How to hide wiring???

Wags · 11-23-08, 05:52 PM

I am putting in a new (Used) fishfinder on an older Ranger (1990). I am mounting the transducer on the transom and the screen upfront on the deck by the troller. I have enough wiring to do this but have NO IDEA how to run the wiring back to the batteries and the transducer under the deck of the boat. Any suggestions?? Keep in mind I'm not all that handy with....er...well...anything. Thanks

zooker · 11-23-08, 06:42 PM

place it on the driver side come up the transome then wire tie it into the moter control wires keep spacing the wire ties up to the dash.
it is an older ranger right?? then with a screw driver push the wire under the carpet/top cap joint.. with a newer ranger with the flush carpet/top cap joint you have to go under the front deck...

standard operating trick is all wiring is run on the driver side the troller is run on the passanger side..

zooker

Wags · 11-23-08, 07:05 PM

thanks zooker, I just ran out to look at it. There is about a 3/4" border of fiberglass all around the deck of the boat, then it drops maybe an 1/8" and the carpet meets up there. The 1/8" seems to be like a seating for the carpet. So I think you are saying to pinch the wires in between the edge of the carpet and that fiberglass 3/4" border?

Basscrazie · 11-23-08, 09:22 PM

Don't you have a control panel on the front for your trim and lights??

Wags · 11-23-08, 09:44 PM

Yes I do, but even if I take that off, how does that help me to run wires towards the rear of the boat since I have no access points to the underside of deck?

Wags · 11-23-08, 10:43 PM

or are you telling me to hook-up to something directly in that panel??

Earl Marshall · 11-23-08, 11:17 PM

You should have a hot wire running to the front panel hook it to it.

Wags · 11-26-08, 05:46 PM

OK..I removed the panel and made the wiring connection for the power on fish-finder. Now I see that the old transducer wire from the old fish-finder seemed to be going into a pvc-type pipe towards the bottom of the bow and disappearing from there. The wire from the transducer off the transom goes thru an access hole on rear of boat and seems to be going along side towards the drivers seat. I have no idea how that would meet up with that tube in the bow??? Unless somebody can set me straight, I will probably just do my best to run wire from transducer along the top drivers side as best I can to the fishfinder on the front deck. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated !!!!

carolina-rig-01 · 11-27-08, 10:59 PM

i noticed you said that you were mounting the transducer on the rear of the boat but the graph is going on the front......why don't you mount the trasducer up front on the trolling motor? it would give you a more accurate reading of what is under you while you fish and would be a lot easier to install.

Jackl · 11-28-08, 12:39 AM

WAGS,
That PVC tubing runs down the center of the boat under the deck, and terminates just ahead of the drain between the consoles. If you want to install the transducer inside the boat, it can be epoxied under the floor drain ahead of the seats and the wire pulled thru the PVC tubing to the bow mounted locator. The hot wires can be taken off the factory wiring in the bow that was factory installed for accessories. Do not use a hot wire to the trolling motor, or you will get interference when you run the TM. Or as ZOOKER said, you can install the transducer on the trolling motor, but it can get damaged is you fish in rocky lakes.
If there is no accessory hot wire on the front console, you can get a length of #9 galvanized wire and double the end over about an inch to get a smooth end to push thru the top cap, starting at the drivers side console and pushing the wire thru the top cap of the boat. You may run into a little resistance in getting the stiff wire to go thru, but by working it slowly back and forth, it can be worked up to the bow console. Once you have the galvanized wire worked thru to the front console, you can attach your hot and ground wire to the doubled end of the #9 wire and pull it back thru the top cap to the drivers console. Be sure to tape the hook very well with electrical tape so it will not catch on anything as you are pulling the wires back thru the top cap to the drivers console. After you get the electrical wires run back to the console, you can install a fuse and attach the hot and ground wires under the drivers console into the factory wiring. All wiring will be hidden and protected.
JackL

Wags · 11-28-08, 06:06 PM

carolina-rig......I am hoping that this 1 fishfinder set-up is somewhat temporary. At some point I would like a nicer 2nd Fish-finder with GPS for the console. So for now, since it is a 1 finder set-up, I am going to mount the transducer on the transom so that I always have it in the water, even when using the outboard. When I get the second one, I will move the transducer up-front with the deck fish-finder. But your point is duely noted. Also, thank you Jackl for that great info. I have had second thoughts about running the wire back thru the pipe because of it's temporary nature. I think I will just try running it along the deck for the time being.

