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williamskfw

Speaker Size in 234 FS

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Just wanted to add an update for anyone reading this. I ordered Polk/MoMo 6.5" speakers to replace the factory speakers and they were to small. The local shop (Creative Car Audio) that I had do the install said that the actual size is 6.75". The JL audio 6.5" would not work either but they had a pair of Kicker Marine 6.5" that were actually the larger size and fit just like the factory speakers. The shop did an excellent job on the install. They also added a Kicker 700.5(?) Amp, 10" JL marine sub, Optima BlueTop battery, ACR/Battery switch. The systems sounds great!! Now I just need warm weather!!!

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Just wanted to add an update for anyone reading this. I ordered Polk/MoMo 6.5" speakers to replace the factory speakers and they were to small. The local shop (Creative Car Audio) that I had do the install said that the actual size is 6.75". The JL audio 6.5" would not work either but they had a pair of Kicker Marine 6.5" that were actually the larger size and fit just like the factory speakers. The shop did an excellent job on the install. They also added a Kicker 700.5(?) Amp, 10" JL marine sub, Optima BlueTop battery, ACR/Battery switch. The systems sounds great!! Now I just need warm weather!!!

 

 

Sounds like a nice setup. I'd love to do something similar but don't have the room on my 180FS - not quite sure where I'd mount the equipment without giving up valuable storage space.

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In the cabinet on the wall forward of the helm.  The sub was mounted on the helm wall down by the kick plate.  Really worked out well.

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I upgraded the old Kenwood stereo in my 254FS with a new Fusion Audio system. It included a new stereo receiver, 4 x 6.5" Fusion speakers along with a 400 watt Fusion power amp and a 10" Fusion sub and new remotes at the helm and stern locations. The power amp was installed behind the helm station and the sub was installed in the empty space in the starboard sink cabinet. Killer sound. I also added a Sirius XM Radio receiver.

 

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Thanks for the replies!

So the amp is mounted opposite side of the head unit. Currently, all my speaker wires run into the door that opens to the toilet and connect directly to the Kenwood head unit via the harness adapter. I was wondering if I could do this job myself...this would require rerouting all the speaker wires to the amp and finding a way to run RCA cables from the head unit to the amp clear across to the starboard side of the boat. How does one accomplish that?? Not to mention running power to the amp from the batteries. Yikes!

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You can mount the amp on either side... My amp is mounted on the passenger side on the back wall of the porti poti and the wires from the stereo run down and back. You can access those wires by removing the front seat and reaching back. Optional for more room to work fishing those wires is to remove a panel secured to the floor etc with L brackets and phillips screws.  A 1" hole is what Monterey used to bring the wires into the porti potti area and hook up to the amp. (See Pic Below)  This is Exactly how Monterey does it when you buy a 234 with the Exile Amp package to power the wake board tower speakers. My boat came this way, but I added a sub in the drivers side helm, thus the need to run a speaker wire to the other side of the boat.

I installed a large Rockford Fosgate 12" sub in the drivers side helm, and ran new speaker wire from the existing amp on passenger side to the helm on drivers side, by taking the wires to the front of the boat, then back to the drivers helm. Not only did I run new speaker wire, I also replaced the control wire for my remote head unit control as it was non working when I bought the boat. While I was fishing wires, I replaced the RCA cables from the stereo to the amp with high quality RCA wires, as well as added a Rockford fosgate bluetooth module, so I can now stream music from my phone to the Original outdated head unit. :-)  The reason I keep the old Kenwood head unit, is I get free XM Satellite radio! Love it when boating as I always have perfect reception and a zillion channels, and it's $120 xm subscription that works year in / out for FREE. :-)

Here's a few tips on how I ran the wires...

I ran a guide cable (Fish wire) from the stereo to the front passenger storage area to be sure I could reach it, then used that guide cable to pull the new RCA cables and remote control unit cable thru the console to the under the seat area. It's definitely tight, but I managed after a few back / forths.  Once you get the wires to the front under seat storage area, you can run them into the porti potti area to amp, or pull them forward and across to the drivers side.  I ran the new RCA cables to the existing Exile amp, and the new speaker wire for my sub from the amp to the front under seat storage area on the passenger side. I then pulled the wire to the front of the boat, and reached from the drivers side under seat area and pulled the wires across. Since I like STEALTH installs, I took up all the slack in the wires, and tucked them up under the TOP inside lip (shortest distance) and secured with all weather duct tape after cleaning the surface with rubbing alcohol. There's no chance of snagging any of the wires pulling gear in / out of the storage area this way. I ran all the wires tucked under that lip down the drivers side and then down to the floor, where I found a gap going into the storage area of the helm. I pulled up a carpet edge to better find the gap leading into the large storage area in the drivers helm.

