Another AT Install Question(s)

[Want2fish3]

So I purchased a Sea Clear wiring harness for all my electronics and accessories. I also purchased the switch that was recommended. During the install I realized I would need a separate switch to power the AT off when not using it that is separate from the switch I purchased with the Sea Clear. I already have a switch on my 2019 Skeeter that looks identical to the one that came with the Sea clear. Can I just run the Sea Clear wiring harness through the original switch on the boat or do I basically need three separate switches? The one that was originally on the boat, the one that came with the Sea Clear wiring harness, and another one to power the black box on/off?

Next question is I mounting the black box in the starboard rod locker. Can the black box be mounted upside down or on the side for a more neat wire run or do I have to mount it where the wires run coming from the bottom?

Thanks for the help. By the way I will have two graphs on bow and one on the console, plus the active target in the rod box.

[Marc Marcantonio]

View my Unbox and Install YouTube video for Active Target, and the Settings video. Where do you have the Active Target yellow wire attached? If you run the Active Target yellow wire to a switch on your dash panel you will use that switch to turn it on and off. If mounting the box in your rod locker (good choice) then you can turn the box any direction you would like, but it will cool better if the fins are vertical instead of horizontal. Avoid wrapping it in bubble wrap (joking)...

[Want2fish3]

Hey Marc, first of all you are a God send to this board! Next, I see that many guys have extra accessory switches at the console like your Ranger. I have a Skeeter FX and unless I am mistaken I don’t have and extra one (2019 Skeeter FX). I do have a switch at the console you turn on to have power to all accessories. Like I said before I purchased the Sea Clear wiring harness and paid extra for the switch that I thought was used to turn the AT On/Off. However, I discovered it powers everything on/off that is connected to the harness. So now I must buy another switch to turn the AT off when I’m not utilizing it correct? I guess the switch would be between the black box and fuse for the AT. I have read where you can power it up with the unit but I want to utilize the unit when I’m not using AT and not keeping the AT running so it doesn’t drain my battery. Sorry this is so long but thank you for the help! Great videos!!

[Marc Marcantonio]

Hey Marc, first of all you are a God send to this board! Next, I see that many guys have extra accessory switches at the console like your Ranger. I have a Skeeter FX and unless I am mistaken I don’t have and extra one (2019 Skeeter FX). I do have a switch at the console you turn on to have power to all accessories. Like I said before I purchased the Sea Clear wiring harness and paid extra for the switch that I thought was used to turn the AT On/Off. However, I discovered it powers everything on/off that is connected to the harness. So now I must buy another switch to turn the AT off when I’m not utilizing it correct? I guess the switch would be between the black box and fuse for the AT. I have read where you can power it up with the unit but I want to utilize the unit when I’m not using AT and not keeping the AT running so it doesn’t drain my battery. Sorry this is so long but thank you for the help! Great videos!!

Yes, you will need another switch in order to shutoff the AT without having to shut off your HDS unit. But it wouldn't be between the black box and fuse. You would install the switch on your dash, and connect the yellow wire from the AT to one side of the switch, and from the other side of the switch you would run the wire to the red wire on your Sea Clear or on your Skeeter's power bus. Then you can shut off the AT independent of any other electronics. Let me know if this needs clarification.

[mikeky]

My AT yellow wire is connected to a bow unit. I bought a round rocker switch from Autozone and mounted it in the bow panel, ran the yellow wire through this switch. The switch is LED lighted, I wasn't sure if the yellow wire would power the light but it does.

[Want2fish3]

That is a marvelous idea Mike! Don’t know why I didn’t think of it going there with the switch since that is where you will be standing. Thank you for the info!

[Sleepy111]

I put mine on a switch in the bow panel as well. I always have to see the “no source” message to remind myself to turn it on, ha.

[Marc Marcantonio]

Personally I prefer to keep all the main controls at the console. Over the years of tournament fishing, the times I needed to shut down my 3D StructureScan and now Active Target were when I went to crank my outboard and heard it not wanting to start. That would be my key to shut off all unnecessary electronics that strain the weak battery when starting the motor. At that point I am sitting in the driver's seat, and it is easy to reach up and turn off any switches I need, rather then get out of the chair and walk up to the bow and back.

BTW, I keep both my Accessory 1 (Active Target) and Accessory 2 (3D StructureScan) on all the time unless I need to conserve power. Even when I shut down the master power switch at the end of the day, the switches are in the "on" position. This way they automatically are on the next trip when I turn on the master power. People tend to think that they have to remember all the switches to turn on, but you really don't if you leave them that way.

And there is nothing wrong with putting the switch on the bow; whatever is most convenient for you and where you have the box located. My Ranger also has an unused accessory switch on the bow panel as well.

[Want2fish3]

Marc, what you are saying makes prefect sense. Unfortunately, for me Skeeter does not provide the extra accessory switches, although I do see extra fuses on the panel. Think it will be easier install at the front panel instead of the console for me.

What I still don’t understand though is I have a master cut-off switch that came on the boat. Now I purchased the Sea Clear harness and got another, identical, switch for it that all my graphs and AT are on. Don’t understand why I couldn’t just tie the sea clear into the existing cut-off switch that came on the boat. If you can help me understand that I think you have managed a passing grade for your lowest common denominator...

[Marc Marcantonio]

The point of having the Sea Clear wiring is to get full clean power to your HDS units. If you connect the Sea Clear to your master cutoff and also add the new switch, it will power your units, but you are no longer getting the full power you gain by adding the Sea Clear. The resistance of going through your master switch and your new switch inhibits the power to your graphs.

Also by adding the Sea Clear to the master cutoff switch in order to eliminate the additional switch, any interference generated by your aerators or other electrical accessories powered by the main cutoff may adversely affect your graphs. Hence you lose the "clean" power your Sea Clear would provide, which was the point for adding it to begin with.

Hope this helps.

So.... run the Sea Clear directly to the battery with its own switch.

[Want2fish3]

Understood, and I kinda guessed that’s the reason. Thank you very much for taking your time to help me and to all the other guys that gave good ideas.

[Marc Marcantonio]

[tnriverhammer]

What kind of switch did you hook your AT up with? I have a 2017 skeeter and have my sea clear hooked straight to the main switch in the back like you referenced above. I also wired my AT directly into my sea clear harness and just turn my main switch off once I take the boat out of the water. I feel like having a switch just for the AT would be easier so I'm curious what you ended up doing with it. Or maybe I should just update the AT to make the yellow wire work with my HDS. All this stuff is confusing. I have also noticed when I turn my main switch on which powers my graphs and AT I can hear my AT transducer pinging even when my graphs are turned off. I have to physically turn my graph on and "stop sonar" on the AT page in order for my transducer to quit pinging. Kind of a pain in the butt. Not trying to hijack your post just adding to it!

[Want2fish3]

I plan to just hook up a standard cheap switch to the yellow wake up wire. I believe now I will have 3 separate switches. The main switch that came on the boat. Then the identical looking red switch that I ordered with the sea clear, which will power the units and AT, and then the small switch that I’m going to put on the bow to turn the black box on/off. The reason for this is so I can run my graph(s) while not draining the cranking battery when the AT is not in use. I plan to complete it tomorrow and I will update on the results.