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  1. Member
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    Apr 2019
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    Bigfork, Montana
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    #21
    Excellent! Looks like you got it figured.
    Since you have a voltmeter, you might make sure you have good power to the other items that were on the circuit with your unit. If you had low voltage to your MFD, you may have low.voltage to other things too. Better to find and fix issues now than on the water!

    Nothing wrong with having 2 fuses. Small one to protect your unit. The one near B+ is always a good idea.

  2. Member
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    Mar 2017
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    Oklahoma
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    #22
    Quote Originally Posted by datbasstho View Post
    Ok perfect.
    I just went and bought two of those with two 30a fuses because the original fuses were cut off to be wired into the switch panel.
    Ill try and run them directly to the battery which should eliminate my problem.

    Thanks


    *UPDATE*

    I ended up wiring directly to the battery and I’m getting 12.5v on each unit when they’re both on at the same time.
    So everything’s perfect now.
    The fuse that comes with the power wire was still there but I ended up adding the 30a fuse you suggested to both units anyways, that’s ok right?
    Great deal! Yes, it is fine to have two fuses. Did you run 10ga wire to the displays? The 30a fuse you installed will be dependent on the wire size that you ran. That fuse is there to protect the wire from current overload. Potentially resulting in a fire if you have a short circuit without a properly sized fuse between the battery and the load.

  3. Member
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    Sep 2018
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    Michigan
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    504
    #23
    Quote Originally Posted by SamMule View Post
    Excellent! Looks like you got it figured.
    Since you have a voltmeter, you might make sure you have good power to the other items that were on the circuit with your unit. If you had low voltage to your MFD, you may have low.voltage to other things too. Better to find and fix issues now than on the water!

    Nothing wrong with having 2 fuses. Small one to protect your unit. The one near B+ is always a good idea.
    excuse my ignorance, what’s MFD?

    thanks!!

  4. Member
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    #24
    Quote Originally Posted by mikear View Post
    Great deal! Yes, it is fine to have two fuses. Did you run 10ga wire to the displays? The 30a fuse you installed will be dependent on the wire size that you ran. That fuse is there to protect the wire from current overload. Potentially resulting in a fire if you have a short circuit without a properly sized fuse between the battery and the load.
    Good question. I actually think it’s 10ga.
    If you look back at my pic, you will see a grey wire that has a green and white wire cut from it.
    That grey wire was attached to my main power wire that comes with the unit and it ended up reaching to my battery.

    I was confused because I didn’t remember the main power wire going from black into that grey wire but I think my friend who wired it up originally used that wire as the extension?
    Does that make sense?

    So I ran the power wires that were connected to those grey wires back to the battery and temporarily tried them to make sure I got full voltage which I did.

  5. Member
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    Mar 2017
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    Oklahoma
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    #25
    Quote Originally Posted by datbasstho View Post
    Good question. I actually think it’s 10ga.
    If you look back at my pic, you will see a grey wire that has a green and white wire cut from it.
    That grey wire was attached to my main power wire that comes with the unit and it ended up reaching to my battery.

    I was confused because I didn’t remember the main power wire going from black into that grey wire but I think my friend who wired it up originally used that wire as the extension?
    Does that make sense?

    So I ran the power wires that were connected to those grey wires back to the battery and temporarily tried them to make sure I got full voltage which I did.
    No problem. Just check your wire size to be sure. 20a fuse for 12ga, 30a fuse for 10ga. If you’re not sure, nothing will be hurt if you just toss a 10a fuse in there. Better safe than sorry.

    MFD = Multi Functional Display (your sonar head unit)

  6. Member
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    #26
    Quote Originally Posted by mikear View Post
    No problem. Just check your wire size to be sure. 20a fuse for 12ga, 30a fuse for 10ga. If you’re not sure, nothing will be hurt if you just toss a 10a fuse in there. Better safe than sorry.

    MFD = Multi Functional Display (your sonar head unit)
    Ahh I see.
    ok I’ll check tmw to make sure.

    Appreciate all the help!

  7. Member
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    #27
    Quote Originally Posted by mikear View Post
    Great deal! Yes, it is fine to have two fuses. Did you run 10ga wire to the displays? The 30a fuse you installed will be dependent on the wire size that you ran. That fuse is there to protect the wire from current overload. Potentially resulting in a fire if you have a short circuit without a properly sized fuse between the battery and the load.
    hey Mike,

    I found out the actual wire is 18 gauge.
    it comes in a jacket that’s similar to 10-12 gauge but it has 4 wires in it and he used the positive and negative from it.
    So the positive and negative wires are thin and are 18 gauge.
    I was told using the 13a fuse is pointless and to remove it and because I have the original fuses from the garmin power wire, that should do.

    my question is, what’s the disadvantage of using a higher gauge wire for the finder as opposed to the 10-12 you guys are all recommending.

    I have noticed now that I’ve gone directly to the battery the power is at 12.5v for both units at the same time so it did solve my problem but how concerned should I be using the 18 gauge wire as the extension?

    Thanks!

  8. Member
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    Mar 2017
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    Oklahoma
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    #28
    You have 12.5 volts to the 93SV as shown on the display, correct? You cannot “see” the GLS10 power from the display that I am aware of. Since it draws more current than the 93SV, you will have a higher voltage drop at the GLS10, hence the larger recommended gauge. Garmin specs for the GLS10 power supply indicate 10-32Vdc although others have reported issues in the ~11Vdc range. If you don’t have any issues during use then you’re all set. If you start having problems with the GLS10 then the voltage would be my first suspect.

    Where are your power cord fuses located in the circuit? At the battery or where the Garmin power wires terminate to the extension wire?

