Boat radio hooks up

[sdexcalibur]

Ok, I buy a radio from Walmart (going to be an easy install ), it comes in the mail, I take it out and still like no big deal. I attach the 2 wiring harnesses to the radio and it looks like I really only have to worry about one wire. Yellow (constant power) so I grab a wire splice it to the yellow and start touching it to my electrical fuse box....nothing. Then I read you have to have the red (switch) and yellow wire hooked up. Some people suggesting (web search) to tie the red and yellow together. So I do that and proceed to touch where I think should be power. Under the sterring wheel I have the main electrician hook up. It's old school fuses (glass), all the gauges and switches go into it. Just to the top of the board their is a push tab fitting. So I figure that is the power. Also have 2 copper strips off to the side that have 2 or 3 wires attached I figure those come from the battery. I touched the exposed wire to almost everything under their with the hopes it would power up and then I can just attach it to that, but it doesn't power up. Any help would be great. I shouldn't need the ground attached for it to turn on should I?

 

[GA_Boater]

I shouldn't need the ground attached for it to turn on should I?

Of course you do. Take all the wires off the ground post on your battery and see what works. I'll save you the time - Nothing!

The yellow wire only keeps the clock and memory working while the radio is off. If you don't care about the clock or keeping pre-set stations, you can leave the yellow wire dangling but taped.

 

[gm280]

Why not wire it up properly. Meaning use the standard red wire for the switched +12 voltages and the black for the NEEDED ground and then wire the yellow to a constant +12 volt source with some type inline fuse, to keep the radio presets, time, memory and everything else stored when the radio is off. DP the install the proper way and enjoy... JMHO!

 

[Bondo]

I shouldn't need the ground attached for it to turn on should I?

Ayuh,.... I was gonna say, get yerself a test light to find power, til I read this,.....

Maybe ya oughta just find somebody else to hook it up for ya,....
You don't understand the very basics of electricity,....