I actually ran a straight test wire to the battery to hook
up this new receiver, and did the same with the other AM/FM receiver I
bought. The thing still wouldn't power on...

**********

Which thing?

If you can get one receiver to work wired directly to the battery and
not the other, the problem is almost certainly inside the receiver that
doesn't work.

Sorry - thing = receiver. I can't get either receiver to power on.
Both receivers are brand new.

Sorry - thing = receiver. I can't get either receiver to power on.
Both receivers are brand new.


****************

1) Do they need to be grounded in order to power up, and are they?
Check the installation instructions.

1a) Are you connecting the wires to the proper terminals?

2) Odds of having a bad wire or poor connection to the battery are
higher than having *two* brand new receivers that won't work. Test for
voltage at the end of your test wires. If you don't have a meter, wire
something else that is known to be working to the end of the same two
wires and see what happens.

Sorry - thing = receiver. I can't get either receiver to power on.
Both receivers are brand new.


Brand new and they don't have an MP3 player?


wrote:
2) Odds of having a bad wire or poor connection to the battery are
higher than having *two* brand new receivers that won't work.

Agreed. There's something fishy in the wiring here, especially likely
since the OP says it's an old boat.

.... Test for
voltage at the end of your test wires. If you don't have a meter, wire
something else that is known to be working to the end of the same two
wires and see what happens.


If you don't have a multimeter, get one... and read the instruction
manual. It's a fundamental tool for anybody who owns a boat with any
electrical equipment... not a bad tool for a home owner to have, either.
They're not expensive. Trying to troubleshoot without a multimeter is
like trying to drive nails without a hammer. It can be done, but it's
slow & painful

Fair Skies
Doug King