  9. Member
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    #29
    Correct. Since I re wired directly to the battery, I’m getting 12.4-12.5v on both units while running them at the same time.
    As for the power cord fuses that came with it, they are located where the extension begins so the fuse on the unit at the bow is 10ft away from the battery and the fuse on the unit at the console is about 5ft away from the battery.

    Ive removed the 30a fuses I recently added because I was told they’re pointless to have based on the wire gauge I used as the extension and because I already have the original fuse the cord comes with.

  10. Member
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    Oklahoma
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    #30
    The problem with running directly from the battery is that the length of “extension” wire is not protected were it to short out. This presents a fire hazard. Therefore, you need to place a 7 amp or smaller fuse where the wiring connects to the battery. Note that fuses are there to protect the conductors (in this case wire), not the end device.

  11. Member MonteSS's Avatar
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    #31
    18 Gauge wire will not work. Imagine a regular garden hose. Then a fire hose. Much more water flows through the thicker fire hose. Same as more voltage flows through thicker wire.

    I would run 10 gauge to each unit separately and another to the LS box. Use factory Garmin fuses at the units' and 10 amp fuses on each line near the battery. The fuses by the battery are to protect the boat from fire pn case a wire was to short out.

    Other choice (and one that you will probably need anyway) is to add a Lithium battery up front just for the electronics (or ones up front anyway). Ionic 30ah-50ah is perfect.

  12. Member
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    #32
    Quote Originally Posted by datbasstho View Post
    Ive removed the 30a fuses I recently added because I was told they’re pointless to have based on the wire gauge I used as the extension and because I already have the original fuse the cord comes with.
    A 30A fuse near the power supply is not pointless.
    The small fuse for the MFD will blow first in the event of a short circuit (between the fuse and MFD). This will however, leave an available 12v up to that point. If the positive wire is shorted to ground somewhere before the small fuse for the MFD, the 30A fuse near the power supply will blow. This will prevent your power supply wire from melting and causing a potential fire.
    NEVER run anything directly from the battery without a fuse very near the + post.
    If you only want to run one fuse, put it as close to the battery + as possible. I wouldn't recommend direct wire, as this leaves you without a switch.

    My recommendation: Run a nice heavy 8-10ga wire from your battery to a switch (fuse near battery of course)
    Then plug your unit/GLS10 power supplies to the switch with their fuses intact.
    Last edited by SamMule; 06-05-2020 at 12:56 PM.

  13. Member
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    #33
    Quote Originally Posted by mikear View Post
    The problem with running directly from the battery is that the length of “extension” wire is not protected were it to short out. This presents a fire hazard. Therefore, you need to place a 7 amp or smaller fuse where the wiring connects to the battery. Note that fuses are there to protect the conductors (in this case wire), not the end device.
    ok, makes sense thanks

  14. Member
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    #34
    Quote Originally Posted by MonteSS View Post
    18 Gauge wire will not work. Imagine a regular garden hose. Then a fire hose. Much more water flows through the thicker fire hose. Same as more voltage flows through thicker wire.

    I would run 10 gauge to each unit separately and another to the LS box. Use factory Garmin fuses at the units' and 10 amp fuses on each line near the battery. The fuses by the battery are to protect the boat from fire pn case a wire was to short out.

    Other choice (and one that you will probably need anyway) is to add a Lithium battery up front just for the electronics (or ones up front anyway). Ionic 30ah-50ah is perfect.
    I understand what you’re saying.
    Do you happen to know what gauge the Garmin power wire that comes with the unit is?

    Also, thanks for the battery tip.
    What would be the benefit of adding a lithium battery up front instead of wiring to the cranking battery?

    thanks!

  15. Member
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    #35
    Quote Originally Posted by SamMule View Post
    A 30A fuse near the power supply is not pointless.
    The small fuse for the MFD will blow first in the event of a short circuit (between the fuse and MFD). This will however, leave an available 12v up to that point. If the positive wire is shorted to ground somewhere before the small fuse for the MFD, the 30A fuse near the power supply will blow. This will prevent your power supply wire from melting and causing a potential fire.
    NEVER run anything directly from the battery without a fuse very near the + post.
    If you only want to run one fuse, put it as close to the battery + as possible. I wouldn't recommend direct wire, as this leaves you without a switch.

    My recommendation: Run a nice heavy 8-10ga wire from your battery to a switch (fuse near battery of course)
    Then plug your unit/GLS10 power supplies to the switch with their fuses intact.
    Thanks for your help.
    I was told the gauge was too thin to be protected from a 30a fuse.
    I have no idea about any of this when it comes to electrical.

    I think I will go back and re install the fuse again near the battery and that will double up the fuse in each line.

    As for the switch, I had it originally on a switch which was causing to lower the voltage when both units were on so I decided to run directly from the battery.
    I even called Garmin and asked them if it was ok to run directly from the battery and the representative told me it was fine.

    What is the purpose of a switch if we already have power buttons on the units?
    Is it to stop power constantly being used even if the units are not?
    I have no clue

  16. Member
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    #36
    Also guys, I seen the black down vu happen again when I started the engine while on the water.
    I can’t seem to figure out what causes it.
    When I turn the unit off and back on it works though but I shouldn’t have to considering I’m wired directly from the battery.

    My Ultrex Bluetooth puck is underneath that unit that’s at my console but I’ve never had any issue with my ultrex when it comes to interference so I don’t know if that has anything to do with it.

    I was also noticing my units were at 14.5v at one point. Never seen it that high.
    Since I re wired directly from my battery they were showing 12.5v but today they were showing in the 14’s.
    Is that good or bad?

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