Proper way to power stereo

[san dimas]

Hello again. My next project is putting in a new stereo head (speakers are ok). The PO wired the old head directly to the battery. The red and yellow wires are joined together near the head connector under the dash and then run as one red wire back to the battery. The ground wire also runs from the stereo head all the way back to the battery. Is this acceptable or should I rewire it using the fuse block? I know the stereo has 2 inline fuses already. Thanks.

 

[gm280]

San dimas, I would think that a separate wiring straight from the battery would be a good idea IF you are installing a high power head unit that requires a lot of amps. BUT, even doing that, I would certainly install either a fuse or circuit breaker at the battery to protect those wires as well. Any time you run wires from the battery, you risk the possibility of those wires chafing and shorting and if there is no fuse or breaker, the wires will heat up possibly causing a fire. So fuse/breaker is a must... However, if the head unit is merely a typical setup without much current draw, then I would run it off buss blocks for both positive and negative wires and run the positive through a fuse/breaker at the helm with a switch if you like... Never ever install anything electrical without a protection ability ever! Remember, when you are out on the water and a fire starts, you can't simply run away... JMHO!

 

[Ibl0wstuffup]

Put the fuses as close to the battery as possible. On my boat I put a bus bar near the battery that has fuses built in and powered the bus bar with 8ga wire. You need to figure out how much power your radio draws to properly size wires or busbar. Or you can just match the size of the wires from the radio and go directly to the battery.


If you don't run the yellow wires to the ignition switch I would use a separate switch to turn it on and off otherwise it might drain the battery while the boat is not being used.

 

[san dimas]

Thanks guys. The stereo I bought is just a cheap Pyle using 2 speakers. Mostly I just want to be able to listen to ball games on am radio. The boat came with a stereo so I thought I might as well have one that works. The 2 wires the PO used are loose in the stern and not hooked up. I verified that they were for the stereo power with an ohm meter. I don't think that they will reach the battery so I'll have to dig around back there to see if they had bus connector or something closer than the battery that they hooked up to. It's not easy for an old man to get access to these things.

 

[gm280]

Thanks guys. The stereo I bought is just a cheap Pyle using 2 speakers. Mostly I just want to be able to listen to ball games on am radio. The boat came with a stereo so I thought I might as well have one that works. The 2 wires the PO used are loose in the stern and not hooked up. I verified that they were for the stereo power with an ohm meter. I don't think that they will reach the battery so I'll have to dig around back there to see if they had bus connector or something closer than the battery that they hooked up to. It's not easy for an old man to get access to these things.

Sound (pun not intended but it does work) like you have things in control. Just make certain to use a fuse or breaker... :thumb:

 

[san dimas]

Will do.Thanks gm280 for all of your help.