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tower/ speaker install

 
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wakeboarderr77
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PostPosted: Nov 28, 2011 9:33 pm    Post subject: tower/ speaker install Reply with quote

Tower went on quick, pretty easy install. 2 hours

Last edited by wakeboarderr77 on Dec 04, 2011 12:05 am; edited 1 time in total
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pat8839
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PostPosted: Nov 29, 2011 5:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks awesome! Run into any trouble?
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wakeboarderr77
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PostPosted: Nov 29, 2011 7:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

pat8839 wrote:
Looks awesome! Run into any trouble?

Only trouble is the bimini wont fold. But I kinda expected it. Also a little of the powdercoat peeled off from some blue painters tape i put on there. Kinda sux
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pat8839
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PostPosted: Nov 29, 2011 1:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

what was the tape used for? I actually just put this tower on my boat-I had the polished aluminum though. My bimini fits, but I have to put it up and down by attatching the front then the rear feet which is opposite of what I did before. I was happy that it still fits though and that I did not have to buy a new one!
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wakeboarderr77
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PostPosted: Nov 29, 2011 4:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

pat8839 wrote:
what was the tape used for? I actually just put this tower on my boat-I had the polished aluminum though. My bimini fits, but I have to put it up and down by attatching the front then the rear feet which is opposite of what I did before. I was happy that it still fits though and that I did not have to buy a new one!

I used the tape to temp. hold the 2 top bars, the H section, so I could drill it. The tape was on for about 10 minutes. Looks kinda crappy but I'm not taking it all apart just to return it Sad
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pat8839
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PostPosted: Nov 30, 2011 6:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I hear that! I would not go through that hassle haha. I scratched my top bars up a bit getting it all put together-it kept raining on and off as we were putting it up and my fiance didn't want to be out in the weather so we kept having to put it down without it being totally assembled. But it looks good and I am quite happy with it.
Were you able to get pretty good backing plates in there? I was amazed at how THIN the fiberglass walls are on my boat (2006 Bayliner 195) so I used as large of backing plates as I could fit inside the hull.
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Gibster786
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PostPosted: Nov 30, 2011 3:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You could always get a custom Bimini that mounts to the tower. I did that for my bayliner along time ago. Im sure you know this but I like when the bimini is much higher so you can fully walk under it. Nice job on your install. It makes the boat look way different.
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wakeboarderr77
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PostPosted: Nov 30, 2011 7:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I got the 4 exiles wired and mounted today. Not too difficult, just time consuming with the wires hidden. The Harpoon amp is mounted but not yet wired so no sound yet. The speakers are removable and spin 360 degrees. Really nice speakers I think. Maybe by the weekend I'll be able to hear them. Very Happy
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pat8839
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PostPosted: Dec 01, 2011 6:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow that looks awesome! I would like to put speakers up on mine but I am concerned that the increased weight up there may be too much! How much do those suckers weigh? I have an old amp that I could install for the time being if I got some speakers...
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wakeboarderr77
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PostPosted: Dec 01, 2011 6:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

pat8839 wrote:
Wow that looks awesome! I would like to put speakers up on mine but I am concerned that the increased weight up there may be too much! How much do those suckers weigh? I have an old amp that I could install for the time being if I got some speakers...


Each speaker weighs about 8lbs.
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pat8839
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PostPosted: Dec 02, 2011 6:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh that's not much at all! I figured they would be pretty hefty. That is good to know! What type of wire did you use?
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wakeboarderr77
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PostPosted: Dec 02, 2011 7:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

pat8839 wrote:
Oh that's not much at all! I figured they would be pretty hefty. That is good to know! What type of wire did you use?


I pulled 12g speaker wire through the tower.
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pat8839
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PostPosted: Dec 02, 2011 10:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Do you have any pics of where the wire enters your boat? I'm confused about how that part goes...How about in and out of the legs?
Thanks!
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wakeboarderr77
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PostPosted: Dec 02, 2011 11:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The thick wire is a speaker wire loom I purchased. The other 2 thin wires are for the light on the tower. I've not yet decided how to get these through the hull. Probably just through a small hole with a trim piece installed.
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pat8839
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PostPosted: Dec 02, 2011 11:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow that is a nice wire loom set up! Where did you find that lovely thing? Is it too small to run the light wires through it? I have not put the light on top of my tower yet. I am sure you ran the light wires to your electrical/fuse panel-how would I go about finding out where to connect it there?
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wakeboarderr77
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PostPosted: Dec 02, 2011 11:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

actually this is as far as I've gotten. I have no idea where to connect the wires to under the dash. Embarassed Do I add another switch? Do i attach to my other lights? Not sure. I'll figure it out this weekend though. Smile
I purchased the wire loom with the tower but they are available at pretty much anywhere that sells the tower speakers i believe.
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pat8839
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PostPosted: Dec 02, 2011 12:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Haha sounds like you are in the same boat as me! I have the stern light on a long pole that goes into the socket on the back of my boat and I imagine if I were to wire up the light to go on top of my tower, it would replace my current stern light (I don't think you should have 2). I guess I need to try and find a wiring diagram of my boat to see where it is wired in, and I would swap out the tower light wires for the current stern light wires...By doing this your current on/off/on switch would allow you to use the tower light as your running light and anchor light.

