang,

You will only need one ground wire. Hook your test light up to a known power source and touch the end of both black wires. If they light up, they are grounds. Just choice one and connect it.