I know they call for 6 ga wire for these units on a 12 VDC system.   There's was lots of chatter about this in past, some putting on a separate lithium, etc.   The new boat manufs have adopted this spec.   But Ohm's law doesn't agree.   The Garmin GL10 specs call for 12-30 VDC, I recall.   Over the holidays, not much on, so I was watching Elite re-runs and I noticed, I think it was Fothergill, when they showed his Livescope screen, it was showing 16.4 VDC.  But that volt reading is being read by the display unit.   That's not likely for a wet system without taking two batteries 24 VDC and running a transformer nor a std lithium, they come 12, 24, 36.   I haven't seen the lithium's run at a mid voltage, mine is 13+, which is li cell normal, they're higher than the wet cell.   I also saw one boat with what looked like a loose power cord running from the the back to the FFS.   Whatta trip hazard?   Snag that with your treble hook!

Anyone know how they're accomplishing this mid range voltage?   Just curious, as I haven't seen that solution before.   

ps: I solved my voltage drop issue with an oversize lithium(135AH) and 12 GA feeder.   I can run scope all day without going below 12.4.  With the factory 16GA and wet cells, it would drop down below 12 after an hour or so, even with a "Charge" system.  

Not an electrician, but I thought a lot of the guys had gone to 18v rechargeable batteries (frequently used with power tools) to run theirs. Would that not account for the higher reading? I’m still running traditional DC battery, so I spend a lot of time in the high 11V range.

Quick Google search

https://powerhouselithium.com/products/16v-18ah-wide-with-charger

I added AT1 and an Elite FS12 to my boat last July.  It was powered by a four year old series 24 lead acid battery.  It would work fine  but the picture quality went to poop when the battery discharged by the end of the day.  The battery voltage started around 12.4V but would be 11.6/11.7 by day's end.

 

It was originally powered with its own 12 gauge power & ground.  The guys at BassFishinElectronics were very helpful and recommended I upgrade to an 8 gauge and a lithium battery.  I installed the 8 gauge power cable but wasn't going to spend another $1,300+ for a new lithium battery and charger so I upgraded to a size 27 AGM battery.  The picture is better and my battery voltage is between 12.4 and 12.6V throughout the day.

 

All my network/transducer cables are as far away from the power cable as possible.

 

Transformers are available on the web that will step voltage up or down to get what you want.  I was told that my Lowrance AT1 takes voltage between 10.8- 31.2V and regulates it internally so you can power it from whatever source you might prefer on your boat.

 

Hope this helps.

Almost all LifePo4 batteries use prismatic cells that are 3.2 volts.  Five of these cells in series gives you a 16 volt battery.  They are available from many manufacturers and are marketed as electronics batteries.  

On 12/27/2025 at 10:42 AM, fish'n Jim said:

I know they call for 6 ga wire for these units on a 12 VDC system.   There's was lots of chatter about this in past, some putting on a separate lithium, etc.   The new boat manufs have adopted this spec.   But Ohm's law doesn't agree.   The Garmin GL10 specs call for 12-30 VDC, I recall.   Over the holidays, not much on, so I was watching Elite re-runs and I noticed, I think it was Fothergill, when they showed his Livescope screen, it was showing 16.4 VDC.  But that volt reading is being read by the display unit.   That's not likely for a wet system without taking two batteries 24 VDC and running a transformer nor a std lithium, they come 12, 24, 36.   I haven't seen the lithium's run at a mid voltage, mine is 13+, which is li cell normal, they're higher than the wet cell.   I also saw one boat with what looked like a loose power cord running from the the back to the FFS.   Whatta trip hazard?   Snag that with your treble hook!

Anyone know how they're accomplishing this mid range voltage?   Just curious, as I haven't seen that solution before.   

ps: I solved my voltage drop issue with an oversize lithium(135AH) and 12 GA feeder.   I can run scope all day without going below 12.4.  With the factory 16GA and wet cells, it would drop down below 12 after an hour or so, even with a "Charge" system.  

 

They're likely running a separate NMC battery for the livescope.  Charge cutoff for those is 16.8v.  My 32ah NMC will show 16.4-16.5v off the charger.

Thanks.   Kinda what I figured but didn't know/can't be up on everything.   

Seems the manufacturers aren't pushing this, but the battery people are?   That link says 18AH will power for 11 h.   Makes sense Ohm's law wise.   Need to up voltage if resistance or amps are higher.   But the electronics guys took the expensive route mandating 6 GA for new boats???   They gave me some BS about "other things" not just wire size.   I'm a retired degreed engineer with deep experience so not easy to BS, I check the numbers.   

The 135 AH LiFePo4 I bought runs at about 13.4VDC ish.   But it replaced the starting battery as well, not stand alone.   When I first started running this power issue down, the internet showed a bunch of people using a separate Li mounted up front.   Not enough room on my 520C for that.   Now the display shows typically 12.7-12.4 all day and I ran 12 GA direct/fused and have on a switch so I can turn it all off.   The internal transmitter shutoff only stops the Xducr, not the GLS10 box.

I think the whole setup is kinda finicky with all the magnetic fields and electric motors, and that's pushed everyone to just 'turn it up to 11' -

Livescope is janky on a lead acid battery that's running three screens and dropping below 12v by the end of the day? Gimme 16v lithium and that problem never happens again. Would have been solved by a lithium in the first place didn't really need the extra voltage, but 'more is better'.

Same thing for wires - bunch of ways to get it wrong or use undersized stuff, that combined with the dropping voltage in lead-acid and all the interference potential, just overkill it and the problem goes way.

Someday someone will post a before and after picture with 12v (really 13+) lithium and a 16v lithium and an actual better picture when the battery is on its last 20%. But until then I'll just keep thinking it was just overkill.