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  1. #1
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    Power for humminbird 5 port ethernet

    I am about to install the 5 port in my 2002 Pro Craft 185 Pro. I was wondering if anyone could help me with a power connection or if I just need to run the power to the cranking battery? I am still a newbie to some of this "do it yourself" boat stuff and I don't want to mess anything up. Thanks in advance!

    Jay

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    #2
    It needs to be ran all the way to the cranking battery directly. I would recommend a disable link at the console that is accessible. If it is legged of any other circuits or devises if will not function at optimal level. A fish tape is your friend on this project. Good luck sir.

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    #3
    Thanks 5 Bass - How do I set up a disable link at the console?

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    #4
    Can I convert my horn to a switch?

  5. Electrical/Wiring/Trolling Motors Moderator CatFan's Avatar
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    #5
    Quote Originally Posted by bama_bassin View Post
    Can I convert my horn to a switch?
    Your horn is legally required equipment.
    If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
    nothing else matters.​

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    #6
    understand on the horn, i was just trying to find a way to add a switch. I am not sure how as I am a rookie here..... any help would be greatly appreciated.

    I have been told not to directly wire it to the cranking battery as it will be a constant drain on the battery. The note above says to add a disable link, but I am unsure of what that is (an on/off switch??). How / where would I mount that switch and do I need to fuse it? If I need to fuse it, how do I do that?

    I am sorry for all the questions....I just want to do it myself to learn....but I don't want to mess it up either...

    Really appreciate all the input and help!

    J

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    #7
    Quote Originally Posted by bama_bassin View Post
    understand on the horn, i was just trying to find a way to add a switch. I am not sure how as I am a rookie here..... any help would be greatly appreciated.

    I have been told not to directly wire it to the cranking battery as it will be a constant drain on the battery. The note above says to add a disable link, but I am unsure of what that is (an on/off switch??). How / where would I mount that switch and do I need to fuse it? If I need to fuse it, how do I do that?

    I am sorry for all the questions....I just want to do it myself to learn....but I don't want to mess it up either...

    Really appreciate all the input and help!

    J
    Often there is a knockout or two in the dash for adding switches, or even an unused accessory switch. Your boat likely has the Contura switches which are readily available. The switches can typically handle at least 20A, and maybe more depending on configuration.

    It can be tough giving specific advice without seeing your boat and knowing any changes made in the past

    I ran heavy (10AWG) gauge wires from my battery to an accessory switch on the dash, then to a fuse box like this https://www.bluesea.com/products/502..._Bus_and_Cover. I feed all of my electronics from that, so one switch shuts off everything and I have good power to everything.
    If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
    nothing else matters.​

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    #8
    This is a picture of my master power switch and buttons. There are three buttons that do nothing. The two under the first row toggle switched And the one on the left of the bottom right switch. I wonder if I could add a switch to one of those? They all look to have power run to them in the back. Then I guess I would run power to the fuse block from there?
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    Last edited by bama_bassin; 02-05-2021 at 06:46 PM. Reason: add picture

  9. Member
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    #9
    Quote Originally Posted by bama_bassin View Post
    This is a picture of my master power switch and buttons. There are three buttons that do nothing. The two under the first row toggle switched And the one on the left of the bottom right switch. I wonder if I could add a switch to one of those? They all look to have power run to them in the back. Then I guess I would run power to the fuse block from there?
    You could use one of the openings for a new switch. I’m curious what the switches “ that do nothing” were intended for originally though. Typically there are no “extra” switches. I would suggest if you utilize one of the openings, make sure you leave all the wires that are on the switch connected ( take a picture before removing and rewire according. Tape off contact points and secure to wiring harness under dash. There is a good possibility that the switch that is non functional could be powering another switch. If it’s not hooked back up ,anything daisy chained will not operate. If it were me, I would figure out exactly what the switches were supposed to operate before proceeding.

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    #10
    Quote Originally Posted by 5 BASS ASSASIN View Post
    You could use one of the openings for a new switch. I’m curious what the switches “ that do nothing” were intended for originally though. Typically there are no “extra” switches. I would suggest if you utilize one of the openings, make sure you leave all the wires that are on the switch connected ( take a picture before removing and rewire according. Tape off contact points and secure to wiring harness under dash. There is a good possibility that the switch that is non functional could be powering another switch. If it’s not hooked back up ,anything daisy chained will not operate. If it were me, I would figure out exactly what the switches were supposed to operate before proceeding.

    I agree. I don't understand why those buttons are there. They don't control anything and have I have never needed them for anything. It's an old 2002 pro craft 185 pro, so finding out much information about that boat is a little bit of a challenge seeing that they are discontinued. Maybe someone on the board can point me in the right direction there.

    But totally agree, why would they have these wired buttons with no purpose?

    I am starting to lean more and more to just installing a new on / off switch to control the ethernet and eventually have that control the power to all my units.....but if it were possible to hook up to one of those switches....it would probably make things a lot easier.

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    #11
    Alright guys I have proceeded with the install, but have run into a problem. Here is what I have done so far, so hopefully someone can shed some light on what I have done wrong.

    What I am trying to do is install my humminbird ethernet so I can network all 3 units and my trolling motor. I am only hooking power up to the ethernet at this point, but later (once I work out the bugs I will connect all three units to the fuse block).

    THE PROBLEM - When I turn on my batter switch the power of my dash humminbird unit turns off and the 40 amp inline fuse (from battery to switch) blows every time.

