# Connecting fish finder to 12 volt battery



## BuzzBait Brad

I done a lot of looking on the Internet for some kind of guidance on hooking up my fish finder to a 12 volt battery directly and I can't find anything. 

I'm looking for some type of terminal connectors for thus type of 12 volt battery 










Does anybody have any advice on what connectors I can use to directly connector the power cables to the 12 volt battery? The only terminal connectors I seem to be finding is eyelet and those won't work.


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## leeabu

You need the female half of a quick disconnect terminal. You can get at auto parts store or Home Depot.


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## Cajunsaugeye

They're everywhere.AutoZone,NAPA,Advance.

Sent from my VS870 4G using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## BuzzBait Brad

leeabu said:


> You need the female half of a quick disconnect terminal. You can get at auto parts store or Home Depot.


Thanks awesome! Is that the actual name of the part?

One other question, if I want to extend the power cables from my FF, what else would I need? What Guage wire? I could probably just solder them and use heat shrink wrap?


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## SPOONFEEDER

The battery in picture looks like it takes female spade connectors. far as wire size, depends on how long your making them. do not go smaller then wire already coming from fishfinder, or go one size bigger if only going a few feet.


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## BuzzBait Brad

SPOONFEEDER said:


> The battery in picture looks like it takes female spade connectors. far as wire size, depends on how long your making them. do not go smaller then wire already coming from fishfinder, or go one size bigger if only going a few feet.


I need to extend it about 5 feet. I'm pretty sure the FF power cables are 18 Guage I'll have to check. Anyaay, I can go a size bigger?


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## Shortdrift

I always run a minimum 16 gauge for the additional strength it offers.


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## sherman51

if you go to any auto parts store you will find the female plugs that will just plug onto the male fittings. just tell the clerk that you need a female plug that goes on a male plug. or just ask for electrical connections and find what you need. they make them with or without a plastic cover. I would use the one with the plastic cover. but that's just me.
sherman


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## MassillonBuckeye

Home Depot and Lowes also has em as well. Can get the fancy heat shrink ones even. They seal up nice and give you a little more support at the connection than just the regular plastic collars. You want to make sure you crimp them good. Or better yet, solder. Do your soldering without them being connected to the batteries and or electronics if you can help it.



















vs










You can also get the heat shrink butt connectors to extend your wires.


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## BuzzBait Brad

MassillonBuckeye said:


> Home Depot and Lowes also has em as well. Can get the fancy heat shrink ones even. They seal up nice and give you a little more support at the connection than just the regular plastic collars. You want to make sure you crimp them good. Or better yet, solder. Do your soldering without them being connected to the batteries and or electronics if you can help it.
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Do you solder the wires into those plugs? I found some and got them at the store


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## MassillonBuckeye

BuzzBait Brad said:


> Do you solder the wires into those plugs? I found some and got them at the store


Heres a decent video I found on youtube. It'll give you an idea. If were just talking a quick and no so permanent connection, crimping can be fine. If the wires are going to be tugged on, jostled around etc, I'd definitely go with a more permanent connection like a soldered connection.






If you just want to crimp, heres a quick vid on that. You dont really need a crazy expensive crimper to get a good crimp. 






Tons of stuff on youtube. I'd recommend spending a bit of time watching and deciding which way you want to go.


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## BuzzBait Brad

MassillonBuckeye said:


> Heres a decent video I found on youtube. It'll give you an idea. If were just talking a quick and no so permanent connection, crimping can be fine. If the wires are going to be tugged on, jostled around etc, I'd definitely go with a more permanent connection like a soldered connection.
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> Spade Lug Terminals - YouTube
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> If you just want to crimp, heres a quick vid on that. You dont really need a crazy expensive crimper to get a good crimp.
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> Wire Stripping and Connector Crimping 101 - YouTube
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> Tons of stuff on youtube. I'd recommend spending a bit of time watching and deciding which way you want to go.


I've been watching videos. Crimping is probably my choice. It's going to be installed on a kayak so I'd like the whole thing to be portable not permanent.


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## MassillonBuckeye

BuzzBait Brad said:


> I've been watching videos. Crimping is probably my choice. It's going to be installed on a kayak so I'd like the whole thing to be portable not permanent.


