How to Wire an Eagle 128 Fish Finder

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The Eagle 128 fish finder is discontinued, as of 2010, but the unit still is available through second-party sales sites, or in select sporting and marine goods stores. The Eagle 128 uses a sonar transceiver and a display unit, typically mounted to the transom of a boat. The unit draws power off the boat battery and has a grounding wire to prevent shocks or power surges. Wiring the unit properly allows it to transmit the information to the display screen.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step 1

Turn off the boat engine and disconnect all wires from the battery. Make sure the transceiver is placed well under the hull of the boat and away from the engine and propeller.

Step 2

Connect the 3-amp fuse in the connection kit to the red/positive wire that leads to the unit's display screen. Do not attach or use the wire without the 3-amp fuse attached to it. Attach the red/positive wire of the 128 with the 3-amp fuse to the red/positive battery terminal. Make sure the boat battery is a 12-volt marine battery.

Step 3

Run the black/negative wire from the 128 to the black/negative terminal on the marine battery and attach. Keep the alternate power switch on the black wire in a convenient location where you can access it, should you need to kill the 128's power.

Step 4

Run the black display screen power cable from the red and black wire connections, which are preconnected in the kit, along the side of the boat to the display unit. Plug the semi-round end of the power cable into the back of the display unit. If needed, zip tie the black power cable to secure it in place

Step 5

Disconnect the power cable from the display unit if the boat is being stored in saltwater to prevent corrosion.

Article Written By Eric Cedric

A former Alaskan of 20 years, Eric Cedric now resides in California. He's published in "Outside" and "Backpacker" and has written a book on life in small-town Alaska, "North by Southeast." Cedric was a professional mountain guide and backcountry expedition leader for 18 years. He worked in Russia, Iceland, Greece, Turkey and Belize. Cedric attended Syracuse University and is a private pilot.

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