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  1. Member
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    #21
    Quote Originally Posted by electritek View Post
    Will try to tactfully add my opinion here, sometimes I struggle with that. I am an electrician! Upgrading the wiring in a boat is dependent on the level of training/expertise of the owner/installer/service tech. If none of the aforementioned individuals have the professional training to construct or modify boat wiring, leave it alone. Each crimp connection is like your leader to line connection-do you trust it. If improperly tied, failure. There are many varieties of heat shrink tubing, most are inadequate for a marine harness. If you don't know the difference-leave it alone. There are many different varieties of crimp connectors, if you don't understand the difference, leave it alone. There are different ways to crimp a connector, if you don't know the correct way, leave it alone. There are many different tools available to make a crimp connection. If you don't have the correct tools, leave it alone. If you don't understand the difference between THHN, MTW, Automotive and Marine wire, leave it alone. If you fall in any of the "Leave It Alone" categories mentioned, you might think about purchasing a custom wiring harness. If you wish to go to Home Depot and buy cheap wire, automotive crimp connectors and crimp them with your multi purpose stripper crimp tool you purchased at Wal Mart I wish you good luck.
    You act like it was so hard to read up on marine wiring and finding quality wire and tools to do the job. FTZ crimp tools and supplies from bestboatwire wasn’t hard to find and it is way cheaper than these “harnesses”. It is also a plus to know and learn your boat.

  2. Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
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    Kingston, Tenessee
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    548
    #22
    Quote Originally Posted by electritek View Post
    Will try to tactfully add my opinion here, sometimes I struggle with that. I am an electrician! Upgrading the wiring in a boat is dependent on the level of training/expertise of the owner/installer/service tech. If none of the aforementioned individuals have the professional training to construct or modify boat wiring, leave it alone. Each crimp connection is like your leader to line connection-do you trust it. If improperly tied, failure. There are many varieties of heat shrink tubing, most are inadequate for a marine harness. If you don't know the difference-leave it alone. There are many different varieties of crimp connectors, if you don't understand the difference, leave it alone. There are different ways to crimp a connector, if you don't know the correct way, leave it alone. There are many different tools available to make a crimp connection. If you don't have the correct tools, leave it alone. If you don't understand the difference between THHN, MTW, Automotive and Marine wire, leave it alone. If you fall in any of the "Leave It Alone" categories mentioned, you might think about purchasing a custom wiring harness. If you wish to go to Home Depot and buy cheap wire, automotive crimp connectors and crimp them with your multi purpose stripper crimp tool you purchased at Wal Mart I wish you good luck.
    You are so right on so many points. As someone who has made a pretty good living in the electrical/electronics field (licensed electrician and degreed engineer for 25 yrs) as well as doing all kinds of mobile electronics installs in automotive and marine environments (30+ years experience) I cringe everytime I read a thread about someone who obviously has no business doing the work asking for advice on what to do. It rarely ends well and I've made piles of money fixing the screw ups. Can the harnesses be built cheaper? Absolutely, I've got about $75 dollars in setup for my boat that blows those away but I know what I'm doing. If the guy down the street asked me about one of the aforementioned harnesses I'd tell him to jump on it as I'd assume he doesn't have the level of knowledge to make his own.
    2009 Triton 21X3 250 Mercury Optimax Pro XS
    Minn Kota Fortrex 80
    2 Lowrance HDS Live 12s at bow w/ Active Target
    Lowrance HDS Carbon 9 and 12 at console
    2 8' Power Pole Pro Series

  3. Member electritek's Avatar
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    Nov 2012
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    Osage Beach, Mo. Lake of the Ozarks
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    #23
    Quote Originally Posted by kcinnick View Post
    You act like it was so hard to read up on marine wiring and finding quality wire and tools to do the job. FTZ crimp tools and supplies from bestboatwire wasn’t hard to find and it is way cheaper than these “harnesses”. It is also a plus to know and learn your boat.
    Again, I am going to try to be tactful and explain. Yes, you can purchase a FTZ crimper for around $80. Mistake #1. A new wiring harness should be 8 AWG. The cheap FTZ $80 crimper only crimps down to 10 AWG. You need to upgrade your tool to a $200 ratchet crimper to make 2 crimps on 8 AWG for a new harness. A cheap heat gun for Shrink Tubing is around $35. You are already into it $235 buying tools before you buy wire, connectors, and shrink tubing. That's before you start reading up on how to be an electrician and learn to use your new tools. Knowledge and skill are priceless. Leave it alone, buy a harness and go fishing.
    Last edited by electritek; 01-05-2021 at 11:46 PM.


