Radio cutting out

[steam_mill]

Boat has a 2003 90hp Mercury. Purchased brand new by me. Maybe 200 hours on it. Boat was also new. I have one single battery on the boat. Also from 2003.

Boat starts and runs fine. Good cranking. No issues with motor at all. Never have to charge the battery get's enough charge from use.

I used to have a basic Aquatronics am/fm cassette stereo. One 12v feed to the radio. Never used the cassette. While underway, radio used to cut out. Figured it was the radio station.

Now:

Installed a Dual am/fm/CD radio. Has two 12v feeds, one for power, another for turning it on. Installed a toggle switch off the fuse panel to run the power on. Chose not to use ignition so I can listen to the radio when floating without having power to the guages.

Radio runs fine when not underway. Never cuts out. When underway, it cuts out briefly like I flipped the toggle switch briefly. Seems to happen more at higher RPM.

I'm getting no interference. Had I not been playing a CD, I would have though that it was the radio station coming in and out.

Any ideas why it is cutting out?

Tx.


My amp gauge is always around 12-13 volts. Only drops when I trim at idle. Radio does not cut out.

Wiring is tight and if I move the wiring by hand, radio does not cut out. Radio does not loose clock or radio station settings (therefore power 12V is fine).

 

[hoeser]

Re: Radio cutting out

I would still guess overvoltage at high rpm, or some kind of vibration related short.

 

[steam_mill]

Re: Radio cutting out

I'm buying the higher output voltage not the vibration. Any suggestion on how to correct a higher output voltage? I know in a car (older cars), I would have an external voltage regulator. Any boat equivelant? Also, do I need to be concerned if I leave it as is? Will I blow the raido?


Tx.

Joe

 

[steam_mill]

Re: Radio cutting out

Any body else??

Tx.

Joe

 

[sschefer]

Re: Radio cutting out

I'm buying the higher output voltage not the vibration. Any suggestion on how to correct a higher output voltage? I know in a car (older cars), I would have an external voltage regulator. Any boat equivelant? Also, do I need to be concerned if I leave it as is? Will I blow the raido?


Tx.

Joe

12vdc regulators all do the same thing. You can use anything you want as long as you're using a flooded cell battery. If you put it between the rectifier and the battery it will regulate the voltage from the Stator. If you put it between the battery and your distribution panel it will regulate the voltage from the battery. You're looking to achieve a max of 13.5 volts with a min of 12.5v.

FYI, EIA standards for automotive and marine entertainment equipment is 8.5vdc - 18vdc without damage. Products sold in the USA must meet the standard. Voltages above that and below more comonly blow circuit protection devices but not always.

Check for loose connections at speakers. Often Speaker grounds are incorrectly run in series and this can cause speaker overload and the symptoms that you describe.

 

[Splat]

Re: Radio cutting out

Another possibility is make sure the spark plugs in your motor begin with a R. the R is for resistor, this problem can also sometimes happens in cars due to rf interference from the plugs,

Just an idea,

Bill