www.iFourWinns.com

If your boat stereo is underwater, so is your boat.

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1981 Columbia 8.7
2015 Yamaha FZR - 87mph - sold
2006 Yamaha GP1300R - sold
2003 Chaparral 215 SSI - sold
2009 Stingray 195CS - sold
2000 Four Winns H180 - sold
1976 O'day Daysailer II - sold
Rick's Four Winns H180 Mods/Upgrade Thread

I have heard to Polk setup - They sound nice, clear and not muddy. I would pull the trigger on them. Although a few (and by that i mean 2) people have JL and really like them as well - but my experience with JL is that their horrible build quality was only overshadowed by their non-existent customer service. Maybe it has gotten better in the past 10 years.....

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2008 Four Winns h180 Bowrider
3.0 Volvo Penta

2013 Dodge Durango HEMI

Just an FYI on the Polk UM series. They have a 2.7 ohm nominal impedance, where as most others are 4 ohm. its best to run each on their chnl, so a 4 chnl is needed. The output to each speaker will be between the stated 2 ohm and 4 ohm output. The Kicker KXM400.4 would be a solid choice for 2 pair of the UM

If I were to make a suggestion, I would recommend 2 pair of the Kicker KM654 on a Kicker KXM400.2. Thats a true 100W rms to each speaker.

Well no matter what speaker you get, make sure you have the correct amount of power going to it. Every speaker is going to sound like dirt with no amp just running off the head unit, especially Polks they require at least 50w RMS each to sound correctly at higher volumes or they'll sound they're blown. Underpowered speakers sound the worst.

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1981 Columbia 8.7
2015 Yamaha FZR - 87mph - sold
2006 Yamaha GP1300R - sold
2003 Chaparral 215 SSI - sold
2009 Stingray 195CS - sold
2000 Four Winns H180 - sold
1976 O'day Daysailer II - sold
Rick's Four Winns H180 Mods/Upgrade Thread

Thanks for the input gang. I have ordered an amp and now looking for a deal on 2 sets of polk mm651um speakers. I have a battery isolator rated at 80 amps from a car audio project 10 years ago as well as some cabels and a main fuse holder for the amp. I presume using a battery isolator is still the best way to isolate and charge the audio batteries. I haven't built a car audio system for a number of years. Thanks again.

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RaveOn!
2011 F150 Ecoboost
2012 Jayco 33rlds parked seasonally "Camp Whatnot "
2013 Four Winns H180 SS 4.3 volvo 200hp "Burning Desire"

RaveOn,

The term "isolator" is kind of a loose term, as there are may types. Continuous-Duty solenoids, diode type, auto-combining/voltage sensing relay, and a good old manual dual bank switch. Given the reference to a 10 year old car system, im gathering you have a continuous-duty solenoid. This is my least favorite means to isolate a house bank from the main, yet allowing it to receive a charge from the alternator. Matter of fact, any isolator that doesnt allow me to use the house bank and an emergency starting bank, is my least favorite way. With that said, those types of isolators do function as intended.

When batteries are located on the engine bay/bilge area, I prefer a circuit breaker over a traditional car audio fuse holder.

Thats right, water never splashes into a boat. Whats wrong with me!

Don't take me the wrong way! A "auto-combining/voltage sensing relay" thats a combiner not an isolator. But one might say, it depands on how its used? So knowing what you have is important and how it works.

If you are in the "engine bay/bilge area". Your breaker and fuse needs to be ignition protected. Most fuses are not and breakers more commonly are.

Thats why I opened with "loose term" in describing an isolator. An ACR/VSR is most certainly a type of isolator. When draw is high, the relay opens and isolates the two banks from each other. When the draw is low and the alternator is providing a charger, the relay closes, combining the banks so both receive a charge. So, all though they do combine, they also isolate. Some can even be controlled manually.

Being I/P is kinda stating the obvious. Thats why I like breakers, because waterproof ignition protected breakers are easy to source in a wide range of amps, where as a standard automotive will not be I/P. Some claim to be waterproof, but dont hold your breath and dont expect it to last long in a boat used in salt or brackish waters.

