LCX power question

pd · Post by pd » Wed Feb 09, 2011 8:53 am

I have an LCX 26 that I picked up recently used and am setting up for the bow of the boat. I want to be sure I'm hooking up the power correctly. I do not have a pre-existing NMEA network in the boat. From what I've read in the manual I need to hook up both the NMEA power wires and head Unit power wires to the battery, each with a 3A fuse. I've also heard of people using a panel as a power source. Just need some advice on how to power things up. Thank you.

NoCAL · Post by **NoCAL** » Wed Feb 09, 2011 1:28 pm

If you are going to use GPS, you will need to power the NMEA network. You can use a power source at the dash for both the head unit power and the NMEA. Then just establish a small network with 2 tees, an extension cable, and your 60 ohm terminators. Hook the GPS puck into one tee, hook the 2 tees together, run the extension cable from the second tee to the head unit and cap off both ends with the terminators. Couple things to be aware of though. The LCX26 uses blue NMEA connectors which are no longer available. So if you already have all the componants great, if not you are going to have to purchase some blue to red adaptors. Also make sure the NMEA power is switched or that you have a complete power shut-off in your boat. The GPS puck will draw power all the time unless switched off.

NoCAL

pd · Post by pd » Fri Feb 11, 2011 9:39 am

NoCal thanks for the input. Very helpful. I have the blue T's and blue ext cable and will pick up a 2' blue cable for the unit-network connection. Sounds like I'll need the red to blue adaptor cable if I plan to add a newer (HDS) device in the future, correct? As far as the terminators I've only got one 60. The guy I bought the unit from just had one T hooked up to: 1) puck, 2) NMEA cable from head unit, and 3) a 60 terminator. I saw Ken mention on another post that you're supposed to only connect devices (ie puck and head unit)into the TOP of the T's, so it sounds like it wasn't quite set up correctly. Am I correct on that? Last - which terminators - 60 vs. 120 - should I be using with a 'blue' network with one LCX 26 (plans in the future to possibly add an HDS device). Again, thank you!!

NoCAL · Post by **NoCAL** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:27 am

In my experience, hooked up the way you got it is hit or miss. Sometimes it works sometimes not. The ideal is to have periferal devices hooked into the top of the T and to have only running cables or terminators attached to the sides of the T. So, the way you got it was technically not correct. There is one other possibility, in the past there was a cable offered called a Y cable, which may have looked like a T but you hooked the GPS into one terminal, the head unit into another, and a 60 ohm terminator into the last. This cable is no longer available and would be useless for you if you are considering adding another unit in the future. Best case is to build the correct network and then adding in is easy. If you add to it in the future, you will need blue to red adaptors to incorporate red network Ts and a new HDS device.

NoCAL