Garmin GPS help needed.

[pzmaria]

Hello all members. I have a Garmin EchoMap 74dv. It is disconnected right now and it look like on attached picture 001.jpg. It has what looks like a Y connecting wires with two plugs. Plug "A" has four female connectors and plug "B" has 8 male connectors. This GPS was operational last year with the previous owner. The owner doesn't remember how it was connected as his knowledge about electronics is "nada". I found on the console by the steering wheel two receptacles. One that fits plug "B". The second receptacle I found is with four connectors like plug "A" on GPS but it is also female. So I have two ends with identical (female) connectors. Am I missing something that goes between these two female connectors? Thanks for any advice.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by pzmaria

Hello all members. I have a Garmin EchoMap 74dv. It is disconnected right now and it look like on attached picture 001.jpg. It has what looks like a Y connecting wires with two plugs. Plug "A" has four female connectors and plug "B" has 8 male connectors. This GPS was operational last year with the previous owner. The owner doesn't remember how it was connected as his knowledge about electronics is "nada". I found on the console by the steering wheel two receptacles. One that fits plug "B". The second receptacle I found is with four connectors like plug "A" on GPS but it is also female. So I have two ends with identical (female) connectors. Am I missing something that goes between these two female connectors? Thanks for any advice.

Why not just look in the manual to see how it's supposed to be connected?

Don't have a manual? Download one from the Garmin website.

It might pay to look and see where the connectors on the dash lead to. Also, how did it come to be disconnected? Did you do it, did the PO do it? Someone else?

And of course there's that old standby when nothing else works - call in a pro.

[pzmaria]

As I said, it was removed by the previous owner for the winter. He doesn't remember how it was hooked. He has no mechanical-electronic knowledge.
I've looked at the installation manual but there is nothing about "Y" wires that are on this GPS. Manual only shows straight plug with four connectors like plug "A" on the picture.

[smac999]

normally the transducer cables are blue and the power is red. that blue Y might be a paddle wheel / transducer split. but I'm not sure. you're probably missing the power cable still. what's on the back of the unit?

the 2nd cable you have is probably power that goes into the screen. the screen will have 2 plugs in it

the manual is pretty crappy. looks like the screen has 3 plugs in the back but the manual doesn't even tell you what they are.

[boeing1]

have called Garmin tech support, they should be able to tell you how it should be connected

[hamburking]

I had a similar configuration with my old garmin handheld. One connector was for just power, and the other for power AND data and looked exactly like your B connector. I suggest you connect B to the outlet near the wheel and see if it works.

Garmin cables are often stupid expensive, so 3rd party generic cables that cost 90% less are common and work just fine, and are in that Y configuration for simplicity...only one cable ever needed instead of the 3 other possibilities.