Thanks for the info on the speakers, you have me very interested in doing that now!!
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pat8839
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PostPosted: Dec 02, 2011 1:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just curious-is your bimini going to fit under your speakers? Now that I think of it, my bimini clears my tower by only about an inch!
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wakeboarderr77
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PostPosted: Dec 02, 2011 4:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

pat8839 wrote:
Just curious-is your bimini going to fit under your speakers? Now that I think of it, my bimini clears my tower by only about an inch!

yea. the bimini fits, i just cant fold it. so it's on or off.
Thats a great idea. I'll just trace the wires to the pole socket and hook in there. Very Happy
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wakeboarderr77
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PostPosted: Dec 03, 2011 3:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yep. I just left the wires to the pole mount light but spliced into them. Works great. The pole socket still works but wont be used.
Thanks for the idea.
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wakeboarderr77
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PostPosted: Dec 04, 2011 12:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Got everything wired up and running today. The speaker/amp install was much easier than i anticipated. It's working and sounding awesome. I'll need to tune the amp but otherwise it's all good to go.

Thanks to Brian at Exile Audio for the installation assistance.
Very Happy
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MobiusLSV
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PostPosted: Dec 04, 2011 11:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been running the SXT65's and Harpoon amp for a couple seasons now and love them. Going to get the swivel/removal brackets for next season as I have to remove them for winter storage. It's nice to have a nice sounding/looking tower setup that can be heard at 70-80' clearly without breaking the bank or giving up headroom.
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pat8839
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PostPosted: Dec 05, 2011 5:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Glad you got it all working! Were you able to take her out on the water this weekend for tower test?
Did your existing switch work with the tower light ok? Guess that is what I will do one of these days...
Your set up looks great, those speakers look sweet on the tower. Did you get the mirror too?
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wakeboarderr77
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PostPosted: Dec 05, 2011 7:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

pat8839 wrote:
Glad you got it all working! Were you able to take her out on the water this weekend for tower test?
Did your existing switch work with the tower light ok? Guess that is what I will do one of these days...
Your set up looks great, those speakers look sweet on the tower. Did you get the mirror too?


Yes. I got the mirror and the racks and a flag holder. The switch works fine, i didn't even touch it, i just spliced the lines in the boat under the rear tower foot. No test yet. I've got the boat here in CA to do the work but it lives in AZ. I'll get it out xmas time no matter how cold it is Very Happy
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pat8839
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PostPosted: Dec 05, 2011 9:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's good! Sounds like the wiring was pretty simple them which is good news. How did you wind up getting the light wiring into the boat? I have to drill another hole in the boat don't I? Rolling Eyes
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wakeboarderr77
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PostPosted: Dec 05, 2011 3:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

pat8839 wrote:
How did you wind up getting the light wiring into the boat? I have to drill another hole in the boat don't I? Rolling Eyes


HAHA yep. But once you've drilled 1, it seems
easier!
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pat8839
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PostPosted: Dec 06, 2011 4:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ha I guess you are right. That 4th foot hole for the tower was a lot easier than the first. My fiance looked at me when I was bracing myself for the first hole saying "what's wrong???" She just didn't get it!

How did you finish the hole for the light wiring? I'm guessing that you could not get it to run along with the big black wire that your speakers were with huh?
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wakeboarderr77
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PostPosted: Dec 06, 2011 6:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

pat8839 wrote:


How did you finish the hole for the light wiring? I'm guessing that you could not get it to run along with the big black wire that your speakers were with huh?


No it wouldn't fit thru the same hole. I just drilled yet another hole right next to the speaker wire and passed the wires thru. A dab of white silicone and it looks great.
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pat8839
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PostPosted: Dec 07, 2011 5:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Did you put anything around the hole in the tower leg where the wires exit the leg? I have heard of people using some sort of gasket to protect the wires from getting frayed by the sharp metal edge, but I have no idea where to get this said gasket...You have inspired me to attempt to tackle this light this weekend!
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wakeboarderr77
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PostPosted: Dec 11, 2011 7:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

No, I just made the hole large enough so it wouldn't damage the wire from vibration.
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pat8839
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PostPosted: Feb 13, 2012 8:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

How did you get the anchor light wires run through the tower? I can't do it, I am stuck!! Please help!
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