Power Draw of GPS Receiver/Heading Sensor (AS GPS HS)?

[Drakestar]

Does anybody know the power draw of this thing? I don't see the information on the Humminbird webpage or in the manual. I added one to my Helix 8 (which draws 2.4 Amps) and I depleted my 20Ah battery in 4 1/2 hours. It probably wasn't fully charged, but I'm still curious if the GPS puck was the reason I was out so quickly

[SLYDoggie]

I've never seen anything published on this but I would think it is pretty miniscule. I seriously doubt that it had anything to do with rapidly depleting your battery.

[bobcoy]

My response was for Bluetooth. The Helix is most of the draw. GPS/HS is not much of a factor in battery sizing. If you have a sealed lead acid battery you are at about 30 or 40% State of charge in 4.5 hours starting with a full charge, and perhaps the voltage is down below the minimum for Helix. Bob

[Drakestar]

Thanks for the responses. I'm using a Nocqua 20Ah battery on a kayak for what it's worth. I was recording sonar the entire trip, which might have contributed. I figure the battery was 3/4 full at least.

I'll keep monitoring this on future trips. I can quickly change batteries and I have a spare 10Ah battery I can bring as backup next time.

BTW - I noticed that at first, the sonar cut out (a sliced look to the picture), then DI and SI stopped working (making the 2D image fully working again), then the sonar 2D image went back to missing slices until it gave out (only leaving me with the GPS map), and finally the unit turned itself off. I'm assuming that's normal behavior? I imagine the unit has power/feature prioritization when the battery starts running low. My voltage was down to ~8V at the end, and I think the Helix wants 10+.

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[bobcoy]

If it is under 12 you will start having problems lower anything might happen

[SLYDoggie]

I'm not familiar with the Nocqua battery. If it is a Lithium battery then the voltage should stay above 12V until it just shuts off... no voltage drop. If a Gel, AGM, or Lead Acid battery, then you will definitely have voltage drop as time progresses. As mentioned already, you can experience many strange issues at lower voltages. Although the Helix/Solix/Apex specs say 10 volts is the minimum, things can get pretty unstable as you approach 11V or below.

[Drakestar]

Weird. It IS a lithium ion battery, but it seemingly did drop voltage at the end of its charge. Just connected the recharged battery to the control head and I get 12.2V, but on the water, it had gotten to ~8V.


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[bobcoy]

I see on the site at least one battery is Lithium. Don’t think 8 volts would be a real reading. Call the battery people to see what is going on.

[bobcoy]

Drake, just a note on batteries. 8 Volts should shut down the battery. 12.2 volts in on the edge of a steep decline to shutdown. 13.4 0r 5 is a fully charged Lithium battery. Until the battery is 90% discharged it should not go under 13 volts. Bob

[Drakestar]

Thanks. I've never had to deal with this, my last FishFinder only needed 0.9Amp and I had a 10Ah battery (and I don't stay out for 10 hours straight on a kayak :))

I'll add this to get steady 12V and see if that helps. I figure it will: https://nocqua.com/product/12v-output-regulator/ They also have a device to auto-switch between batteries, I think I'll get that to link my 20Ah and 10Ah batteries together for a larger supply.

[Pelican]

Drake, 2.4 amps is the advertised amp draw but I doubt it’s anywhere near that much, I’d guess maybe 1.5 amps. B94A2160-ADB6-4E23-AAAD-5F065F667C9E.jpeg If you’re seeing much of a voltage drop on future trips I’d look for a bad connection which can be intermittent.
The GPS antenna with compass pulls very little amperage and you’ll probably not even notice it in your run time.
I included a chart that shows normal Lithium discharge profile.
You can also set you low voltage alarm to give you a heads up that your voltage is dropping off.

[Drakestar]

FYI, I tracked the reported voltage on the control head on my last trip. Fully charged 20Ah lithium ion battery (Nocqua), I fished for ~4 1/2 hours. Didn't run out of battery, but noticed that as the battery was draining, the Helix reported lower and lower voltage (starting at 12.2V and dropping to ~9V at the end of the trip). I do NOT believe that the voltage was actually dropping, but that the control head was displaying a representation of the battery depleting. Maybe a "bug", maybe intended.

Since then I've received my 12v output regulator (https://nocqua.com/product/12v-output-regulator/), which will give me confidence on the next trip that the battery is outputting a steady 12V the entire time. Will see how the control head reports voltage through the day with that device attached.

[Pelican]

FYI, I tracked the reported voltage on the control head on my last trip. Fully charged 20Ah lithium ion battery (Nocqua), I fished for ~4 1/2 hours. Didn't run out of battery, but noticed that as the battery was draining, the Helix reported lower and lower voltage (starting at 12.2V and dropping to ~9V at the end of the trip). I do NOT believe that the voltage was actually dropping, but that the control head was displaying a representation of the battery depleting. Maybe a "bug", maybe intended.

Since then I've received my 12v output regulator (https://nocqua.com/product/12v-output-regulator/), which will give me confidence on the next trip that the battery is outputting a steady 12V the entire time. Will see how the control head reports voltage through the day with that device attached.

Sounds like possibly a bad connection or a wire that’s failing somewhere. Do you have a way to check the actual voltage at the battery when this is happening? I bet you have a voltage drop.