Garmin Meteor 300 Audio System Installation Instructions

Meteor™ 300 Installation Instructions

NOTICE

Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to
operate the equipment.

The Garmin Meteor device plays your media throughout your
boat. It connects to your NMEA 2000® network and is controlled
by your connected Garmin devices or by an optional remote
control.

Important Safety Information

WARNING

See the Important Safety and Product Information guide in the
product box for product warnings and other important
information.

CAUTION

Always wear safety goggles, ear protection, and a dust mask
when drilling, cutting, or sanding.

NOTICE

When drilling or cutting, always check what is on the opposite
side of the surface.

Registering Your Device

Help us better support you by completing our online registration
today.

• Go to http://my.garmin.com.

• Keep the original sales receipt, or a photocopy, in a safe
place.

Contacting Garmin Product Support

• Go to www.garmin.com/support and click Contact Support
for in-country support information.

• In the USA, call [phone] or [phone].

• In the UK, call 0808 2380000.

• In Europe, call +44 (0) 870.8501241.

Loading the New Software on a Memory Card

The device may contain a software-update memory card. If so,
follow the instructions provided with the card. If a software
update memory card is not included, you must copy the
software update to a memory card.

Insert a memory card into the card slot on the computer.

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Go to www.garmin.com/support/software/marine.html.

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Select Download next to “Garmin Marine Network with SD

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card.”
Read and agree to the terms.

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Select Download.

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Select Run.

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Select the drive associated with the memory card, and select

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Next > Finish.

Updating the Device Software

Before you can update the software, you must obtain a
software-update memory card or load the latest software onto a
memory card.

Turn on the chartplotter.

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After the home screen appears, insert the memory card into

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the card slot.
NOTE: In order for the software update instructions to

appear, the device must be fully booted before the card is
inserted.

Follow the on-screen instructions.

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Wait several minutes while the software update process

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completes.
The device returns to normal operation after the software

update process is complete.
Remove the memory card.

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NOTE: If the memory card is removed before the device

restarts fully, the software update is not complete.

Mounting Considerations

CAUTION

In high ambient temperatures and after extended use, the
device enclosure may reach temperatures deemed dangerous
to touch. Therefore the unit must be installed in a location where
it will not be touched during operation.

NOTICE

This device should be mounted in a location that is not exposed
to extreme temperatures or conditions. The temperature range
for this device is listed in the product specifications. Extended
exposure to temperatures exceeding the specified temperature
range, in storage or operating conditions, may cause device
failure. Extreme-temperature-induced damage and related
consequences are not covered by the warranty.

• The device must be mounted in a location where it is not
submerged.

• The device must be mounted in a location with adequate
ventilation where it is not exposed to extreme temperatures.

• The device should be mounted so that the cables can be
connected easily.

• To achieve IPX3 water ingress protection and optimal heat
sink cooling, the device must be mounted on a vertical
surface with the connectors pointing downward.

• The device can be mounted on a horizontal surface, but such
positioning might not achieve IPX3 water ingress protection.

• To avoid interference with a magnetic compass, the device
should be installed at least 203 mm (8 in.) away from a
compass.

Mounting the Device

NOTICE

If you are mounting the bracket on fiberglass with screws, it is
recommended to use a countersink bit to drill a clearance
counterbore through only the top gel-coat layer. This will help to
avoid any cracking in the gel-coat layer when the screws are
tightened.

Stainless-steel screws may bind when screwed into fiberglass
and overtightened. Garmin recommends applying an anti-seize
lubricant to the screws before installing them.

Before you mount the device, you must select a mounting
location and determine the mounting hardware needed for the
surface.

NOTE: Mounting hardware is included with the device, but it
may not be suitable for the mounting surface.

Place the device in the mounting location and mark the

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location of the pilot holes.
Drill the appropriate pilot hole for one corner of the device.

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July 2014

Printed in Thailand 190-01685-02_0D

Loosely fasten the device to the mounting surface with one

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corner and examine the other three pilot-hole marks.
Mark new pilot-hole locations if necessary, and remove the

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device from the mounting surface.
Drill the appropriate pilot holes for the other three marks.

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Secure the device to the mounting location.

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Wire Function Wire Color Notes

Speaker zone 2 left
(-)

Speaker zone 2 right
(+)

Speaker zone 2 right
(-)

Green/black

Purple

Purple/black

Connection Considerations

The device must be connected to power, either the boat ignition
or an external switch, a NMEA 2000 network, speakers, and
media input sources to function correctly. You should carefully
plan the layout of the device, the NMEA 2000 network, the
speakers, and your input sources before making any
connections.

Connector Identification

Connector Connects to

ANT External AM/FM antenna

AUX1 IN Stereo line-level RCA auxiliary source

AUX2 IN Stereo line-level RCA auxiliary source

ZONE 3 Separate amplifier and speakers

SUB OUT Mono line-level subwoofer (tied to ZONE 3)

NMEA 2000 NMEA 2000 network

ACCESSORY Reserved for future use

USB USB-compatible media device

À
Á

Wire Identification

Wire Function Wire Color Notes

Power (+) Yellow This should be connected to a

Ground (-) Black

Ignition Red This should be connected to a

Amplifier on Blue/white This is connected only when

Mute Brown/white When connected to ground, this

Speaker zone 1 left
(+)

Speaker zone 1 left
(-)

Speaker zone 1 right
(+)

Speaker zone 1 right
(-)

Speaker zone 2 left
(+)

Power and speakers

Reserved for future use

constant 12 VDC source capable
of supplying 15 Amps.

separate switched 12 VDC
connection, such as an ignition
bus, to turn the device on and off.
If you are not using a switched
12 VDC connection, you must
connect this to the same source
as the yellow (power) wire.

using an external amplifier on
ZONE 3 (optional)

mutes the audio or switches the
input to AUX2. This is selectable
through the settings menu.

White

White/black

Gray

Gray/black

Green

Connecting to Power

When connecting the device to power, it is important to connect
both power wires. The yellow power wire should be connected
directly to the battery, or connected using a 15 Amp isolator
switch. This provides power to the device and a constant trickle­power standby feed. The red signal wire should be connected to
the same battery through the ignition or another manual switch
to turn the device on and off.

If it is necessary to extend the yellow power and black ground
wires, use 14 AWG (2.08 mm²) wire. For extensions longer than
1 m (3 ft.), use 12 AWG (3.31 mm²) wire.

If it is necessary to extend the red signal wire, use 22 AWG
(0.33 mm²) wire.

Route the yellow power À and black ground Á wires to the

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battery and route the wiring-harness plug to the device.
Do not connect the wiring harness to the device until all of

the bare wire connections have been made.

Connect the yellow wire to the positive (+) battery terminal,

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and connect the black wire to the negative (-) battery
terminal.

Route the red signal wire  to the ignition or another manual

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switch Ã.

NMEA 2000 Connection Considerations

This device connects to a NMEA 2000 network on your boat
using the included NMEA 2000 cable and connector. Through
the NMEA 2000 network, you control the device using a
connected Garmin device or optional remote control. If you do
not have an existing NMEA 2000 network on your boat, you
must create one.

NOTE: The included NMEA 2000 drop cable must be used to
connect the device to the NMEA 2000 network. A standard
NMEA 2000 drop cable is not directly compatible with the
connector on the device, although the included cable can be
extended to a maximum length of 2 m (6 ft.) using a standard
NMEA 2000 cable.

If you are unfamiliar with NMEA 2000, you should read the
“NMEA 2000 Network Fundamentals” chapter of the Technical
Reference for NMEA 2000 Products. To download this
document, select Manuals on the product page for your device
at www.garmin.com.

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