Help with wiring please

[Txjlong]

Hello BCB Family! I need to install LVS34 and GLS10 on the boat. It’s a 2023 Eyra and has the 6 ga wiring harness and want to install GLS10 power cable to console wiring harness. It has 4 posts on it and was wondering if I can install the power onto the posts with existing 6 ga wire (outside posts) or do I need to install them on the inside posts and go buy some bolts to hold them? Thank you for your time!

[Txjlong]

Sorry, not bolts but nuts.

[Bass Cat Boats]

This question is a little confusing. So if we missed we apologize.

The head unit must be wall mounted and usually in the starboard rod box, where wiring can be run through the box area. We would tap the block, with 10 gauge loom, to power the box. The transducer cord will run through that box back from the bow area, usually a cover/clamshell in the foot recess. This generally uses the bow switch, and we do like powering the Live Sonar (FFS) from the block, to the switch.

The harness in todays models is soldered 6 gauge tinned wire, connected to a bronze terminal block. There is no need for a new harness many sell today.  Plus, many of the connections and wires on some aftermarket brands are not soldered and are not good solid connections. No one else uses a complete soldered harness, with bronze blocks, that we know of.

[23PumaSTS]

• I think I understand the question. I’m not real handy with electrical so I have the same ask. Under the console of my 23 puma STS is a harness with 4 posts. My console graph is hooked up to the 2 outside posts (the ones with the 6ga coming in and out).  I want to mount a second unit just for mapping on a ram at the console. Do I hook up the pos and neg power wires to the “outside” posts with the other units wires…..or can I use the two unused “inside” posts ?
• thanks.
• 

[tdobb]

I am pretty sure those extra posts do not have pos/neg continuity to them.  A quick check on this would be to grab a multimeter and switch the voltage to 50v DC, and touch the probes to the posts.  First do the positive and negative with the wire leads coming to them, as long as your main switch from the battery is turned on, you should show 12-14.4v depending on the state of charge on your battery.

Next test is leaving the positive probe on the post with the wire and touching the negative post without the wire to see if you have any voltage there, if so you have continuity, if not, there is not continuity between the negative posts.

The third test is negative probe to the post with the negative wire and positive probe to the positive post without the wire, same deal, if you have voltage you have continuity, in no voltage, no continuity between the positive posts.

The fourth test only needs to be done if you do have continuity, would be to put the probes on their respective posts without the wire leads, and if you have power, you are good to use those posts to power your graph or any other accessories.  If you have no power, you can safely run an extra set of wires to the battery just like BCB has done with the two from the factory and then connect additional accessories using the extra posts.

Whatever you do, be careful not to make a short between the positive and negative wires when you are dealing with this stuff as at a minimum you are blowing fuses or tripping breakers.  If you are really dumb and don’t have a fuse or breaker in line, you could fry your battery or any other electronics connected to the circuit.  You DON’T want to do that.

If you are not confident in these basic abilities, please bring your boat somewhere to have the electronics installed professionally.  It is a relatively simple job, but these are not cheap units and a split second mistake can cost thousands.

On my boat (2008 P2) there isn’t a terminal like that under the dash, but there is a terminal block on the transom inside the bilge.  I wanted good clean power to the electronics on the boat so I ran a new home run of 6 gauge tinned copper wire back to the battery with a 40 amp fuse on the positive side, to a Blue Sea Systems fuse terminal block under the console.  Each of my graphs and accessories then have a short run to the fuse block with an individual circuit for each.  My livescope system is ran off a standalone 30 amp lithium in the starboard rod locker and my black box is mounted there as well.

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