GPS install report (and questions)

[geary126]

So, Sunday was GPS day.

am installing a 440s Garmin on a homemade navpod near compass. (Teak platform). Boat is Cat 30.

Problem #1: routing the transducer wires to pedestal from bow location.

Problem #2-24: See #1. The terminals for the thing are at least 5/8" thick, which required drilling holes in the base of the Edson pedestal, etc. What a pain.

Ended up drilling a hole about 1' below the compass, below the chain, to exit
the pedestal. Boy, I don't know how people install transmission and speed controls in the pedestal--there's simply no clearance.

Anyway: two results, neither ideal. With a 3/8" drill, I was unable to make
more than a 1/2" diameter hole.

QUESTION #1 My fitting (cable clamp / bushing) requires a 1" hole. Would a dremel bit work to enlarge the hole? any other suggestions?

The other issue has to do with the fact that we had to pull the excess wire (and connections) outside of the pedestal, out of fear of having the excess getting caught in the steering cables. (The power cord we could snug up, below, but the data cable is only 18" long, which would put the connector right in the way of the steering mechanism. thus, we had to move the connection point up, and out of the pedestal)



QUESTION #2 Net net, I have 4' of power and data cables that I need to do something with. (It's sticking out of the pedestal) This is for a
GPS that I will take on and off daily, by that way, not a chart plotter.

Thinking about a small bag or white box (which would keep the connector dry)

QUESTION #3: Also: anybody had any issue with the connector to the GPS? It's like a shore power connector....and I can't get the threaded ring to meet the threads, if that makes sense. I can push them together to the point where there is power, but not the point where I can connect the threaded ring.

Thanks.

[sailingdog]

Originally Posted by geary126

So, Sunday was GPS day.

am installing a 440s Garmin on a homemade navpod near compass. (Teak platform). Boat is Cat 30.

Problem #1: routing the transducer wires to pedestal from bow location.

Problem #2-24: See #1. The terminals for the thing are at least 5/8" thick, which required drilling holes in the base of the Edson pedestal, etc. What a pain.

Ended up drilling a hole about 1' below the compass, below the chain, to exit
the pedestal. Boy, I don't know how people install transmission and speed controls in the pedestal--there's simply no clearance.

Anyway: two results, neither ideal. With a 3/8" drill, I was unable to make
more than a 1/2" diameter hole.

QUESTION #1 My fitting (cable clamp / bushing) requires a 1" hole. Would a dremel bit work to enlarge the hole? any other suggestions?

The other issue has to do with the fact that we had to pull the excess wire (and connections) outside of the pedestal, out of fear of having the excess getting caught in the steering cables. (The power cord we could snug up, below, but the data cable is only 18" long, which would put the connector right in the way of the steering mechanism. thus, we had to move the connection point up, and out of the pedestal)

Why didn't you use a hole saw?? What is the pedestal that you're drilling the hole into made out of? Unless it is stainless steel, a hole saw would probably have been the best way to make the hole.

QUESTION #2 Net net, I have 4' of power and data cables that I need to do something with. (It's sticking out of the pedestal) This is for a
GPS that I will take on and off daily, by that way, not a chart plotter.

Thinking about a small bag or white box (which would keep the connector dry)

Last I checked, the 440s Garmin was a chartplotter. Using a small white box would probably be the best way to store and protect the excess cabling.

QUESTION #3: Also: anybody had any issue with the connector to the GPS? It's like a shore power connector....and I can't get the threaded ring to meet the threads, if that makes sense. I can push them together to the point where there is power, but not the point where I can connect the threaded ring.

Thanks.

Chances are that the threaded collar isn't located on the cable properly. On some of the Garmin cables, the threaded collar is held in place by a rubber/plastic ring but can be forced past it...and if it is, it won't generally reach the threaded fitting on the GPS unit that it is supposed to reach. I'd check that first.

[geary126]

Thanks, SD.

My responses: hole saw, makes sense. didn't have one, alas. Now the issue (half_ssed job, in progress) is that I've got wires running out of the 1/2" hole...and I need to enlarge it.

Alternatively, I could get a rubber grommet to fit the 1/2" hole.

It's a bad situation, one that I could have avoided had i had the hole saw in hand, but I had one helper for a limited time frame, and we spent 2 hours making a path for the wire, and it was thread the wire now, or never.

Would a dremel bit work?

Pedestal is aluminum, I think. Fairly thin.

Will try the cable ring idea.

chartplotter? kind of a symantec thing. I meant, sort of hybrid. I think of CPs as the giant units. This is portable...

[sailingdog]

A dremel should have an issue with aluminum. just don't cut the wires...

[geary126]

SD, did you mean "have no issue with aluminum?"

I was thinking about getting one of those carbide tips.

thanks.

[sailingdog]

LOL... yeah... read what I meant...not what I wrote... Don't need a carbide tip for aluminum... just a very steady hand.

[EO32]

Use Cut Off wheels. A lot of the dremel bits get clogged with aluminum.

I use Cut Off wheels for quite a bit of work. They are about 1" in diameter and wear down while you use them. Safety glasses are good since they can come apart. I use the 1/32nd wheels.

[geary126]

yes, but I'm trying to make a circle, guys.

[pfatyol]

Why not just get a good round file / Rasp and file it out, if you get one that is course enough it should be pretty quick, easy to control but tiring.

Pat

[geary126]

good call. done. thanks, guys.