Questions: power/ground leads, LEDs, sub installs

[ATX Cobalt]

Curious where people elect to terminate their power and ground leads when adding amps to their boats. I've seen individuals on you tube connecting them directly to the battery terminals. I want my stereo to run off my house battery, but don't know if it is smarter to run the power lead to the battery switch. I've already purchased the 4 GA wire leads and looking for any help given.

In addition, I would like any recommendation on how to power the LEDs in my new kicker speakers (6 - 6.5" & 1 - 10" sub). I have two sets of unused factor leads intended for a factory amp and tower speakers I think. Should I install + and - bus bars under the stereo compartment?

I want to install my 10" sub in front of the portside seat and saw Nauti Girls pics of their install. It appears on my 2007 200 I won't have the 5" depth needed without hitting the removable carpet panel. Any inside compartment pics of how to deal with this and mount my amps in this area would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for any help given!

[okielaker]

Personally, about the only thing I want to by-pass the battery switch with would be safety
items (bilge pump comes to mind... keeping a battery from discharging won't benefit if the
boat sinks). I think even the outdrive tilt goes off when the switch is "off". The more stuff
that by-passes that switch, the more chances there are of draining a battery accidentally.

If I was going to take the stereo off the key switch (power when "on" or "acc"), I'd run it to
a spare dashboard switch that would still go dead when the battery switch was "off".

[SAB220]

If you are buying marine amp(s) suggest you check with the company for a 1 or 2 amp battery kit. All this will make sense when you open the amp kit. The amp gets power from the battery. The radio gets power from key, switch? which when you turn it On also turns the amp On which then draws amperage from the battery. Get the kit. I know Rockford has one

[Islander208]

I'm no professional by any means, but this install myself this past spring. My 220 didn't have an amp to start with. I added six 6.5" kickers with rgb LEDs, 8 channel amp, and rgb LED boat plug with remote. I did not add a sub. The carpet covered board already has the hole cut out of it for a sub (it's just covered with carpet). Look around the back side.

I bought the remote when I got the boat plug light and it came with a box which had two inputs. I used one for the speakers and one for the plug. I located the box under the port side bow seat and powered it with the wire that is run for the docking lights. It is in the anchor locker (found a picture). I see you don't have docking lights, so you could do this. I also connected the power for the amp to the battery switch and ground directly to the port side battery. Also ran all new speaker wire to the amp.

Screenshot_20190719-142410_Gallery.jpg

[Big Block Power]

Read my Nauti influenced Stereo thread too. I ran all new rgb wires. I have a rgb controller. I powered it with the curtesy light switch wire from under the helm. Then all rgb wires connected to the controller. No issues.
The carpet Normally covers the sub hole that is precut. Yours may not. Cobalt doesn't care what it looks like and just had the rear of the sub sticking out. So on this boat. I used a 1.5x1.5 or so pieces of wood and put it on the starboard side of that compartment. That gave me enough room to enclose the sub.
I ran power wires to the perko and grds to the battery. I ran constant power to the battery for the radio memory so I don't lose memory when switching the perko off.

[ATX Cobalt]

I'm no professional by any means, but this install myself this past spring. My 220 didn't have an amp to start with. I added six 6.5" kickers with rgb LEDs, 8 channel amp, and rgb LED boat plug with remote. I did not add a sub. The carpet covered board already has the hole cut out of it for a sub (it's just covered with carpet). Look around the back side.

I bought the remote when I got the boat plug light and it came with a box which had two inputs. I used one for the speakers and one for the plug. I located the box under the port side bow seat and powered it with the wire that is run for the docking lights. It is in the anchor locker (found a picture). I see you don't have docking lights, so you could do this. I also connected the power for the amp to the battery switch and ground directly to the port side battery. Also ran all new speaker wire to the amp.Screenshot_20190719-142410_Gallery.jpg

Thank you very much, the docking light plug is a great tip and I'll use it for sure.

[ATX Cobalt]

Read my Nauti influenced Stereo thread too. I ran all new rgb wires. I have a rgb controller. I powered it with the curtesy light switch wire from under the helm. Then all rgb wires connected to the controller. No issues.
The carpet Normally covers the sub hole that is precut. Yours may not. Cobalt doesn't care what it looks like and just had the rear of the sub sticking out. So on this boat. I used a 1.5x1.5 or so pieces of wood and put it on the starboard side of that compartment. That gave me enough room to enclose the sub.
I ran power wires to the perko and grds to the battery. I ran constant power to the battery for the radio memory so I don't lose memory when switching the perko off.

I saw the hole cut out with the carpet over it, but it didn't look like it was centered. How did you decide how to position your sub to hit the cut out hole? I like the idea of tucking some wood blocks behind it.

Where did you mount your amps? I'll revisit your thread too.

[ATX Cobalt]

I'm no professional by any means, but this install myself this past spring. My 220 didn't have an amp to start with. I added six 6.5" kickers with rgb LEDs, 8 channel amp, and rgb LED boat plug with remote. I did not add a sub. The carpet covered board already has the hole cut out of it for a sub (it's just covered with carpet). Look around the back side.

I bought the remote when I got the boat plug light and it came with a box which had two inputs. I used one for the speakers and one for the plug. I located the box under the port side bow seat and powered it with the wire that is run for the docking lights. It is in the anchor locker (found a picture). I see you don't have docking lights, so you could do this. I also connected the power for the amp to the battery switch and ground directly to the port side battery. Also ran all new speaker wire to the amp.Screenshot_20190719-142410_Gallery.jpg

On the docking lights plug was the yellow positive and the grey negative?

[Big Block Power]

Measure twice drill once. I'm sure the kicker dishes should fit right in. My frt speakers needed a spacer as they were too deep.

[Islander208]

I'm no professional by any means, but this install myself this past spring. My 220 didn't have an amp to start with. I added six 6.5" kickers with rgb LEDs, 8 channel amp, and rgb LED boat plug with remote. I did not add a sub. The carpet covered board already has the hole cut out of it for a sub (it's just covered with carpet). Look around the back side.

I bought the remote when I got the boat plug light and it came with a box which had two inputs. I used one for the speakers and one for the plug. I located the box under the port side bow seat and powered it with the wire that is run for the docking lights. It is in the anchor locker (found a picture). I see you don't have docking lights, so you could do this. I also connected the power for the amp to the battery switch and ground directly to the port side battery. Also ran all new speaker wire to the amp.Screenshot_20190719-142410_Gallery.jpg

On the docking lights plug was the yellow positive and the grey negative?

I believe it was opposite. Grey positive. I can double check on Sunday.