Hooking up a Graph as GPS-only on an ATV Without a Pull Start Option

I’ll be outfitting my ’18 Kodiak with my old Hummingbird 798ci HD SI and Lakemaster chip. It’ll be mounted on a RAM on the front rack. The graph will be shut off and left in place when the ATV isn’t running.

My machine doesn’t have a pull start option, so I’m concerned with running out of starter juice.

Are people running their graphs straight to the batteries with an inline fuse in place?

I was reading about the cigarette lighter option as well. Some sound like they’re setting up a separate 12v graph battery, something I’d prefer not to have to worry about.

I’d be willing to upgrade my Kodiak battery to a higher capacity AGM if necessary. I’m not 100% sure what the stock battery is. A small portable jump starter would be an option, too.

What are some options that will allow me to use GPS navigation but won’t leave me stranded on a Mille Lacs flat at 9pm on a Tuesday? I often fish solo.

Thanks, Joe

Joe – from my experience, that unit does not have a phantom power draw, so wired straight with a fuse should be ok. A good jumper pack would be pretty practical. Or, you could likely start it using a lithium type sla replacement battery for a flasher.

Most likely you can do it…at the beginning of ice last year, I got the bright idea that I could hook up my Humminbird Helix 7 to my Skidoo Tundra LT, using by adapting the birds power cable to match the Skidoo’s battery charging cable. I have the unit ram mounted on the machine’s handle bar. Note: I am only using this as a GPS with the map CD’s to locate structures and waypoints – the unit isn’t used as a fish finder. For fishing I use my Vexilar 28 either in my Otter or in the wheelhouse. It should work – make sure you have a good battery.

Joe- good timing bringing this up because I’ve been debating putting a mount on my Kodiak for my Helix 7 as well. I was thinking I’d avoid the cig lighter outlet both due to it vibrating loose and moisture getting in there being exposed at the front of the machine.

My current plan is to wire to the battery and carry a jump start pack just in case. Knowing these wheelers don’t have pull cords it seems like the intelligent thing to do.

Fishwater brought up a good point about possibly being able to use a lithium flasher battery in an emergency too.

I just did this on my wheeler last weekend as well. I was also worried about the graph still draining my battery while off, but power cord still plugged in. Helix 5, I installed a 3amp inline fuse from the battery to a toggle switch and then from there up to my graph, so I can shut the power button off on the gps and then hit the toggle to kill power if there is any that leaks to the unit while it is off.

Thanks for the reply, guys. I wish it just had a pull starter. This will be my first full season using the machine on the ice, so I’m a little gun-shy. I bought it new on closeout late-Jan 2019 right before all that heavy snow fell, so it barely got used last season.

I’ve had my Helix 7 on my CanAm for 3 years and haven’t had an issue. I even use it as a sonar as well. Great for hole hopping a large area. No matter what I’m doing with the machine I always pack my Lithium Jump Pack anyway and have needed to use it on a couple occasions where I forget to turn off the unit for a few hours. But otherwise under normal use it hardly makes a dent in the battery.

I have a Helix 5 mounted on my snowmobile. When I use the electric start on the sled it draws the battery down enough that my Helix would shut off. I’m guessing the ATV has a bigger battery though?
DT

deertracker wrote:

I have a Helix 5 mounted on my snowmobile. When I use the electric start on the sled it draws the battery down enough that my Helix would shut off. I’m guessing the ATV has a bigger battery though?
DT

For me it more depends on the charge level. If you connect directly to the battery you have less voltage drop to contend with. I also try to put my unit into Standby Mode while starting as well, it just turns off the screen which is the biggest power user so your chances of the unit turning off decrease even more.

Why not just run a sperate battery for the GPS, save on the worries.

catmando wrote:

Why not just run a sperate battery for the GPS, save on the worries.

This is exactly what I did last year. I have a ’17 King Quad with no pull start, as well. In my Otterbox mounted on the rear, I used an old flasher battery that I no longer needed and mounted in there on a clam battery tray, ran some wire through the chasis to the front where I had the Helix 7 on a RAM mount. I used an in-line fuse, then ordered from Marcum the “piggy back” charger/connector that they use on their flashers so I could conveniently hook up an old Marcum charger. Charges the battery just fine with no hassle; Helix lasts at least a full day, sometimes two, if I put it in stand by mode when I’m not on the machine.

I have the same machine, 18 Kodiak 700, and was looking for options for hooking up my finder strictly for maps.

How is yours doing? did you go to ATV battery or did you use an extra battery?

I just run mine off of the cig lighter plug. Mostly because I move the Helix 7 from the ATV to the sled. Never had an issue since. I replaced it with the kind the can twist lock the plug in place.
One tip, especially early ice. Once you find your way to your spot shut the unit off with the power button. This will save your trail. After picking your way through an ice fields and questionable ice thickness you really need that trail to get back to shore safely in the dark. Once I had the power cut off by bumping the plug and the unit shut off and my trail went away. The reason I replaced the plugs.

catmando wrote:

Why not just run a sperate battery for the GPS, save on the worries.

This is my plan I’m going to throw an echomap on my sportsman and then just toss one of my amped batteries in the front compartment to power it. No drain on the starting battery, and I can disconnect it and use it in a power box while I’m in a shack or in a hotel room to power my engel.

I’m going to use one of these on my Milwaukee M18 12ah batteries for my flashers/fishfinders when using ATV and Ray Marine Axiom 7. I will slice in SAE connectors.

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That is a great idea!

I have a 2018 Kodiak and have my Helix 7 on it, connected directly to the battery with an inline fuse for the past 2 seasons, no issues with power draw while the machine is off and the Helix is off (just remember to power down the helix and turn the key off on the ATV)

I hooked up a spare flasher battery to run my helix 7 to use in my side by side and charge it back up as needed.