Wiring unit on bow

**jimp** · 12-28-2012, 08:46 PM

you can try hooking the bow unit up to the fuse panel, if you get interference, THEN run some seperate/new power/grd wires. I was able to run seperate power wires from the cranking batt to the bow under the floor on my Tracker PT175 w/o much trouble but you may have troubles as you've indicated. I have my HDS 8 wired into the fuse panel at the console, it stays on the entire time I'm on the water, and does not blink or go goofy when I crank up the 60hp. My cranking battery is 4 or 5 yrs old as well.

**Barnacle Bill** · 12-28-2012, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by BobberStopper

What do you mean by "twisted pair"? Should I run power wires from the front back to the cranking battery...If so, what size wire would you recommend?

See This

**Stickman** · 12-29-2012, 04:06 PM

So is 18 gauge big enough to run 20 foot, actually 40 foot if I twist them, for the 858c HD DI?

**Corker** · 12-30-2012, 07:35 AM

The specs for your finder show a power draw of 0.78 amps with the lights off. The backlighting is done with LEDs, so the max power draw is somewhat higher. For the sake of discussion, let's call it a max draw of 1 amp.

Using this online calculator with 18 awg, 2-wire, copper, 12v, 3% max drop (recommended by Blue Sea and others for marine electronics), and a 1 amp load, you get a max length of 22.6'. If this is the right data (Bill, please confirm), then you should move up to at least 14 ga.

You'll probably fuse this line at 3 amps and may later decide to add another load, so maybe you should use 3 amps instead of 1 amp in the calculation (??). If that's the case, the calculator says you will need 10 ga. wire.

If there's any way to add a battery up front, the results change drastically. With the full 3 amp draw, the calculator says it's fine to use up to 7.5' (3.75' after twisting) of 18 ga. wire.

**BobberStopper** · 12-30-2012, 07:31 PM

Thanks Bill, great info and very educational....

**rockmike** · 12-31-2012, 04:52 PM

I hooked one of mine to the bow nav light circuit. Works fine--just have to turn the nav light switch on.

**Tracker123** · 12-31-2012, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by Barnacle Bill

See This

You're right Bill. Also did that with my underground dog fence. Surround the perimeter, then twisted the pair back to my shop where the transmitter is at. Cancels the signal out at my lab's collars.

Corker is right about wire size - if it's stranded. I choose solid core when I can. My two cents.

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