Dedicated electronics wiring

[cchhaadd35]

I'm about to add some electronics to my boat and wanted to see what y'all think about this planned wiring setup.

I plan to run 8 gauge wire from a dedicated 100 ah lithium battery up to the bow for a 12 inch lowrance hds live and a Garmin echo map ultra 126 sv, I plan to wire both units into one run

I also plan to run 8 gauge to the dash for 2 12 inch hds live as well.

I already have 10 gauge run for active target box but that is getting replaced with live scope. That run isn't long enough I don't think due to network cable length so I think I have a few options.

I could mount the live scope box where my current active target box is and get a longer Garmin network cable.

Or I could mount the Garmin box up close to the bow and replace the 10 gauge run with another 8 gauge run. This seems like a good idea if I decide to add an additional live scope to the boat down the road.

All the runs will be connected to a 30 amp dc circuit breaker and retain the factory fuses that are inline in the factory power cords.

I was gonna buy a sea clear or bass tank harness but I can build this stuff for half the price

What do y'all think?

[DQM]

Have you considered running a 8ga wire from the battery to a fuse block, like a Blue Seas 5031 (12 circuits)? Lots of good reasons to do so, especially for ease of any trouble shooting and a cleaner wiring setup overall. Plus, if desired (and a god idea), you can wire in a master switch to the fuse block to make sure you can shut everything off if you desire.

[cchhaadd35]

Well, I hadn't considered a fuse block to be honest. Would that mean removing the fuses from the power cables if each unit? I e been warned not to do that.

Also, the circuit breaker is how I plan to shut everything off before changing. I have one that's higher amp rating installed in my trolling motor circuit and it does the job very well

[xxstang90]

Fuse block as mentioned is the common method. You can remove the fuse holders from each units wire harness and use the fuse block to hold the fuses instead. Pros- all fuses in one easy to access location. If you do not want to do that for whatever reason, but still want to use the fuse block, you can keep using the built in fuse holders on each unit harness and just use a second fuse on the block for each connection with the same value, not recommended but works.

[cchhaadd35]

If I do add a fuse block I'd just 86 the inline fuse in the power cables, I was just always told not to do that. I might call lowrance and Garmin and see what they say about it. I like the idea of easy access though

[ifishinxs]

You could also just Run 6 gauge to the console to a buss bar. Then from that buss bar. Run some 8 gauge to a buss bar at the bow.

This way you can just connect your MFD’s straight to the buss bar using the original inline fuse.

[cchhaadd35]

I had considered that as well. My concern when I was planning this circuit was maybe running into issues wiring 2 graphs plus the live scope into the same power cable. From the research I've done , it seems like I won't have any issues doing that.

The cost goes up to run the fuse block due to needing a run for each unit, but it's probably worth it for ease of troubleshooting.

[Lowerider58]

If I do add a fuse block I'd just 86 the inline fuse in the power cables, I was just always told not to do that. I might call lowrance and Garmin and see what they say about it. I like the idea of easy access though

Removing the inline fuse holders won’t hurt anything if you install a fuse block. If you don’t want to remove the inline fuses from the power cords just install a 15 amp fuse in the inline fuse holder and the proper size fuse for each unit at the fuse block. The fuse at the block will blow first if you did have a short.

I just remove the inline fuse holders and wire straight to the fuse block because I don’t care fore the inline fuse holders that Garmin uses.

I prefer the blade type fuses over the glass fuses.

[cchhaadd35]

Removing the inline fuse holders won’t hurt anything if you install a fuse block. If you don’t want to remove the inline fuses from the power cords just install a 15 amp fuse in the inline fuse holder and the proper size fuse for each unit at the fuse block. The fuse at the block will blow first if you did have a short.

I just remove the inline fuse holders and wire straight to the fuse block because I don’t care fore the inline fuse holders that Garmin uses.

I prefer the blade type fuses over the glass fuses.

After doing some more research I've pretty much decided to go the fuse block route. I have plenty of room for one under the console. I'll just run 8 gauge from the battery to the block, then run 10 gauge from there to each unit. The Garmin calls for 8 amp fuse so I'll just use a 7.5. I plan to use a 6 circuit fuse block so I'll have one spare for now that I could use for an additional live scope if I decide to add another to the boat.

If my math is correct I should only have 1.5% voltage drop for each unit and couple that with a dedicated 100 ah lithium battery I should be squared away for my electronics

[M-D]

I think you have a good plan. I would add a master off switch as near to the battery supplying the fuse block circuit as practical. I would shut the circuit off when not using the equipment connected to that circuit.

[cchhaadd35]

I think you have a good plan. I would add a master off switch as near to the battery supplying the fuse block circuit as practical. I would shut the circuit off when not using the equipment connected to that circuit.

i am going to use a 25 amp switchable circuit breaker for that

[ifishinxs]

i am going to use a 25 amp switchable circuit breaker for that

Prefect!!

[M-D]

[lpugh]

Start over from scratch and follow this for a guide line, 8 gauge is over kill unless you have 4 16 in units.
MFDSYSTEM.jpg

[Tom B]

I used 10 to Fuse block and 14 to units - works fine - none of the units pull that many amps

[cchhaadd35]

I used 10 to Fuse block and 14 to units - works fine - none of the units pull that many amps

They don't but heavier gauge wire has less voltage drop

[cchhaadd35]

Start over from scratch and follow this for a guide line, 8 gauge is over kill unless you have 4 16 in units.
MFDSYSTEM.jpg

I finished it today. Didn't follow that guide you posted but sort of close. I ran 8 gauge to a fuse block then 10 gauge to each unit. No shared grounds but other than that what I did is pretty much what you posted

[ifishinxs]

Start over from scratch and follow this for a guide line, 8 gauge is over kill unless you have 4 16 in units.
MFDSYSTEM.jpg

This a great and easy to understand diagram. This should be a sticky.

My Phoenix is set up exactly like this.

[cchhaadd35]

Honestly I dumb so it's probably why but that sticky seems more complicated than what I ran. Do you pull individual wires? This is a serious question. It was very easy to just pull 10 gauge duplex for each unit and not share grounds. What would be the advantage?

[lpugh]

Honestly I dumb so it's probably why but that sticky seems more complicated than what I ran. Do you pull individual wires? This is a serious question. It was very easy to just pull 10 gauge duplex for each unit and not share grounds. What would be the advantage?

Wires work like antennas, the more have, the more RFI that can be received, EMI as well if ran near other wires caring current.
10 percent drop is quite acceptable for electronics, will not cause any issues unless the battery is not up to the job, I target 3 to 5 percent as that can reduce cost and wire mass,
Shared grounds do this as well.
All wire should be twisted 3 to 5 twist per as this is a proven technique to cancel out RFI, NO DUPLEX unless it is a twisted pair.