Mounting Transducer On Bow Trolling Motor

[Jim Mac]

For those of you that use a bow trolling motor transducer mount, how did you route the wiring? Where did you secure the wiring? Thanks.

[Bladesmith,]

I mounted mine on my Min Kota foot control and attached the transducer cable to the shaft going up with zip ties allowing slack at the point where the shaft turns then down to the unit's head. Hope this makes sense.

[Kevin22]

I ran it up the shaft and then down the cord to the foot control. I wrapped electrical tape around the wire/shaft and then secured with a zip tie over the electrical tape. 

 

I have a friend that drilled a hole in his shaft and ran it up through his TM and out the head, then used silicone to plug the hole. 

[Traveler2586]

I mounted mine on my Min Kota foot control and attached the transducer cable to the shaft going up with zip ties allowing slack at the point where the shaft turns then down to the unit's head. Hope this makes sense.

 

I think this is waht Bladesmith is talking about.  Keep your transducer cable as far away from your TM power cable as possible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also, don't forget to protect your transducer.

 

[Wayne P.]

When using zipties, put the locking block over the cable so you cannot crush the conductor's insulation when tightning.

Do not run the cable along the steering cable/power cable. Attach it to the mount after running it up the shaft.

[Wayne P.]

Good job Traveler. That is the right way.

Gotta love the Equalizer on the mount !!!!!

[Kevin22]

When using zipties, put the locking block over the cable so you cannot crush the conductor's insulation when tightning.

Do not run the cable along the steering cable/power cable. Attach it to the mount after running it up the shaft.

 

 

So you leave a big huge amount of slack wire on your deck so the mount has enough slack to go up/down? Seems logical to run it out the head and and down the cable so there is 0 slack. 

 

And you cannot crush the transducer cable with a zip tie. The cable is reinforced with a thick foil/plastic lining. 

[Wayne P.]

So you leave a big huge amount of slack wire on your deck so the mount has enough slack to go up/down? Seems logical to run it out the head and and down the cable so there is 0 slack. 

 

 

Do you see a "huge amount of slack wire" on Traveler's deck???I

 

If you run the cable as you mentioned, that will increase the possibility of trolling motor RFI affecting your sonar unit.

 

Yes, you can crush and short out the conductors, I have done it and learned by my mistake. Cost $270 to replace a Side Imaging transducer.

[Traveler2586]

Do you see a "huge amount of slack wire" on Traveler's deck???I

 

If you run the cable as you mentioned, that will increase the possibility of trolling motor RFI affecting your sonar unit.

 

Yes, you can crush and short out the conductors, I have done it and learned by my mistake. Cost $270 to replace a Side Imaging transducer.

 

Crushing a coax to short the conductors is a catastrophic pinch, and yes that will destroy the cable.  I can go into the physics of coax cables if you want, but the short answer is - do nothing that will deform a coax, i.e. flatten it, kink it, etc.  The white inner plastic core around the center conductor is called the dielectric and it's thickness is engineered for the frequency range the cable will carry; if you do anything to reduce that thickness you change the response of the cable and degrade it.

 

If you look at my photo you'll see that I used electrical tape on the TM shaft and ty-wraps on the TM's mounting; you'll also notice I have the ty-wrap's buckle (or keeper) on the cable and soft-bends where-ever the cable flexes.  The coax can cross the TM's power cable at right angles without picking up enough RFI to affect your electronics. (see where my power cable comes out of my deck and the coax crosses it)

[Downeaster2010]

Crushing a coax to short the conductors is a catastrophic pinch, and yes that will destroy the cable.  I can go into the physics of coax cables if you want, but the short answer is - do nothing that will deform a coax, i.e. flatten it, kink it, etc.  The white inner plastic core around the center conductor is called the dielectric and it's thickness is engineered for the frequency range the cable will carry; if you do anything to reduce that thickness you change the response of the cable and degrade it.

 

If you look at my photo you'll see that I used electrical tape on the TM shaft and ty-wraps on the TM's mounting; you'll also notice I have the ty-wrap's buckle (or keeper) on the cable and soft-bends where-ever the cable flexes.  The coax can cross the TM's power cable at right angles without picking up enough RFI to affect your electronics. (see where my power cable comes out of my deck and the coax crosses it)

And another thing never ever cut or shorten a transducer cable.  If you do all you readings will be off.

[Wayne P.]

Here are three other transducers on a trolling motor.

The double setup is a Side Imaging Puck and a 2D puck

The single larger one is a HD Side Imaging transducer.

 

 

[Jim Mac]

Thanks guys. So where is all the extra transducer cable? I don't see it in the pics.

[Wayne P.]

Thanks guys. So where is all the extra transducer cable? I don't see it in the pics.

 

 

Under the deck out of sight.

 

So is Traveler2586's setup.