Little help with a fish finder

[Cosmo1975]

Hey guys , I have a question for you. I just purchased a new boat and was wondering where do get power for your bow mounted fish finder. The boat came wired for trolling motor and has navigation lights . I looking almost impossible to run a new circuit without having exposed wiring

[armyman]

If at all possible, it needs to be connected directly to the cranking battery to avoid electrical interference from other accessories, i.e. livewell pump, bilge pump, and trolling motor, etc. jmo.

[Cosmo1975]

That's what I have come to understand that I can't tie into the trolling motor wiring

[CrappiePappy]

That's what I have come to understand that I can't tie into the trolling motor wiring

It's not recommended, since the trolling motor "can" cause interference with the unit. It's definitely not recommended if your trolling motor is 24V, as it will fry your depth finder !!

My Lowrance Elite 5DSI, however, IS connected to the TM power wire ... and I have no interference issues. The transducer is mounted on the TM. The only issue I "had" was the screen would dim or the unit would turn off when the battery (27series) would get weak from many hours of use. Replaced that battery with a 29series and haven't experienced that problem since then.

But, again ... it's not "recommended" to wire it up that way.

[short grub]

Does the boat have conduit run for the TM and Nav lights ? if so snake the new wires up threw the conduit for the locator if not then you need to fish them to the front some how. And that my friend is a pain, or you can pull the floor up and lay in new wire. None of those ways are going to be an easy job,

I pulled my floor up and laid in new wiring on my last boat, my boat that I have now they went up the side along all my controls

Hope this helps

[Eagle 1]

Boat in question ? Any pictures ?

[Tracker81]

I have a lowerance hds setup and I have one unit tied into trolling batteries and other unit hooked into hot wire on fuse block under steering Column. So far no interference on either one. I have 2 trolling batteries hooked together for more longer run time. So far so good.

Sent from my LGL62VL using Tapatalk

[Cosmo1975]

Sorry don't have the boat yet. It's still at the dealership getting motor installed. It is a Lowe roughneck 1756 with the casting deck . I would like to advoid pulling the floor up on a new boat . I have a helix 5 but need to buy another finder .

[rnvinc]

The gunnel rail on some tin boats is extruded aluminum - and hollow ...

I have ran sonar power wires thru the hollow gunnel rail ...

Just have to figure out entry and exit into the gunnel rail at each end of the boat ...

Rickie

[Rockhitter]

Have the dealer run power to the front.