GPS/Sonar shuts off every time I start the motor?

[gkosel]

I have a 1991 Thundercraft stern-drive (OMC 4.3) bowrider and have a problem where every time I start the motor, it shuts off my GPS/Sonar unit (Lowrance 520C).

Originally, I have the unit wired through an unused switch on my panel.

Then I tried routing the power directly from the battery to the switch instead of through the panel board and still no luck fixing.

I am also in the process of installing two new deep cycle batteries for my 24V Trolling motor and thought about running the power from them. But the trolling motor instructions say not to run any other accessories off of the Trolling Motor batteries.

Any other suggestions?​

 

[Chris1956]

Re: GPS/Sonar shuts off every time I start the motor?

Put a voltmeter on the battery when you try to start the motor. If it drops below 8V, the low voltage may be shutting the FF off. if the battery does fall below 8V, either the battery is bad or the starter is pulling too much current.

 

[gkosel]

Re: GPS/Sonar shuts off every time I start the motor?

Thanks for the suggestion. I will try that the next time I get out.

I am going to be installing two deep cycle batteries for my new 24V Trolling motor too. Would there be a problem with running the fish Finder and radio off of the trolling motor batteries?​

 

[bruceb58]

Re: GPS/Sonar shuts off every time I start the motor?

I have the same problem and it exists even with new batteries and a new starter. I have my GPS/Sounder wired to my second battery but since I have an ACR that connects the batteries together for charging, if I turn my motor off momentarily, the ACR still has the two batteries connected and the voltage drop of the first still drops the battery voltage of the battery that the sounder is connected to.

The problem with connecting your sounder to the trolling batteries is going to be more of an electronic noise issue.

I just live with my problem. My next sounder may be one that is less susceptible to voltage drops.

 

[gkosel]

Re: GPS/Sonar shuts off every time I start the motor?

I am going to have a separate bank for all three batteries, So I am wondering if it would be OK to use one of the Trolling motor batteries fro the radio/GPS?​

 

[bruceb58]

Re: GPS/Sonar shuts off every time I start the motor?

You can try it and see if the noise from the trolling motor affects the GPS/Sonar Unit.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: GPS/Sonar shuts off every time I start the motor?

You can use one of the trolling motor batteries and you very likely will not have a noise problem. I also suggest you connect to the battery that has the 24 volt ground wire connected to it.

 

[zookiebilling]

Re: GPS/Sonar shuts off every time I start the motor?

go in to your sonar and reset you votage limit above 9.9 volts

 

[Crater]

Re: GPS/Sonar shuts off every time I start the motor?

The noise there refering to is electrical interference (feedback kindof) the visual result of electrical noise is clutter on your FF screen. Noise can be a problem even if you run your tranducer line too close to the engine.

 

[Big Keepers]

Re: GPS/Sonar shuts off every time I start the motor?

Most, if not all, starter motors will draw like 300 amps or so. If you have your batteries linked then your electronics will shut off or flash off and on. You need separate batteries running independent of each other. If you use the ACR and they still flash, something is wired incorrectly. A properly wired ACR and two battery set up will stop the amperage spike that shuts off electronics.

Look up Blue Sea's add a battery kit and all you need to know is there.

 

[SilverSog]

Re: GPS/Sonar shuts off every time I start the motor?

I have this same problem. My work around is to dim the Lowrance display to its lowest brightness before I start the engine. When I forget, it's annoying to power up the GPS and wait for it to re-locate my position.

 

[John_S]

Re: GPS/Sonar shuts off every time I start the motor?

I had an Eagle Intellimap 502C which did the same thing. Did it even though it was using a new fully charged over capacity battery. Did the same in my suv. It was a pain, beacause it would loose the recent gps track, and take a number of minutes to re-aquire the satalites.

Running from one of the trolling motor batteries should be fine. Even if there is a little noise, it is probably easier to live with than the power down.

I was working on a capacitor/diode fix, but didn't try it before I sold it. I was stuffing a 500mfd/25V electrilytic with a 2 amp diode into a 35mm film container. Plan was to mount it as close to unit as possible, to try to prevent the voltage sag from impacting the unit.

I do not believe you can adjust the low voltage shut-off. I can't remember for sure if it had a low voltage alarm. That would have an adjustment.

FWIW, I plugged my power hungry HB into the same source and have not had it drop out once. From my experience and seeing a number of others posts, there appears to be something flaky with the circuitry on particular Eagle/Lowrance units.