DRS4W power cable

[Tazling]

I notice that the power cable for this unit is hefty and includes a foil shield. I used mine for some years on a sailboat, ignoring the shield and bringing the cable back to a dedicated 12v "cigarette lighter" outlet under the dodger. It worked great. Wonderful device!

I have now moved the unit to my new (old beater) power boat and am debating how to run the power cable. I can bring the big fat black cable down the radar mast and -- with some carpentry and cussing -- into the flybridge console where there's a secondary power bus; or I could shorten it significantly (like to a 2 ft pigtail) and use a spare DC wire already on the mast -- of hefty gauge -- which was used historically to power an incandescent (!) floodlight. That wire already has a dedicated switch and fuse at the main helm station, so it would be a nice lazy solution.

My question I guess is, how important is it to use the heavy factory power cable? It always seemed to me like overkill. Since there is no data coming back from the unit (wifi only) and the cable is strictly for 12vdc, is the RF shielding really necessary? Has anyone out there used standard 2 conductor boat wire for most of the run back to the buss bar ... and got away with it?

 

[Johnny Electron]

As long as you can get proper current and voltage, the stock power cable is not really important other than it is shielded well from noise and also acts as your main ground. It is very important if you have noise that the cable can shield you from. There is no harm in trying it out. As long as you don't connect the power backwards, it won't hurt anything to try.

 

[SailingBliss]

As long as you can get proper current and voltage, the stock power cable is not really important other than it is shielded well from noise and also acts as your main ground. It is very important if you have noise that the cable can shield you from. There is no harm in trying it out. As long as you don't connect the power backwards, it won't hurt anything to try.

I have a similar question and appreciate this response. What kinds of “noise” would warrant a shielded cable inside the mast and down to a DC panel?

 

[Johnny Electron]

The type of noise that makes the radar image poor.

 

[SailingBliss]

Can you give examples, please? Would ordinary 12 gauge wires running DC current cause noise? Are we talking electric motors? Digital depth and wind displays? We have a wireless wind indicator. Would that cause noise? Prices for the special cable are upwards of $150. If I can run some 12/2 down to the breaker, it’ll only cost about $40.

 

[Johnny Electron]

On boats it is common to lose a diode in the alternator that can cause noise, worn out ground brushes on motors and shafts, RF from poorly ground equipment; there are many possible sources. Shielding and good grounds can protect from it but it is always best to eliminate the noise at the source where possible.