MKR-MI-1 and 720109-1 Question

[ontheflats]

Are the Minn Kota MKR-MI-1 and the Humminbird 720109-1 adapters the same thing? If not, what's the difference?

I need to get a 720108-1 y-cable to combine an Ultrex and Mega 360 to connect to a Helix 10.

Thanks

Dale

[Wayne P.]

The MKR-MI-1 adapts a Minnkota built-in MDI or MSI transducer to a Helix 7-pin connection.

The MEGA 360 Y cable you need depends on what unit will be connected AND exactly what other transducer other than the MEGA 360 will be connected.
The MEGA 360 Y cables are 10' long.

The shortest connection between a Helix and MEGA 360 with Minnkota built-in is the 9 M360 2DDI Y cable. It has a 14-pin female SOLIX plug for the MEGA 360 male plug, a 7-pin female plug for a Helix transducer, and a 7-pin male plug to the display connection.
To use that with the Minnkota built-in transducer that has the 14-pin male plug, it has to be converted to 7-pin with the MKR-MI-1 adapter. That will give you 10' of cable between the MEGA 360 and Helix.

The next shortest connection between a Helix and MEGA 360 is the 14 M360 2DDI Y cable. That has a 14-pin female plug for the MEGA 360 and a 14-pin female plug for a Minnkota built-in MDI or MSI transducer and a 14-pin male display plug for a SOLIX.
You convert that 14-pin male plug to 7-pin with the MKR-MI-1 adapter to connect to a Helix. That will give you 13' of cable between the MEGA 360 and Helix.

The MEGA 360 comes with two 10' cables to connect the MEGA 360 directly to a SOLIX or a Helix.
You can use the 14-pin to 7-pin cable with the 14 M360 2DDI Y cable instead of the MKR-MI-1 and have 20' of cable between the MEGA 360 and Helix.

If you need 30' of cable, you can put the included 14-pin extension cable between the 14 M360 2DDI Y cable and the included 14-pin to 7-pin adapter to connect to the Helix.

[ontheflats]

I'm trying to connect a 14-pin Ultrex ducer and a 14-pin Mega 360 to a Helix 10. In reading some of these posts, it looks like I need a y-cable #720108-1. I need something to connect the remaining 14-pin connector to the Helix 10 unit.

Will a MKR-MI-1 work okay for that or do I need a 720109-1?

[Wayne P.]

AND if the Ultrex has the US2 transducer, you have to attach the unit's MEGA SI+ or MEGA DI+ to the trolling motor and then you can use the 9 M360 2DDI Y cable with no adapters to connect that and the MEGA 360 to the Helix.

AND the Helix 10 HAS to be a DI+ or SI+ model. Those would be a G3N or G4N.

[ontheflats]

The Ultrex has built-in SI imaging transducer and the Helix 10 G4N has SI.

[ontheflats]

Got it figured out. Thanks for your help.

[Wayne P.]

But my original question is:

Is a MKR-MI-1 cable adapter the same as a 720109-1 cable adapter?

Two DIFFERENT cables.

The 720109-1 is the 10' long 14-pin to 7-pin adapter than comes in the box with the MEGA 360.

It does the same thing as the 3' MKR-MI-1---converts a SOLIX 14-pin male plug to Helix 7-pin male plug.

Since you have the MEGA SI+ Helix 10 and a Minnkota MSI transducer, you will lose the use of Side Imaging from the built-in MSI transducer. The MEGA 360 will replace it.
Then you chose to use the MEGA 360 for 360 OR for Side Imaging, but not at the same time.

[Wayne P.]

All the locations I stated in post #2 for the MKR-MI-1 can be done with the 720109-1 cable if you want the additional 7' of cable to manage.

[ontheflats]

Thank you Wayne.

[joe3buck3]

ontheflats
You shouldn't need the MKR-MI-1 since the 720109-1 is one of the three cables which comes with your Mega360. It is NOT labeled as such but its there.

I just went through this same installation and it was CONFUSING to say the least. I am connecting a new Mega360 + Minnkota built in MegaDI + Link to my new Helix 15 Gen4 mounted on the bow. What I finally figured out from reading Wayne's post and wading through the wad of cables I got with the various units was the following:

Mega 360 came with three cables:
1 Power Cable,
1 14 pin Solex to 14 pin Solex cable (1 male end and 1 female end)
1 14 pin Solex to 7 pin Helix (Note this is the 710109-1 and is 10ft long and eliminates the need for the MKR-MI-1 MinnKota cable )

I purchased two auxiliary cables:
1 9 M360 2DDI Y
1 AS EC QDE (720074-1) Ethernet adapter cable (to connect iPilot Link to the Helix)

I connected the Solex 14pin to 14pin cable to the M360
I connected the Solex 14pin to 7pin Helix to the MinnKota Mega DI

I then connected the M360 to the 14Pin Solex end of the 9M360 2DDI Y
The connected the 7pin Helix end of the MinnKota Mega DI to the female end of the 9M360 2DDI Y

Plugged the 7Pin Helix male end of the 9M360 2DDI Y into the Helix and fired everything up. It all worked.

NOTE: The Solex 14pin-Helix/7pin cable MUST be connected to the MinnKota Mega DI.

