Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Ok bought a cheapie Lowrance x-4 fish finder, just for depth and water temp (I don't fish). Well cable is about 8' too short. My mount is on the port side pontoon, so I have to run it all the way across the boat up to the helm. You would think a 20' cable on a 22' boat would be plenty, NOT!

I've read with mixed opinions that you can splice and lengthen the cable. I'm going to guess it's shielded wire, so have to try to get some of that.

Has anyone done this? Tip? Suggestions?

One of our regulars here was successful splicing a cable but I would look for a made up extender cable first. Why create two potential trouble spots if you don't have to?

Been looking, don't think they make one. It's a cheap unit ($80), so an extension cable would be half the price of the unit. The power cable and transducer are molded together where it goes into the unit, so I really doubt they make one.

I'm getting ready to splice it. I have some 4 conductor shielded cable on hand, so I'm going for it. One splice will be under the helm, so it should stay dry. The other splice will end up under the length of the pontoon somewhere, so it will be kind of protected.

I like to sleeve all the wires under my boat in electrical conduit (PVC) with a sweep up into the console. My wiring seems to last forever (20 years so far)

try using some silicone and shrink tubing around your splice areas. that should help derail any future issues that could arise. im using the lowrance unit myself. got it towards the end of summer last year for the same purposes and am happy with it. better than my in dash depth gauge ever worked.

or:
http://www.lei-extras.com/store/search. ... dNum=99-91

Your finder is listed among those this 15' extension cable works with.

Always try to find an extension cable first. If not and you have to splice, go out and get some heat shrink tubing at West Marine or Home Depot.

I wouldn't buy anything from West Marine. Their markup must be about 150%. This is from buying anything Marine for a boat. Example. I needed to buy speaker wire. West Marine has a store 75 miles from us in Traverse City and I had to go to the Dr Wednesday in Traverse City. I thought well "Overton's" has it listed in the catalog and online for $14.99 plus $6.99 shipping. I'll just get it at West Marine. So when I was in Traverse City I went to the store. They only sell it in bulk roles at $2.79 a foot. Fifty foot would have cost me over $100
I came home and ordered a roll from "Overton's" for $21.99 Plus West Marine wanted $2.35 each for Fence Risers "Overton's had them 26 in a package for 12.99. So I just added them to my order which totaled $28.97. Now I have tried to buy from West Marine before and it was the same. Much higher than anywhere else.

Anything for Marine or RV's that you can buy at Home Depot or Walmart, or K-Mart or anywhere else but West Marine is going to be cheaper. I have found that if I have to order anything Marine. "Defender or Overton's" is always cheaper.

I too would highly recommend the extension. Years ago I tried to extend the transducer on a flasher type depth locator and it did not work well. I soldered and heat shrinked both the inner conductor and outer shield. I'm an electrical engineer and pretty good with a soldering iron but this was unsuccessful. As I recall it sort of worked, but the unit returned multiple bottom readings.

I will admit, those cables are expensive, but then again, most things related to boats are. You might check out ebay.

GregF wrote:One of our regulars here was successful splicing a cable but I would look for a made up extender cable first. Why create two potential trouble spots if you don't have to?

That was me but I was cutting out a bad section, not lengthening it. Don't know if it would make any difference (apparently not). It ended up my fish-finder unit was bad, not the transducer. So, I bought the whole unit because a transducer cost almost as much as the whole thing. Now, I have a backup transducer.

Anyway, I would just buy the extension. Less potential for problems in the long run and you can use it later on most any Lowrance fishfinder. Thirty seconds and you're done.

Took boat out for first cruise of the year, so I could test it out.

Well it works!!!!

I ended up splicing and adding to the cable. I should have bought the ext. cable, but I'm kind of impatient at times, and had some vac days so I wanted to get it hooked up before the season got going.

As long as it works that's all that matters. I have to admit though I had serious doubts.

Yea, you guys did have me a little nervous.


I know stuff with shielded cable can be tricky sometimes.