How best to route wires when mounting Xducer to electric motor?

[stick 0]

I moved my "skimmer" transducer from the stern of the boat (traditional mounting) to the bow mounted electric motor with the skimmer mount kit. I ended up using wire ties to fasten the cable loosely along the shaft of the electric motor (which is a Minn-Kota Auto-Pilot). I figured it would happen, but I ended up pinching the cable and semi-wrecking the cable (audible sparking). I was able to tape it up and I now get a ton of interference when the electric motor is on. I think there is a compromise in the shielding, and I'll look into it. I'll probably end up replacing the transducer.

My question is...how have people been successful in wiring their transducers on an electric motor? The challenge is the extend and retract needs of the motor and how to deal with that in the wiring (slack needed).

(My favorite option is replacing the electric motor with the integrated transducer, but that's not happenin'.)

[PerchJerker 0]

Starting from the lower unit where your transducer is ..... cable tie the transducer wire to the bottom of the shaft, right above the lower unit.

Run the transducer wire through the handle you use to stow and deploy the motor.

Cable tie the transducer wire at the top of the shaft, leaving just a few inches of slack - enough for the motor to rotate around 1 time and maybe a tad more. You can leave this cable tie a little on the loose side until you get the right amount of slack figured out, then snug it up tight.

From there you just need to run the transducer wire to your unit.

Hope this makes sense and helps, good luck.

[stick 0]

That makes perfect sense...thanks! I will give it a go.

[Sutty 0]

Also the interferance may not be from your doing. My bow mount had issues. They have cables you can buy that you run from the trolling motor battery to the starting battery on the negative post I believe. It cleans up the interferance.

[stick 0]

The system was working fine until I damaged the cable. I had heard others say then had problems, but I didn't have any interference until I crunched the cable.