Power for front mounted graph.

[LittleRedFisherman]

Wrench or who has done this, I’m collecting  my Christmas money to possibly putting a 7 inch front graph up front on my boat.  I am running a blazer jet boat that I also fish in some lakes around here, So weight is a concern on my boat.  Would you recommend running a wire somehow to my back battery where i I run my console graph and outboard, there I have no interference/noise on that graph.   Or can I wire it to one of my two batteries under the deck that are used for my trolling moter?  I know these newer graphs probably have better noise filtering?   Thanks in advance, Bret 

[BilletHead]

   Bret,

    Do you have a front light on your rig? I have done a couple using that attachment point and it runs off the starting battery. Mine is not a high powered graph and not a big draw on my wiring. And of course your unit will be off when starting your outboard so as to not suck voltage on your Graph? 

  BilletHead

[Dutch]

You need to have it powered from the cranking battery not a trolling motor battery.  Be sure to install the inline fuse.  Direct wiring to the cranking battery is always the best way to go if possible.  Even if you have it connected to a switch on the boat always power it down with its own button so you won't corrupt the software. 

[fishinwrench]

Most bassboat have a trim switch at the bow.  If yours does then pick up 12v from the red terminal of the trim switch and pick up ground from the bow light socket.  

If you have no trim switch at the bow then you'll have to fish a 2 wire harness from the console fuse board or breaker panel.

[LittleRedFisherman]

7 hours ago, BilletHead said:

   Bret,

    Do you have a front light on your rig? I have done a couple using that attachment point and it runs off the starting battery. Mine is not a high powered graph and not a big draw on my wiring. And of course your unit will be off when starting your outboard so as to not suck voltage on your Graph? 

  BilletHead

I do have a light up there.  Looking at a helix 7 just sonar and map model.  I bet that would work.  I never use that light anyway.  Might try that.  Thanks 

[LittleRedFisherman]

4 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

Most bassboat have a trim switch at the bow.  If yours does then pick up 12v from the red terminal of the trim switch and pick up ground from the bow light socket.  

If you have no trim switch at the bow then you'll have to fish a 2 wire harness from the console fuse board or breaker panel.

No trim switch up front on mine but you think the front light wiring up there would be enough for a helix 7 ?

[Dutch]

Those units don't draw much juice.  Just be sure to install the inline fuse.

[fishinwrench]

3 hours ago, LittleRedFisherman said:

No trim switch up front on mine but you think the front light wiring up there would be enough for a helix 7 ?

No problem as far as wire guage is concerned but it's kind of a Rube Goldberg way to do it.

#1 you'll have to have your running light switch turned on, so your powering up both bow and stern light sockets.

And #2 you're gonna get feedback/distortion when it rains or if you take a splash of water over the bow because of the exposed pins on the light socket.  You are basically sticking an unsealed circuit into a puddle of water.  It's just not the proper way to wire a boat.

[grizwilson]

I bought a cheapo trailer light wire kit(Harbor frt)) ran to the front off starting battery, fused at battery, have two hot one ground that way as I run two units up front no interference, I did run a piece of cord with it in the event I needed to "snake" something else.  

[Dutch]

Leaving a trailer is always a good idea griz.  The battery to the unit is always the best way to go.