Transom Transducer cable path

[Heavy M]

I am updating my electronics on my 2006 198 DC elite.

I am looking at mounting the display on my console outside the windshield next to instrument panel.

What is the cable path for the transom transducers? Anyone who had done this please provide information.

Is it snake back to the battery compartment?

Heavy M

[rboren]

If youwant to save the old transducer. Take heavy mechanics wire or 2 straightened coat hangers joined together securely and tape the connections so it wont snag easy. Feed the heavy wire towards the rear of the boat and locate it.It may take a few tries. Once you locate end of metal wire,secure new transducer cable to it.(lay cable end against wire and wrap with electrical tape using many wraps. Be sure to leave enough metal wire hanging out around gear shifter or console area so you can pull the new transducer wire up to console area. Once you have new cable end where you need it,tape it to anything to make sure it stays put. Then you can pull old cable from the rear of the boat out slowly and remove.It takes a little time,but I have managed to do this around 40 years. Some boats are harder than others but it will work. Patience is all it takes. Or if you are certain you have the cable in hand at the transducer you want to remove,you can cut the cable from the transducer and tape the new one to it and feed it back up toward console. The last suggestion is the easiest but the transducer is ruined doing it that way. If it doesn't matter about old transducer then it's a good bit easier. Good luck!

[grout-scout]

Not the easiest process, that’s for sure! You’ll have to pull the fuse panel below the console for axcess and then do the tie together process above.

odds are that you will be bleeding when finished. Worst boat I’ve worked with. (Mines a 2005 198)

[Heavy M]

Thanks This will be my winter project...

[coachmas]

I’ve done similar Rboren stayed above. I typically tie/tape paracord to the plug end, pull the plug to get back of the boat, tape/tie new transducer wire plug to the paracord and pull back to console. My plan is to work on mine this week on my 206 as I’m installing new graphs and transducers. Coach

[WI Basser]

Which transducer cable are you removing? The in-dash flasher transducer cable may be permanently attached to a harness along the inside starboard side of the hull. It can’t be removed. I would suggest leaving it there along with the transducer. Transducers for the old LCD flashers are not manufactured any longer and there is plenty of room for another transducer in the bilge if that is where you are mounting it.

Other transducer cables in my 05 198 are run through the bilge under the seats and fuel tank then routed toward the shift lever, anchored to the factory wiring harness and routed to the new units starboard of the wind shield. This is the easiest path.

The seats will have to be removed what ever you do. It is the only way to route a cable under the seats. If you route the cable under the gunnel it is the only way to see the factory wiring and feed the new cable around and through it. You will need the help of a friend when lifting the seats and pan up and out of the boat. That will keep you from damaging your top cap. The aluminum pan and seats are a little heavy and rather awkward when removing.

For going under the gunnel, there is a rectangular tube (about 1 ½” X 3”) glassed into the starboard cavity under the gunnel. It is on the port side of the cavity at about battery height and ends just before it would round the corner toward the batteries. Feel around for it…it’s kind of hard to locate.

You can attach the transducer cable to a fish tape and push the tape and cable through the tube and toward the console however I prefer to attach a 14 ga. wire to the fish tape and feed the tape and wire through the tube toward the console. Then, remove the wire from the tape and pull the tape out. Next attach the wire to the cable at the transom and like “rboren“ says above, form a transition in front of the cable plug to aid in pulling the cable toward the console. Once you pull the cable through the tube, route it to the boot above the circuit breaker panel and through the boot to the console.

I also suggest pulling a second wire taped to the transducer cable forward to the console. If you ever have need of routing another cable or feeding additional wiring (Hydraulic Jac-Plate etc.), the pull wire will already be in place. Just be sure to pull an extra wire the next time too.

In addition, the job is easier (for either path) when the Circuit Breaker Panel is removed and the excess factory wiring harness pulled from under the gunnel and into the boat. Then unplug the Panel from the harness and move the panel out of the way. The plug is indexed so you can’t reconnect it wrong.

Like you indicated earlier...this is a good winter project. Hope this helps.

[Heavy M]

Thanks!

Not going to take anything out. Going to add LSS2 and DownScan transducers to the transom and mount a display on my console.

[rfroese]

Thanks!

Not going to take anything out. Going to add LSS2 and DownScan transducers to the transom and mount a display on my console.

When I updated my electronics, I took some paracord and tied it to the end of the old transducer plug and pulled it through. Then I tied the new transducer cable plug to the paracord and pulled it back through.

You might be able to tie some paracord to a wire coat hanger and feed it through.

[kmed2]

when i had to change transducers they were originally done at the factory and went around the gunwale tiewrapped every 2 ft--what a pain
to run new wiring and transducers i also went thru the bilge under the gas tank to the console in my 06 198
it also got away from any other electrical interference

[WI Basser]

Thanks!

Not going to take anything out. Going to add LSS2 and DownScan transducers to the transom and mount a display on my console.

If you are going to pass the transducer cable past the bilge and live well pump outs to the console, be careful. Those fittings are plastic and will break if you get that large plug bound up in them and apply to much pressure trying to pull it back out. There isn't near the room there that one might think (almost none). Good luck...let us now how things work out. Replacing one of those pump out fittings would be a nightmare.

[Ed R]

Thanks This will be my winter project...

As Steve noted.

Access the bilge area...



Remove seat module, set on rear deck...



Run the cables through the bilge and under the fuel tank. Bring the cables up in the right corner by the ignition. With the seat module removed there is plenty of room to work up under the gunnel.

[Ed R]

You might as well throw some dedicated wiring in while you are in there.

[Heavy M]

How hard is removing seat module?

Is it simply screwed down?

[grout-scout]

How hard is removing seat module?

Is it simply screwed down?

Screws on 3 sides (back, left & right). With 2 people you could leave the back rest on to pull it. I pull mine by myself so I pull the backrest off first. 2 people is ideal, but 1 person can do it if you’re careful.

[Ed R]

Screws on 3 sides (back, left & right). With 2 people you could leave the back rest on to pull it. I pull mine by myself so I pull the backrest off first. 2 people is ideal, but 1 person can do it if you’re careful.

[Heavy M]

Thanks, I think that is the way I will go.

Appreciate the PICS