Amp mounting in helm compartment AR230

[jcyamaharider]

I need to clean this compartment up a bit and need some ideas / pictures of inspiration. I know some of you out there have done this and I would just like to see/hear what you did. I want to do this project this weekend. Note: I already have my amps(2) in there I just need to mount everything in a better way. I was in a rush last year when I got my boat so I just put stuff where it was functional at the time.

Thanks

 

[Speedling]

Hey man, ask to see installs on boat trips! Shelbyville and Loop cruise and Peoria!
I don't have a picture as I JUST installed it (for the second time since the first amp died...) and here's what I did:
2 pioneer subs, 1 RF amp, fuse holder, battery terminals.
Started with the board for the amp. I know my "cuddy" is slightly different, but I put a false wall on the wall that goes up against where the co-captains chair is. this false wall goes from floor to ceiling and is recessed for the amp but supported only on the sides so that the wiring can go below the recessed area and heat can go out the top. I have the subs in a box under the passenger side seat with the subs actually facing the wall. If you have done many car installs like I have, you know that this actually works! I then have a nice chrome fuse block that I screwed to the back of that box that takes Maxi fuses. I have a 4 gauge wire running to that with 8 gauge running to the amp. I also have 4 gauge running straight to the amp for the ground, but I plan on having a splitter block for that as well when I install the second amp.
The main thing for me is that all the wiring is hidden behind the amp wall, and the wall gives it protection in an area that gets used by the kids and storing stuff! Very important for me!
The second to main thing is the under the seat storage. I have the batteries arranged up against the interior wall under the seats so that I have more room to get things past them since I lost the first few feet to an enormous sub box.
Another thing I like about this install is that I only had to run one set of coax cables from the radio, which is still stock, to the other side with the amp. This cable runs down and through a crack between the two floor lockers. I then hid it under/behind the carpet along the door edge so it's not visible or smashable there either.
I will get pictures when I can, but I'm sure there are plenty others that like to show off what they got!

Oh, I left room for the second amp to power tower speakers, which I don't have, but will mount on my tower of course, which I don't have... due to the boat payment, which I DO have...

 

[jcyamaharider]

I pretty much did just that Lee except I was on the other side of the boat. I had to have my little helper, my daughter Alivia, get in there and be my eyes. I still have to wire up the tower speakers to the other side of the amp and bolt it down but most of it is done.

 

[drjames1107]

My recent upgrade.

 

[Speedling]

I almost forgot a couple things....
I used brackets similar to what @David James has to mount my board. I have a switch similar to @jcyamaharider for my remote wire. I didn't want it to be on all the time, especially with the kids, so I threw a toggle in there.

 

[Speedling]

I don't have access to that area behind the steering wheel like on the bigger boats unless I want to slide it up from the bow seat. You guys ran power wire all that far? That's a good ways! That's expensive per foot!
Since I have it from the batteries to the "cuddy" area only my wires are like 5 foot long, which ups the amperage rating for everything as well. Not like I need a ton for a 500 rms amp. I love those clean installs though!

 

[jawsf16]

@Speedling I mounted my amps in the same compartment as the batteries. A lot cheaper to run long RCA than long power wire. Did this on my old 210, same layout as yours, too. Never had an issue. I will check and see if I have any pics of either.

 

[jcyamaharider]

I don't have access to that area behind the steering wheel like on the bigger boats unless I want to slide it up from the bow seat. You guys ran power wire all that far? That's a good ways! That's expensive per foot!
Since I have it from the batteries to the "cuddy" area only my wires are like 5 foot long, which ups the amperage rating for everything as well. Not like I need a ton for a 500 rms amp. I love those clean installs though!

When I bought the boat they already had the orion cobalt amp in that location just on the side of the seat back. That drastically used up valuable storage space. I wanted to clean up my second install and move both amps to one side. The switch is actually for my 3rd amp that powers my second sub. That one I ran a long RCA and used short runs of power and ground wire. I am pleased with how it turned out and I got to hide a lot of the loose wires behind the steering wheel.

 

[jcyamaharider]

I snapped one more this morning after I vacuumed.

 

[Cory]

@Speedling I mounted my amps in the same compartment as the batteries. A lot cheaper to run long RCA than long power wire. Did this on my old 210, same layout as yours, too. Never had an issue. I will check and see if I have any pics of either.

Where did you find RCA cables? I like the idea of putting the amps by the batteries but I'm going to need to run 3 sets of RCA cables and the ones I've found long enough are more expensive then running power lines

 

[drjames1107]

I bought all my Power and RCA cables from Knukonceptz.com they have pretty good prices and very fast shipping.

 

[Speedling]

Knu is also on amazon. Used them for power cables and they are very good. Many more strands than other brands. I bought my rca on amazon as well.
A lot of newer amps will have a rca out as well, so you can run one cable then chain to the next etc.
You could run splitters as well but I think that will degrade the quality a slight amount.

 

[drjames1107]

Yes they are on Amazon. But I bought on Knu because they are not in my state so I didn't have to pay sales tax

 

[jawsf16]

I got them from knu also. The long run for three sets (sub, front, back) was way cheaper than power and ground wire.

 

[Cory]

Ok thanks. How long were they? I'll order them tonight, otherwise I have to wait until I can get back to the boat.

 

[maboat]

A lot cheaper to run long RCA than long power wire..

Cheaper, perhaps. But lower quality sound too. RCA cables carry very low voltage audio signals and are much more susceptible to noise and signal degradation on long runs. Any noise in the RCA cable will get fed into the amplifiers and will get amplified out to the speakers. Long signal cables should be the absolute best quality you can buy. It may not end up being cheaper.

A lot of newer amps will have a rca out as well, so you can run one cable then chain to the next etc.
You could run splitters as well but I think that will degrade the quality a slight amount.

Amps that have RCA out is the same thing as a splitter. Either way it reduces the signal level. But you compensate for it by using the gain control on the amp inputs.

 

[jawsf16]

@Cory I got a four channel six meter and a two channel six meter. This covered all six channels from the HU to the two amps.

 

[Speedling]

Cheaper, perhaps. But lower quality sound too. RCA cables carry very low voltage audio signals and are much more susceptible to noise and signal degradation on long runs. Any noise in the RCA cable will get fed into the amplifiers and will get amplified out to the speakers. Long signal cables should be the absolute best quality you can buy. It may not end up being cheaper.

Amps that have RCA out is the same thing as a splitter. Either way it reduces the signal level. But you compensate for it by using the gain control on the amp inputs.

Hmmmm, I can see that about the quality in the RCA cables. It's only like 10 foot cable at max I would think, if you routed it my way, and you're far away from anything but the radio itself.

I'm guessing you're right about the amps too, but I would think that SOME might boost the signal back up after they are done with it. At least that's how I would design a perfect amp...

 

[drjames1107]

I got the 2channel 6 meters for my sub, way too long but..... worked out fine.

 

[David Analog]

Amps that have RCA out is the same thing as a splitter. Either way it reduces the signal level. But you compensate for it by using the gain control on the amp inputs.[/QUOTE]

Actually the better amplifiers will have a buffered pass-thru so the RCA 'out' is driven by its own OP amp. It's easy enough to verify with a multimeter.