I am interested in installing a CD player in my 29.5. I think I can figure out how to install the speakers and how to run the wiring from the speakers to the CD player. My big problem is that I'm not familiar with how to hook up the power source. I know you need to go through the control panel but I don't want to just hook up to any breaker. Don't want to fry my boat just to get some music. Is there a good source for determining how to install accesories? It needs to be for someone who is not competent in electrical hook-ups (no Ohm's laws and such). I got ripped off by the marina for $150 to install a cigarette lighter plug. Looked real simple after they got done (eventhough I found it weird that they hooked it up to the VHF radio power wires. I have to turn on the VHF to get the plug to work.) Anyhow If anyone has any instructions or suggestions on where to find help, it would be appreciated. Thanks
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Bill Welsch
RE: CD Installation
Hi We have a '98 240 and installed a CD player last Spring. Worked great all sailing season. We wired through the "Accessorie" switch on the electrical panel, ran the speaker wires using ingenuity and coat hanger---two speakers in the cockpit, two in the V-berth. The fader allows us to move the sound around. Very cool. The main thing we learned was to just keep fussing with it. Because our CD was designed for a car (we got a great deal, and much more CD player than a marine CD player) the instructions were of little use. But we just kept locating the right wires until the damn thing worked. And, in the process, learned a lot about our boat wiring, etc. Having great music made it all worth it. Good luck Bill Welsch "Renewal"
Hi We have a '98 240 and installed a CD player last Spring. Worked great all sailing season. We wired through the "Accessorie" switch on the electrical panel, ran the speaker wires using ingenuity and coat hanger---two speakers in the cockpit, two in the V-berth. The fader allows us to move the sound around. Very cool. The main thing we learned was to just keep fussing with it. Because our CD was designed for a car (we got a great deal, and much more CD player than a marine CD player) the instructions were of little use. But we just kept locating the right wires until the damn thing worked. And, in the process, learned a lot about our boat wiring, etc. Having great music made it all worth it. Good luck Bill Welsch "Renewal"
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Ralph Johnstone
Easy
Just completed installing a Pioneer CD player and two speakers in our H310 last weekend. I was fortunate to have a dedicated breaker marked STEREO on the elec. panel. The player was rated at 10 amps and I ran #12 wire to avoid excessive voltage drop. Now that it is operational, I notice on the battery monitor that the load for the player and two speakers is about 1.5 amps. As the load on one of these units is pretty light, I would suggest a breaker such as ACCESSORY as long as it does not already have too heavy a load on it. At this low an amperage, I would not hesitate to use a #16 AWG wire for the power supply.
Just completed installing a Pioneer CD player and two speakers in our H310 last weekend. I was fortunate to have a dedicated breaker marked STEREO on the elec. panel. The player was rated at 10 amps and I ran #12 wire to avoid excessive voltage drop. Now that it is operational, I notice on the battery monitor that the load for the player and two speakers is about 1.5 amps. As the load on one of these units is pretty light, I would suggest a breaker such as ACCESSORY as long as it does not already have too heavy a load on it. At this low an amperage, I would not hesitate to use a #16 AWG wire for the power supply.
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Andy Falls
Shockingly Simple
Well, not really! On the 29.5 there should be some open plugs on the DC side of the power board/switch panel. I got and extra switch (I may have ordered from Hunter) and put in the panel and wired it in just like all the others. I then ran a + & - wire from there to the radio. The interior arches in the salon are hollow. Remove the plate on the inside above the port sitee. You may find a cord that runs from there to the switch panel (mine had 2) You can use that to ferry wires to and from. I mounted our stereo in a kit box from West Marine. It fits just under the port window forward of the ice box. Open up some stuff and look around!
Well, not really! On the 29.5 there should be some open plugs on the DC side of the power board/switch panel. I got and extra switch (I may have ordered from Hunter) and put in the panel and wired it in just like all the others. I then ran a + & - wire from there to the radio. The interior arches in the salon are hollow. Remove the plate on the inside above the port sitee. You may find a cord that runs from there to the switch panel (mine had 2) You can use that to ferry wires to and from. I mounted our stereo in a kit box from West Marine. It fits just under the port window forward of the ice box. Open up some stuff and look around!
