new wire to fishfinder on 186 sport

[Bill Palmeter]

I am ready to install new wiring from battery to casting deck for fish finder on my 06 Nitro 186 Sport F&S. Is there an easy way to run it or one way that is better? All suggestion are appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Mini]

Have you opened your bow panel?



The wires are probably already there!

 

[tony silveira]

I agree with mini. I went and spent 50$ on wire,fuses and connectors. Opened up bow panel and it was already pre wired.

 

[Wayne P.]

tj, the boat wiring harness may not support a sofisticated unit due to the load.

 

[Mini]

most of the time wayne it is the supply wires to the fuse panel....-upgrade those and you should be ok.



search how many threads from years ago were posted about slow running bilge, etc.....people upgraded the ground and in some cases both pos and ground and got better performance.

 

[Wayne P.]

No, it is the small wires to the bow. Wire diameter over distance = resistance = voltage drop. The smaller the wire, the more resistance it has.

Typically a fuse panel is wired with 10 guage. Circuits from that are probably 18 guage or smaller.



All the connections involved in a wiring harness = more resistance and future failures.



Humminbird recommends their units powered directly to the battery and extend the power cord with larger conductors with a spade type fuse/holder at the battery. Solder and waterproof wire splices. I use 12 guage marine grade conductors for by bow unit power supply. I first used the boat wiring harness (too lazy to do it right) when I first got the Tracker and it did OK until I installed a Side Imaging unit there. Kept having shut-off issues. I don't any more.



When someone complains of unit operating issues, the first question is how is the unit powered?