    2020 Ranger 521L Tour, 300 Mercury, 112 Minn Kota Ultrex
    3 12" Helix Units, Mega Si, Mega Di, Mega 360, Garmin 8412 W LiveScope mounted on Rite Hite Turret.

  4. Member electritek's Avatar
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    #24
    Quote Originally Posted by MattVT18 View Post
    You are so right on so many points. As someone who has made a pretty good living in the electrical/electronics field (licensed electrician and degreed engineer for 25 yrs) as well as doing all kinds of mobile electronics installs in automotive and marine environments (30+ years experience) I cringe everytime I read a thread about someone who obviously has no business doing the work asking for advice on what to do. It rarely ends well and I've made piles of money fixing the screw ups. Can the harnesses be built cheaper? Absolutely, I've got about $75 dollars in setup for my boat that blows those away but I know what I'm doing. If the guy down the street asked me about one of the aforementioned harnesses I'd tell him to jump on it as I'd assume he doesn't have the level of knowledge to make his own.
    Spot on, Thank You


    2020 Ranger 521L Tour, 300 Mercury, 112 Minn Kota Ultrex
    3 12" Helix Units, Mega Si, Mega Di, Mega 360, Garmin 8412 W LiveScope mounted on Rite Hite Turret.

  5. Member
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    Nov 2019
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    St Paul, Minnesota
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    433
    #25
    Please do not take offense as I respect the job and abilities of electricians. But on a scale of difficulty from 1-10, adding a wire from your battery to power your electronics has to be a 2....and that’s being generous. The hardest part is pulling the wires through the small cavities in your boat...which have to be done with these harnesses as well. (Which the irony here is that you pay so much more for these harnesses yet still have to do the hardest part of the job!)

    now that being said yes I agree that people still do screw things up...I have helped many and wondered how things got the way they did.

    All of the tools mentioned can be acquired for far less. They may not be “electrician grade” but they can get the job done.

    And also (and again) one can get all you need from a vendor all custom rigged that is marine grade wire with appropriately crimped heat shrinked terminals for a fraction of what is being hawked shipped in a few days. No tools needed.

    I can agree if someone is just unable to take on such an easy task then pay the dough. Even better take it to the shop so they can rig it all up for you.

    this will be my last post as this thread is losing productivity and online pissing matches just aren’t worth the time.
    Last edited by BoilermakerZ519; 01-06-2021 at 06:04 PM.

  6. BBC SPONSOR
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    Feb 2020
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    Benton KY
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    586
    #26
    We are a dealer for Sea Clear Power, we all run the harness in our boat.

    Very good results!

    Check it out.

    https://www.precisionsonar.com/products/accessories/wiring-harness/sea-clear-power-wiring-harness

  7. Member
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    Mar 2019
    Location
    Brookhaven, MS
    Posts
    43
    #27
    Hey Boiler, we are not dumb. We got $70,000 bass boats, $10,000 worth of rods, reels, and lures. Trust me spending $200 for a wiring harness is the least of our concern. I have one and I love it. I could have purchased the wires separately and completed it but I did not want to neither did I have the time. So I bought the harness with pocket change and installed it myself. We don't need $200 reels and $100 rods, but all the real bass fishermen have them. It ain't about cost or engineering for some of us. By the way I am a Biochemist and Nephrologist, but my boat is my dream--I spare NOTHING when it comes to keeping it like I want it. Hope you fishing!! James.

  8. Member
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    Mar 2005
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    Elko Ga
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    706
    #28
    Just use good AWG wire and marine grade terminals with heat shrink and good inline fuses with matching awg wire and weather proof fuse bodies make good connections and be done. It is'nt rocket science.

  9. Member
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    Mar 2019
    Location
    Winter Garden, FL
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    593
    #29
    Just a basic question. What is best, soldered (sonar pros), crimp, twist ties (sea clear)?

    I'm probably just gonna go with how the boat comes at first, but will likely make a change in the future, as electronics are important to my style of fishing.

    Is it a bad idea to order one of these (sea clear or sonar pros)? I'm more concerned about quality than price....but if I'm reading right, the way these are done may not be ideal for quality.

  10. Member
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    Apr 2015
    Location
    Phila Pa
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    271
    #30
    Quote Originally Posted by TohoRookie View Post
    Just a basic question. What is best, soldered (sonar pros), crimp, twist ties (sea clear)?

