There are a couple of things that may be unclear when looking to buy a fishfinder. Being that there are many different brands you’ll want to get the right one. Once you’ve chosen the most efficient one that provides precise data, you’ll need to install it. And this is where things get complicated. Installing a high-tech device that reads sonar data can be pretty complicated.
Luckily, here you are, about to find out exactly how to wire your fishfinder to a battery and start your fishing adventure. You will need a couple of tools before you can start connecting it, so make sure that you’ve got your toolkit with you.
Getting the Right Equipment
First things first. To start hooking up your new fishfinder device to a battery you’ll need a couple of items. Professional anglers usually fish from a boat. So you need to protect you fishfinder battery from water, right? Therefore you’ll need a decent waterproof box. This can be any toolkit box that you can find in a hardware store. Look for a box that is just big enough to fit your battery in, but nothing to huge. Next to a battery, you’ll need to fit a material that will secure the battery as well.
So look for a plastic toolkit box just a bit larger than your battery. You’ll also need a decent wire cutter, some duct tape, and a soldering iron. Once you’ve purchased the ideal box for your battery and tools, it’s time to get to work.
The Installment
Being that there isn’t an ideal box that comes with the battery and your newly purchased fishfinder device, you’ll need to improvise. Get your toolkit box, or whatever else you’ve prepared to put your battery in, and start by marking the center. From there, continue marking the space where you’ll place your battery. This is extremely important as you’ll need to place the battery in the middle to secure it successfully.
Before placing the battery in and securing it, make sure that you drill or make a hole for the cables. The power cables going from the battery to the exit hole on the box shouldn’t be too long. So if your power cables are too long, use the wire cutter to shorten them so that they don’t intertwine inside the box. They should be just long enough so they can reach the exit hole on the box.
For securing the battery inside the box you can use a material like Styrofoam. It will keep the battery in place and protect it from possible damage. To do so, simply cut the Styrofoam in a shape that matches the dimensions of each side of the battery. This way your battery will stay in place no matter how bumpy your ride will be. You can add a couple more power cables to the battery and create another whole. This way you can charge your phone, led lights or anything else that you bring to your fishing adventure.
Connecting the Fishfinder Device
Once you’ve placed your battery safely in a waterproof box you can start connecting your device to it. Being that the battery should be positioned at the lowest point of your boat, you’ll need pretty long power cables to connect the fishfinder to a battery. If you followed the above-mentioned steps you already have all the tools required for this job. The first thing that you need to do is to extend the power cables coming out from your device. Start by cutting the cables as close as you can to the power plug.
Make sure that you leave enough wire to connect the cables back together. This way you’ll use most of the original cable material. Now get an identical power cord and cut it in the same way. Once you’re done with cutting, you can use your soldering iron.
Connect the cables and make sure that you do it right. Use the duct tape to secure the connection. You don’t want to cause an electrical overload. Once you’ve connected two power cables together they should be long enough to connect the fishfinder device to your power battery no matter where you’ve placed your battery. Now you can safely use your fishfinder device and locate the fish directing it in any direction you want.
The biggest mistake that you can do is to mount your fishfinder device in such way that you need to rotate your whole boat in order to change the direction. It’s like trying to find fish with horse blinders, where you get to see only in the direction you turn your boat. Now you’re fully equipped for your fishing adventure and all that’s left to do is to pick the perfect spot and start fishing. Be sure to bring all the necessary equipment next to your fishfinding device.
Once you start using this device to locate fish you’ll catch more fish than you ever imagined you could before.
The Conclusion
So we’ve learned how to improvise, cut a few cables and create a waterproof box for a fishfinder battery. Furthermore, we’ve learned how to connect all the parts together and make the fishfinder functional and ready for use. Improvisation is an important skill of every angler because you never know what’s going to happen on your next fishing adventure.
The more tricks you know the better, and more efficient angler you’ll become. When adventuring in the great outdoors you need to realize that you’re not in your natural habitat. Being mindful of the animals around you makes you a better fisherman.
So always think ahead before you start camping or even set your fishing rood. Prepare in advance and you’ll always be ready for the task at hand. Preparation is half the job done, and with the right equipment, you’re bound to catch an impressive game.
