Need serious stereo help!

[CaseyJones]

Okay, here's the deal. I bought a WestMarine c/d stereo. Installed it per the instructions. It never worked quite right and crapped out in 1 day. Returned it for the same model. It failed in a matter of minutes. Both units got power. Both units had one or two functions that would work. Both failed in different ways. Returned stereo #2 and got a Jensen. It too failed. It got power, would play one random radio station but I could not change the station. Would not accept a c/d. Could not adjust balance or fade. Could turn it on/off and adjust volume. I'm completely stumped. It is wired along side my GPS and FF and they both work perfectly. No fuses are blown. No wires are crossed. Any help?

 

[steelespike]

Re: Need serious stereo help!

Not an expert by any means but::<br /> Try it connected directly to the battery with nothing else.<br />Be sure all grounding is done correctly.As I<br />recall some chassis are isolated from ground.<br /> Check charging circuit for stray ac current.

 

[martinwinte]

Re: Need serious stereo help!

One thing comes to mind (from car stero's). Does the unit require a constant and a switched hot feed? If so it really does need it. They do wierd stuff if they are just wired with just a constant (or only switched) hot wire.

 

[CaseyJones]

Re: Need serious stereo help!

It requires a switched lead. It said to wire it to the ingition/acc term. I followed the acc term to my guages and hooked it to the back of my oil pressure guage. When the key is off, the unit will not turn on, like is it supposed to do. When I turn the key, the unit will power up, but freaks out.

 

[Capt. Bob]

Re: Need serious stereo help!

I know you said "no crossed wires", but that is what it sounds like to me.........<br /><br />I would trace the wires or disconnect the battery and do a continuity test.<br /><br />Other devices may operate ok if you have a cross, but not the radio.<br />One other probable cause would be a low battery...gauges would work but the radio requires full charge for some functions to operate properly.

 

[Spidybot]

Re: Need serious stereo help!

If you want to do good:<br /><br />Check that your connecting points are supplying full battery power / good ground (take it you have 12-volt system onboard? If you have 24-volt further action needs to be taken before connecting).<br /><br />Connect the main supply via either the main switch or the ign. switch to positive. Should not be a wire that supplies 'noisy' devices (things that generate interferrence like motors, a bilge pump or blower). Go via switch to ensure you won't drain the battery just because you forget to turn the radio off.<br /><br />Connect the backup supply (keeps the unit's settings and memory of stations etc.) to a constant positive (or via switch if you think it may drain the battery due to longer periods out of use).<br /><br />If you decide on both via switch, you may put them together near the unit and run a common wire via fuse to the switch.<br /><br /> Both wires should be fused properly ! <br /><br />Connect the unit's negative to a known good ground (or battery negative). Do not connect to gauges as they (often) use the negative to send signals.<br /><br />If your unit is not designed for a common negative/ground for the speakers, you must fit a separate pair of wires to each speaker (some units allow for only the speaker positive to be connected to speakers and the negative run through any common ground (=speaker chassis screwed on to body in car). <br /><br />Finally connect an antenna - even if you're just going place it somewhere and not actually mounting on the boat. The antenna needs both signal and ground (shield) but this is built into the antenna cable so just plugging the connector into the unit's socket will do.<br /><br />Enjoy!

 

[CaseyJones]

Re: Need serious stereo help!

I returned the unit to WestMarine this morning, after speaking with Jensen Tech Support. Turns out it was USED! The reason I couldn't get a c/d in is because there was one already in it! They gave me another. Jensen confirmed my wiring was sufficient. Let's hope this one works.