I’m going to add a garmin 18hd radar to my 275. I’m wondering if anyone on here has experience with the wire routing from the hardtop to the helm?
Radar installation on 2021 freedom 275
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SkunkBoat
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dunno about routing for a 275 but...
The power cable only has a plug on one end so its easy to feed from top down.
The Garmin Marine Network Ethernet cable comes in premade lengths with both ends attached. Plan it out. If its at all possible to feed that plug thru the pipe, then buy the premade cable.
Feed the Network cable first, then the power cable. Tie a string to the network cable and use it to pull the power cable
It is possible if you know what you are doing to use bulk ethernet cable and make the ends. there is a Garmin plug kit available 2 ends.
The crossover pinout on Garmin network is different than standard "Ethernet" .. See attached garmin document. Look at the crossover pinout chart.
If you make a cable yourself or have to cut one end to fish it through a pipe you need a RJ45 crimp tool, a good pair of glasses, steady hands and patience....
The power cable only has a plug on one end so its easy to feed from top down.
The Garmin Marine Network Ethernet cable comes in premade lengths with both ends attached. Plan it out. If its at all possible to feed that plug thru the pipe, then buy the premade cable.
Feed the Network cable first, then the power cable. Tie a string to the network cable and use it to pull the power cable
It is possible if you know what you are doing to use bulk ethernet cable and make the ends. there is a Garmin plug kit available 2 ends.
The crossover pinout on Garmin network is different than standard "Ethernet" .. See attached garmin document. Look at the crossover pinout chart.
If you make a cable yourself or have to cut one end to fish it through a pipe you need a RJ45 crimp tool, a good pair of glasses, steady hands and patience....
Thank you! I have installed one of these on my previous boat (pursuit 2470wa), so am familiar with the Ethernet cable and adding the rj45 connector after routing the wire.
I guess my issue is I’m not certain of how to actually route the wire inside the hardtop tubing terminating in the helm somehow. I suppose I will just have to give a college try.
Fishtales
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Usually a couple of chrome mounts that accept the hard plastic 1-2 inch cable tubes that run from the hardtop to the radio box (assuming equipped). GW runs some wires in the hardtop frame as well. Prob not best for this application but an option. Pics would help.
Fishtales
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You can see the cable protector near the light. Wires run through the hard top, through the cable, into the radio box and then down the aluminum stanchion into to dash where the displays are mounted. There is usually something like this on all their boats as they know many will install radar.
Fishtales
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Sorry, only other pic I have. If you look behind the small enclosure pieces above the windshield, you can see the tube that the cables are in. It runs mostly in front of the radio box. It is rigid and does not sway or move.
Fishtales
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I'd go to a local dealer and walk the yard. If you want it on the hardtop, best to see how folks did it. My guess is somehow they get the wire to a hardtop frame support. Be careful of the hartop. The coring is pretty light and the skin top and bottom the same. Need to seal everything 100%. If the core gets wet - not good at all.
Use a flat edge to pry out the front panel with the lights, and that panel will drop out (it is held in with clips). (Note, the wiring to the lights will either need to be disconnected or you can secure the panel from dropping with some zip ties to the tubing.) There is a lot of room to work in there and it is near the radar pad.
The large routing tube from the hardtop down to the behind the dash makes pulling cables for radar pretty easy.
