Power switch for Livescope sonar box.

[TableRock Coral]

I am considering getting a Livescope system. Looking at the Garmin installation instructions, it shows a switch in series with the power cable to the battery in one diagram and a direct connection to the battery in a cable extension diagram. Is a power switch needed or is the power applied to the Livescope box by turning on the chartplotter? I don't think it is a good idea to keep the Livescope box constantly powered.

[puhlw]

My understanding is it goes into standby mode when the mfd is off. Draw is only a 1/4 amp or something in standby.

[12many]

I installed a switch just for making charts.
if u running main with trolling motor up .. quickdraw wants to use highest quality transducer. so it errors as it trys to use panoptix/scope but gets no reading. if you power it off . it will use other transducer and u can make charts at 5mph

[Todd Driscoll]

I am considering getting a Livescope system. Looking at the Garmin installation instructions, it shows a switch in series with the power cable to the battery in one diagram and a direct connection to the battery in a cable extension diagram. Is a power switch needed or is the power applied to the Livescope box by turning on the chartplotter? I don't think it is a good idea to keep the Livescope box constantly powered.

Yes, when connected to power (and MFDs off) the LiveScope does remain in a low power state (<20 mA draw). So yes, you really want to have the LiveScope wired with a switched power source.