11-23-08, 05:52 PM	#1
Wags BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Swartz Creek, Michigan Posts: 163	How to hide wiring??? I am putting in a new (Used) fishfinder on an older Ranger (1990). I am mounting the transducer on the transom and the screen upfront on the deck by the troller. I have enough wiring to do this but have NO IDEA how to run the wiring back to the batteries and the transducer under the deck of the boat. Any suggestions?? Keep in mind I'm not all that handy with....er...well...anything. Thanks

11-23-08, 06:42 PM	#2
zooker BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: denton nc Posts: 13,441	place it on the driver side come up the transome then wire tie it into the moter control wires keep spacing the wire ties up to the dash. it is an older ranger right?? then with a screw driver push the wire under the carpet/top cap joint.. with a newer ranger with the flush carpet/top cap joint you have to go under the front deck... standard operating trick is all wiring is run on the driver side the troller is run on the passanger side.. zooker __________________ the godfather.. aml in remission since 7-20-09

11-23-08, 07:05 PM	#3
Wags BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Swartz Creek, Michigan Posts: 163	thanks zooker, I just ran out to look at it. There is about a 3/4" border of fiberglass all around the deck of the boat, then it drops maybe an 1/8" and the carpet meets up there. The 1/8" seems to be like a seating for the carpet. So I think you are saying to pinch the wires in between the edge of the carpet and that fiberglass 3/4" border? Last edited by Wags; 11-23-08 at 07:23 PM.

11-28-08, 12:39 AM	#10
Jackl BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Great Bend, KS Posts: 2,960	WAGS, That PVC tubing runs down the center of the boat under the deck, and terminates just ahead of the drain between the consoles. If you want to install the transducer inside the boat, it can be epoxied under the floor drain ahead of the seats and the wire pulled thru the PVC tubing to the bow mounted locator. The hot wires can be taken off the factory wiring in the bow that was factory installed for accessories. Do not use a hot wire to the trolling motor, or you will get interference when you run the TM. Or as ZOOKER said, you can install the transducer on the trolling motor, but it can get damaged is you fish in rocky lakes. If there is no accessory hot wire on the front console, you can get a length of #9 galvanized wire and double the end over about an inch to get a smooth end to push thru the top cap, starting at the drivers side console and pushing the wire thru the top cap of the boat. You may run into a little resistance in getting the stiff wire to go thru, but by working it slowly back and forth, it can be worked up to the bow console. Once you have the galvanized wire worked thru to the front console, you can attach your hot and ground wire to the doubled end of the #9 wire and pull it back thru the top cap to the drivers console. Be sure to tape the hook very well with electrical tape so it will not catch on anything as you are pulling the wires back thru the top cap to the drivers console. After you get the electrical wires run back to the console, you can install a fuse and attach the hot and ground wires under the drivers console into the factory wiring. All wiring will be hidden and protected. JackL __________________ There are two theories about argueing with women...........Neither one works!

11-23-08, 09:22 PM	#4
Basscrazie BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: magnolia,tx Posts: 398	Don't you have a control panel on the front for your trim and lights??

11-23-08, 09:44 PM	#5
Wags BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Swartz Creek, Michigan Posts: 163	Yes I do, but even if I take that off, how does that help me to run wires towards the rear of the boat since I have no access points to the underside of deck?

11-23-08, 10:43 PM	#6
Wags BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Swartz Creek, Michigan Posts: 163	or are you telling me to hook-up to something directly in that panel??

11-23-08, 11:17 PM	#7
Earl Marshall BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Salyersville,KY Posts: 247	You should have a hot wire running to the front panel hook it to it.

11-26-08, 05:46 PM	#8
Wags BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Swartz Creek, Michigan Posts: 163	OK..I removed the panel and made the wiring connection for the power on fish-finder. Now I see that the old transducer wire from the old fish-finder seemed to be going into a pvc-type pipe towards the bottom of the bow and disappearing from there. The wire from the transducer off the transom goes thru an access hole on rear of boat and seems to be going along side towards the drivers seat. I have no idea how that would meet up with that tube in the bow??? Unless somebody can set me straight, I will probably just do my best to run wire from transducer along the top drivers side as best I can to the fishfinder on the front deck. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated !!!!

11-27-08, 10:59 PM	#9
carolina-rig-01 BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Webb City, MO Posts: 6,387	i noticed you said that you were mounting the transducer on the rear of the boat but the graph is going on the front......why don't you mount the trasducer up front on the trolling motor? it would give you a more accurate reading of what is under you while you fish and would be a lot easier to install. __________________ You only live once. But if you do it right, once is enough.

11-28-08, 06:06 PM	#11
Wags BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Swartz Creek, Michigan Posts: 163	carolina-rig......I am hoping that this 1 fishfinder set-up is somewhat temporary. At some point I would like a nicer 2nd Fish-finder with GPS for the console. So for now, since it is a 1 finder set-up, I am going to mount the transducer on the transom so that I always have it in the water, even when using the outboard. When I get the second one, I will move the transducer up-front with the deck fish-finder. But your point is duely noted. Also, thank you Jackl for that great info. I have had second thoughts about running the wire back thru the pipe because of it's temporary nature. I think I will just try running it along the deck for the time being.

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