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Cable length in
Wire gauge in AWG
meters (feet)
(mm
24 (75)
14 (2.08 mm
>32 (>100)
14 (2.08 mm
Important:
Be aware that some products in your system (such as sonar modules)
can create voltage peaks at certain times, which may impact the voltage
available to other products during the peaks.
Important:
To ensure power cables (including any extension) are of a sufficient
gauge, ensure that there is a continuous minimum voltage of 10.8 V dc at
the end of the cable where it enters the product's power connector, even
with a fully flat battery at 11 V dc. (Do not assume that a flat battery is at
0 V dc. Due to the discharge profile and internal chemistry of batteries,
the current drops much faster than the voltage. A "fully flat" battery still
shows a positive voltage, even if it doesn't have enough current to power
your device.)
10.6 Power cable drain wire connection
The power cable supplied with this product includes a dedicated drain
wire for connection to a vessel's Radio Frequency (RF) ground point (if
available), or the negative battery terminal.
It is important that an effective RF ground is connected to the system. A
single common ground point should be used for all equipment. If several
items require grounding, each item of equipment can be grounded by
connecting the drain wire of the power cable first to a single local point
(e.g. within a distribution panel), and then this point connected via an
appropriately-rated conductor to the vessel's RF common ground point. An
RF ground point is typically a circuit with a very low-impedance signal at RF,
connected to the sea via an electrode immersed in the sea or bonded to the
inner side of the hull in an area that is underwater.
On vessels without an RF ground system, the drain wires of all equipment
should be connected directly to the vessel's negative battery terminal.
The dc power system should be either:
Power connections
Wire gauge in AWG
2
) for 12 V supply
(mm
2
) for 24 V supply
2
)
16 (1.31 mm
2
)
16 (1.31 mm
• Negative grounded ("bonded"), with the negative battery terminal
connected to the vessel's RF ground.
• Floating, with neither battery terminal connected to the vessel's ground.
2
)
The preferred minimum requirement for the path to ground (bonded or
2
)
non-bonded) is via a flat tinned copper braid, with a 30 A rating or greater.
If this is not possible, an equivalent stranded wire conductor may be used,
rated as follows:
• for runs of <1 m (3.3 ft), use 6 mm2 (10 AWG) or greater.
• for runs of >1 m (3.3 ft), use 8 mm2 (8 AWG) or greater.
In any grounding system, always keep the length of connecting braid or
wires as short as possible.
35
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