21 LOWRANCE
more mysteries of
Story & photos
BY KEN SAURET
Lowrance Pro Staff
Questions and Answers to Make Electronics Easier
T
he ever-popular series to solve the myster-
ies of electronics continues with this issue
as Lowrance expert Ken Sauret delves into
some of his most recent and/or frequently asked questions, sharing the answers with all.
QUESTION #1
This is a question I have addressed before; but still comes up often. What is the best way to power up a SonarHub™ or a StructureScan ® box?
I have heard that some guys wire the yellow wire to the positive side of a switched panel and others use the power cable and connect the two yellow wires together. Which is best?”
ANSWER #1
Both methods will work. I have found that using the yellow wire from an HDS unit’s power cable and connecting the yellow wire from the power cable a
Example of Sonar Beam Coverage
EXPOSED
SonarHub ™ or a StructureScan ® box together is the most convenient.
My thinking is when you would want a SonarHub™ or StructureScan ® to work, it is when you have your Lowrance HDS unit on to view what they box could show you. So, when you turn on a Lowrance HDS unit and the two yellow wires are connected, both the unit and the box are turned on with the push of the power button on the HDS unit.
QUESTION #2
I am getting ready to install my two new HDS-9 Gen3’s on my boat. What gauge wire should I use for the power wires?
ANSWER #2
My opinion is the larger, the better; especially if you are running from the master power shut off
switch all the way to the bow of the boat.
I would not go any smaller than 14-gauge
and usually use 12-gauge wire for my
installations. Always remember to use
an inline fuse on all positive wire power
connections that you are installing.
I think this is a very important
consideration when installing new
electronics on your boat. I have found
positive and ground wires connected to all
kinds of hot and ground sources, even a
horn.
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