Hardwiring Speakers

[david7]

This is the back of my Bose computer speakers that I use on my boat. So to me it looks like they're already 12v and so I'm wondering if I cut the power cable before the box...



Will I be able to wire this directly to a switch on my panel? Does anyone see anything that could go wrong with this plan or should it be pretty straight forward? Thanks.

[Brilliant Sea]

It will work, but add an inline fuse, prolly 10amp.

[djmarchand]

Yes it should work. To be safe put a small in line fuse near where you tie it into the boat's DC system. Or wire it to a small 10 amp breaker. That looks like 18 gauge wire from the brick and you need to protect it with a 10 amp breaker.

David

[Lake-Effect]

That wire looks smaller than AWG#18.... It's probably #24 internally or smaller.

If you're only powering the speaker unit, you can fuse for less, since its rated current draw is only 1.8A . I would use a 3A or 4A fast fuse, or a 2A slow-blow, or maybe a 2 to 5A DC breaker. Locate the fuse or breaker at the panel, not at the speaker end.

[david7]

Thanks for the help. I was able to get them wired to their own switch on the breaker panel yesterday no problem. I don't know why I put off re-doing all this wiring for so long...it's so easy.

[smac999]

you'd have to know which one was pos and neg. the wires are probably both black. you'd need a multi meter to test it before hooking it up

[david7]

They were red and black...I'm listening to the right now. But I just wired my anchor light to the panel and it keeps flipping the 15amp breaker. Any ideas on where to start troubleshooting that.

[mrm]

Originally Posted by david7

But I just wired my anchor light to the panel and it keeps flipping the 15amp breaker. Any ideas on where to start troubleshooting that.

Any possibility of that light having a short to ground?
Did you try to reverse polarity (swap wires)?
Is it a LED or classic light.

[david7]

When you say short to ground do you mean just a short somewhere in the ground wire? It's a standard light. Could switching the polarity actually make a difference?

[mrm]

Yes, it might. If one side of a bulb holder (socket) is electrically connected to the light mounts (and assuming mast is metal and grounded) then polarity is important.

Other possibility is a positive (plus) wire touching a grounded metal somewhere else.

Tripping 15A breaker suggests you have a dead short in the circuit somewhere after the breaker.

[ozskipper]

YEs you can cut it. Or you can keep it and simply buy one of those plugs from the local electronics store and make your own Tinned Cable version. Just remember the fuse as others suggest.

[ozskipper]

DONT use a Ten amp fuse as others have suggested, unless you want a fire. 2amp max

[david7]

So it's a wood mast and doesn't touch metal anywhere but I'll try reversing polarity when I get back to the boat. Hopefully it's not a problem at the light.

[Fiveslide]

Swap the breaker for another one. They fail occasionally.

Sent from my SCH-S738C using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[david7]

I did plug it into a different breaker but it flipped that one too.