[Shallow Draft]

Never wired electronics before. Have a CC with typical power supply panel of switches with 3 available switches. How do I hook up the power supply from my new chartplotter/depthsounder to one of the switches? I see where the red positive feeds from the battery to the first switch and then jumps to the other switches. I pick one of the available switches and then what?

 

[tigshark]

Each switch should have two terminals...One where the red wire from the boat is hooked to...and the other where you hook up the fused wired from your electronic device to...hope this helps...

 

[tigshark]

And your chartplotter should also have a black ground wire...which you can run to the negative side of the battery or probably under your dash there is already a ground "bus"...

 

[Bryansfish]

If the switches on your boat are connected to the ignition switch than you may want to find a direct connection. What I mean is if the power to the switch come on and goes off as you turn on and turn of your ignition than every time you cut off your boat you will be cutting off your plotter. If you find a constant power supply your plotter will stay on until you cut it off. You may want to make sure that the direct connection cuts off when you switch off you batteries. That way if you forget to cut off the plotter you will not drain your batteries. Most switches on boats are a constant power supply.

 

[uncljohn]

My switch panel stays hot unless I turn my battery switch to "OFF". I know for my chartplotter and stereo needed to be direct-wired to my deep cycle battery so that they have power at all times despite the position of the battery switch. That's how your stereo keeps the programmed stations.

With my stereo, I had 1 hot positive going to a switch on my panel and 1 hot positive going directly to my deep cycle (it specified which goes where). But wiring thru the panel is not necessary. My GPS is just wired to the battery (+) and my bus bar (-). I don't need a "switch" on the panel to turn it on. I push the "ON" button......[wink]

 

[Shallow Draft]

Thanks guys

 

[Grady23]

Shallow Draft -- Wiring directly to the battery is great. Just remember to add an in-line fuse with the proper rating.