Stereo Remote Wire Connections Assistance/Questions = HELP

[eNORMous]

I have one Garmin GPSMAP 440s (Marine Chart Plotter) – (no remote wire) direct feed to Power/Ground. I have installed an XM/Sirius Garmin GXM 31 marine antenna – this provides capability to download and play all XM/Sirius Channels via my Garmin GPSMAP 440s. Two stereo RCA jacks are provided to feed into a head-unit, or whatever – mine are feeding directly into my equalizer. The GPSMAP 440s provides a whopping 2.5 Watts; albeit, I have no head unit (no radio, receiver, CD player, etc) and the need to create a stereo “system” – if you will.

I have one Boss AVA-1210 AVA1210 7-BAND PREAMP EQUALIZER WITH SUBWOOFER OUTPUT (w/ separate remote wire).
I have one Boss MR1000 (4-channel) 1000 Watt Power Amp (w/ separate remote wire) – this to drive my two (Front) MR695 Boss 6.5”H x 6.9”W (400 Watt) speakers and my two (Rear) MR695 Boss 6.5”H x 6.9”W (400 Watt) speakers (non-bridged).
I have one Boss MR800 (2-channel) 800 Watt Power Amp (w/ separate remote wire) – this to drive my one MR100 Boss 600 Watt 10” subwoofer implemented in a bridged configuration.

I installed a BLUE SEA 2723 DUALBUS bar solely to accommodate my stereo system (feeds from the main battery terminals bus bars). However, I have inserted a very simple (Power, in-line, on/off) Blue Sea m-Series (Mini) Battery Switch. It operates as nothing more than an on/off (Power) switch. I can selectively take the entire stereo system off-line or on-line – separated from all other systems on the boat.

All of my speaker wire, and RCA jack assemblies are Monster cables – no worries on the configuration(s) of the speakers (for correct phase), bridged versus non-bridged amplifiers, or the equalizer EXCEPT for the remote wire(s).

In my scenario (sorry if my above description is long-winded but I wanted to describe it w/ accuracy) – how do I hook up my remote wire(s)? The power to the entire system will be supplied by the main on/off Blue Sea switch, but deciding how to navigate the remote wire is somewhat confusing to me.

It’s my understanding these remote wires require 12V DC but only a momentary 0.3 ampere. Therefore, I guess I’m not tossing them directly to the BLUE SEA 2723 DUALBUS bar.

Should I collectively splice them together and run the remote wire(s) to a (the) fuse panel and insert a fuse, or maybe tie them to the GPS on/off toggle switch? I don’t have a macerator, but I do have an empty spot on the circuit panel (Head Discharge). Would this be the place I hook up the remote wires?

Sorry if this sounds like a no brainer, but since I have effectively no head unit (as is typical in a car audio configuration) w/ an aftermarket set of amplifiers and an equalizer, I’m somewhat stumped and would prefer not to blow out components because I was afraid of asking a dumb question.

I think I should or can take all the remote wires, group them & attach them as one logical unit to either the fuse panel (w/ a fuse available of course) and/or to the circuit breaker panel. Does this make sense?

Thank you SO MUCH if you provide me with a response. I eNORMously appreciate your time!

Norm

[eNORMous]

[thataway]

The 440 should go to a fused or circuit breaker switch for the electronics--you may run other electronics off this circuit. Generally wires on boats use crimped connections--not soldered or twisted together with wire nuts.
You need to use a crimped full circle connector for each wire--or spade/stud connector for the speakers etc.

There is no "remote" wire for the 440--it is a direct on/off and fused in the positative circuit. The negitive (yellow or black) wire goes to a common bus--as does the negitive in the amp system. All wires have to be of adequate diameter. You need to check the amperage draw of the amplifiers. Amp "watts" don't always equate to current draw as we usually refer to it. It may be that the ampifiers use 5 amperes of power or may use 50 amperes of power. The "remote" wire may in fact only draw a few milli amps monentary when switching the unit on.

Are you going to get the XM weather? My understanding that this is what the GMX 31 antenna is primarly designed for.

In your case, I would find out what the amperage draw is of the amplifiers--and fuse the blue seas buss appropiately. Then I would add the remote switch for the amplifiers to the bus. This will mean that you only can turn the amplifiers on, when the power is on at the bus bar. This remote switch must also have an inline fuse, appropiate to its current draw.

Although we do use the term "ground" occasionally for the negitive circuit-as is used for the chassis of a car, it is often used for a completely separate circuit which bonds electronics together, and is separate from the negitive (black or yellow wire).

My major concern of this type of set up on a boat with limited battery and output capacity, is that the batteries can be run down by the amplifiers. Cars often have much larger alternators, and will put out more power, allowing the batteries to be kept at full power. So, double check the power draw of your amplifiers--all--combined when producing full volume to be sure that you have adequate battery capacity.

