Question about running wires for depth finder......

[duck38866]

My new boat has a 12 volt outlet on the front of it. Could I just buy a plug and put it on my depth finder wires to stick in that hole, or will I stiil have to run the wires all the way back to my batteries?
Thanks

[Big H trucking]

Pm WB

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[Wannabe...]

It'd work that way, but a 12V adapter is not the most reliable connector, often times. If this is not a temporary deal so you can move the FF in and out of the boat, it'd be better to tap into the wiring of the adapter on the back side. That way, you get a rock solid connection.

Wannabe...

[Wannabe...]

Everybody's gonna tell you to run straight back to the battery with fresh wire. I say phooey. Try it this way and IF you get interferance, then run fresh wire.....unless you know the existing wire is crap to begin with.

Wannabe...

[gabowman]

I use the plug on my ranger and my son uses the plug on his bass tracker. If we ever had a problem we'd straight wire it to the wires behind the plug but until then...

[wilbur]

I was using the stock wires on the bow for a FF but it was too small of a wire,I lost too much voltage.I lost 2 volts from the bat to front. I just ran #12 wire to the front,now I only lose 0.2 volts. It worked for a year like that but I would start in the Morning with 10.5 volts by the end of the day it would go below 10 and unit a HDS10 would freeze up. I suggest running at least 14ga. direct from Bat.

[Cray]

I wired mine like WB says. Went to back of plug and tapped into feed wires to plug which are 12 gauge. Works fine with just a couple tenths drop.

[SlabLapper4sure]

I wired directly to the battery.If the wire provided is not long enough then add a piece of 18 guage onto it.Also make sure you have a 3 amp inline fuse to the positive side as close to the battery as possible.Keep your sonar wiring away from the wire to your outboard as far as you can. The only thing that is wired to the battery that my sonar is on is my nav lights and I use them so little that there is little or no interference. I basically used the information provided with the sonar unit.
OLD FISHERMEN NEVER DIE, THEY JUST SMELL THAT WAY!!

[Reel Man]

The HDS units with LSS-1 StructureScan boxes definitely need to have a dedicated circuit run directly from the battery. Preferably with an in-line master disconnect switch added between the battery and the units. Unless the StructureScan boxes are switched seperately with a toggle switch or with an in-line master disconnect switch they will continue to draw latent voltage even with the HDS units powered off. The HDS units surge 2.2 amps on start-up and operate at 1.3 amps which is just slightly less than an aerator pump. Also if the HDS unit/units are equipped with a NMEA backbone it should also connect to the master disconnect circuit as it to will continue to draw voltage even with the HDS units powered off eventually running the battery down unless it is charged continuously or used frequently. The HDS units don't like low voltage and anything under 10 volts will cause them to do crazy things. If they are wired to the starting battery and voltage drops below 10.8, starting the engine may turn the units off. It may work but the 16 - 18 ga wiring installed on most boats is not a reliable power source for the HDS/StructureScan units.

[KDAVID1]

I was using the stock wires on the bow for a FF but it was too small of a wire,I lost too much voltage.I lost 2 volts from the bat to front. I just ran #12 wire to the front,now I only lose 0.2 volts. It worked for a year like that but I would start in the Morning with 10.5 volts by the end of the day it would go below 10 and unit a HDS10 would freeze up. I suggest running at least 14ga. direct from Bat.

Man--that's some kinda drop. My front keeps 12.6 to 12.3 all day (they run to the fuse panel then the battery)