"Boat" Wiring Diagram for the Radio?

[jimmyk102]

I just purchased my first boat - 90 Supra Conbrio w/ 485 hours - senior owner. Appears that the radio fell out on the previous owner and I really have not gotton to this project yet, however if you look in the compartment there are many wires just hanging in there FROM the boat TO the radio. Would anybody have a wiring diagram for the BOAT itself. I will be upgrading radio, speakers, & XM in the spring & any help or direction would be greatly appreciated. I don't want to expirement with a new radio as to what color is what. Thanks.

[stinky_1]

should be pretty easy to figure out though. More than half those wires will be for speakers. Turn the boat on and meter them out till you find power. Then you can ohm out the rest to get your speaker pairs.

I am not sure if Supra stuck to a wiring scheme on these. A lot of boats from this era used whatever color wire was on the roll at the time. So making a standard wiring diagram could be difficult.

[mapleleaf]

Ditto to Stinky"s idea, I had the same problem on my '90 Conbrio. Bought the wiring harness that went with my new head unit and traced back the wires in the boat. If you're redoing your speakers you might as well pull new wire to them. Truth be told I still have the front and rear speakers reversed to the stereo, I just have to remember that when I'm messing with the EQ!!!!!
If anyone has the original mounting box that our gen. boats radio's came in, I'd love to see a pic. Mine had broken through the glove box......

[jonyb]

Do like they said and find the power wires first. 12V constant, switched 12V, then ground. Once you've found that, you'll need speakers. You can use a battery (14.4V or under) to pop the speakers. When you find it and need the polarity, the speaker should push out when you have the + and - correct.

[jimmyk102]

I appreciate the direction from all. I will pick up a wiring harness for the radio @ purchase. Like Mapleleaf, my radio has broke through the plastic mounting box/glove box and would love to get my hands on a replacement one. I have other boat priorities before the radio, yet the radio slowly getting to the top 5 boat-to-list items. Labor of love. Mapleleaf sent you a PM.

[sybrmike]

Check the library here for the User's Manual. The manual for our era included a pretty detailed wiring schematic.

[jet]

Buy one of these (@ radio shack) and install it on the side wall where your left knee goes so you can reach it while driving and your passenger can reach it too. Then Its a short distance to the amps up in the nose. Jet

Lets see some pic's of that 90"..

[jet]

Opps..saw them on your albums..

[mapleleaf]

I don't know what the original bracket looked like, I sorta cheese balled some out of some cherry I had....2 yrs in they're holding up great, just not that attractive......

[mapleleaf]

Buy one of these (@ radio shack) and install it on the side wall where your left knee goes so you can reach it while driving and your passenger can reach it too. Then Its a short distance to the amps up in the nose. Jet

Lets see some pic's of that 90"..

Jet, buy one of what??? I wanna see it.......

[jet]

oops, here you go. I paid like $19??

http://www.bizrate.com/car-accessories/metra-99-9000-universal-under-dash-housing--pid347748572/

[DAFF]

While you are at it, replace the 3 position key with a 4 position. Very simple project and will fall in line with the radio upgrade. This way you can have the radio on and nothing else, simpily by turning the key. Much less drain on the system while parked on the water listening to the radio.

Always use quality shrinkable but connectors or a sodering gun and shrink tube !!!