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Universal sonar/autopilot question


Scoot

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I just got a Minkota Autopilot with universal sonar. The salesman told me that all the wiring was internal and that with the universal sonar you need not worry about any of the wires getting in the way or breaking off. This sounded pretty appealing given that I broke off my last transducer cable on my old autopilot (without universal sonar) when the head spun out of control when I was releasing a fish. However, the problem is that the wires aren't all internal. There's a small wire that runs from the motor head through the spiralled power cord (and not the shaft). It looks to me like if I wasn't paying attention and the head spun on me, I'd snap this cord off too. I think I've been had! Or... am I missing something?

I thought I knew what I was getting without looking it over really closely. I should know better...

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There definitely is one cord running through the main coil cord, which I'm sure is the transducer. The only thing I would say is that I've had my head spin on me, and there seems to be enough slack in the cords (depending on your depthfinder location) to give you sufficient time to react before anything snaps.

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Having Universal Sonar eliminates the cord from the transducer mounted on the base of the motor running up the shaft and to the depth finder. You still need the cord from the motor to the depth finder, but at least you don't have the pain in the rear transducer cord.

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I don't worry about that cord at all. I have a universal transducer MinnKota too and it works awesome. Its great not having that cable going into the water.

The cable that runs out of the head comes all the way down the spiraled cord and then goes right to my vex about 1' away. I have about 2' extra cable just laying there too.

I have had that motor twisted around so many times once that it was starting to pull on that coiled cord. It was a good 4 or 5 times I think. And needless to say I still had plenty of room for my transducer cable. I guess what I am saying that if I wreck anything from twisting the motor, it wont be transducer cable.

IMO I love everything about my MinnKota. I would get another if I got a new boat.

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Scoot: I also have the unit you have. I have mine teamed with a Lowrance X-51. I have not ever had any problem with breaking or snapping off cables. You are going to love it.

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