radio setup

[scouser5]

Hi All,

This may be a stupid question, but I will ask anyway. Can I wire a radio up as normal on my boat even though it's positive ground..............:facepalm:

 

[NYBo]

Re: radio setup

Which is positive ground? I haven't seen a vehicle with positive ground since about 1979 when I was hired to install a radio in a 1948 Plymouth. But boats don't usually have "ground" in the way cars do even though outboard tinnies have their hulls "grounded" if the motor clamps to them. You don't rely on the hull for part of the circuit, however.

I don't know if I've ever seen a modern radio with a positive ground chassis.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: radio setup

Unless you are talking about a radio taken out of a car older than the mid 1960's; Your radio is Negative ground.

Otherwise, if it truly is positive ground; it could be a negative 6 volt radio also, not 12 volt.

By "Radio", are we talking a music radio?, a VHF transmitter?, or something completely different?

 

[scouser5]

Re: radio setup

The marine battery i have has 4 post.2 - and 2+ so if i connect the outboard to 2 off them for positive ground ...i should be able to connect stereo as normal to the other terminals............this is my thinking

 

[KX6D]

Re: radio setup

I'm lost and the OP has no idea how to explain his set up OR answer the earlier questions!

 

[NYBo]

Re: radio setup

The marine battery i have has 4 post.2 - and 2+ so if i connect the outboard to 2 off them for positive ground ...i should be able to connect stereo as normal to the other terminals............this is my thinking

You need a positive and a negative connection to the motor, and a positive and negative connection to the radio. You can use the the bolt terminals for both devices, or split them; it makes no electrical difference. There is no "positive ground" involved. Or a "negative ground" in the conventional sense, either.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: radio setup

The marine battery i have has 4 post.2 - and 2+ so if i connect the outboard to 2 off them for positive ground ...i should be able to connect stereo as normal to the other terminals............this is my thinking

By four posts, do you mean there is a normal automotive style Battery Post and a Threaded Stud with a Wing-nut next to it for each of the positive and negative posts?

You would be far better off attaching the radio to the fuse block instead of directly to the battery.

What kind of Boat?
A Positive ground radio on a Tinny is going to become a Fire boat when you mount the antenna of a Pos Ground Radio!

What kind of on-board wiring? Fuse Panel? Bus bars?
This is starting to become way too complicated for what should be a simple two wire circuit.
It is time for a picture of the Boat, Battery and the Radio!

 

[generator12]

Re: radio setup

Scouser5, the simple answer is "yes", you can wire a postive ground radio to work in a negative ground boat (or other vehicle).

But you'll have to isolate the chassis of the radio as well as the antenna mounting from any current-carrying framework. This means that the radio has to be connected to nothing but positive and negative power and nothing else conductive. And the speakers must be two-wire from the radio - no "ground" connections as one of the conductors.

It can be made to work, no doubt about it, but care is required.

 

[scouser5]

Re: radio setup

Thanks generator12 appreciate the help. It is the outboard that is positive ground.The boat is fiberglass so no wires are grounded to the boat, and I am going to put the radio in a wood console.

 

[joed]

Re: radio setup

What make and model of outboard has a positive ground?

 

[halfmoa]

Re: radio setup

What make and model of outboard has a positive ground?

I'm curious as well as I'd like to avoid it at all costs. I can't imagine the difficulty of finding positive ground light bulbs.

 

[scouser5]

Re: radio setup

What make and model of outboard has a positive ground?

I have a 65 West Bend 500 ..50hp

And bulbs don't care which way they are wired up

 

[generator12]

Re: radio setup

Thanks generator12 appreciate the help. It is the outboard that is positive ground.The boat is fiberglass so no wires are grounded to the boat, and I am going to put the radio in a wood console.

Then you should be good to go. The radio won't know the difference.