Installing Airmar P319 sonar - OK to cut cable?

M

MountainGoat

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 Jan 2015
Messages
229
Visit site
I have recently acquired an Airmar P319 to replace the rather bog-standard depth sounder on my Sun Odyssey 30i. The transducer will be installed shortly by the boatyard. I then have to route the cable to my Raymarine A97 chart plotter.

Here's the problem: the Airmar comes with a bulky 6 pin moulded plug on the end. There's no way I'm going to be able to route this cable away from the transducer fitting without literally dismantling half the inside of the boat.

Cutting the cable and resplicing it would solve the problem. The fitting instructions refer to splicing using an Airmar waterproof junction box, but I am nervous about cutting it.

Has anyone installed one of these before and cut the cable? Would appreciate the benefit of shared experience, and just knowing that Airmar haven't done anything evil like making all the wires the same colour or something.
 
You need to look up on the Airmar site, there are manuals there... I had an Airmar supplied with my Tacktick kit and cut the cable as suggested by Tacktick... But the sounder packed up, and when I got the new one under warranty, I didn't cut it... Tacktick don't have a plug, only cable ends, so can't help your cable routing....

You could have done a google search, the first thing that comes up is the manual... http://www.airmar.com/uploads/InstallGuide/17-006-01.pdf

P3 says don't cut the cable to route it, and you have to use a special junction box
 
Last edited:
Gladys said:
P3 says don't cut the cable to route it, and you have to use a special junction box
Click to expand...

Yes, I have the manual (it came with the transducer). I don't have many options but to cut the cable, given the plug is too big to go through the hole and the hole has half the boat on top of it. I've ordered the junction box, but if anyone has done this I'd really like to hear from them.
 
I'd be very interested what they call a special junction box looks like, cannot see how this cannot be a normal connection box
 
Daverw said:
I'd be very interested what they call a special junction box looks like, cannot see how this cannot be a normal connection box
Click to expand...

The manual says the warranty is void if you cut the cable and don't use their connection box. I expect it's like any other connection box, but more expensive.

Now if only Jeanneau had made the hole big enough in the first place…
 
If you cut it and make proper, insulated and waterproof joins it will work. It isn't like Olde Worlde transducers that depended on cable length to work correctly.

If you can cut it somewhere inside the boat, where it won't get damp/wet, you could simply use Wago connectors.
 
PaulRainbow said:
If you cut it and make proper, insulated and waterproof joins it will work. It isn't like Olde Worlde transducers that depended on cable length to work correctly.

If you can cut it somewhere inside the boat, where it won't get damp/wet, you could simply use Wago connectors.
Click to expand...

Paul,
I have also need to cut a sonar cable if I'm going to use sonar, so interested in this thread. You refer to Wago connectors, I have never used them before but they certainly look neat. However they come in a bewildering range of shapes and sizes. What would you reccommend for this application, I assume the cable comprises about 5 thin wires.

Andrew
 
I had the same situation with Raymarine depth and log transducers. I rang up Raymarine who said that if I was comfortable with soldering, then I could cut the cables and re-join. I had also emailed them, and the email response said not to cut!

Like the OP I had no option, I could never get the cables through the boat, and up the inside of the stainless bars going to the instruments mounted on the helm if they had the plugs on the end. I am confident with soldering, so I cut them. Everything works just fine.

Giles
 
PaulRainbow said:
If you cut it and make proper, insulated and waterproof joins it will work. It isn't like Olde Worlde transducers that depended on cable length to work correctly.

If you can cut it somewhere inside the boat, where it won't get damp/wet, you could simply use Wago connectors.
Click to expand...

I can do both of these things. I'll cut it and mount the junction box next to my ITC5.

This is exactly what I wanted to hear. Thanks!
 
Onia said:
Paul,
I have also need to cut a sonar cable if I'm going to use sonar, so interested in this thread. You refer to Wago connectors, I have never used them before but they certainly look neat. However they come in a bewildering range of shapes and sizes. What would you reccommend for this application, I assume the cable comprises about 5 thin wires.

Andrew
Click to expand...

http://www.screwfix.com/p/2-way-lever-connector-222-series-pack-of-50/97689

I've used a few of these around the boat, two and three way. For some jobs i've stuck them in place with a blob of epoxy (Araldite type stuff) and they are pretty neat. If they were stuck into a small, waterproof box they'd be as good too. For some jobs they are a little bulky, but work very well, even with tiny wires.

Also available (amongst others) http://www.screwfix.com/p/wago-2-way-lever-connector-221-series-32a-pack-of-100/8421r

Not used these, but they are a bit smaller and might be worth a look. I'll probably grab a box when i'm next in Screwfix.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top