Yep!

so a VCR is a DVD player because they both play a movie??? basically this is what you are saying. a combiner is NOT an isolator.. the entire purpose of an isolator is to always have a full cranking battery.. ISOLATED form the house batteries.. so no a banana is not purple. yes it is a fruit but that some bitch is yellow not purple..

i will nto bark at many trees but i feel that the correct information needs to be out their.. you have a combiner.. may as well wire those batteries up parallel and return that $20 combiner.

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Not Penny's Boat

1993 190 Horizon 5.0L EFI
http://www.smwebhead.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11136
1977 14' CMF Skiff SOLD
2015 Emotion Stealth Angler 11

Jd,

Here is some light reading on some of the popular isolator/combiners. How can you say that they do not isolate? Their very nature, is to prevent house loads from drawing from the main cranking. Using that your definition of an isolator? Just because it can perform 2 tasks, doesn't mean its not a type of isolator. By your definition, the only isolator is a diode type. Well, its basic function is 2-fold, so by your standards, i guess its not an isolator. A diode ISO allows 1) the alternator's charge to be distributed to both the house and cranking bank and 2) prevent the load on one bank, from drawing from the other bank. Sound exactly like a VSR/ASR, just done in a different manor. Even a good old manual switch does this!

Anyone with a basic understanding of these various methods, would agree that an ACR/VSR is no where near, the same as 2 batteries hard wired in parallel.

Blue Sea: https://www.bluesea.com/products/7610/S ... 4V_DC_120A
BEP Marine: http://www.marinco.com/en/710-140a
Sure Power: http://www.marinco.com/en/710-140awww.c ... nects.html
Pro Mariner: http://promariner.com/products/prolsocharge-series/

Rather than split hairs over general info, lets talk about the pros and cons of each type of battery bank isolation and combining. There are ways to completely isolate 2 battery banks, but, there are ways to isolate and combine them, based on voltage/load. There is no one size fits all better than the rest setup. So rather than just say my info is inaccurate, why dont you toss out a couple of specific methods, as we can debate their merits.

Yes!! Thats way I said "But one might say, it depands on how its used?"

VSR will close on a charge voltage to ether leg. I combiner will do the same. Some will have a control wire to open or close them from the helm. Or you can add one by controlling ground to the VSR.

ARCs I don't care for. You can not start your engine from ether one battery alone. It only lets you charge and deplete the 2nd battery alone.

I isolator will let a charge voltage go though it to many batterers, BUT not let the battery's current/voltage leak back into each battery once the charge voltage id gone.

There is more to this and every set-up can be different.

Although a little unconventional, an ACR can be paired with a traditional dual bank switch (OFF/1/BOTH/2) for a passive/manual setup. All house loads would pull directly from your designated house bank, engine and helm loads draw from the main bank through the common post of the switch. With the switch in the "1" position and engine running, both banks receive a charge from the alternator through the ACR. Engine off, ACR is open, banks are disconnected, or isolated if your will, from each other. If needed, you can switch to the "2" position and crank off the house battery, or the "BOTH" and combine the banks for a start.

Now, this system doesnt work well if there is a dual bank shore charger in the mix. When in use, the charger output will close the ACR, thus combining the banks. This prevents the charger from conditioning, charging and maintaining the banks differently. This is a must when you have a dedicated house and main bank. The dedicated banks usually get used differently, so they deserve to be charged differently. You can manually interrupt the ACR's ground control, or wire in an A/C relay that will interrupt the ground when the charger is plugged in.

I love the simplicity of a diode ISO, but hate not having the ability to use the house bank for an emergency start. These too, cab be paired with a dual bank switch.

I do not at all, like a continuous-duty solenoid as a combiner/isolator. They are always closed when the ignition is on, and there is no manual switch for that emergency start. You can use a rocker to interrupt the control in order to isolate the banks, but this cab easily be forgotten, leading to a dead house bank.

As to the above, this is were a battery combiner comes into play. Most combiners have a control wire and will close when the voltage is too low for some a ACRs or VSRs.