Tower Wiring

[extremeh2o]

I have a 2002 20V that I'm getting ready to add tower speakers to. Does anyone have an recommendations for getting the wiring through the deck so I can route it to the amp? The tower has predrilled holes with grommets that I can run the wire through, but once I come out of the tower leg, I need some ideas. Thanks!

[flackpack]

Take the wiring out the tower leg and through the top deck. You will need to drill a hole which isn't fun to do on your beautiful boat. First mark your spot about 2" - 4" away from the tower leg. cover the spot with Masking tape and re-mark (this keeps the top gel layer from showing cracks), Run your drill bit in reverse on the mark until you have worn through the top layer (more prevention for keeping cracks away). Then once you have a good start put the bit in forward and drill through. Sand with some mid grade paer to clean your edge and wire it through. I suggest either Shrink tube on the wires or wire loom cover with grommets.

[ssrgeoff]

Flackpak,
Did you add the speakers yourself or is that how the wires are ran from the dealer? Just curious, I thought that you can run the wire loom right down the bottom of the tower and into the boat. I ordered mine with the cans up top aleady so I am just trying to get an idea.

[Dents]

What kind of tower do you have? Depending on the type of tower, I can shown you some ways of doing it without drilling a visable hole in the deck... I'll attatch some pics tonight or tomorrow for you...

[flackpack]

I have a Phat Budde tower. I ran the wires myself. I went to the Tige' dealer in S. CA, and looked at the boats he had on the floor that were wired with this tower and copied it excatly. The Phat Budde tower is very strong and heavy, so the anchor points sort of force you to run the wires through the deck. Then as they run through the tower, you have 3 sections you need to run in and out of the tower to avoid pinchpoints.

[extremeh2o]

I've got the Metcraft tower on my boat. Naturally, I would like to minimize the holes I drill in my boat - but I'll have to do what it takes to get the wires through, I suppose.

[Dents]

extremeh2o,
can you post a picture of where the tower leg attatches to the deck... and I will post a picture of mine to show how I did it by drilling a hole thru the middle of the base plate...

[ssrgeoff]

I guess mine will be the same as yours Flackpak. Since its the same dealer. I dont ever remember seeing that before...

[extremeh2o]

Here is the best pic that I have of my tower leg. There is a grommet to take the wire back into the tower after going around the folding hinge. However, this would seem pointless unless the base plate had a hole to take it through the deck.

[Dents]

It would have been better for them to run it down the front leg instead of the back leg but I guess its too late for that. That is a very thick base to drill thru so you might have to do it like flackpack's picture but just be careful!!!!!

[extremeh2o]

I agree - it would have made things easier to go down the front. However, on this tower the front legs have hinges to fold for storage and so the wiring wouldn't be able to route that way. Not my favorite tower design by far.

[xpjim1]

I have the same boat and tower. The wire reenters the lower tower and goes thru a hole in the baseplate. No additional holes in the deck. I would take pictures but my boat is at the dealer being serviced.

[extremeh2o]

So this hole is already in the base plate? I won't have to drill one myself?

[lee]

The hole is in the base plate but might not be in the deck of the boat.

[djdc]

Flackpack, What size wire did you use for your speakers. 16,14 or 12 awg

[flackpack]

I ran 12 AWG. It was tougher to pull, but I felt it would have less impedence. I am running only two 6.5" speakers, but I ran enough wire to add 2 more in the future.

[burr]

Been searching to find a thread with this info and finally found this.

I have the same tower as extremeh2o and am about to install tower speakers kicker kmt6. I am chasing pictures of how people have run their speaker wires for this tower.

So guys post them up and I would also like to see photos of stereo installs into boats similar to mine (I have a 2003 20v Aussie built)

Bit of a hijack I know but the thread is four years old

[Waterski-Rebel]

I have the 2004 metcraft tower, and there is a hole on the bottom of the tower mount that goes through the deck, and into the boat behind the seat. You may want to try and remove the seat if possible, and see if you have the same hole. Mine was pre-drilled.

[burr]

Is that on the left side of the boat waterski-rebel.

I can see the predrilled hole in the top part of the tower on both sides. Haven't yet looked for a hole in the bottom plate of the tower leg yet. I cannot see a hole in the bottom tower leg to feed the wire back into after coming out of the predrilled hole in the top part of the tower ie around the hinge.

Does anyone's tower have a predrilled hole going into the bottom tower leg.

[Waterski-Rebel]

I used the one on the drivers side, I assume there is a hole on both sides, but don't know for sure.

[lee]

There is a hole in the tower base plate, just unbolt the tower drill hole in the boat run the wire thru the deck and the short part of the tower then attach the tower back to the boat.