Wiring Helix 10 question

[Marine4life]

Gentlemen,
Any reason I cannot connect right into the fuze/power panel under my dash for both the console and front deck units? It's a live panel and I have two open slots. Should I use a 5 Amp fuse? The existing unit on the dash is a elite 5 combo and it is on a 5 amp with the black running to the ground board.

[Cray]

It is always recommended to go straight to the battery for clean power to your unit. You run the risk of interference hooking to that panel. Also it is better to run a twisted pair meaning you would twist your positive and negative over each other to further decreases the chance of any interference .

[rnvinc]

By the time your unit "shares" power consumption thru that red wire with those other 8 devices ..it is unlikely you will be getting enough clean current to power the unit ...

True you will have 12v ... But the current will be reduced by all those other things also attached to the same 12v feed ...

It's like a garden hose ... It supplies only so much water (current) ... Hooking a 9th spigot to the water hose that already has 8 spigots using water ...is not gonna leave much water for that 9th spigot ...

Rickie

[BobB]

You will seriously increase your chance of random and unexplained problems and interference if you wire to the existing fuse panel.... You could do another one just for electronics or wire directly to the battery.
It's also a good idea to have a fuse in close proximity to the battery.

[Marine4life]

This is why I asked. Thanks and I will run individual wires from the cranking battery with in line fuse close to the battery. 12 gauge wire OK? Can someone explain a little more about the twisted pair? Can you buy a 2 wire that is twisted or do I need to buy two rolls to do this. How much twist?

[Cray]

Just get some black and red wire. I put a ring eye on the ends to battery, go up about a ft and use a wire tie or electrical tape to stop it off. Then find something to hook wires over and be able to keep some tension on, then I just twis by hand or you could use drill to spin. They don't have to be wound very tight. Then stop off with tape or wire tie on that end. At battery I clip off about 4-6 inches of red wire with ring eye. I then install a rubber sealable blade fuse holder using heat shrink and solder. On the other end I solder and heat shrink the connections from finder power cable.

[ccollins]

What would be wrong with using a 16/3 drop cord this is what I have done I can buy them for $5 cut each end off then it's insulated but I don't know if this is good or bad just asking not recommending at this time .

[BobB]

Or use something like this Amazon.com: KnuKonceptz Karma Kable Twisted 10 Gauge Speaker Wire OFC - Sold per 10' increments: Electronics

[nixon]

Dang, Yall just killed my Sun afternoon. I was just fixin to wire a new Helix unit on my boat. I mean, the boat is in the shop and the tools are out. In order to procrastinate another 15 mins, I thought I'll see whats happening on CDC. And I read THIS...
Now I gotta re think my whole process. LOL That's why I like this site.

So what is the verdict, 12 ga wires...twisted, 5 amp fuse close to the battery and steer clear of the fuse panel? Correct?

[nixon]

Dang, Yall just killed my Sun afternoon. I was just fixin to wire a new Helix unit on my boat. I mean, the boat is in the shop and the tools are out. In order to procrastinate another 15 mins, I thought I'll see whats happening on CDC. And I read THIS...
Now I gotta re think my whole process. LOL That's why I like this site.

So what is the verdict, 12 ga wires...twisted, 5 amp fuse close to the battery and steer clear of the fuse panel? Correct?

Meant to say 3 amp fuse. That's what the instructions say for my unit