My understanding is that the GXM 31 antenna is primarly used with the 440 for the XM weather service, showing the Nexrad weather on the garmin plotter. Are you going to use that service? The specific XM and Sirius heads are relitatively cheap--I assume that the chart plotter functions to select the stations, and to display the radio broadcast information--but I wonder how much of the display of the 4" chart plotter this consumes? I have always opted for separate for separate recievers since I want as much chart plotter screen space as possiable and a 4" screen is relitatively small.

[eNORMous]

Thanks for the input Bob. I'm aware of the DC bridge/grounding issue on boats - does not apply to me. The 440s was installed months ago, as was the GXM 31 - both work fantastic. I currently use the 440s for NEXRAD and charting. It pulls down both XM & Sirius channels, but nothing to play them through - yet!

All wire sizes and wiring (including soldering & heat sealed rubber connections) meet or exceed amperage/impedance for length of runs and are fused in accordance w/ NMMA standards.

I just called Boss and they said the remote wires can attach collectively or individually to the bus bar - so you're correct.

Since I installed a separate and DEDICATED on/off throw switch to take the entire stereo system (amplifiers, speakers and equalizer) on/off line from the rest of the boat's electrical components/circuitry, I'm still deciding if I should run the remote wires to the circuit breaker panel instead since I'll have a "light" which I can see when the stereo system is on. However, I'm not entirely sure it's going to buy me that much more since the equalizer will have it's lights on. Oh well, guess I'll just see and play it by ear on this one.

Regarding your comments pertaining to the amperage draw - great considerations and they are indeed what I've considered all along in designing the system.

The Suzuki 150 alternator's rectifier displaces 44 amps. It does not tell you (as most manufacturers do not) - whether that is continuous delivery or peak delivery. Most manufacturers don't tell you what you really need to know - that's the simple of it all. None-the-less, the average automobile alternator produces on average ~60 amps, but this is (in most books and technical manuals - peak amperage and not continuous delivery). So, again, it's always somewhat of a coin-toss deciding on who is telling the truth and I'm not going to spend eNORMous amounts of time bench-marking their data or deep-diving into who is lying - they all do!

The 1000 Watt amp delivers 1000 watts peak power. The 800 Watt amp delivers 800 watts peak power (1800 Watts Total). The 1000 Watt amp delivers 400 Watts RMS @ 100% volume (RMS POWER, 4 OHM
100w x 4). The 800 Watt amp delivers approximately the equivalent since it will be running in a bridged (not DC-bridged) connection e.g. supplying one subwoofer with both channels for a combined RMS total = 800 Watts. RMS is sustained delivery and it is proportional to the volume setting (matched by the gain of the equalizer). So, again, at 100% volume the "sustained" RMS delivery could approach 800 Watts. I can tell you I will never in my wildest dreams ever listen to this system at 100% volume. The maximum volume I will ever push is 50% - which yields a sustained delivery potential of ~ 400 Watts. So, dividing 400W/12v = (roughly) 33.3 ampere (maximum amperage draw) combined for both amplifiers. Considering the volume will most likely reside at a comforable listening level of perhaps 2 or 3, reduces my sustained amperage draw to ~100 Watts/12v = 8.3 amps - which is manageable.

I understand your request to size based upon maximum volume to facilitate reserve, but IMO, I consider it more reasonable to design for what's actually going to occur than to design this for reserve capacity; although, your point is valid and I understand your suggestion.

As with anything, we need to remain diligent regarding correct wire sizing, correct wiring schematic, standards (NMMA), and sizing of the alternator regarding amperage draw. And then, it still requires constant vigilence and fine-tuning if issues are encountered.

BTW, the sizing of the Power In-Line fuses provided by Boss are 20AMP (MR1000) & 10AMP (MR800). Based upon their supplied sizing configurations for the peak amp displacement, it appears I fall within the numbers - that's always a nice thing.

Thanks again for the feedback!

[thataway]

In your case, if an indicator light is desired, still go off the bus, and put in an LED some where near the switch--I probably would also put in a second LED when the blue seas switch is engaged, unless the amp light is in an obvious place.

The reason I mention power draw, was that many years ago, when CD's first came out--a good friend and I were moored in Spain. My friend first bought the head unit (Pioneer)--then realized he needed the amp--it was close to 1000 watts--and he ran down a couple of group 8D batteries in a few hours--his battery charger could not keep up with the amp's power draw.

As I am sure that you know, many sterio affectionatos put in 120 or 150 amp alternators to be sure that they have lots of power for the large amps. Most car alternators have to spin up fairly high to put out the full power--but then most car engines are running all of the time you are listening to the sterio. Vs the boat--where--at least for us--much of our listening is at anchor. We just use a car sterio with 100 to 150 amps per channel--and some quality speakers--plus Sirius for 90%--the other is via I pod.