Speaker Install in aluminum seating

[maddogsnavy25]

I want to use an angle grinder as I have experience with them but was afraid of catching the foam on fire, any advice?

 

[BigTerp]

I used my angle grinder to cut a square out of my rear bench for a hatch. The bench was filled with foam, didn't seem to effect it any. I tore a hole in my hull last summer. Didn't want to have to tear apart my boat to get the floor out to address it from inside the hull. Had it welded from the outside. I installed foam under my floor during my build. There was some smoke coming from under my floor during welding, but nothing caught on fire. Had a fire extinguisher handy just in case. But I would think the foam would melt instead of catching fire. But I can't say for sure.

 

[BigTerp]

If you do end up using a grinder, I highly recommend using the Diablo Thin Kerf cutting blades. They are thinner than other cutting blades so don't last as long, but cut through aluminum MUCH faster.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Diablo-4-1-2-in-x-0-040-in-x-7-8-in-Thin-Kerf-Metal-Cut-Off-Disc-DBD045040101F/202830995

 

[maddogsnavy25]

Picked up those Diablo blades today and plan on cutting the wholes this weekend, I have a 8 gang switch panel I plan on wiring my radio, interior led lights, external floodlights, trolling motor, nav lights, 12v socket, and my fish finder off of, I think 14 gauge wire should hold me on everything any advice?

 

[BigTerp]

Picked up those Diablo blades today and plan on cutting the wholes this weekend, I have a 8 gang switch panel I plan on wiring my radio, interior led lights, external floodlights, trolling motor, nav lights, 12v socket, and my fish finder off of, I think 14 gauge wire should hold me on everything any advice?

I used 14 gauge wire for all my accessories, which included the following along with amp draw:

-Anchor Light .70amps
-Bow Light .20amps
-Interior Lights .35amps
-FF .25amps
-Bilge Pump 3.5amps
-Stereo/Amp < 10amps
-12v socket x2 varies on amps. Figure 8 amps max running a spotlight.

Most of my accessories called for 16 gauge, but my bilge pump and stereo required 14 gauge. So I used 14 gauge for everything to keep things simple. It's OK to go bigger but you definitely do not want to go smaller. Also make sure everything is fused. Mine is fused at the control panel but I had to swap out fuses to make sure everything was fused appropriately. From the control panel it goes to a bus bar and then, IIRC, 10 gauge wire to my battery that is also fused for the TOTAL amp load of everything on my control panel. Also you shouldn't have to hook up your sonar to your control panel. It should have an internal "switch" since it has an on/off button. Also, depending on what stereo your installing you may not need to hook that up to your switch panel either. Mine is a marine amplifier with 6" speakers. No on/off switch, so it is tied into my control panel. Basically a big iPod player. Just has the headphone jack that I plug my phone into to play music. Anything not wired to your control panel will need an appropriate size fuse on the positive wire as close to the battery as possible. My control panel uses AGC type glass fuses. So I used in-line AGC fuse holders for things not on my switch panel. Again, to keep things simple and not have to carry several different types of fuses on my boat. I also used tinned marine wire and tinned, heat shrink connectors for everything. Also soldered and heat shrinked connections when necessary. A little more expensive but will last longer in a marine environment. I did not use tinned wire for my speakers and the wire kept getting corroded and crapping out. Finally replaced them with tinned marine wire and all has been good since.

Here is a good chart to reference what size wire you will need.
https://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvisor/Marine-Wire-Size-And-Ampacity

I was a complete novice when I went to wire my boat. But help on here and internet research got me the information I needed. Not hard to do at all once you get a good understanding of it all.

 

[maddogsnavy25]

Ok that's awesome info, and yeah I was planning on the tinned wire and heat shrink connectors, if everything is on a switch I should be able to put it all on a common ground correct?

 

[BigTerp]

Ok that's awesome info, and yeah I was planning on the tinned wire and heat shrink connectors, if everything is on a switch I should be able to put it all on a common ground correct?

Yes. Pick up a negative bus bar. Will make everything much cleaner/neater. I got mine from Amazon.

Here is where I got my wire from. Just ordered some more yesterday to wire up a second bilge pump.

https://tinnedmarinewire.com/wire/

 

[Y_J]

Ok that's awesome info, and yeah I was planning on the tinned wire and heat shrink connectors, if everything is on a switch I should be able to put it all on a common ground correct?

That's what I did. In fact just today.. I made a bus bar out of 1/8" thick steel bar. LOL actually I cut one side out of a square steel tube. 4" long, drilled some holes in each end then 5 smaller holes 3/8" from the edge for each of the accessory negative wires. Put the Battery - wire on one of the end screws, the accessory wires on each of the edge screws and everything worked out great. Now I just need to pick up some switches to have it all wired in.

 

[maddogsnavy25]

Before picture of my build

 

[maddogsnavy25]

Created an electrical box by cutting open and putting on a hinge a piece of the aluminum in back, provides for easy access to all wires and a nice flush look

 

[TexasLoneStar56]

=D> =D> =D>

 

[BigTerp]

I like!!

 

[mbweimar]

Did I read that you're planning on wiring the trolling motor to the switch panel? If so, I'd consider going straight to the battery with it. Use 8 gauge wire and a 40-50 amp circuit breaker.

 

[BigTerp]

Did I read that you're planning on wiring the trolling motor to the switch panel? If so, I'd consider going straight to the battery with it. Use 8 gauge wire and a 40-50 amp circuit breaker.

Good catch. mbweimar is correct. If it's a newer trolling motor your manual should tell you what gauge wire and circuit breaker to use. If no manual the above should work fine. I'd also suggest using one of the trolling motor plugs. The plug is hardwired into the battery and you just plug your TM into it when in use. Different models use different plugs. Below is a few from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1/183-3569453-7144812?url=search-alias%3Dsporting&field-keywords=trolling+motor+plug

 

[maddogsnavy25]

Hey guys, finished project up on wednesday, will take pictures on Sunday when I take her out, I did wire the trolling motor to the switch panel because it is only a 24 lb. Motor, I used a minn kota plug and receptacle I picked up at west marine for easy take on and off

 

[mbweimar]

Hmm...what size wire are you using to feed the switch panel?

Also, I would be worried about how many amps the switch is rated for. Perfect example: I have a US Fish and Wildlife officer who insists having his siren on a toggle switch on his 24' Shearwater. Needless to say I've replaced that toggle switch 3 times in the last 2 months to prove to him that the siren (which only draws about 10 amps) pulls way too much current across the switch.

 

[qcbowhunter]

Hmm...what size wire are you using to feed the switch panel?

Also, I would be worried about how many amps the switch is rated for. Perfect example: I have a US Fish and Wildlife officer who insists having his siren on a toggle switch on his 24' Shearwater. Needless to say I've replaced that toggle switch 3 times in the last 2 months to prove to him that the siren (which only draws about 10 amps) pulls way too much current across the switch.

Never thought of adding a relay? That's what they're for! :shock: