How to: Install Transom Remote (with pictures)

[Nitrousbird]

After doing some research I didn't find any good articles on doing this. Some basic stuff to get you by, but nothing step-by-step. This article will describe installing the Alpine MC10 setup, connected to an Alpine iDA-X100M head unit. The MC10 is identical to the current MC20 except it won’t do dual-zone volume controls (which the X100M head unit doesn’t have, so it made sense to save money and get the MC10).

 

The hardest part of the job is choosing where you want to mount the MC1 control unit. I decided not to go below the rub rail for 3 reasons: damage from hitting it with a wakeboard, constant beatings from the water, and not protected by the cover when not in use. I chose to go as far over as I did to prevent hitting it when getting in/out of the boat.

 

Let's get to it:

http://img808.imageshack.us/img808/3710/dsc03019w.jpg

 

Tools you will need:

- Drill

- 2" Hole Saw

- Wire crimpers

- Wire cutters

- 7mm deep well socket and ratchet. 7mm wrench would also work

- Phillips screw driver

- Vacuum to sweep up the fiberglass dust from inside the boat

 

Materials you will need:

- Red butt connectors (at least 3)

- Red ring terminals (at least 2)

- Either a yellow butt connector or wire taps to tie into the ACC power line

- Blue painters tape

- Silicone sealant (I just used some stuff I had laying around – I’m sure there are a lot of products out there better than what I used)

- Wire. I didn't do the "right" thing here, but in my opinion it works out great. I had 16awg in-wall speaker wire from when I wired my home theater. It is a twisted pair with a jacket. It works perfectly - protection with the outside jacket for the inside wires, bigger gauge wire than the rest of the Alpine wiring.

- Paper towels / rags to clean up the fiberglass dust and silicone

- Small piece of sand paper – I used 80 grit, but anything from 50 – 200 should work just fine.

 

Here is where I chose to mount the remote. Make sure there is nothing you may drill into behind your intended hole (carpet, wiring harness, fuel vent tube, etc.). Mine was free and clear.

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/5484/dsc03017u.jpg

 

Now let’s tape it off. We do this to help prevent chipping the gel coat when drilling, as well to help prevent accidentally scratching the gel coat while working in the area with the drill.

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/6804/dsc03021dc.jpg

 

This is the scary part – drilling. Since I was by myself, I couldn’t take pictures of the drilling process. You need to set your drill to its lowest speed setting and set it to reverse (reverse is VERY important, as this is how you prevent damaging your gel coat). At first, apply a good medium pressure to the drill as the hole saw will want to walk around from your intended place to drill, and that is all bad. Once it starts cutting it, just apply light pressure. At that point, just drill and drill with light pressure, keeping the drill in reverse. It will take 1-2 minutes to get through. Here is the end result:

http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/8172/dsc03023q.jpg

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/6963/dsc03024q.jpg

 

Now you need to sand the edges. I believe this is called chamfering. You need to basically smooth the edge from the fiberglass to the gel coat. This is to prevent cracking of the gel coat in the future.

http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/3900/dsc03025h.jpg

 

I then did a quick test fit of the MC1 control unit – don’t push it in all the way as it is a pain to pull back out.

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/9092/dsc03026a.jpg

 

Time to pull the tape, and clean up the area where the MC1 goes in:

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/941/dsc03028b.jpg

 

Crimp your red butt connectors onto the wires of the MC1 unit prior to installing it, as it will make the process easier.

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/6153/dsc03029r.jpg

 

Next, you will need to install the MC1. Rub a little silicone around the edge of the hole you drilled, then put a nice bead around the inside edge of the MC1 so it will make a nice seal. Remove the white sticker from the back of the MC1 so that this sticky surface is now available and start pushing the MC1 into the hole. Make sure it is aligned level, and just use firm and even pressure until it is fully seated. Once done, go inside the boat and install the bracket on the back of the unit. It isn’t really “needed” as the MC1 is a tight fit in that hole and almost glued in with the silicone, but this insures it won’t coming out. Don’t over tighten the bracket, as it will start digging into the fiberglass.

http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/9857/dsc03032y.jpg

[Nitrousbird]

Now it is time to wire it in. You will need to cut the red (positive wire) shorter than the black (ground) wire on the feed from the MC1, as the ground block is further away. For the MC10 transmitter, you will need to extend the ground wire a little bit on that to have enough wire to make it to the ground block. Just use a 2’ piece of black wire and butt-connector it in to make the extension. For both ground wires, install the red ring terminals. Here are both ground wires attached to the ground block.

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/2226/dsc03044l.jpg

 

As for the red wires, just find the red wire from the head unit (ACC) and tie them in together to the factory ACC wire, like I did with the yellow butt connector in this picture.

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/4407/dsc03046sh.jpg

 

The next step is easy, very important, and the MC10 and MC20 manuals do not make this clear at all. The little headphone jack on the MC10 transmitter, in the instructions they call it the steering wheel jack – plug that into the back of the head unit. If you don’t, the MC1 unit will link up just fine, display will work, but the buttons won’t do anything.

 

If the MC1 doesn’t connect automatically, follow these instructions:

- Power on the system

- Hold down play, enter, and escape on the MC1 at the same time

- Select “reset MC1” then hit enter, followed by enter again

- On the head unit, tune it to FM. The MC1 should say radio found

- Hit the seek forward button once on the head unit (make sure it is set to DX or local and not manual)

- The MC1 should now say to hit enter. Do that, hit escape a couple times, and you should be good to go.

 

Now for some of the finished product:

http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/5131/dsc03043rp.jpg

http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/4431/dsc03042m.jpg

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/158/dsc03040yi.jpg

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/6862/dsc03039d.jpg

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/2521/dsc03036v.jpg

[wnaplay1647545503]

Should have went below rub rail so it doesnt stick out so much. Still your braver than I am. Good tutorial.

[Nitrousbird]

Should have went below rub rail so it doesnt stick out so much. Still your braver than I am. Good tutorial.

Stick out so much? The largest gap MIGHT be 1/8" if that - not enough to be concerned with. If you mean the thickness of the MC1 unit itself, it's not back, and doesn't stick out much futher and the fuel vent. It is also over far enough to not get hit by people getting on/off the back of the boat.

 

You are also used to I/O's - inboards sit very differently in the water. Where an I/O has the swim platform well out of the water, and inboard's platform is flush (or if filled with balast below) the water. So the transom takes far more of a beating from the water than an I/O does. Example (not mine, as I don't have any in-water pics of my boat yet):

 

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZFStsgKR-Rs/TB4mP-KvXLI/AAAAAAAAAMY/j58CmrQl3dg/s1600/Bear+Lake+122.jpg

 

Then with it moving:

http://www.arizonawatersportcharters.com/images/feb._roosevelt_468.jpg

 

As soon as you let off the throttle, especially when loaded down, that water hit below the rub rail pretty hard. Also take into account wakeboards hitting it, and that's enough reason to move it higher. After looking at enough factory installs, most do it above the rub rail, and that was good enough for me.

[Berto]

Sorry for my ignorance...but what is the purposed of this product? just to be able to control the radio while swimming?

[wnaplay1647545503]

Sticks out as in too noticable. Plus it would have looked awesome against the black.

[Linn1647545492]

I would have mounted it just below the rub rail.

[neonkiller]

what did you use to seal it up?..

[Nitrousbird]

Sorry for my ignorance...but what is the purposed of this product? just to be able to control the radio while swimming?

For the most part. Also so you can adjust the radio while putting your board on, or reaching over while laying on the sun pad.

 

Sticks out as in too noticable. Plus it would have looked awesome against the black.

Wakeboard boats don't exactly blend in. I agree it would have looked great against the black.

 

I would have mounted it just below the rub rail.

I liked that location except for the abuse it would take there, from water and wakeboards. I actually like it where it is now; more functional than I thought it would be.

 

what did you use to seal it up?..

Some silicone sealant...just stuff I had laying around. Not the ideal stuff, but it won't get to wet there. It also fits in super tight (2" is the perfect size hole for it). I'll spray it with the hose this week just to see if any water leaks in just to be sure - worst thing that will happen is I'll pull it and use a better sealant.