www.iFourWinns.com

Ok more questions.

Since I plan on upgrading in the future should I go a head and get a kit for 2 amps? Or once I run from the battery can I add the distribution block later? I'll plan to use 4 gauge wire for the run.

Anybody see any problems with grounding to the helm llike 07H200SS? I see tha most of the kits only come with a 4 ft ground wire.

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2008 Horizon 260 VP 8.1 Gi

07H200SS, have you had any engine noise problems in doing that? Everyone says to mount directly to the battery's grounding location to completely eliminate noise. I would LOVE to use your method to save myself the money on a 15+ foot-long ground wire. Should I follow your lead?

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Paul
2007 Four Winns Horizon 220
Mercruiser 350 Mag MPI w/ Bravo III Drive
2004 Ford Explorer Limited (V8-AWD)
Pomme de Terre Lake (Southwest Missouri)

pet, that's where my ground was all last year. No noise what so ever.

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H210SS 6.2
F150 Platinum

I would simply get distribution blocks later. Leave your power and ground to one amp for now and then just splice it off when you add the 2nd. You can even use a slightly small wire from the blocks to the amps which will make wiring more easy. Here's the best pic of my set up.



The wire coming into the blocks is 4 gauge and coming out is 8.

I've not seen a good spot to ground on the helm but you could always try it and and see what happens. I prefer to ground mine back at the engine.

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Former owner of:
1996 Four Winns Horizon 200 5.8L VP
2006 Four Winns Horizon 260 8.1L VP
2007 Sea Ray 290 Sundancer

Current boat
2004 Sea Ray 290 Sun Sport Twin 350 Mags

I ran amp power lead to a circuit breaker which then connects to battery switch 'house' side. Negative lead goes direct to house neg battery terminal. House battery has it's own groundinf wire to engine block. No noise when engine's running, and as I have the Blue Sea systems battery isolater, I can completely drain the house battery and still start the engine off of the fully charged starting battery without ever touching the battery switch.

As to noise, I understand that it's important to keep power leads from the amp as far as possible from line inputs and speaker outputs. Bundling these could be the source of your ignition feedback.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

Hmmm that mounting surface looks very familiar Unless anybody thinks otherwise... I could ground it to the "in" side of the fuse box under the helm.

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2008 Horizon 260 VP 8.1 Gi

I have not had a chance to run my boat since installing the stereo, but if you look under there that is where the main ground for the helm comes in so it should be a really good ground. Also you want your ground wire to be as short as possible so I'm told.

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1998 Baja Boss 252 7.4L MPI Bravo 1 (SOLD)
2007 FW H200SS 5.0GXI (Sold)
2004 Chevy Silverado 2500 Crew 6.0L (tow vehicle)
1991 FW 170 Freedom 4.3L (SOLD)

Thanks everyone for answering the grounding question. Good to know some are using the helm ground without issue. I think I'll follow that plan for my amp install as well.

Length of ground wire: I don't think length is an issue if you've done the calculation to make sure you've got the right gauge in use. If you're going 15 feet with a 20 gauge, that might be a problem. 15 feet with 4 gauge is not, from what I understand.

Anyone know how to actually do that calculation, assuming a 1200 watt amp in use?

Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

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Paul
2007 Four Winns Horizon 220
Mercruiser 350 Mag MPI w/ Bravo III Drive
2004 Ford Explorer Limited (V8-AWD)
Pomme de Terre Lake (Southwest Missouri)

If you're using 4 ga. for one amp, it won't matter how long it is.

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H210SS 6.2
F150 Platinum

There's tables out there in the Handbook for Boat Builders put out by the Coast Guard. But, you don't use watts to calculate, you use the sum of the maximum amperage draw of everything on the circuit and write that down. Next choose the gauge and temperature rating for wire that will more than handle that figure from the tables, apply factors that account for length, and environment (like running through the engine compartment, or number of wires in the bundle) thereby reducing the reducing the total amps that gauge and temp rating of cable can handle. Here's the link: http://www.uscgboating.org/safety/boatbuilder/index.htm

Also, don't forget to fuse at the source of the power, and again after any distribution blocks.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP