Using your HB unit on AC power

[rnvinc]

Things you will need:

*AC to DC converter...(minimum 1amp output)...Walmart Mobile

*HB PC-11 power cord... PC 11 :: Humminbird

* 3 amp fuse and holder... (I like the blade type)...*Fuse, Blade, 3 Amp/12 Volt

*HB unit that supports "Video Out"... (this step only necessary for hooking HB unit to an external monitor)...

*HB VC-1 cable.... VC 1 :: Humminbird (this step only necessary for hooking a HB unit to an external monitor)...
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Building the AC to DC converter
1. Disassemble the female cigarette plug of the AC to DC converter to confirm which wire goes to the positive (+) center post of the cigarette plug...mark this wire as positive (+)...

2. Wire the 3 amp fuse holder into the positive (+) wire when wiring the AC to DC converter to the HB PC-11 power cord....
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Powering on the HB unit with AC to DC adapted converter
1. Power on the unit...

2. While the welcome screen is showing...press "Menu" on the unit face..

3. Of the options listed ... Cursor to "Simulator"....

4. Cursor right to activate "Simulator" mode....

5. Press "Exit" to enter "Simulation" mode
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Connecting and setting up the "Video Out" connection
1. Plug HB VC-1 cable into back of unit...

2. Plug RCA cables into the monitor's RCA "Video In" ports..(not really sure why there is a white "audio" plug on the VC-1)...

3. Set the monitor's input setting to the "Video" setting for appropriate "Video In" ports chosen...

4. On the HB unit... Press "Menu" twice to get into the main menu system..

5. Cursor over to the "Setup" tab...

6. Cursor down to "Video Out"...

7. Cursor right to "NTSC"...
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Functionality:
1. Make settings changes that will be set into memory...(Must be in "Forced Simulation" mode)...

2. View snapshots and recordings from an inserted SD card that contains saved snapshots and recordings...

3. View map data...(HB base map or inserted SD mapping card)...

... To view or mark waypoints on a different area of the map from the present simulation view:
a. zoom out until the area desired shows on the map..
b. activate and move the 4way cursor to the desired area...
c. zoom in to the desired zoom level
d. press "Mark" button on the unit face to create a waypoint at the cursor location
e. press "Exit" on the unit face to return to the original simulation area of map where boat icon was last before activating 4way cursor...

Rickie

[DoubleGobble00]

Great info Rickie.. I might have to try this instead of sitting in the boat and viewing the recordings.

Seems like all the software I have used to view the recordings blurred the image. The softwares playback speed was different from the recording speed (scroll speed) so viewing on the HB was always so much better. Thanks for the info.

DoubleG

[DoubleGobble00]

Rickie - Do you get the male 12 volt plug from walmart? Does the 12 volt male plug have a built in 3 amp fuse already or not?

DoubleG

[rnvinc]

Rickie - Do you get the male 12 volt plug from walmart? Does the 12 volt male plug have a built in 3 amp fuse already or not?

DoubleG

The AC to DC converter I listed is just an example of 1 that can be used for this purpose...the only criteria necessary for the HB unit to operate on an AC to DC converter is that the 12v output of the converter be a minimum 1amp..(some converters are listed as 1000ma ...which is the same thing as 1amp)...

If an AC to DC converter's specs say... "12v output at 800ma" ....that's only 0.8amp ....not enough to power the HB unit...

Any AC to DC converter that you find will not have a "HB powerconnector" on the output wire...so the existing connector (male-female-whatever) will have to be removed ...(just realize that the positive (+) wire of the converter has to be identified...one way or another)...

I have not seen any AC to DC converters that have a built in fuse ... So it is necessary to add a 3amp fuse and fuse holder when assembling the HB power cord to the output wire of the AC to DC converter...

Any AC to DC converter that comes factory with a cigarette plug attached makes identifying the positive (+) wire very easy...

The wire going to the center post of the cigarette plug (male or female)...is the positive (+) wire...
The wire going to the outer sides of the cigarette plug (male or female) ...is the negative (-) wire...

Rickie

[DoubleGobble00]

Got ya.. Thanks man! I need to try this..