2003 330 Express Speaker Wiring

[pelagicmagic]

Hi folks. My port hardtop speaker quit working and debugging it led to finding out the wire has an open somewhere out of sight and so far....out of reach. Does anybody know the route of the wire between the hardtop speakers and the cabin stereo area? I cram my head under the stereo and I see the wires heading up and then aft along the port side. I see the wires exiting the hardtop electronics box and heading down the inside of my hardtop strut toward the helm electronics enclosure. I don't see a cabin access other than the breaker panel - which I did pull and found no speaker wiring anywhere in sight. I also raised the helm electronics ram and opened the inspection plates there and saw no hint of speaker wires. Where did those GradyGuys hide my speaker wires and did they give me any access to them or should I get out a torch and start melting the boat into small puddles until a wire shows up? I do have the original wiring diagram that infers they pass behind the breaker panel but......maybe they're in the headliner? And if so, is that a rip down and reglue event? Thanks for any insight.

 

[Off the Hook]

Pelagicmagic,

While I have not messed with the stereo system in my 33, I did have to replace the rudder indicator on my autopilot. In doing so, I learned GW uses many access panels which are removable. I say this because you mentioned the headliner and I believe the softer part of the headliner are actually panels that are screwed on. Take a look at yours and if they are, I would start by removing those and taking a look.

On a second note, are you replacing/adding speakers. I really want to equip the boat with JL Audio equipment, but need to figure out where i would put some speakers within the cockpit. Any suggestions?

 

[BillBones]

My port hardtop speaker quit working and debugging it led to finding out the wire has an open somewhere out of sight and so far....out of reach.

Since you've determined there's a break in the wire that's causing the speaker problem, you can take a length of new wire and tie it to the old wire. Then carefully pull the old wire out while pulling the new wire in. It may help to put tape on the knot so it doesn't snag as you pull it through. Good luck!

 

[pelagicmagic]

Responding to the two replies - thanks for the replies, I did replace my two hardtop speakers with Polk audio 5" marine speakers and I got them online at Sonic Audio for a fair price. I'm not adding any. I did look at taking down my headliner. There are no screws nor do there appear to be any clips where you can pop it off like some auto interior.
I will try the "attach a new wire and pull it through" method next. Should be interesting or depressing or both. :bang

 

[pelagicmagic]

Just a follow up, the nice folks at Grady got back to me with this response which I will be exploring this weekend -
Hello Mike,
I shared you email with our product engineer and here’s his response.” The harness enters the deck from the hardtop leg. There is an access door under the stbd side helm seat. There is a plug inside that inspection plate connecting the deck harness and the hardtop harness. The deck harness runs from there forward around the bow and back along the port gunnel. The harness reenters the cockpit on the port side behind the plastic cockpit deck wing insert just aft of the cabin door. There is another harness plug there connecting the deck harness to the galley cabinet harness. The cabinet harness travels from there behind the cabinet to the stereo. The stereo has a plug connecting it to the cabinet harness. Anyone of those spots could have a pin somehow damaged in one of the plugs. Or if anything has been added to the outboard flat on either side of the forward section of the deck they could have hit the harness there.” Hope this information is helpful.
Best Regards,
Carolyn Ray
Customer Relations
Grady White Boats
252-830-8600

 

[BillBones]

Well that certainly complicates things. But at least you know where the wiring path is. Good luck!

 

[everwhom]

Just out of curiosity, how did you determine there is an open wire? Did you disconnect the stereo and measure the resistance of the speaker circuit? (Presumably 8 ohms or 4 ohms depending on the speaker). Or did you swap out speakers?

Joe

 

[pelagicmagic]

I started by swapping the speakers and then started doing resistance measurements from anywhere I could access the wires. I'll be measuring from the access panel under the starboard helm area seating next, just haven't got back to the boat yet.