Sea-doo Challenger 2008 SE Fishfinder Installation

[thangle9@yahoo.com]

Hello,

My name is Thang, and I am installing a Raymarine Dragonfly 7 on my 2008 Challenger SE. I am having problems interpreting the fusebox illustrated by the wire diagram.

Upon removing the fusebox cover on the driver's side, what we can expect is a panel that consists of two circular input bundles, let's name this the C and B (C=left, B=right) cords with thick orange wires. Below these two connectors is a 32 pin bundle block (A=bottom block). On the far left is a series of black nodes for ground wiring.

The Dragon fly runs on 3 cords for a 12V, 5A max. My question is where do the wires go into the fusebox? If that is not possible, which wire should I splice to get power hotwired to this unit?

Thank you for responding and for your kindness.

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

First thing to consider is if you wish to power this device separately so you can use it while the engine is off, I would think the answer is yes but beware there is a chance the device can consume power that may cause your battery to lose it's charge if accidentally left on.
I would probably locate the circuit that powers the bilge fan and bilge pump then splice into that making certain not to overload the circuit(5A should be okay I think, but confirm the circuit fuse sizes and don't overload the wire), also install the protective fuse near the connection if the circuit capacity wire gauge is greater than 5A.

Fortunately the wiring in all boats is color coded to the marine standard, as described in this link, you can use this to help identify and confirm the circuit you are looking for:

http://www.marinewireandcable.com/p/marine-wire-color-codes.html

I prefer to use the NEC wire gauge capacity b/c it's more strict than NMMA marine low voltage, but for less than 50V marine wiring, the following table is applicable:

http://www.pkys.com/Reference.htm

From Table IV of ABYC E11
For wire with 105° C insulation rating

Allowable Amperage of conductors for systems under 50 volts
Conductor size AWG /Outside Engine Spaces/ Inside Engine Spaces
18 / 20/ 17.0
16 / 25 / 21.3
14 / 35 / 29.8
12/ 45 / 38.3
10/ 60 / 51.0

 

[thangle9@yahoo.com]

Your post is extremely helpful, and you got me there at the first sentence. The idea of splicing along the bilge pump wire near the fuse box is very tempting. But you are absolutely right about running the fishfinder (and possibly leaving it on while not in use) could be the perfect setup for a disaster.

The other possibility is to feed off a spare jump start battery (about $52) that I often take along just in case the main battery needs a boost. This units should power the Dragonfly for at least 10-12 hrs without needing a recharge. The latter possibility prevents the main power from getting drained altogether.

Thank-you so much for your help. I have a 5A fuse connected to protect the electronics. You are the best!

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

In the case of installing dual batteries, I prefer to use a dual battery switch to enable using either or both, to double reserve capacity and provide the isolation you desire.

I think we can simply replace the factory single battery switch with a dual battery switch upgrade, along with an additional cable, of course.

As described and discussed in this thread:
http://www.seadooforum.com/showthread.php?67871-2012-150-Speedster-Dual-Batteries-installed

 

[thangle9@yahoo.com]

Thank-you so much! I'll make it so. You are brilliant!

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

Well, maybe not genius exactly. We rig new boats for customers so some of them want a giant stereo that can drag a deep cycle battery down in a few hours... So this is a typical solution that works well. BTW, a full size battery can require 10~12 or more hours to recharge at a reasonable rate, so a high quality charger is a must.

Good luck with your project, I think you will have great results and enjoy your boat many nice sunny days.

 

[rcguy]

First you need a Pac-Con 111 Series Female 16-14 ga connector to add to the fuse box. There were 6 unused or empty slots in the fuse box on my 2008 Challenger 180. http://www.waytekwire.com/item/31037/PACK-CON-III-SERIES-FEMALE/ The red wire goes to this connection and the white wire to ground. Use the supplied fuse by Raymarine. The unit will work when the battery switch is on. I have hooked up a Lowrance GPS/fish chart and a extra 12 volt adapter this way and works just fine. DO NOT SPLICE ANY WIRES!!! Since splicing wires could overload a circuit and start a fire. Splicing wires is the lazy and dangerous way to do it. The way I explained this install...you create a separate and independent circuit for your Raymarine.

 

[thangle9@yahoo.com]

Goodness! A high quality charger with a battery indicator it will be. I am very appreciative of your kindness and hope that you find many beautiful sunny days with your boat(s)!

 

[lineofsight]

May find this kit useful too http://www.waytekwire.com/item/78006/ADD-A-BATTERY-KIT-120A/

Can also purchase the isolator separately (without switch if want switch from same manufacture to fit same template). Used on for my truck:
ACR Automatic Charging Relay
Automatically combines batteries during charging
Isolates batteries during engine cranking and when not charging
Shares the charge between two batteries 12 times more efficiently than a battery isolator
Allows efficient dual battery charging without needing regulator adjustment or rewiring
Easy to install wire - Does not require integration with engine wire harness

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

The red wire goes to this connection and the white wire to ground. Use the supplied fuse by Raymarine. The unit will work when the battery switch is on. I have hooked up a Lowrance GPS/fish chart and a extra 12 volt adapter this way and works just fine. DO NOT SPLICE ANY WIRES!!! Since splicing wires could overload a circuit and start a fire. Splicing wires is the lazy and dangerous way to do it.

In the case of 12V adapters, they are often used for higher current applications of 15 Amps (180 watts) or more in some cases, so I recommend running 14 AWG minimum, all the way back to the battery or battery switch and fuse accordingly. I recommend not to rely on the factory harness for this application. By running a dedicated circuit, his avoids ground loops and voltage sags that can interfere with sensitive electronics found in today's fuel injected boats.

In the case of permanently installed low power devices there's nothing wrong with using a spare circuit (when provided) as you describe for it's intended purpose, basically I follow the conventional wisdom which doesn't appear to be a sin or lazy when approached correctly:

"I like to have a dedicated switch for my electronics, but as long you use an in-line fuse, you can jump power off any twelve-volt source including the battery terminal."

http://www.landbigfish.com/articles/default.cfm?ID=406

 

[rcguy]

I stick by my guns as far as creating a separate circuit for additional equipment but don't go over 10 amps. Since 10 amps is the largest fuse Seadoo uses in their watercraft. If you need more amperage then do it with 14 AWG minimum and connect the circuit directly to the battery as stated on the previous post.