Add Chartplotter to NavPod? 12v line?

[Wobegon]

I currently have a NavPod on my pedestal guard.  Within the NavPod, I have wind speed, depth, and knot meters installed....no room to add more instruments.  These are all tied to a single 12V power and ground that is fed back to the electrical panel to a breakerswitch to turn on/off electronics attached.  I have never had any issues and seems to be adequate.  I really don't want to try and run another line through the pedestal guard unless I have too.  I would like to add an additional platform to my pedestal guard to hold a chartplotter.  Can I just piggy back on the single 12v line that is fed to the NavPod, or do I need to run a dedicated power/ground from the chartplotter back to the panel or battery?

[RV61]

When I added my chart plotter I tapped into the 12 volt line to my instruments to just what you described and avoid running another line. It has worked for several years no issue.

[ghebbns]

Same for me - no problems so far.

[Clay Greene]

Yes - we mounted a termstrip in the Navpod for the instruments and ran power for the chartplotter from there.  That is how it is typically done. 

[Roc]

What terminal strip did you use.  A small buss bar?

[Ken Juul]

several years ago when I added chart plotter and radar it required it's own power.  Not sure what the power requirements are of the new digital radars, but if it is in your future it is something to consider.

[Clay Greene]

Yes - Blue Sea Systems.

[Fred Koehlmann]

The Raymarine engineer that I spoke to when I relocated our plotter from the nav. station to the helm recommended a separate power line, which was a drag since we also needed to bring the radar cable up the inside of the guard pips as well. I don't think we have any room in either pipe to feed another line.

We have the older analog radar and plotter, so perhaps it needed more power than the newer models. I'd check what you have and see what the requirements are for all your electronics and then make sure that the existing power line is of adequate size.

[patrice]

Hi,

Me too I have a separate line for the radar / chart.

Lucky, the PO had it installed     

[waterdog]

I tapped ino another circuit when adding a larger Garmin plotter. The plotter down when I started the engine. Dedicated wire solved the problem.

My smaller 5 inch Garmin plotter shares a circuit with other instruments with no problem.