Speaker question

[BANKS]

Just wondering if its possible to put a switch on a speaker wire in order to be able to switch the speakers on and off?

I was thinking about puting some waterproof speakers in the tray of my ute so i can listen to music without having the windows or doors open, Is it possibile to put a switch in? or do i have to wire it up differently?

Cheers

[kopper69]

Yes you could. You would just need to tell us the details of the speakers so we can make sure there isnt too much current for the switch. Might need to use a relay.

[garfa]

pardon? too much current...???????

[BANKS]

would i be better off getting a small amp and having a switch to the remote cable rather then at the speakers? doesnt have to be anything special, as with the speakers wouldnt have a clue, does it really matter?

[benny mckellar]

i am goin to install a sub into my ute and was wondering if i could put a switch on it. if so do i put the switch befoe the amp and turn the amp off or between the amp and the sub to turn only the sub off

[Ra1d]

current lol. im pretty sure a standard on/off switch would do the trick, all it needs to do is break the pos or neg of the speaker and they will stop working. alternatively, if you are only using 1 pair of speakers in your cabin you could just have the outside speakers on the rear channel and just fade them out when you dont need em.

and yes the amp idea would work but if you dont want anything special i wouldnt bother

[Cursed CX8]

personally i would put the switch before the amp. that way it turn the amp off so it wont generate heat etc. Also if you put it inline on the speaker cable, the switch will change the impedance of the line and also create loss.

Many head units have a setting to turn the amp off, yours doesnt?

[kopper69]

If you use an amp, you will need a remote wire to turn it on. You cut this remote wire and put a switch in series which gives you the ability to turn the amp off if required.

[kopper69]

current lol. im pretty sure a standard on/off switch would do the trick, all it needs to do is break the pos or neg of the speaker and they will stop working. alternatively, if you are only using 1 pair of speakers in your cabin you could just have the outside speakers on the rear channel and just fade them out when you dont need em.

and yes the amp idea would work but if you dont want anything special i wouldnt bother

Yes current. Dont understand what your laughing at? Every switch has a current rating. Exceed the current rating and you will quickly kill the switch (as you burn the contacts so the switch wont turn on, or weld the contacts so the switch wont turn off). This is one situation where the peak power rating of the speakers may be important. Even a fairly decent switch from dick smith would only be rated at around 10A, most would be a lot lower. At 10A you can really only switch on/off a 120W speaker.

To do both speakers they would need a common ground for the both or you would need to use a DPST or DPDT switch.

[| evaN |]

At 10A you can really only switch on/off a 120W speaker

That's only correct if the speaker are getting 12volts which i'm pretty sure they don't

[Ra1d]

hence the lol?

[kopper69]

Depends how loud its turned up and the impedance of the speaker.

[UNKNOWN]

i am goin to install a sub into my ute and was wondering if i could put a switch on it. if so do i put the switch befoe the amp and turn the amp off or between the amp and the sub to turn only the sub off

Buy an equalizer for it then...

[UNKNOWN]

i am goin to install a sub into my ute and was wondering if i could put a switch on it. if so do i put the switch befoe the amp and turn the amp off or between the amp and the sub to turn only the sub off

Buy an equalizer for it then...

[BANKS]

What exactly makes a speaker waterproof? I was thinking today whats different from these:

New SOUNDSTREAM MS.693 Marine 6x9 Speakers 6 x 9 240W - eBay Car Speakers, Car Speakers Speaker Systems, Car Electronics, Consumer Electronics. (end time 27-Apr-08 05:03:21 AEST)

To these:

Pioneer TS-A6992R -6X9" 5-way Speakers 460W Max Power!! - eBay Speakers, Audio, Video, Car Parts, Accessories, Cars, Bikes, Boats. (end time 25-Apr-08 01:15:26 AEST)

Would it only essentially be that the wiring is protected from water? Its not like its going to be flooded, just if the tray gets dirty I splash some water into it

[kopper69]

Thats a good question. Just note that although that seller has advertised marine speakers, he hasnt said anything about being waterproof.

Im not sure, so I hope someone can answer this a bit better. To be waterproof I would normally expect an ugly grill over the speaker that stops water getting in. Those speakers that you have listed dont? I would also like to see a seal behind the speaker. When you install the wiring on the back of the speaker you should use heatshink - if you dont have that though you can just use some female spade crimp connectors.

[commsirac]

Just wondering if its possible to put a switch on a speaker wire in order to be able to switch the speakers on and off?

I was thinking about puting some waterproof speakers in the tray of my ute so i can listen to music without having the windows or doors open, Is it possibile to put a switch in? or do i have to wire it up differently?

Cheers

Gather you are a trady? who wants to have their music flooding the whole site where they work.....annoy the geebies out of me when they do that !
Anyway maybe you are not or dont care about that anyway?

Unless you are thinking of some serious PA speakers on the back of the ute, then yes a single low current switch can switch a pair of wires can do the job.......or as others have suggested the fader that nearly every stereo has will do it too.

You havent mentioned whether you are running your speakers just off the head unit or have a power amp at the moment. If the speakers are running off a 2 ch power amp(and you want the tray ones to be loud too), then a double pole double throw switch(think Ive got that right) will switch between the two different sets of speakers.

[BANKS]

Gather you are a trady? who wants to have their music flooding the whole site where they work.....annoy the geebies out of me when they do that !
Anyway maybe you are not or dont care about that anyway?

Unless you are thinking of some serious PA speakers on the back of the ute, then yes a single low current switch can switch a pair of wires can do the job.......or as others have suggested the fader that nearly every stereo has will do it too.

You havent mentioned whether you are running your speakers just off the head unit or have a power amp at the moment. If the speakers are running off a 2 ch power amp(and you want the tray ones to be loud too), then a double pole double throw switch(think Ive got that right) will switch between the two different sets of speakers.

No im not a trady lol i dunno i just want to have some speakers in the tray, spend alot of time outside with my car and i like music. I was just thinking about some 6x9s. Im not sure weather im going to amp them or not, probably will in the end. Thats a pretty good idea about the whole fade from front to rear, never thought of that! I'd say thats the way i'd go, not the switch.

I've asked a couple of people about the waterproof speakers with one guy answering, "i dunno cus they are"... ****ing time waster. All the rest have no idea.

[Ra1d]

6x9's in boxes would be the go id say, connected to rear channel - fade them out when you dont need em, simple. i take it you dont run any sort of tonneau if you're worried about waterproofing?