Stereo power issues

[ndwiginton]

I just installed a new stereo set up and now I can't get the stereo to work while in the garage unless both battery switches are in the ON position. If I put the HOUSE switch to ON with the STARTER switch OFF I get nothing and the same with STARTER in ON and HOUSE in OFF. If I put both switches to ON then everything will come on just like normal but as soon as you take one switch to OFF then it kills everything. It's almost like they are in series now instead of parallel circuits. Any help or direction would be greatly appreciated.

 

[subysti]

Do you have a pic of the wiring? Is the ground jumper connecting the ground posts to both batteries on?

 

[ndwiginton]

I don't have one with me right now but I can get one tonight. And no there is no jumper between the two grounds.

 

[subysti]

OK you had me worried. I'm positive that on all other boats with dual batteries there is a jumper to connect both negative posts of the batteries together but I was thinking maybe the yamaha's used a ground bar somewhere. I just went out to my boat and took a pic, there is definitely a wire connecting the two negative posts. The cable i'm holding connects the 2 together. This could be your issue if its missing.

 

[itsdgm]

Disclaimer: I'm not a stereo installer and I DIDNT stay at a Holiday Inn last night .

One question that came to mind was.... Does the stereo that you installed have the typical wiring harness that requires a constant positive feed and one that is powered through an ignition powered wire? If so, did you select two different power sources for each wire? If you did, it's possible that one wire is powered by each battery source. On a boat install, since I'd want to listen to music with the ignition power off, I would connect both of those wires together to the same constant source of power.

 

[ndwiginton]

OK you had me worried. I'm positive that on all other boats with dual batteries there is a jumper to connect both negative posts of the batteries together but I was thinking maybe the yamaha's used a ground bar somewhere. I just went out to my boat and took a pic, there is definitely a wire connecting the two negative posts. The cable i'm holding connects the 2 together. This could be your issue if its missing.

I was wrong, I do have a jumper in between the ground for both batteries. The only thing I changed when installing the speakers and amps is to wire the Connect unit into the amps and then wiring the power to the House battery.

 

[Titan_Jetboater]

I had the same issue when we installed an amp on our boat. Issue was the House battery was bad and could not handle the additional pull from the amp but both batteries together could. I'd suggest removing the house battery and having it tested to be sure that it's not your issue.

 

[ndwiginton]

I had the same issue when we installed an amp on our boat. Issue was the House battery was bad and could not handle the additional pull from the amp but both batteries together could. I'd suggest removing the house battery and having it tested to be sure that it's not your issue.

Thanks, I haven't considered that. I will pull it out this afternoon and have it checked just to make sure.

 

[OperationROL]

I was wrong, I do have a jumper in between the ground for both batteries. The only thing I changed when installing the speakers and amps is to wire the Connect unit into the amps and then wiring the power to the House battery.

What do you mean by "wire the Connect unit into the amps" ?

 

[ndwiginton]

What do you mean by "wire the Connect unit into the amps" ?

All I meant was that I hooked up the Connext/Polk unit up to the new JL amps.

 

[OperationROL]

All I meant was that I hooked up the Connext/Polk unit up to the new JL amps.

OK. Gotcha.

 

[Mainah]

@ndwiginton - It sounds like you did everything right and that is a strange issue. The following series of questions should help you and us if you still need a hand to diagnose.

House battery voltage measured with a digital volt meter?
Start battery voltage measured with a digital voltmeter?
Ground to amps is connected to?
+12vdc to amps is connected to?
Remote turn on wire to amps is connected to?
Did you cut or splice any wires in the stock head unit? If so which ones?
Have you cut or spliced anything at the ignition switches? If so what?

Good luck!

 

[Bill D]

How is the boat wired up from the factory? Is the Connext unit fed from the house battery? Is there anything in the stereo circuit that would need the start battery, or is it all tied back to the house battery?

Answering the questions @Mainah posted will surely help. If these questions don't lead us down the right road, I would start tracing out the +12V with a DMM and see where something is missing.

 

[ndwiginton]

@ndwiginton - It sounds like you did everything right and that is a strange issue. The following series of questions should help you and us if you still need a hand to diagnose.

House battery voltage measured with a digital volt meter?
Start battery voltage measured with a digital voltmeter?
Ground to amps is connected to?
+12vdc to amps is connected to?
Remote turn on wire to amps is connected to?
Did you cut or splice any wires in the stock head unit? If so which ones?
Have you cut or spliced anything at the ignition switches? If so what?

Good luck!

Thanks, I will try and check this all out tonight and see if I can find where I either messed something up or something went wrong.

 

[MIDLIFECRISIS]

Sounds like you might need to get the house battery tested. You need to test the battery with a load tester, you battery could show voltage with a multi meter but not have the amps needed to push your radio setup.

 

[ndwiginton]

Yeah I am going to have the house battery tested this evening but the fact that the Connext screen won't even turn on unless both switches are in the ON position has me wondering if it might be something with the way I have it wired. I am going to check on all the questions @Mainah had as well. Thanks for everyone's help so far!

 

[ndwiginton]

House battery voltage measured with a digital volt meter? 12.8 volts (also had battery tested and tested good)
Start battery voltage measured with a digital voltmeter? 12.8 volts (also had battery tested and tested good)
Ground to amps is connected to? Straight to house battery terminal
+12vdc to amps is connected to? Straight to house battery terminal
Did you cut or splice any wires in the stock head unit? If so which ones? No
Have you cut or spliced anything at the ignition switches? If so what? No

We were out this weekend and happened to notice with the HOUSE batter switch in ON and the Starter switch in OFF nothing powers up just like before. But then I turned the blower ON and the Connext screen and amp powers up just like it should with one key on. Flip the blower OFF and everything goes dead again.

 

[Mainah]

@ndwiginton - The blower switch is a known "issue" in that turning it off with the keys off will shut down accessory power.

You said noting was cut or spliced from the stock stero harness. What do you have the remote turn on for the amp connected to? Also having the keys in the on position will prevent the blower switch from turning off accessory power.

 

[ndwiginton]

I'll have to look back to exactly where the remote turn on for the amp was connected to. But with both my keys ON the blower switch turns all accessory power on and off. Keys can be ON and as soon as you turn the blower OFF then everything goes dead

 

[Mainah]

I'll have to look back to exactly where the remote turn on for the amp was connected to. But with both my keys ON the blower switch turns all accessory power on and off. Keys can be ON and as soon as you turn the blower OFF then everything goes dead

Is that with both battery switches on as well? If so that is not something that should happen.

The reason both battery switches need to be on is that the start battery is supplying the red ignition switch wires with power. When the key is turned to on the +12v signal from the the start battery is what makes the accessory power turn on.