    I'm probably just gonna go with how the boat comes at first, but will likely make a change in the future, as electronics are important to my style of fishing.

    Is it a bad idea to order one of these (sea clear or sonar pros)? I'm more concerned about quality than price....but if I'm reading right, the way these are done may not be ideal for quality.
    Here is what I will tell you. Professional anglers use them to rig their boats. Yes they have sponsors but their livelihood depends on reliability. They aren't going to use a product like this if it is not a quality product.

  11. Member
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    Jun 2019
    Location
    Sewell, NJ
    Posts
    57
    #31
    I’ve helped install both, and run the sonar pro’s myself. I think the sonar pros is better IMO. It’s laid out better, and as far as people saying soldered connections in a boat is bad, I can’t figure that out. When it’s soldered/waterproof I don’t know what can go wrong.

  12. Member PhoenixDrew's Avatar
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    Feb 2010
    Location
    Millville, NJ
    Posts
    1,083
    #32
    Quote Originally Posted by electritek View Post
    Will try to tactfully add my opinion here, sometimes I struggle with that. I am an electrician! Upgrading the wiring in a boat is dependent on the level of training/expertise of the owner/installer/service tech. If none of the aforementioned individuals have the professional training to construct or modify boat wiring, leave it alone. Each crimp connection is like your leader to line connection-do you trust it. If improperly tied, failure. There are many varieties of heat shrink tubing, most are inadequate for a marine harness. If you don't know the difference-leave it alone. There are many different varieties of crimp connectors, if you don't understand the difference, leave it alone. There are different ways to crimp a connector, if you don't know the correct way, leave it alone. There are many different tools available to make a crimp connection. If you don't have the correct tools, leave it alone. If you don't understand the difference between THHN, MTW, Automotive and Marine wire, leave it alone. If you fall in any of the "Leave It Alone" categories mentioned, you might think about purchasing a custom wiring harness. If you wish to go to Home Depot and buy cheap wire, automotive crimp connectors and crimp them with your multi purpose stripper crimp tool you purchased at Wal Mart I wish you good luck.
    👍 Electrical background here too. And it pains me to see the money spent on harnesses. But if you can't do a good install yourself then buy one. Or get a friend with the knowledge to help you out.
    Phoenix 921ProXP Mercury 250 ProXS

  13. Member
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    Mar 2019
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    Portland, OR
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    12
    #33
    These wiring harnesses really are overpriced, with that said they should work great. Might be worth checking with your local marine shop though, I had one of these made and installed by the local shop for less than it would cost to buy one of the two being discussed.

  14. Member crank68's Avatar
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    Mar 2011
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    Kenly, NC
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    17,416
    #34
    Same with my shop....it’s amazing what people can sell and sell it for. A lot of very good marketing !!
    BULLET 20 XRD/250 Merc Sport XS
    www.ncboatguy.com

  15. Member marshall256's Avatar
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    Hurley, MS
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    #35
    I think the point several are trying to make is the harnesses being sold are over-priced. They are basing this opinion on what it would cost if you had the skill/knowledge/tools to build your own harness. I don't think anyone should attempt something they are not qualified to do. But, just because you aren't qualified doesn't mean you should get "bent over" for someone else to do it for you. These guys aren't selling a "consumable" item. So, in the long run they know they are not necessarily going to get a repeat sell and thus are trying to maximize their margins. Point is, you don't have to accept the cost...you could haggle with them and/or find someone with the skills/knowledge/tools to build what you need at a competitive price. Because in the end, the prefabricated harness is not made of high tech materials that the normal person couldn't get their hands on. On the flip side, if the price is acceptable to you then do what you want with your money.

    Honestly, I get "bent over" every time I buy a Jackhammer Chatterbait. But, I'll accept that. Although if I get hung up...I ain't breaking it off...I'll go swimming to get it back.

  16. Member
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    May 2020
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    Greenwood Indiana
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    #36
    Quote Originally Posted by naredman View Post
    You may check out Sonar Electronic Pros harness as well. A little more expensive, but everything is soldered and a little cleaner look IMO. I have one being shipped to me Monday for my 4 Helix units going on my new to me 2017 721. They custom make the harness to fit exactly how all your electronics are mounted on console a d up at the bow.
    Hey fellow Hoosier,
    Would it be possible to post photos of install especially connection to batteries?
    Will a Blue Sea Master Power Switch and 6 Blade Stainless Fuse Block be needed?
    Thanks
    Gary
    Last edited by Dale Hollow Nut; 04-19-2021 at 11:47 PM.

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