Garmin electronics install on ranger rt178c

[jm_middleton07]

Over the past few months i installed a 93sv uhd on the bow and a 73sv uhd on the console. Installed a livescope two weeks ago. Anyone interested in an install write up? I took tons of pics.

[NCSURodney]

Yea, I'm interested in where your power source came from for your black box? Did you run a 10 gauge wire to the starting battery? Did you use a switch to cut the power off directly to the black box? I am learning towards a separate battery like the Dakota 23amp lithium that I can store up front with the black box.

Also, what type of trolling motor did you install the transducer on. I will be installing on a Minn Kota Maxxum.

[jm_middleton]

Yea, I'm interested in where your power source came from for your black box? Did you run a 10 gauge wire to the starting battery? Did you use a switch to cut the power off directly to the black box? I am learning towards a separate battery like the Dakota 23amp lithium that I can store up front with the black box.

Also, what type of trolling motor did you install the transducer on. I will be installing on a Minn Kota Maxxum.

I put the black box in the large front compartment. It has a wire access plate inside that made things super convenient. I used a fish tape to run two wires back to the starting battery.
The switch was mentioned in the garmin install video I watched. I have not installed one yet but will as soon as I get one on order. I will probably put it up front with the trim switch.
I mounted both my gt54 and my lvs32 to a minn kota edge 45.

[jtrac]

The RT198P I have on order will have 2 93sv UHD's installed by the dealer. I've never had anything but Lowrance so I would be more interested in how they work for you. I'm hoping they are kind of easy to operate as I seem to have become less technically savvy as I gracefully age. I'm not sure what livescope is but will soon as I'm googling it as soon as I finish this post, which I did. Very interesting.

[jm_middleton07]

I've had a raymarine a98 and two lowrance hook2 5" units. Now that I have had both touch screen and non touch screen I would never go back. The touch screen is just so much easier to use and it works great on the garmins. I think the garmin units are really easy to use and customize. It has a very easy to understand home screen. You can build out custom combo pages easily. For the settings I couldn't figure out they have a nice online manual. Updates are done through the active captain app that installs on your phone. The app is not necessary if your not going to do the updates or use the quick draw community maps. I have used the app to update and share waypoints between the two units.
I had both units networked before I purchased the livescope. It was easy to do with just a ethernet cable from garmin. Now that I have the livescope I need a $200 network switch to hookup all 3. Any new way points that I want on both units I use the app to share them between the two units. When I can sneak in the $200 I won't need the app to share the way points. Myself I think they are really easy to use but I have worked on or with computers for the last 20 years.

[jm_middleton07]

I started out with a lowrance hook2 5" installed from the factory.
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I used a razor blade and a small screw driver to loosen the foam gasket around the unit. I thought at this time it would just fall out of the dash. Ranger installs a bracket on the back of the unit that prevents you from removing it from the front. I had to remove the 4 screws holding on the windshield and the 6 that hold on the top half of the instrument panel.
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After removing the old unit I removed the access panel under the console. This allowed me to reach up into the console and pull the transducer cable down and out through the access. I tied a small rope to the old transducer cable and pulled it through the conduit.
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To make it easier to remove the old cable I removed the cup holder and the cover on the back of the boat.
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I then repeated the process to run the new transducer cable through the conduit and back up into the console. I taped the new transducer cable to the rope that I pulled through when removing the old transducer.
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For power I used the distribution block inside the console. I used the supplied template to mark off and cut the new hole in the instrument panel. I used a small cutoff tool to cut the hole. The garmin units require you to remove two little parts of the bezel to gain access to the mounting holes. The supplied gasket was applied to the back and the bail mount was attached to the unit. The supplied screws where used to attach the unit to the instrument panel. I then reinstalled the 6 screws in the instrument panel and the 4 in the windshield.

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I will do the livescope and front unit later this week.

[jm_middleton07]

The network cable is just barely long enough if you put the black box in the large front compartment. It was either put it there or the front tackle storage box. I use it a lot so I decided against putting the gls10 in there.
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I removed the front switch panel and the front tackle storage box. This made fishing the transducer cable and network cable a lot easier. I also drilled a 1 1/4" diameter hole in the switch panel. After finishing the project I decided I should have drilled the hole a little higher. The transducer cable was tight against the bottom cable cover. I remedy this by trimming the cable cover to allow more play for the transducer cable.
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I Screwed the gls10 down in the corner of the storage box closest to the access panel. I plan on drilling a hole in the access panel for all my wires to pass through. I ran one black and one red 10 gauge wire back to the battery. The supplied garmin power cable was attached to the 10 gauge wire underneath the console. I removed the access panel under the console to make this connection.

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I used electrical tape as per the instructions to attach the transducer cable to the trolling motor.
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The cable cover makes the install look factory. I have not installed a cutoff switch or ran the water ground. I will more than likely put the switch on the front panel. The access panel inside the storage compartment still needs a 1 1/4" hole drilled in it so I can screw it back on.
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[jm_middleton07]

The front unit was by far the easiest to install. You can remove the front switch panel to access the distribution block. I crimped on a female spade connector to each of the positive and negative wires. I then connected them to the front distribution block. I have ran this unit for about 3 months like this. My moonlite is also wired to the distribution block. I have not had any issues. I had to trim some of the cable cover that screws down over the cables at the switch plate. I used zip ties to tidy up the excess cable from the transducer.

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[Mechanic Bob]

VERY NICE JOB and a great write up!

[jtrac]

Thanks for the write up. I got an email from Garmin this morning saying the Panoptic system has a $200 rebate in the form of a prepaid Visa card now thru the end of December. Makes it tempting but not sure how useful it would be for me as I am basically a shallow water, shore line type fisherman. I can see it being useful in finding submerged structure for crappie fishing. I love to crappie fish but hate to clean the critters. The wife gets angry if I don't keep them so I don't crappie fish as much as I used to. I do love to bass fish because I can catch them, kiss them and let them go.

[jm_middleton]

I got in a hurry when purchasing my electronics. If I could have waited I would have saved almost $1000, I'm still trying to figure out how to use the livescope for bass fishing. It is awesome for crappie.

[fishon396]

Nice work on your install and great pictures and descriptions. Yes working under that driver’s console is a little tight.

[jm_middleton]

Before pic of the standard mount and what comes in the package. Start off by removing the standard livescope mount.
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If you stow your trolling motor with the prop on the starboard side your install will match mine. Use the sticker and bracket labeled starboard side. I wiped the transducer down with a cloth. Then used some alcohol on the side the sticker was applied. To help with lining up the sticker I put the backing behind the sticker. I then slowly pulled it away so I could get the bottom nearest the temp sensor to stick. Once I was happy with the location I pulled the backing out and applied pressure to stick the sticker.
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Use the supplied hardware to attach the new shaft bracket. Make sure the S (starboard) & P (port) are oriented correctly. Now use the bracket labeled starboard and the supplied hardware to attach it and the transducer. Please refer to the install instructions for additional information and torque specs.
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Move the transducer through its positions to make sure you have enough cable. You can now use electrical tape to secure the cable to the trolling motor shaft.

[jtrac]

I am bookmarking this. I broke down and ordered the 93SV/Live Scope combo that was on sale plus the $200 rebate. I will be installing it myself when my boat comes in the next month or so. Thanks.