Hello,

Fixing to mount a fish finder on the bow of my Tracker 175 txw, just waiting for it to come in. May be a silly question, but for connecting the two preinstalled connectors, what is required to do so? If anyone can point me to a video or something instructional, I have not been able to find anything to assist or I may be overlooking it.

Thanks 

Google you tube installing a sonar on a boat should get you what you need.

You'll likely find power under your TM pedal tray.  Remove the tray and you'll see what type of connectors you'll need. 

These are the wires I found. 

The black wire is normally negative, but check it out. Those aren’t connectors they inline blade splices being used a connectors. The sonar unit needs a fused connector.

Tom

Something like this?

 

24 minutes ago, Backroad Angler said:

Something like this?

 

Yes!

30 minutes ago, WRB-2.0 said:

Yes!

Thank you for your help

Can anyone point me in the right direction of conjoining the wires with a fuse connector, like a how to? Trying to find videos or instructional material but I am not finding anything helpful so far

thank you

 

Have you googled how to wire a sonar unit in a boat? 

4 minutes ago, Jig Man said:

Have you googled how to wire a sonar unit in a boat? 

Yes, I went through a few videos and was unable to find anything. Just found one though that made it look pretty easy, looks like I just have to crimp the wires together and it should be good to go.

Thanks

If you're talking about the inline fuse picture above, you'll need some type of connector for it.  My preference is waterproof butt connectors.  You only put it on the supply/positive/red wire.  If you're then adding spade connectors to connect to the existing wiring those just crimp on but you'll need a crimping tool to do it.  

 

Before I did all of that, I would check that you have power to those connectors and what controls/supplies it.

9 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

If you're talking about the inline fuse picture above, you'll need some type of connector for it.  My preference is waterproof butt connectors.  You only put it on the supply/positive/red wire.  If you're then adding spade connectors to connect to the existing wiring those just crimp on but you'll need a crimping tool to do it.  

 

Before I did all of that, I would check that you have power to those connectors and what controls/supplies it.

Its connected to the starting battery on the boat.

i was just going to buy a fuse connector like pictured above and just crimp the wires to it and connect it to the fish finder. Is this still an effective way?

thanks for your help

Crimp the wires how though?  You have spade connectors at the supply side.  Bare wire on the fuse and FF power cord.  So you're going to need to connect bare wire to bare wire on the power cord to fuse connection (a waterproof heat shrink butt connector) and then two sets of bare wire to spade connector.  You can't just crimp bare wire to the spade connector- you either need to add a spade connector on the fuse/power cord side (my choice) and plug it into what's inside the boat or you need to cut off the spades on the boat end and crimp/butt connect the newly bare wires.

 

Also, not sure if this is a new boat or not (waiting for it to come in implies maybe) but if that wire coming up to the bow is factory then it should already be running through a fuse box under the dash.  You probably don't need to do anything but put spade connectors on the fish finder power cable and plug it in.

8 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

Crimp the wires how though?  You have spade connectors at the supply side.  Bare wire on the fuse and FF power cord.  So you're going to need to connect bare wire to bare wire on the power cord to fuse connection (a waterproof heat shrink butt connector) and then two sets of bare wire to spade connector.  You can't just crimp bare wire to the spade connector- you either need to add a spade connector on the fuse/power cord side (my choice) and plug it into what's inside the boat or you need to cut off the spades on the boat end and crimp/butt connect the newly bare wires.

 

Also, not sure if this is a new boat or not (waiting for it to come in implies maybe) but if that wire coming up to the bow is factory then it should already be running through a fuse box under the dash.  You probably don't need to do anything but put spade connectors on the fish finder power cable and plug it in.

Ok I follow, it’s a 2014 tracker 175 team txw

So something like this is all I should need?

How many amps is your inline fuse?

@Backroad Angler you’ll need a pair of those that match the connector on the boat (check sizes).  If that wire is going into a fuse block like I would expect it to, then you don’t need the inline fuse.  In that case you’ll just need the spade connector you pictured (in the correct size).  If that wire pair goes straight to the battery, then you’ll need to add the fuse in which means an additional butt connector.

