Wiring a Big Trolling boat - ADVICE PLEASE

[carston55]

Hey guys, got a new to me 24ft boat with ALL the goodies and toys.

 

I'm having trouble with dirty power I think.  My Lowrance LCX112c cuts out the transducer signal when voltage goes below 12.5V (usually 25min runtime)

These units should run from 11.9V-12.3V ideally, right?  The unit still has a bright screen and perfect gps/mapping function, but the fish finder mode just goes completely white and says 60ft as a default and doesn't change.

 

The first photo is how the boat is rigged right now, the 2nd photo is how I plan to change it based on advice from guys who have their fish finder hooked directly to their starting battery. There is also 2 bus bars and battery switch (1,2,1+2,0) somewhere after the deep cycles, but can't remember exactly how (boat is in storage)

 

Any experience/advice would be greatly appreciated... it's great having all the toys but when you have no fish finder...makes the boat pointless haha

[JakeyBaby]

Me personally would NEVER run straight to starting battery or any other battery for the matter. I would definitely go to bus bar with a fuse. That way you don't fry the unit if something hiccups, if you hook directly to a battery the unit will have constant power and you don't want that. #2 you should be reading 14v at the unit if proper power is available. Sounds to me like maybe your battery could be in its way out, it's not charging properly or something is drawing pretty hard. Still not sure why the fish finder is doing what it is, even at 11-12V it shouldn't blank out.

[Yankee Troller]

What's wrong with wiring direct to the battery if you have an inline fuse? Most fish finders get less interference from other electronics when run direct.

Also, these fish finders now a days are running huge screens and giving us many sonar/chart plotting/mapping options and these may require larger wiring. Read the manual and don't short cut the manufacturers recommendations.

[Chas0218]

Hey guys, got a new to me 24ft boat with ALL the goodies and toys.

 

I'm having trouble with dirty power I think.  My Lowrance LCX112c cuts out the transducer signal when voltage goes below 12.5V (usually 25min runtime)

These units should run from 11.9V-12.3V ideally, right?  The unit still has a bright screen and perfect gps/mapping function, but the fish finder mode just goes completely white and says 60ft as a default and doesn't change.

 

The first photo is how the boat is rigged right now, the 2nd photo is how I plan to change it based on advice from guys who have their fish finder hooked directly to their starting battery. There is also 2 bus bars and battery switch (1,2,1+2,0) somewhere after the deep cycles, but can't remember exactly how (boat is in storage)

 

Any experience/advice would be greatly appreciated... it's great having all the toys but when you have no fish finder...makes the boat pointless haha

Lowrances are finicky with their power supply, I would move your riggers to the other battery along with your kicker alternator or run only the fishfinder over to the other battery. When running multiple electric riggers at once on start up (the moment you bring up the rigger ball) they will draw that battery down below 12v for a split second causing your more sensitive electronics to shut off.

[JakeyBaby]

The problem I have with it is there being constant power to the unit. God forbid you for get to turn off the unit for some reason and leave it for a few days and water enters the bilge and the pumps don't run you are screwed because the battery's are dead! I do this because when I 1st installed my auto pilot I had it ran directly to the battery wthout a switch in line to kill the power, if you shut the bettery switch off then tuned it back on the unit would kick back on but the screen never showed any indication that there was power. This would leave my batteries damn near dead over night. I agree with an in line fuse you take the frying risk out of the equation. The only thing that is directly to the battery's on my boat are the bilge pumps.

[Captain Laxton]

Go to your local car stereo shop and get a capacitor that they use for amps and put it on your terminal strip with the battery fead. That will kill any sudden voltage drops.

[carston55]

Thanks for the feedback guys. EVERYTHING will always have inline fuses. Most electronics on the boat have 2or3 fuses between the battery and the device. However, guys who sell Lowrance products have all told me to wire directly to starter battery with 1 inline fuse.

 

Does anyone have experience with kicker alternator being connected to starting battery and main engine?

Does anyone know how to test a kicker alternator output or know what the amps/V should be?

