Stereo Intallation

[Tom]

I am looking to install a new stereo on my Catalina 30. The previous owner has the auto-helm wired up to the stereo port on the control panel. I assume he did this because there is/was no other space available. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can get power to the stereo and run it through a fuse?

 

[Rob R]

Put in an additional panel, or....

you may be able to squeeze it onto the same circuit if you have quality wiring.I would advise you to pick up an additional panel. You can get a reasonable one from West for about 25 bucks, and it will have 3 circuits. Or you can get a 6 circuit for about 45 bucks. Installation takes about an hour.I put my stereo on the same circuit as my fishfinder, as I ran all the wiring myself, and used 14 guage wire. That saved me from having to get another panel, but I would be very careful when you do this - you have to know the loads on the circuit and whether the wiring can safely handle it.Let us know how you make out -Rob

 

[Paul]

Stereo

Do you have fuses or Breakers?If beakers and there is room the best thing to do is install a seperate breaker. If this is not feasable running it off another fuse is fine as long as your total current draw through that fuse does not exceed the fuse capacity.Most stereo's come with inline fuses on their wiring harness. leave this in if you do install off a fuse that is currently being used.I have a circut breaker that I run my VHF radio and CD player off of. I titled it electronics.14 gauge wire should be more than acceptable for a stereo installation as long as your wire lengths don't exceed 30 feet round trip. 30 feet includes your ground wire back to the battery. You can even go with as low as 18 gauge for wire lengths as short as 10 feet. If you do decide to double up on a fuse, pick one that has something on it with low current draw. Pumps, lights (depending on how many are on the circut) and auto pilots usually draw their fair share of current so stay away from those.Good luck!

 

[Ron H.]

Stereo Install

I think I'd move the autohelm to the "Instruments" breaker and connect the stereo to the correctly labled breaker.My autohelm is connected that way and there's been no problems with overload etc.

 

[Mark Hudson]

Rewire the panel

I did just that on my 1984 C-30. The PO had some strange wire configurations behind the switch panel. I kept the stereo and CD player connected to the "stereo" switch on the main panel. I ran a piece of 14 guage wire from the terminal on the switch marked "instrumnents" to a 4 gang fuse block mounted on the hull (backside of the nav station). I made the 4 gang fuse block a junction for all my instruments: fuse 1-autopilot, fuse 2-speed/depth/wind instruments, fuse 3-VHF Radio, fuse 4-spare. As long as you don't exceed 15 amps for all four fuses total, the switch and fuse on the front of the electrical panel will be OK. This way I am able to throw one switch and turn on/off all my instruments. I did the same for an "always hot" junction connected direcctly to battery 1 and connected my bilge pump and radio memory wire. This way the battery switch can be turned off when I leave, but the bilge pump is functional if needed and the radio retains its preset station. Best of all is they are all fuse protected.

 

[Dave Slepoy]

stereo ideas

I installed a new stereo in my Catalina 28 this spring. I mounted it forward on the port side and turned it towards the companion way. This allows me to use the REMOTE from the helm area ( works great too). Then I mounted speakers under the rear pulpit seats I made with the wireing coming up through the stainless tubes, then close to the instruments I mounted a simple on/off switch to disconnect the rear speakers without adjusting the fadder. Good Luck Dave