Fitting Kenwood car radio to boat

[Cspirit]

I want to fit the above to the boat, but need some advice on wiring. The radio is supplied with 13 (!) wires. 8 of these are for the speakers. The remaining five are:

Brown (telephone mute - will not be used)
Blue/white (aerial control ditto)
Black (ground - even I can work this out)
Red (ignition - I assume that this is the positive supply)
Yellow (battery - should I connect this to the boat's 'always on' bus bar so that the radio memory is supplied when the main battery switch is off?)

Also, since I will only be using two speakers, should I just connect up one set of speaker wires and leave the others unconnected? Could I use this spare set to supply headphones for the weather forecast when its BLF (blowing like anything).

Any advice gratefully received

 

[Hoolie]

I think you've just about got it! I fitted a radio - the colour coding is standard - and connected yellow and red together. BUT you must disable the security code as without permanent 12v on yellow the radio will need resetting every time you switch on!

 

[Ruffles]

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Yellow (battery - should I connect this to the boat's 'always on' bus bar so that the radio memory is supplied when the main battery switch is off?)


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That's what I do. Make sure it is fused at source if you're running a long thin wire around the place.
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Also, since I will only be using two speakers, should I just connect up one set of speaker wires and leave the others unconnected? Could I use this spare set to supply headphones for the weather forecast when its BLF (blowing like anything).

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Trouble is that you'll have to use the front/back fader to mute the speakers when you use the headphones so not ideal. You could use a headphone socket that disconnects the speakers but you have to be careful how you wire it since both the + and - speaker connections carry signal on a car radio.
BTW the signal level will be ok 'cos the headphones will be high impedance.

 

[Billjratt]

your profile doesn't describe your boat. may be good to think where the radio is going - ie where you use it and will reach over to control it from(rather than where it's convenient to wire or looks good) Just fitted one in the saloon and wish it was in the wheelhouse, where we spend most time. We have to go downstairs to tweek the volume (rear speakers at wheel) correct with wiring, yellow to batt, red to switch.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Don't wanna run the extra speaker leads to a pair of waterproofs in the cockpit?

 

[Guest]

[ QUOTE ]
I think you've just about got it! I fitted a radio - the colour coding is standard - and connected yellow and red together. BUT you must disable the security code as without permanent 12v on yellow the radio will need resetting every time you switch on!

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I'm replacing my DIN plug Cassette / Radio Car system on my boat and assumed that the DIN plugs would be same ... Ha Ha Ha ... not so ! The pugs fit the socket ok ... but wires are differently set ...

The MP3 / CD / Radio is a standard over counter Roadstar job ... the socket sytem is salvaged from a Volkswagen Golf ... the Roadstar has memory lead on pin 5 ... the Volkswagen has it on pin 3 ... the antena up lead is on pin 5 !! The speaker set up is front where other is rear, but luckily they are paired so no problem.

Have you ever tried to get one of the leads out of a DIN plug like tese ? I finally managed by carefully cutting away the wall and prising out with very thin screwdriver .. then pushed into click in correct slot.

The lead colours were different as well !!

 

[Jonny_H]

This is what we have - Front speaker output is to the cockpit speakers, rear is to the cabin speakers. You can use the fade control to put the noise just where you want it.

The only problem is without a 12v feed permanently you loose all pre-sets. I appear to have a 9V battery (well its a black plastic box the right size and shape etc) wired into my radio (it is flat now and I haven't replaced it) but I assume this was to keep the pre-sets etc when you isolate the batteries?

Jonny

Edit: P.s. If you mount it in an incovenient place, why not consider a radio with a remote control (these are credit card size and you could stick it in your pocket or nearby then you don't need to get up to change the volume)

 

[steve_cronin]

This is the little baby I just fitted.....

...it also has an aux input to allow the IPod to contribute but sadly, someone, somewhere else now has my iPod!

Sony Marine radio spec

This set has no Keylock code so that doesn't enter the picture when considering yellow to live feed implications.

I wouldn't worry about losing the preset settings as, since it's on a boat, you're likely to move from one VHF transmitter's area to another quite frequently.

Steve Cronin

 

[onenyala]

More or less on the same subject: what do you do with the aerial. On the car radio I have fitted I originally had the centre pole of the aerial plug connected to an aluminium curtain railstrip and the screen connected to nothing. I have tried experimenting by putting the screen to the main earth (engine). I have since found out that the aerial I have fitted makes no difference whatsoever. All of this experimenting has taken place in the Cove, Weymouth where there seems to be no FM signal ??
Can anybody shed any light on this ?

 

[CPD]

No, but I'm feeling smug because last night I eventually got round to wiring in an ipod lead to an old Pye set I have on board, which had a CD button on the front and 2 anonymous leads coming out of the back. Works perfectly. Funny thing is though, I used to use one of those fm transmiter things which was never great, despite the fact that radio reception through a car aerial fitted (fully extended) along a quarter berth is always top notch.

Definately use the fader/extra leads to power a set of waterproof cockpit speakers - nothing like a bit of Lesley Garret as you splosh through the waves /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Ruffles]

Seems odd. The last time I tried out a car radio on the kitchen table (prior to fitting on the boat) I got zero FM reception with nothing connected to the aerial and perfect reception with just a screwdriver shoved in the socket. And we have quite poor FM signal strength at home.

Is it possible the front end on the radio is dead? They can be static sensitive.