wiring a gps chartplotter
- Thread starter james295
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The right way is to put the on its own breaker or fused distribution buss. If you go directly to the battery, your wires to the chart plotter are always hot unless you disconnect the battery. Use the proper electrical distribution through either a breaker or fuse block, and run new wires, especially if you don't know where they go.
A few years ago I installed a Garmin GPSMAP 492 at the helm on the pedestal guard and ran the provided cable (with the connector that connects to the 492). This cable has multiple conductors for both power and SIGNAL. The signal lets you connect it to your VHF-DSC radio to provide a continuous Lat & Lon for a Mayday transmission. I ran the cable down thru the pedestal thru a small cable clam into the aft cabin where I mounted a small plastic "project" box on the bulkhead with a euro terminal strip inside. One separate small cable went from there to a circuit breaker on a auxillary power distribution panel. The smallest rating that I could get for the circuit breaker was 5 Amp. Another small cable ran from the junction box to the VHF-DSC radio. Inside the junction box I also put in an in-line 1 Amp fuse in the Positive power line. This has worked well for 3 seasons now. I unplug the GPS unit when thru for the day and store it below. At season end I tape over the end of the connector on the cable.
Mine was add on by the other owners. Ended up ripping out a nest of tangled wires and multiple crimp on connectors and put in terminal blocks and tying everything up in nice neat bundles. Mine is a 42 also. Not too thrilled with it but at times it's nice when I lean back and steer with my toes.
Here are some pic's of mine, not very good ones but you can get the idea. I have a Raymarine C80 chartplotter not shown but you can see the mount. I have since added a swing arm under it to raise it up. But you can get an idea of how my gauges are mounted.
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