Power to fish finders

Should your fish finders power wires be hooked up to your start battery circuit or
to your accessory buss fuse bar under the console? Should they have their own battery?
Help me out here. I have been told both ways.
Thanks

Some fish finders require a great amount of watts to operate (DSI, etc.). I keep mine on the big motor battery, that way my trolling motor is isolated. In that way if the trolling motor pukes out due to a low battery, I am still good. Just my two cents.

you always want your ff separate from your Tm. If you don't you will get interference. Mine as with most are run from the start battery along with all the accessories such as the livewell pumps, bilge, lights, etc. The TM is it's own circuit. You also want to make sure you have the proper inline fuse on the FF power so that you don't fry it is something goes wrong.:twocents

either way will work, just be sure not to use the TM batt as the power source. I ran a seperate power run from the cranking batt up to the front under the deck for the FF on the bow/TM, and have the HDS 8 on the console hooked up to the power panel unde the console.

Go to the fuse bus, or tap a positive and ground wire coming off of it. Double fused protection that way if you use the inline fuse holder that comes with your device.

Most devices draw less than 5 amps, so you can tap just about any +, and - wire you find. Make sure it's a constant + (like a 12v outlet), not one that comes on with the ignition switch.


Big River Marine
Bill Burnett
870-635-0202

We sell XPRESS, EXCEL, and ALWELD Boats. Yamaha, Suzuki, Evinrude, Mud Buddy, and Tohatsu/Nissan Engines.
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Thanks guys!!!!
I have a Hummingbird 597CI HD DI on the console & an Eagle up front
Got a lot of good info.
Going to work on it today.
I am going to hook them up to my cranking battery, with inline fuses as suggested.

Thanks again!!!

That is your best bet for years of trouble free usage. Fewer connections = fewer problems. Just make sure and solder and seal all connections you make. Also: use one of the blade type buses not the round glass types, so that you will have fewer problems. On the wires I would use at least a 14 gauge multi-stranded copper wire (marine rated would be best).

Thanks Greg
I am buying the blade type fuse holders as you suggested.
I already had the 14 gauge teflon coated wire.
Now all I need to do is get out there and get started.
Thanks again

Some manufactures recommend putting your finder on a switch of it's own.
I have two Lowrance graphs. LMS332 And a Gen 2. They both have external antennas the will constantly draw amps when the graph is turned off.
I just hooked them up to there own axillary switch coming off the start battery's. Now theres no problem at all.