[Yankee Troller]

The problem I have with it is there being constant power to the unit. God forbid you for get to turn off the unit for some reason and leave it for a few days and water enters the bilge and the pumps don't run you are screwed because the battery's are dead! I do this because when I 1st installed my auto pilot I had it ran directly to the battery wthout a switch in line to kill the power, if you shut the bettery switch off then tuned it back on the unit would kick back on but the screen never showed any indication that there was power. This would leave my batteries damn near dead over night. I agree with an in line fuse you take the frying risk out of the equation. The only thing that is directly to the battery's on my boat are the bilge pumps.

 

Lot's of "what ifs" there. I've never left a FF on when I'm not on the boat, and shore power keeps my batteries charged. I would also not leave my boat if I didn't have 100% confidence in my bilge pumps.

 

Thanks for the feedback guys. EVERYTHING will always have inline fuses. Most electronics on the boat have 2or3 fuses between the battery and the device. However, guys who sell Lowrance products have all told me to wire directly to starter battery with 1 inline fuse.

 

Does anyone have experience with kicker alternator being connected to starting battery and main engine?

Does anyone know how to test a kicker alternator output or know what the amps/V should be?

 

I'm GUESSING your kicker's alternator can't put out enough power to run all of that.

[carston55]

Me personally would NEVER run straight to starting battery or any other battery for the matter. I would definitely go to bus bar with a fuse. That way you don't fry the unit if something hiccups, if you hook directly to a battery the unit will have constant power and you don't want that. #2 you should be reading 14v at the unit if proper power is available. Sounds to me like maybe your battery could be in its way out, it's not charging properly or something is drawing pretty hard. Still not sure why the fish finder is doing what it is, even at 11-12V it shouldn't blank out.

Does everyone see 14V at their head unit?    I've never seen this on any of my boats, with brand new batteries, and whole charged batteries are plugged in.

[carston55]

Yankee Troller,

 

Just to clarify... my boat is ALWAYS plugged into shore power. My bilges are all auto floats, ALL electronics including FF get turned off and covered via switch panel after every outing.

 

The kicker is only connected to ONE battery, and I am curious if I should move it to starting battery along with FF or is the amperage will cause dirty power or inconsistencies while FF is on at same time.

 

I can leave kicker connected to a deep cycle to ensure navigation lights always have power, same with bilge etc etc for those really long days that turn into nightfishing.

[rolling@trolling]

Try to install an ACR BETWEEN YOUR BATTERIES, KEEPS BATTERIES AT THERE HIGHEST CHARGE

[carston55]

Try to install an ACR BETWEEN YOUR BATTERIES, KEEPS BATTERIES AT THERE HIGHEST CHARGE

Thanks Rolling,  Isn't there an ACR component to my triple bank ProSport Onboard charger?  OR do you have both?

[Yankee Troller]

Yankee Troller,

 

Just to clarify... my boat is ALWAYS plugged into shore power. My bilges are all auto floats, ALL electronics including FF get turned off and covered via switch panel after every outing.

 

The kicker is only connected to ONE battery, and I am curious if I should move it to starting battery along with FF or is the amperage will cause dirty power or inconsistencies while FF is on at same time.

 

I can leave kicker connected to a deep cycle to ensure navigation lights always have power, same with bilge etc etc for those really long days that turn into nightfishing.

 

I was just screwing with jakey about his last post.

[rolling@trolling]

No, I think u have just a charger to keep your batteries charged when your off the lake. An ACR will monitor the batteries while under way. Check Blue Seas system ACR Kit, it will tell u a lot about it

[RSF]

Hi all,

Not a Lowrance man though that's not to say their products are anything other than dependable. Steps I might take, considering only 25 min sonar run time is checking the continuity of all connectors. Looking for a cut in the transducer line and load testing the battery being used, not sure if your saying the Lowrance spec says 11.9 VDC minimum (as that is 40% power remaining mark) or your battery is at 11.9 VDC after 25 minutes of running the unit. The other factor if sending the unit into Lowrance for diagnostics. I agree that the unit should be tapped into the battery directly using one fuse 7-8" from the + terminal.