where and how to install GPSMap on pedestal

[cspaniel]

Hi,
Before I start drilling holes all over the pedestal, I was wondering if anyone has any feedback on how and where to install the cable for a GPSMap in the pedestal in the pictures? I want o use the support that you see there and want to have the cable for power available there. Any ideas?
Thank you!
Ab

[Pub911]

I put a Navpod on my Edsen mount and ran the cable for my Radar/Plotter up one side and inside the other side of the SS tubing, I ran the cables for my autopilot. The process involved notching the ss tubing and then placing the pod over the hole so that the cables fed through the hole of the tubing and right into the pod via a watertight seal created by the gasket that came with the pod. It was a little tricky, but doable with some patience and a coat-hanger. Oh yeah, and the nerve to potentially mangle and otherwise pristine mount. Here are a few pictures of the finished job. Unfortunately, I do not have and WIP shots.

Good luck.

[Faster]

Most of the time the cables are run within the pedestal support tubing, our power cable for the autohelm drive unit runs inside the pedestal proper (we have link/lever rather than chain/wire) Of course for this to be possible the tubing supports and pedestal must be open and somewhat accessible from below.

Do you plan to use that side mount shown? If so then, assuming that you are open at the bottoms simply drill a hole in the tubing nearby and feed the cable through. A light messenger line may help, run that through first, or a long, thin welders rod can be used to push wires through if that might work better. A grommet or some sort of seal should be used to seal where the cable goes through.

If the hole is immediately under the collar of the side arm bracket it may have some 'protection' from rain intrusion.

[arf145]

I ran the cable for our Garmin inside the Edson guard bar. Our bar was taller than yours, so we chose the Edson shelf-type mount. Drilled the smallest hole in the tubing that I could get away with and then dropped/ran the cable from above. It was a few years ago, so some of the detail is hazy to me. I'm pretty sure I remember some sweating and cursing. As I remember it, the power part of their harness was long enough to make it below, where I could do the connections, but for some reason the depth part was not, so that to be connected first and then the whole bloody transducer cable run through from above. If you're just talking about power, shouldn't be a problem.

Don't know about that particular Edson mount. Is it made to have cable run through it?

[cspaniel]

Thanks all for your responses!
I have good access from below, but the tubbing (guard) is bolted through but no opening from below, pedestal is open. I guess I can drill a hole between the bolts which will be the center of the tubbing.
The Edson mount I have is very simple, no cables through, just screw the electronic to it...
In your experiences, what kind of bit you use to drill ss?
Thanks again!
Ab

[arf145]

For the access hole to the tubing, I had the advantage that I was installing the guard bar at the same time and could drill the cockpit deck from above, but it sounds like you have the placement right.

I went and got a better-than-average bit, titanium tipped or something, but it wasn't carbide. I found that drilling a small pilot hole helped.

[cspaniel]

thanks arf, appreciatte you help with this!

[QuickMick]

you might want to make sure none of your mounted instruments are going to offset your compass. my buddy used a piece of that white 'fake wood' from WM cut out holes to fit, then affixed to the silver rail so he didnt have to drill at all

[Gladrags1]

Just a thought; the biggest problem might be the size of the connector that is on the cable to connect to the gpsmap unit. If 1 end of the cable is just wires, you're golden but if not, then you need to consider cutting the connector off as the connector is large for the tube. Does your gps unit have an external antenna? Same issue there.

As far as drilling holes in SS; you might try to ding the metal with a center punch before drilling with a small diameter drillbit. This helps keep the bit from walking around.

[lancelot9898]

Originally Posted by Gladrags1

If 1 end of the cable is just wires, you're golden but if not, then you need to consider cutting the connector off as the connector is large for the tube. Does your gps unit have an external antenna? Same issue there.

I encounted that problem 3 years ago when I installed the Furuno chartplotter/radar at the helm. The GPS antenna wire was the problem and after talking to the Furuno folks they told me just how to splice it using a special round watertight enclosure. They prefered not splicing it but if absolutly necessary it works. I ran the wires up through the binancle itself, but the bottom hole was the problem since other wires were in that hole and I could not enlarge it to allow the end plug to pass without additional work.