And its relatively low impact on a yak as compared to pounding waves in a bigger boat. Yeah, I'd probably start with a crimp as well unless you had a soldering gun and enjoy soldering as much as I do


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## BuzzBait Brad

MassillonBuckeye said:


> And its relatively low impact on a yak as compared to pounding waves in a bigger boat. Yeah, I'd probably start with a crimp as well unless you had a soldering gun and enjoy soldering as much as I do


Sound easier than soldering too lol


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## BuzzBait Brad

Thanks for everybody's input. I appreciate it got the fish finder rig up and running and it's all water tight!


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## BuzzBait Brad

Any tips of gluing down the transducer for a shoot through hull on a shallow V type hull for a kayak?


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## Misdirection

Use silly puddy and try out the location and move around as necessary. When your ready, use a good marine epoxy and try to get any / all air bubbles out.


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## BuzzBait Brad

Misdirection said:


> Use silly puddy and try out the location and move around as necessary. When your ready, use a good marine epoxy and try to get any / all air bubbles out.


I was gonna use those child play mats and cut squares out and glue 2 pieces together. 










then glue that to the bottom and then cut the shape of thr transducer out of the middle to set it in place. 

Does the transducer HAVE to he glued in? If so I was thinking silicone so I can remove it if I absolutely need to.

This way I can just slide the transducer in and out.


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## Misdirection

BuzzBait Brad said:


> I was gonna use those child play mats and cut squares out and glue 2 pieces together.
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> This way I can just slide the transducer in and out.


I learned about the silly puddy method the hard way. While I never installed one in a yak, but in many boats the problem you run into if you don't glue it in is air bubbles. Once air gets underneath it, you loose your signal.


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## BuzzBait Brad

Misdirection said:


> I learned about the silly puddy method the hard way. While I never installed one in a yak, but in many boats the problem you run into if you don't glue it in is air bubbles. Once air gets underneath it, you loose your signal.


Oh ok. I'll probably use this mat I'm thinking and then silicone it in. Does the whole transducer have to be covered or just the bottom?


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## Misdirection

Just the bottom of the transducer.


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## BuzzBait Brad

Thanks. Very helpful thread.


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## walleyechaser

I would also put an inline fuse in the plus side of the wiring to protect your depth finder


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## BuzzBait Brad

walleyechaser said:


> I would also put an inline fuse in the plus side of the wiring to protect your depth finder


Completed!


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## walleyechaser

You can also use liquid electrical tape to seal the crimp connections. Less problems with corrosion in the future
:T


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## BuzzBait Brad

walleyechaser said:


> You can also use liquid electrical tape to seal the crimp connections. Less problems with corrosion in the future
> :T


Did that as well lol figured it was a good idea.


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## Snakecharmer

BuzzBait Brad said:


> Thanks for everybody's input. I appreciate it got the fish finder rig up and running and it's all water tight!


What is the model number for that battery box? I need to do that for my yak too. Thanks for you post on the electrical putty!


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## BuzzBait Brad

Snakecharmer said:


> What is the model number for that battery box? I need to do that for my yak too. Thanks for you post on the electrical putty!


No prob! The putty works amazing. Had to do a lot of research to find out that method. 

The box is actually just a waterproof box. The brand is Outdoor Products large watertight box. I found the cheapest to get it is at Walmart for 10 bucks. Near the hunting and fishing section.

Or if you want you can just Google 'outdoor products large watertight box'

When and if you get the box, make sure to stop at auto zone or somewhere similar and buy a pack of universal rubber grommets. You need them after you drill a hole in the watertight box to tonkeep watertight after running wires through it.


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## Snakecharmer

BuzzBait Brad said:


> No prob! The putty works amazing. Had to do a lot of research to find out that method.
> 
> The box is actually just a waterproof box. The brand is Outdoor Products large watertight box. I found the cheapest to get it is at Walmart for 10 bucks. Near the hunting and fishing section.
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> Or if you want you can just Google 'outdoor products large watertight box'
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> When and if you get the box, make sure to stop at auto zone or somewhere similar and buy a pack of universal rubber grommets. You need them after you drill a hole in the watertight box to tonkeep watertight after running wires through it.


Thanks!................


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## BuzzBait Brad

No prob. Good luck!


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