The Humminbird site says that you cannot use the 9 M360 2DDI Y cable when connecting the Mega360 and a built in MinnKota Mega DI transducer blah blah blah. As far as Wayne and I can tell that is just not true. I suspect the issue is related to the 720109-1 14pin Solex to 7pin Helix cable because it must be connected to the MinnKota MegaDI then to the 9M360 2DDI Y otherwise it doesn't work.

[Wayne P.]

ontheflats
You shouldn't need the MKR-MI-1 since the 720109-1 is one of the three cables which comes with your Mega360. It is NOT labeled as such but its there.

I just went through this same installation and it was CONFUSING to say the least. I am connecting a new Mega360 + Minnkota built in MegaDI + Link to my new Helix 15 Gen4 mounted on the bow. What I finally figured out from reading Wayne's post and wading through the wad of cables I got with the various units was the following:

Mega 360 came with three cables:
1 Power Cable,
1 14 pin Solex to 14 pin Solex cable (1 male end and 1 female end)
1 14 pin Solex to 7 pin Helix (Note this is the 710109-1 and is 10ft long and eliminates the need for the MKR-MI-1 MinnKota cable )

I purchased two auxiliary cables:
1 9 M360 2DDI Y
1 AS EC QDE (720074-1) Ethernet adapter cable (to connect iPilot Link to the Helix)

I connected the Solex 14pin to 14pin cable to the M360
I connected the Solex 14pin to 7pin Helix to the MinnKota Mega DI

I then connected the M360 to the 14Pin Solex end of the 9M360 2DDI Y
The connected the 7pin Helix end of the MinnKota Mega DI to the female end of the 9M360 2DDI Y

Plugged the 7Pin Helix male end of the 9M360 2DDI Y into the Helix and fired everything up. It all worked.

NOTE: The Solex 14pin-Helix/7pin cable MUST be connected to the MinnKota Mega DI.

The Humminbird site says that you cannot use the 9 M360 2DDI Y cable when connecting the Mega360 and a built in MinnKota Mega DI transducer blah blah blah. As far as Wayne and I can tell that is just not true. I suspect the issue is related to the 720109-1 14pin Solex to 7pin Helix cable because it must be connected to the MinnKota MegaDI then to the 9M360 2DDI Y otherwise it doesn't work.

All I described, I have personally done except with a Minnkota built-in MDI or MSI transducer---used a SOLIX transducer instead--it has the 14-pin male plug=same as the built-in transducers.

My first setup with the MEGA 360 and another transducer was the 9 M360 2DDI Y cable and a Humminbird MEGA DI+ transducer, no adapters needed then.

[Merc Doc]

I just tried using 9m360 2ddy y cable with no luck getting the h12g3 to connect or turn on 360. All software is current 2.280.
Tried the 14m360 y cable as well but cannot plug the mdi transducer into the solex connector, is that where the 720109-1 goes? I can find no trace or pics of it in humminbird store or on the web. ???????? My blood pressure cant take much more

[ontheflats]

This is what I love about this board.

I can ask questions, get informative responses from knowledgeable people, and not be made fun of because it's obvious I don't know what the f**k I'm doing.

Thank you.

Dale

[Wayne P.]

I just tried using 9m360 2ddy y cable with no luck getting the h12g3 to connect or turn on 360. All software is current 2.280.
Tried the 14m360 y cable as well but cannot plug the mdi transducer into the solex connector, is that where the 720109-1 goes? I can find no trace or pics of it in humminbird store or on the web. ???????? My blood pressure cant take much more

The MDI and MSI transducers have the 14-pin male SOLIX plug that would connect to the female sonar side of the 14 cable. Same as connecting to a SOLIX transducer plug to the same Y cable plug.

The 720109-1 would convert the MDI/MSI transducer plug to 7-pin the same as the Minnkota MKR-MI-1 does.
It is not listed as an accessory cable, but the other one that is included is listed since it is a 14-pin transducer extension cable---720106-1

[Merc Doc]

I guess I'm either stupid or just completely missing something but there is no way to plug the mdi ducer into the 14m y cable. A 9m y cable will hook everything together but doesnt work on this built in mdi/ultrex, that i've tried several different cables to no avail. I've been rigging boats for 30 plus years but I feel really stupid at this point.

[Wayne P.]

I guess I'm either stupid or just completely missing something but there is no way to plug the mdi ducer into the 14m y cable. A 9m y cable will hook everything together but doesnt work on this built in mdi/ultrex, that i've tried several different cables to no avail. I've been rigging boats for 30 plus years but I feel really stupid at this point.

Do you really have a Minnkota trolling motor with built-in MDI transducer and all the parts that came with the motor?

[Wayne P.]

I guess I'm either stupid or just completely missing something but there is no way to plug the mdi ducer into the 14m y cable. A 9m y cable will hook everything together but doesnt work on this built in mdi/ultrex, that i've tried several different cables to no avail. I've been rigging boats for 30 plus years but I feel really stupid at this point.

AND a Minnkota MDI transducer and a Minkota MSI transducer has the exact same plug as the MEGA 360. That is why there is a 14-pin to 7 pin converter cable to use those transducers with Helix units.