Stereo wiring question?

[JMatyas]

I bought a stereo and four speakers and plan to install it using a separate battery. My question is what battery is best to power this? A deep cycle or standard and how big? Group 24 if I go deep cycle? Obviously bigger better but what is everyone else using? Also as far as the wiring. Should I use a fuse block and wire it to this? The red "accessory wire" goes directly to the + on the battery or what switched 12v source? The yellow "memory wire" goes directly to the battery?

I guess my main question is about the red wire and the "switched 12v source"? Can someone walk me through this installation?

[dougmcp]

Unless you install some kind of switch to turn the radio on and off, the one on the radio will do the same thing.
If you're using a separate battery, wire the yellow and red together and run through a fuse to the positive side of the battery. Wire the black wire to the negative side of the same battery and you're done.
Nothing on an electric cart grounds to the frame, ever.

[mikesmotortoys]

WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you tie the red and yellow together and run to a power source, then the radio will never completely shut off. Your battery will be dead in less than a week! Been there, done that MANY times. Z400 did it to and rudely dissed all our help.

Bring your main power up and SPLIT IT. Run one of the split power wires to a switch, then out of the switch to the red wire (ignition) on the radio. The other power wire goes directly to the stereo Yellow wire (battery). If you are running a power / hidden antenae, then that ALSO needs to get its power from the "switchable" power.

As stated above, FUSE the power wire and NEVER ground to the frame.

Trust me on this one...

[dougmcp]

WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A LITTLE LONGER.......throwing up the, could be BS flag here
The red wire on the stereo is the main power to the unit and it will function with this wire alone. Turning the stereo off disconnects this power. Without the yellow wire attached you will lose all your presets.
The yellow wire is the standby memory that remembers the station presets, audio settings and the time setting. If there is any power draw on the battery it is from this portion only.
The amperage draw from the memory is .006 amps which is insignificant unless you leave it connected for a month or so. A 225AH battery will last at least 26 days at a constant .006 amp draw before it is at 20% of charge. Think of when you don't start your car for a week or two, the memory in your car stereo, engine computer, power locks and your alarm system is always on and somehow the car will start.
If you are running a power antenna or amplifier, it is activated by the blue wire that is switched on when the power button is turned on and turned off when the power button is off.

[mikesmotortoys]

I posted how we wire them up. If you tie the red and yellow together (in our applications), it causes the battery to go dead. Even the removeable faceplate stereos with the face plate removed goes dead this way. Since we have been wiring stereo's this way, we have not had one come back with a dead battery - and we do at least 50 stereo's a year. Not saying Doug is wrong, but just how we have found works best with the equipment we install...

Oh yeah - use proper butt connectors - don't twist the wire together and cover with electrical tape I can't tell you haw many 'repairs' we do that are installed this way

[dougmcp]

we have found works best with the equipment we install...

A guy can't argue with that. I would think after doing that many stereos, you know what works for carts.
JMatyas, if your new at wiring stereos, listen to Mike's advice, it's all good.

For me on the other hand, it's back to the laboratory....

[mikesmotortoys]

Originally Posted by dougmcp

A guy can't argue with that. I would think after doing that many stereos, you know what works for carts.
JMatyas, if your new at wiring stereos, listen to Mike's advice, it's all good.

For me on the other hand, it's back to the laboratory....

[monkey-1]

Also, BE SURE to fuse the power wires!! Stereos are fused in auto applications at the car fuse panel. Golf carts don't normally fuse panels so add an inline fuse on both the power wires to protect your investment.

[JMatyas]

"Bring your main power up and SPLIT IT. Run one of the split power wires to a switch, then out of the switch to the red wire (ignition) on the radio. The other power wire goes directly to the stereo Yellow wire (battery). If you are running a power / hidden antenae, then that ALSO needs to get its power from the "switchable" power"

So prior to turning on the radio, I will have to turn on a separate switch to power up.

[gstoneberg]

Originally Posted by mikesmotortoys

...As stated above, FUSE the power wire and NEVER ground to the frame.

Trust me on this one...

Mike,

Do you keep the 12v ground off the frame for all applications? I knew the 36v pack should always be isolated but assumed the 12v battery I put in for lights, etc could be frame grounded. Is that wrong?

Thanks,
George