 

https://www.westmarine.com/ancor-heat-shrink-butt-connectors-291294.html?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=GGL_PLA_Marine Electrical_High Margin&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22685667024&gbraid=0AAAAAD_lEer7wNJoYHd-kd0Yk7yeCapxE&gclid=Cj0KCQiAubrJBhCbARIsAHIdxD8_bZ_6cY98CpnAKbZI3Ij0fKGurCjxbvkHhvklnD07dQozZ4ZFtP0aAu6wEALw_wcB

8 hours ago, Jig Man said:

How many amps is your inline fuse?

I believe it is a 3 amp fuse. 
 

 

7 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

@Backroad Angler you’ll need a pair of those that match the connector on the boat (check sizes).  If that wire is going into a fuse block like I would expect it to, then you don’t need the inline fuse.  In that case you’ll just need the spade connector you pictured (in the correct size).  If that wire pair goes straight to the battery, then you’ll need to add the fuse in which means an additional butt connector.

 

https://www.westmarine.com/ancor-heat-shrink-butt-connectors-291294.html?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=GGL_PLA_Marine Electrical_High Margin&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22685667024&gbraid=0AAAAAD_lEer7wNJoYHd-kd0Yk7yeCapxE&gclid=Cj0KCQiAubrJBhCbARIsAHIdxD8_bZ_6cY98CpnAKbZI3Ij0fKGurCjxbvkHhvklnD07dQozZ4ZFtP0aAu6wEALw_wcB

ok I follow, I’ll confirm where the wire runs. I believe it’s connected to the fuse block, but I’ll check. 

You'll need some crimping tools too. A local Home Depot in your area sells a crimping kit that may work for you on this project:

 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Gardner-Bender-Terminal-and-Crimping-Tool-Kit-GS-67K/202518592?source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&fp=ggl

 

 

 

Opened up the boat today with my neighbor who is an electrician and he was helping me out. The inline fuse has no power. Looked at the fuse box and it doesn’t look like that specific line is connected to it. I’ve been unable to locate where the line is connected to so far. 
is anyone aware of any electrical maps that I can obtain to see the layout?

Thank you for everyone who has commented so far, yall have been fantastic help.

 

Just run a new power wire to fuse block or battery and call it a day.

 

Its doubtful there are any such diagrams of how a boat is wired, and the wire in question may not even be factory installed so it would not show up on any diagrams or schematics of boat wiring.

 

This is one of those situations where you just have to wing it. Use good wire, double insulated is safer. Any old unused regular extension cords can be used for this since most of them handle a minimum of 10 amps with heavier gauge extension cords able to handle upwards of 20 amps. Your fish finder current draw should be well under 3 amps so any old extension cable could be used for this. (Most fish finders draw less than 1 amp of current.)

 

You would have plenty of current capacity, and double insulation. And if you use an orange extension cord, you will always be able to easily see and follow the line from source to fish finder. Just make sure to fuse the positive line in the 3 or 4 amp range at the power source and you should be fine.

@Backroad Angler- what inline fuse doesn't have power?

 

If that wire isn't factory then I would find the other end of it (probably at the battery) and reroute it to the fuse box (which should be under the dash).  

I have the same boat as you. 2016. The previous owner had removed the fish finder and the factory wires were unhooked under the console. Assuming it’s the factory wiring, it’s a light blue and a brown wire. I connected the wires to the ACC fuse so I didn’t need an Inline fuse. Message me your email address and I’ll send you the factory wiring diagrams.

Without trying to be ugly,  if you know this little about basic wiring, I urge you to find some one with experience, and tools, to help you.  The internet is wonderful, but you need some sort of basic skills to wire a boat.

 

16 hours ago, mcipinkie said:

Without trying to be ugly,  if you know this little about basic wiring, I urge you to find some one with experience, and tools, to help you.  The internet is wonderful, but you need some sort of basic skills to wire a boat.

 

His neighbor is an electrician should be able to find a hot wire under the consul terminal block to use that run to the bow. Electrical diagrams are called schematics.

I would use a Ram mount so you can adjust the sonar unit position and remove it easily.

The sonar unit comes with a connectors to operate the unit, 1 for the transducer, another for power and should have a schematic instructions.

Tom