    Here is my set up -

    I have 10 AWG marine wire wired to the battery. The positive wire has a 40 amp inline fuse in it. Then both my positive / negative wires go to the switch with end terminals. Then I have a new positive / negative wire with end terminals wired to the switch and then I run those wires to the fuseblock . I have negative going into the top and positive going into the bottom. Then I have my ethernet power connected to the top negative screw on the right and the positive connected to the bottom right screw.

    Any help would be GREATLY appreciated! Like I said earlier, I am a rookie....

  12. Electrical/Wiring/Trolling Motors Moderator CatFan's Avatar
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    #12
    Quote Originally Posted by bama_bassin View Post
    Alright guys I have proceeded with the install, but have run into a problem. Here is what I have done so far, so hopefully someone can shed some light on what I have done wrong.

    What I am trying to do is install my humminbird ethernet so I can network all 3 units and my trolling motor. I am only hooking power up to the ethernet at this point, but later (once I work out the bugs I will connect all three units to the fuse block).

    THE PROBLEM - When I turn on my batter switch the power of my dash humminbird unit turns off and the 40 amp inline fuse (from battery to switch) blows every time.

    Here is my set up -

    I have 10 AWG marine wire wired to the battery. The positive wire has a 40 amp inline fuse in it. Then both my positive / negative wires go to the switch with end terminals. Then I have a new positive / negative wire with end terminals wired to the switch and then I run those wires to the fuseblock . I have negative going into the top and positive going into the bottom. Then I have my ethernet power connected to the top negative screw on the right and the positive connected to the bottom right screw.

    Any help would be GREATLY appreciated! Like I said earlier, I am a rookie....
    Generally negative wires don’t go to the switch.
    If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
    nothing else matters.​

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    #13
    well that could be the fix....

    I guess i just run the negative straight from the battery to the fuse block?

    Do I need to add a ground wire to the switch or just wire the positive to the battery and the fuse block?

    TIA

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    #14
    Quote Originally Posted by bama_bassin View Post
    well that could be the fix....

    I guess i just run the negative straight from the battery to the fuse block?

    Do I need to add a ground wire to the switch or just wire the positive to the battery and the fuse block?

    TIA
    The switch doesn’t need a negative/ground.
    If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
    nothing else matters.​

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    #15
    Thanks catfan

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    #16
    Catfan you have been a HUGE help here and I sincerely appreciate. Rewired it today at lunch and it works!! Thanks so much! Going to try it out very soon on the Big G!

  17. Electrical/Wiring/Trolling Motors Moderator CatFan's Avatar
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    #17
    Quote Originally Posted by bama_bassin View Post
    Catfan you have been a HUGE help here and I sincerely appreciate. Rewired it today at lunch and it works!! Thanks so much! Going to try it out very soon on the Big G!
    If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
    nothing else matters.​

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    #18
    quick update here.... went out and gave this a whirl on the water....and I had quite a few issues.

    For starters here is my set up - Helix 10 on the bow, Helix 12 at the console, and 999 Ci HD in dash, w/ ultrex trolling motor - all networked to ethernet.

    1 - When I started fishing my Helix 10 on the bow wouldn't show any of the sonar images. It kept showing Mega 360 not connected and Mega 360 screens AND not showing my normal Helix 10 sonar screens. I don't even have a Mega 360. FINALLY, I found the setting that said "FORGET 360". I hit and it worked once, then it reset again on its own and went back to 360.... I had to hit forget 360 about 3 or 4 times. Then it finally worked. I just hope this isn't a constant problem.

    2 - My "follow contour" portion of I-pilot settings worked fine with my Helix 10 on the bow to start the day. Then all of a sudden in the middle of the morning the "follow contour" option went away on the Helix 10 at the bow. For a while there it would come and go....but finally got tired of restarting the trolling motor and the other bird units to try and figure it out. The "follow contour option" worked fine from the console Helix 12 unit....not sure why the option wasn't even available at the bow on the Helix 10 anymore. Needless to say that was aggravating.

    3 - Then at about 12pm (fishing roughly 5 hours) my cranking battery started struggling. When I would crank the boat it would turn off one or both of my units at the console. And continued to get weaker and weaker throughout the day. My cranking battery was fully charged to start the day at 12.87. Then at about 2:30 the boat wouldn't crank. We had to jump it off from the trolling motor batteries the rest of the day. We continued to fish and jump it off to get going. Stopped fishing at 4:30 and got the boat home finally at around 8:30. Checked the voltage on the battery and is 12.02..... So not sure why it wasn't cranking....

    Obviously I have done something in my wiring efforts on the ethernet to mess something up but at 12.02 the battery should still be cranking. Here is what I have directly connected to the cranking battery -

    - Helix 12
    - Humminbird 999
    - Power to switch for ethernet (switch is only on when fishing)
    - onboard charger (which I am not using anymore and will remove this weekend and replace with a new one)
    - hydrowave - this does have a repair in the line...it had a cut in it and so i had to splice and reconnect and the power connection to the unit is in and out sometimes....could have a short or loose connection
    - boat power

    I have a northstar AGM 27 as my starting battery - https://www.northstarbattery.com/product/nsb-agm27

    Hopefully that is enough information. Any help here would be appreciated!

  19. Electrical/Wiring/Trolling Motors Moderator CatFan's Avatar
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    #19
    12.02V is pretty well dead. Below 50% state of charge. If it was 12.02V when you got home, it was probably more like 11.8V on the lake.
    If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
    nothing else matters.​

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    #20
    Thanks - Do you think I am overloading the battery or do you think its a battery problem?

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