You can run the amp power wire up either side of the boat from the batteries depending on where you mount the amp. Monterey chose the passenger side rear wall. Had I installed the amp, I would have chosen the drivers side as the door opens nicely to access the back wall of the helm. Either way, when running a new power wire, be sure to use a quality inline fuse directly AT the battery to prevent the power wire from catching fire IF shorted. You can remove the rear speakers on either side if needed to help fish your new power wire up wither side of the boat. I ran a thick 8 gauge wire direct from a 30 amp fuse on the battery to the drivers helm. I ran the wire across the back of the boat in the engine bay zip tied to existing loomed wiring, to the drivers side... I then used a 8 ft fishing pole with the eyelets removed to Fish the power wire up to the side of the drivers helm where I was able to reach it and pull it into the helm area. The existing fuse box is already here, but I wanted 8 gauge power wire as I plan to eventually swap out my sub for a self powered sub, and I also wanted direct battery power for some extra accessories such as my iphone charger, Q-beam light etc...

It wasn't all that hard to do, but it did take me several hours while figuring it all out, and making it completely STEALTH and bullet proof. If your a hands on guy you'll have no problem.

IMG_6512.JPG

IMG_6513.JPG

IMG_6516.JPG

IMG_6701.jpg

IMG_6175.JPG

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Hello wirth315,

I like your set up and the tower too! Since my post, I've already had everything installed. Amp and sub on helm side; ran RCAs from head unit through head compartment, around bow and back to helm. The 4ga power/ ground wires were much easier to fish to the battery area.

Amp_Sub.jpg

Batts.jpg

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On 2/11/2019 at 11:24 AM, wirth315 said:

You can mount the amp on either side... My amp is mounted on the passenger side on the back wall of the porti poti and the wires from the stereo run down and back. You can access those wires by removing the front seat and reaching back. Optional for more room to work fishing those wires is to remove a panel secured to the floor etc with L brackets and phillips screws.  A 1" hole is what Monterey used to bring the wires into the porti potti area and hook up to the amp. (See Pic Below)  This is Exactly how Monterey does it when you buy a 234 with the Exile Amp package to power the wake board tower speakers. My boat came this way, but I added a sub in the drivers side helm, thus the need to run a speaker wire to the other side of the boat.

I installed a large Rockford Fosgate 12" sub in the drivers side helm, and ran new speaker wire from the existing amp on passenger side to the helm on drivers side, by taking the wires to the front of the boat, then back to the drivers helm. Not only did I run new speaker wire, I also replaced the control wire for my remote head unit control as it was non working when I bought the boat. While I was fishing wires, I replaced the RCA cables from the stereo to the amp with high quality RCA wires, as well as added a Rockford fosgate bluetooth module, so I can now stream music from my phone to the Original outdated head unit. :-)  The reason I keep the old Kenwood head unit, is I get free XM Satellite radio! Love it when boating as I always have perfect reception and a zillion channels, and it's $120 xm subscription that works year in / out for FREE. :-)

Here's a few tips on how I ran the wires...

I ran a guide cable (Fish wire) from the stereo to the front passenger storage area to be sure I could reach it, then used that guide cable to pull the new RCA cables and remote control unit cable thru the console to the under the seat area. It's definitely tight, but I managed after a few back / forths.  Once you get the wires to the front under seat storage area, you can run them into the porti potti area to amp, or pull them forward and across to the drivers side.  I ran the new RCA cables to the existing Exile amp, and the new speaker wire for my sub from the amp to the front under seat storage area on the passenger side. I then pulled the wire to the front of the boat, and reached from the drivers side under seat area and pulled the wires across. Since I like STEALTH installs, I took up all the slack in the wires, and tucked them up under the TOP inside lip (shortest distance) and secured with all weather duct tape after cleaning the surface with rubbing alcohol. There's no chance of snagging any of the wires pulling gear in / out of the storage area this way. I ran all the wires tucked under that lip down the drivers side and then down to the floor, where I found a gap going into the storage area of the helm. I pulled up a carpet edge to better find the gap leading into the large storage area in the drivers helm.

You can run the amp power wire up either side of the boat from the batteries depending on where you mount the amp. Monterey chose the passenger side rear wall. Had I installed the amp, I would have chosen the drivers side as the door opens nicely to access the back wall of the helm. Either way, when running a new power wire, be sure to use a quality inline fuse directly AT the battery to prevent the power wire from catching fire IF shorted. You can remove the rear speakers on either side if needed to help fish your new power wire up wither side of the boat. I ran a thick 8 gauge wire direct from a 30 amp fuse on the battery to the drivers helm. I ran the wire across the back of the boat in the engine bay zip tied to existing loomed wiring, to the drivers side... I then used a 8 ft fishing pole with the eyelets removed to Fish the power wire up to the side of the drivers helm where I was able to reach it and pull it into the helm area. The existing fuse box is already here, but I wanted 8 gauge power wire as I plan to eventually swap out my sub for a self powered sub, and I also wanted direct battery power for some extra accessories such as my iphone charger, Q-beam light etc...

It wasn't all that hard to do, but it did take me several hours while figuring it all out, and making it completely STEALTH and bullet proof. If your a hands on guy you'll have no problem.

IMG_6512.JPG

IMG_6513.JPG

IMG_6516.JPG

IMG_6701.jpg

IMG_6175.JPG

How did you install the Bluetooth adapter did you get a kenwood converter to 3.5mm then plug that into the device or did you use the RCA that came with the adapter?

thanks

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