Bad Boy

[Bill Babler]

I had been Him/Hawing about this for the past year.  It is a major decision for me even being able to write the entire purchase off as a business expense.  I have lost over 50 dates this year due to he virus and that is a bunch of income, and you have to make something to write it off.

Becky is also down hundreds of room nights at the Lodge so the amount of write off expense this year is going to be really limited.

I have however been questioned by potential clients about wanting to see the Garmin equipment in action, and have passed on a few clients to others that had it.  I'm good to go now, but make no mistake it hurt to write that kind of a check.

[pstone]

Bill, I was also interested in how you mounted the Livescope transducer-on the trolling motor shaft, or separate custom shaft that could attach to the TM.   I'm looking into investing in Garmin units and the Force TM.   Thanks for all the information you always generously share!

[Bill Babler]

Yes I mounted it to the shaft with the prospective mount.  After using it today here is some things that will save you headaches but not money  I have a 2017 boat and at that time the electrical requirements were not what they are today.  Today the Phoenix boats come with 15 amp fuses and a 62 AMP breaker to service the new electronics.

In 2017 they came with a 50 amp main and 5 amps for electronics.  As no one had thought of all this electronics at that time.   Not going to work today.

Minimum for the Garmin Force is a 60 amp breaker system. and the fuses for the 126 echo map hd. need to be at least 10 amps.  Add another 126 or a 102 and you had better go up to 15 amps, as recommended by Garmin.

Force will run fine on a 50 amp system, but not on complete high speed.  It will blow the 50 amp breaker.  No problem with a 60/62 amp as it was built for that..  Graphs need to be on 10/15 or they will shut down.

I'll keep feeding knowledge as I get it.

 

[buck818]

Bill,

I am curious as to Garmin or Phoenix's thoughts on having to pull bigger wire with the increase in electronics and trolling motor amperage increase.

If you go up in amperage, one would think a size bigger wire would also need put in. Normally one's breaker/fuse is sized to the size of wire installed.

Thanks,

[Bill Babler]

Wire was big enough, from what I learned they were just being careful with the  50 AMP breaker.   My wire size from the TM to the Breaker is 4 ga. Never a problem with the Minn Kota or the Motor Guide but the Garmin is a Big Boy.

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

They do recommend 10 guage for the livescope GLS 10 box, i had to pull new wires up there for it.  Lots of fun

[bobby b.]

Gotta wonder of all that load will end up running down the starting battery (assuming that the electronics are connected there instead of the trolling batteries).

The Garmin book data states the typical load for the 12 in Echo Map, 10 in  EchoMap, and LIvescope is 3.3 amp, 3 amp., and 3 amp. respectively; however the total maximum draw for the three units together is 24 amps.  Also wonder if these new high-end electronics are sensitive to voltages lower than say 11 volts.  My calculations indicate that a 100 AH wet cell battery would only last about an hour at a continuous 24 amp draw and a AGM would last twice as long.  At 9.3 total amp draw the wet cell battery would last about 3 hours.  

Understand that the battery would be getting some charging while running from spot to spot.

My new boat only has one starting battery but a switch to jump it from the trolling battery if needed.

[garyw]

https://www.acehardware.com/departments/lawn-and-garden/outdoor-power-equipment/generators/3268877?x429=true&gclid=Cj0KCQjwz4z3BRCgARIsAES_OVfya-LVDvGfV3T0FCtwZ4Id8u4CQox-Xl8ArOrzlog6mvELSUxGihEaAgJ9EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

may have to add one of these.  LOL