Max Current Draw (Amps) Differences Between CV52 & GT52 Transducer

[Nikonian]

I am upgrading my kayak to a Echomap 73SV Plus or Echomap 93SV Plus and max current draw is important since I am using a 12 Ah SLA battery.

Garmin’s spec page for the new Echomap 73 Plus states that the CV52 and GT52 have very different max power draw (current draw). For example, the ECHOMAP Plus 70 series only draws 9 watts with the GT52 and 15 watts with the CV52.

9 Watts @ 12v is about .75 amps and 15 watts @ 12v is about 1.25 amps.

This seems odd to me since the GT52 has 3 elements while the CV52 has 2 elements. Is the GT52 really 40% more efficient than the CV52??

From Garmin’s GT52 specs page: CHIRP traditional sonar and has a power rating of 250 W. The CHIRP ClearVü and CHIRP SideVü (455/800 kHz) elements have a power rating of 350 W each (1,050 W total).

From Garmin’s CV52 specs page: CHIRP traditional sonar (150-240 kHz) and has a power rating of 250 W. The CHIRP ClearVü and CHIRP SideVü (455/800 kHz) elements have a power rating of 350 W each (700 W total).

Doing the math:

GT52 - 250w + 1050w = 1300w total with traditional, ClearVu, and SideVu all turned on.

CV52 - 250w + 700w = 950w total with with traditional, ClearVu, and SideVu all turned on.

Link to Garmin’s page: http://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhe...68A74D159.html



Am I missing something here or should I just buy the Echomap Plus without the transducer and get the GT52 separately to save on current draw.

Thanks in advance

[bksnaz]

I may be off base totally - but my guess is that is a misprint. If anything you would think it would be the other way around. I have the older Echomap 93sv Chirp and it was purchased before the CV debacle - so I have the better GT52 ducer. That 93sv on my yak draws less than an amp. I would expect the newer plus version to draw slightly more due to increased screen brightness over the older model. If I had to guess a Plus 93sv would draw around 1.2 with either ducer.

[Nikonian]

I would have to agree with you that it is a typo. Will shoot Garmin Support an email tomorrow and hopefully get an answer.

On another forum, a member suggested that 9 watts may be correct since the GT52 has a different pulse width and duty cycle than the CV52.

I don’t need ActiveCaptain or wireless while on the water so that will be off and should save some power.

One would think that Garmin would love to sell bigger units to kayakers and make this info more readily available. My Echomap Chirp 53dv does very well, but after a year of use I now realize the importance of a bigger screen. Especially with the Ultra HD maps…….

Will update this post once I get an answer from Garmin.

[Nikonian]

Heard back from Garmin Support and they confirmed that a GT52 combined with the new Echomap Plus 73SV would use 9 watts. The CV52 with the Echomap Plus 73SV would use 15 watts.

Their explanation is that the GT transducer has one element used for ClearVu and the CV transducer has two elements for ClearVu sonar. Since the GT has a separate down scanning element within the transducer, that is why the GT transducer is rated at lower watts.

So my understanding is that the CV52 would be operating both elements at 700 watts full-time to provide ClearVu and/or SideVu. And the GT52 is only using the one down element at 350 watts for ClearVu. For SideVu the GT52 is using the other two side elements at 700 watts total (350 watts each).

Still, at 350 watts x 3 the GT52 should draw more power than a CV52 with 350 watts x 2.....IMHO.

Maybe the CV52 has to run at higher wattage all the time and the interpolation for ClearVu is more processor (CPU) intensive....just guessing here.

Still not sure what to get, the Echomap Plus 73SV with GT52 for about $860 or the Echomap Plus 73SV w/CV52 for $750.

I primarily fish out of a 16ft Jackson Kraken kayak for bluecats, bass and crappie in large Missouri/Illinois reservoirs and rivers between 10 - 60 foot depths.

[hays47]

How long do you on your kayak fishing trips ? This has a huge effect on how and what battery you need. If your average trip lasts 5 hours or less your battery will handle either option. If you stay for extended times. An option would be to wire another battery in parallel.To remove any doubt of length of service.

Math based projection. A 12 AH battery at 1.5 amp draw would last 8 hours. My 92 sv echomap CHIRP setup for ice fishing using a HW8 ice ducer draw less than 1 amp. Which was actually measured by ammeter by myself.

[Nikonian]

Thanks for the info hays47.

I usually fish between 8 -10 hours in the yak. Decided to go for the Echomap Plus 93sv & GT52.

Will try my 12Ah battery and see how long it lasts before it hits 11 volts. I think 10.5 volts is the minimum a SLA battery should ever go before damage occurs.

I expect to use Sidevu, ClearVu, and Traditional all at once while fishing. When paddling to a spot I will use Ultra HD mapping with SideVu and Traditional. Have a hood for the display so maybe I won't require full backlight brightness. No need for wireless ActiveCaptain feature with the cellphone either.

PootiTharp33 uses a 20Ah Bioenno LiFePO4 with his 93sv Plus, a very nice $200 option. And bksnaz mentioned that his previous version 93sv with CV52 draws less than an amp. So that is all encouraging info.

Now that I think about it, I have used my 53DV (7 watts) for 3 long days and didn't run out of power with the 12Ah. Probably answered my own question

Thank you for everyone's help

[PootiTharp33]

I’ll letcha know how the 20ah lithium works once I get a warm day to try it out. It is a lithium so it will last longer than an SLA due to the lack of voltage drop. Like I said earlier, I’m hoping to get it to last 16 hours at minimum hut I’m not to sure it will.

[Nikonian]

I think you will be fine with the Bioenno 20Ah for 16 hours.

Just saw a video of a guy running a Lowrance 9TI Elite (12 W (0.9 A @ 13 vDC) for 7 hours with Sonar Charts Live with WiFi on AND charging his iPad ….. and he still had over 50% power left on his 20Ah Bioenno

[bksnaz]

Those Bioenno are the best. Strong batteries and you get to use 100% of them w/o damage or memory issues.