I have a 2250 with the "GPS Accessory switches. 3 switches on the rt side of the dash GPS. I'm wiring in a amp for the stereo and I want to use one of these switches. I have no power on any of the switches.
Does anyone know how to get the power to the switch panel?
I want to use the switch for battery power to my amp since there is no bus bar or any other place to get power from under the helm. (I'm not splicing wires if I don't have to).
The battery switch has 2 male spade terminaled wire (red and black) but there isn't any power to them.
Unless you are talking "amp signal", there is absolutely no way to safely power your amp off a accessory switch. An amp needs a (fused) direct feed from battery for power.
The wire for those switches aren't thick enough. Should be at least a 10 gauge wire and the switches won't handle the amperage draw. We're trying to explain why you shouldn't do it. But it's your boat.
I wouldn't be tapping into any power under the helm. That is MY opinion. As stated, you can do whatever you like, but the only wire even remotely an option in my opinion (although I would not do it) is the main line that Bennington runs. Of course if you want to eliminate ground hum, you also should be running a ground all the way to the battery. It is a very small amp so I know it seems like a lot of work, but I wouldn't want to cause any problems with my warranty.
The switched power that tells your amp to turn on when the radio does is USUALLY the blue wire from the deck.
My dealer just told me how "They" run the wiring and to pull 12v off the circuit breaker and that there are several unused grounds to attach to under the helm.
I'm going to take another look at it this weekend.
Latest update, I located all the wires and connectors from all the accessory switches and I connected my amp and all works great. I wired it into the same accessory switch that powers up the radio and gps. That switch had spare wires in the loom to add other accerories.
The problem that I ran into was that whoever make the wiring looms for Bennington screwed up.
There is a 4 way flat weather pack connector that's wired wrong (the wire don't line up when connected).
Thankfully, I have the proper tools (Guys, I did this for a living) to take the connector apart and move the wires to their proper position in the connector so they line up.
Then all the accessory switch will power up. I'll then move the wires to a different switch so I can power up the amp independently from the main accessory switch.
I know the pic is blurry, but maybe you'll see what I'm talking about.
