It's finally done!!!

[Dyllan]

Well, I was finally able to get all my equipment and put my new Garmin 4208 in with the GSD-22 and Airmar P66 transducer. After a few phone calls, (thanks Andy) and many hours I was able to take out my two old fish finder and gps, re-cut a diff. hole and mount this bad boy.
Question: I noticed after putting in all 124 waypoints in my unit that the unit was quite warm on the right side where all the buttons are. I know that it's a big screen and all, and that my 49" flat screen in my living room gets pretty warm,,, is this normal for this unit to get quite warm on the sides? I have it wired currectly and made sure the fuses were currect as well... So it this normal?

Thanks In Advance.....

[Dyllan]

Any advice would be better then nothing???

[BigWillJ]

I don't have that unit, but I've noticed our combo Lowrance DF/GPS gets warm to the touch after it's been on a while.

If your unit is wired correctly and fused, seems you've done all you can do.

[Dyllan]

Thanks, yea everything is wired currectly,,, just was courious... think I might put some kind of small fan in there just for peace of mind. It is getting cerculated air so that's a plus...

[CapitanAmerica]

Have heard that Garmin (and Raymarine) can get a bit warm to the touch. I don't
really like that but I guess it is normal. I saw on another electronics web site a
fellow mounted a 12v cooling fan on the back of his Garmin. I guess he was
concerned, these units are a bit costly but don't think the fan was really needed..
I have two Lowrance units networked with nmea 2000, radar, and ethernet.
they both have heat sinks but I have never noticed any heat at all.

[Seahunter]

It's normal.

The unit uses 3.5 amps and with such a small surface area to extract the heat it's bound to get very hot.

[CapitanAmerica]

one man's answer to a "hot" Garmin

[Dyllan]

Where can I get one of those DC fans? I was thinking about doing something like that but have two. One pulling air in my console area and one pushing it out for optimum air flow??? Where did you get that little bugger? What is it a audio amp fan?

[CapitanAmerica]

Where can I get one of those DC fans?

Try here:

Newegg.com - LOGISYS Computer CF120DC1 120mm Case Fan - Case Fans

Recently I added a 4210 to the dash and noticed that it is hot to the touch when running – the size of the heat fins on the back tell you it’s gonna run hot. Maybe an old wives tale but I think electronics that run hot wear out faster so if something is real hot, I add computer fans. It’s a 10 min project the way I do it using 3M dual lock (google that). The fans take milliamps and although I used a relay on my amp, the fan for my garmin I just wired to a switch on the dash and thru the fuse block with a 3 amp fuse. Peel and stick with the dual lock and it’ll stay that way for years. Alcohol swab the contact areas and it won’t come loose.


(all of this info and picture is "borrowed" from "the hull truth" electronics forum) not my original idea.