Installing a Car Radio on a Boat - Tilted Forum Project - TFP - Sexuality, Philosophy and Political Discussion

tripleboc · 06-03-2003, 02:14 PM

Well, I have this old kenwood pull out deck and a 10 disk changer that have been sitting in a box for about 4-5 years. Recently I bought a pontoon boat so I decided to put the kenwood stuff on the boat. I went ahead and hooked up the switched power and the memory power wires to a constant source since I could not get to a switched wire. I hooked up the ground to what I believe is the boats ground, a bunch of black wires all tied together in the console. Lastly I hooked up all four speakers.
Now for the problem, the radio/cd changer will play just fine for about 7-10 minutes then fade out slowly until I get no sound at all. I turn it off then on again and I get nothing. The deck doesn't seem hot at all, so I doubt it is over heating. If it sits for about an hour it will work again but only for 7-10 minutes.
I was thinking that maybe the black wire was the negative to the battery and not a ground but if I unhook it the radio does not work at all. I touch the wire to assorted metal in the console but nothing. I'm totally out of ideas, other than maybe the deck is just bad, but I don't get why it would work fine then just stop.

Any Ideas out there?

Thanks,
Jeremy

Ashton · 06-03-2003, 02:35 PM

The deck probally has a bad heat sink on the output IC..... it overheats and the sound slowly goes out.

As to the ground, the negative post on the battery is the ground wire.... on a car the negative post is connected to the body which makes all the metal in the car a 'ground' on a boat the negative post is connected to a wiring harness that feeds ground to all of the electrical components..... thats why you don't get a ground from the metal in the console, I suppose you might have a bad ground..... to be sure I would hook the decks power and ground wires to a battery charger and see if it still stops working after 10 minutes, but I still think from your discription the output IC is bad.

tripleboc · 06-04-2003, 11:08 AM

Excellent information. Thanks.

One more question though, I have a small amp, what if I hooked that up, do you think that would bypass the problem?

Ashton · 06-04-2003, 02:39 PM

Not if the deck has a bad output IC.... the output IC puts out what would be feeding the amp. In other words.... sound comes out of the deck, then into the amp, then out to the speakers, no sound from the deck..... no sound from the amp.

tripleboc · 06-04-2003, 02:43 PM

Thanks again, Ashton.

06-03-2003, 02:14 PM	#1 (permalink)
tripleboc Crazy Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Central Illinois	Installing a Car Radio on a Boat Well, I have this old kenwood pull out deck and a 10 disk changer that have been sitting in a box for about 4-5 years. Recently I bought a pontoon boat so I decided to put the kenwood stuff on the boat. I went ahead and hooked up the switched power and the memory power wires to a constant source since I could not get to a switched wire. I hooked up the ground to what I believe is the boats ground, a bunch of black wires all tied together in the console. Lastly I hooked up all four speakers. Now for the problem, the radio/cd changer will play just fine for about 7-10 minutes then fade out slowly until I get no sound at all. I turn it off then on again and I get nothing. The deck doesn't seem hot at all, so I doubt it is over heating. If it sits for about an hour it will work again but only for 7-10 minutes. I was thinking that maybe the black wire was the negative to the battery and not a ground but if I unhook it the radio does not work at all. I touch the wire to assorted metal in the console but nothing. I'm totally out of ideas, other than maybe the deck is just bad, but I don't get why it would work fine then just stop. Any Ideas out there? Thanks, Jeremy

06-03-2003, 02:35 PM	#2 (permalink)
Ashton PORNHOUND Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: California	The deck probally has a bad heat sink on the output IC..... it overheats and the sound slowly goes out. As to the ground, the negative post on the battery is the ground wire.... on a car the negative post is connected to the body which makes all the metal in the car a 'ground' on a boat the negative post is connected to a wiring harness that feeds ground to all of the electrical components..... thats why you don't get a ground from the metal in the console, I suppose you might have a bad ground..... to be sure I would hook the decks power and ground wires to a battery charger and see if it still stops working after 10 minutes, but I still think from your discription the output IC is bad.

06-04-2003, 11:08 AM	#3 (permalink)
tripleboc Crazy Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Central Illinois	Excellent information. Thanks. One more question though, I have a small amp, what if I hooked that up, do you think that would bypass the problem?

06-04-2003, 02:39 PM	#4 (permalink)
Ashton PORNHOUND Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: California	Not if the deck has a bad output IC.... the output IC puts out what would be feeding the amp. In other words.... sound comes out of the deck, then into the amp, then out to the speakers, no sound from the deck..... no sound from the amp.

06-04-2003, 02:43 PM	#5 (permalink)
tripleboc Crazy Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Central Illinois	Thanks again, Ashton.