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william
Details Ralph? on the 310 CD installation
Ralph ! could you provide some details on your 310 installation? - sounds like a good winter project. Where did you put the speakers and the unit? How hard was it to run the speaker wires? etc.
Ralph ! could you provide some details on your 310 installation? - sounds like a good winter project. Where did you put the speakers and the unit? How hard was it to run the speaker wires? etc.
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Gary
29.5 stereo
I have a cassette player, but otherwise sould be the same process. I also bought a unit from Best Buy or Circuit City intended for a car. I choose to mount mine at the very top of the hanging locker. Sitting on the starboard setee the stereo faces the v-berth. Nice place to sit down and work with the controls. I don't hang anything in the locker so did not worry about lost space. Just took the little clothes bar out. I also ordered an extra breaker direct from Hunter to place in one of the empty slots. Still have not used it as I discovered I had an extra breaker Hunter installed for the LP stove option I do not have. I just tapped into this breaker. I purchased two high quality Infinity brand speakers and mounted one in the face of each setee. Then I purchased two marine speakers, I mounted facing forward in the cockpit one on each side of the helmsperson. This way I can control the volume in the salon as well as the volume in the cockpit with the balance/fade feature while sailing. Get stiffer single conductor electrical wire or something similar and you can push the wires for the cockpit speakers back along the headliner to the storage compartments in the cockpit. My stereo has a remote control that is like a TV remote, in order to control the stereo from the aft berth or companion way I set a mirror in the v-berth and bounce the signal back at the stereo. Would be nice to have hard wired remote control but I did not want to take the time and actually just run below most of the time to adjust, but love to leave stereo on at night and be able to shut off without leaving the berth. I bought a replacement car antenna and plugged into the radio portion and stood it up in the hanging locker, securing it to the bulkhead. Works just great. I prefer the cassette player, buy CD's for the house and make tapes I can use in car or boat from them. Inexpensive way to have multiple copies and you don't need to carry the CD's around with you all the time. Also I have heard of people who had some problems with CD players while under sail in any amount of wind. (skipping) ..
I have a cassette player, but otherwise sould be the same process. I also bought a unit from Best Buy or Circuit City intended for a car. I choose to mount mine at the very top of the hanging locker. Sitting on the starboard setee the stereo faces the v-berth. Nice place to sit down and work with the controls. I don't hang anything in the locker so did not worry about lost space. Just took the little clothes bar out. I also ordered an extra breaker direct from Hunter to place in one of the empty slots. Still have not used it as I discovered I had an extra breaker Hunter installed for the LP stove option I do not have. I just tapped into this breaker. I purchased two high quality Infinity brand speakers and mounted one in the face of each setee. Then I purchased two marine speakers, I mounted facing forward in the cockpit one on each side of the helmsperson. This way I can control the volume in the salon as well as the volume in the cockpit with the balance/fade feature while sailing. Get stiffer single conductor electrical wire or something similar and you can push the wires for the cockpit speakers back along the headliner to the storage compartments in the cockpit. My stereo has a remote control that is like a TV remote, in order to control the stereo from the aft berth or companion way I set a mirror in the v-berth and bounce the signal back at the stereo. Would be nice to have hard wired remote control but I did not want to take the time and actually just run below most of the time to adjust, but love to leave stereo on at night and be able to shut off without leaving the berth. I bought a replacement car antenna and plugged into the radio portion and stood it up in the hanging locker, securing it to the bulkhead. Works just great. I prefer the cassette player, buy CD's for the house and make tapes I can use in car or boat from them. Inexpensive way to have multiple copies and you don't need to carry the CD's around with you all the time. Also I have heard of people who had some problems with CD players while under sail in any amount of wind. (skipping) ..
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