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Posts: 2378
| Now that "I" figured out why I could not get power to the GPS I am adding to the bow I started wondering if I should keep the power where it is...
I currently have a bow locator powered off of one of the trolling motor batteries, and since the power is already up there I'd like to just power the GPS from the same source instead of running more wires to power it from the starting battery.
So, I would have trolling motor, locator, and GPS powered by the two trolling motor batteries.
Am I asking for trouble if I do this?
I've never had trouble with running out of juice on the trolling motor batteries, but I'd rather not start now.
Do I need to just bite the bullet and run wires from the starting battery? |
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Posts: 311
| Baldy, on a terrova motor, I think the manu. says that you should only have the TM hooked up and nothing else to the TM batteries. I read that while hooking up Jonesi's new Terrova.......... |
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Posts: 1243
Location: Musky Tackle Online, MN | Baldy,
I bought a 5200C for the bow of my boat last year and like you, I wanted to run them off the trolling motor batteries (even though I knew this wasn't the "best" option). Not only wasn't it the best option, but it was a bad idea. Having that GPS hooked up to the deep cycle batteries drained my batteries just sitting in the garage with the unit off. With a full charge, my trolling motor batteries would only last me about 6 to 8 hours on the lake before they were toast. I thought it must be my batteries because there's no way my GPS could be draining batteries that fast.
Same batteries this year and I have the GPS running off the starting battery and I have all the juice I need from the deep cycles all day long and then some. I bought an adapter to run from the GPS to my cigarette lighter adapter by my console rather than running wires all the way back.
Aaron |
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Posts: 1289
Location: Stevens Point, Wi. | You might already have power in the bow from the starting battery. Odds are your bow light is wired off the starting battery through a switch. Easy to tap into , and the switch can be turned off, preventing battery drain. |
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Posts: 2378
| My suspicions have been confirmed. Looks like I'll be finding a way to wire it to the starting battery.
Thanks guys. |
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Posts: 354
| I have had mine hooked to my starting battery the past couple years and then began having starting battery trouble. My fishing partner ran into the same trouble. We both corrected the problem by installing a toggle switch on the power cord from the GPS leading to the battery. When done fishing we just flip the switch and the GPS puck stops draining power. It is draining very little but if your boat sits for a few weeks it can take its toll. It only took a few minutes and I feel it is worth doing. Just a suggestion. |
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Powering GPS from trolling motor battery