View Full Version : Honda 12V outlet
Pooch
07-15-2001, 12:32 PM
Recently returned from fly-In in Canada. Camp has new 9.9 Honda four strokes. Pull start motors. They had a 12v 6amp "plug in" on the motor. I kept eyeballing that all week and was wondering if I could run a depth finder off of it. Looks simple enough. Anyone done this? Plugs available from a Honda dealer? We will be going back in a couple of weeks and are interested in trying it.
Pooch
6 amps would be more than adequate power. I'd wonder how well regulated the 12V is though -- might want to put a voltmeter on it and measure the voltage at various engine speeds.
Hans
Pooch,
The plug you are referring to is the outlet plug intended to connect to your battery. On the new 2001 8 and (.( (smae powerhead) they have increased the output fro the alternator at low speeds. It is now supposed to provide current at low (trolling) rpms. The old ones (I have an older 8hp) did not produce any useable output until 2500 rpm according to their tech manual.
Good news. Each motor comes with the plug to fit the receptacle.
My suggestion to you, if you want to use that plug, would be to bring along a small gell cell style 12 volt battery, with the correct honda plug attached. Go to your local honda dealer and get the plug, connect it to your battery, and then the depth finder to the battery as well.
The motor will keep your battery charged all the time, and you will be able to run all week off the small battery.
The battery will stabilize any voltage irregularities that you might have. It is unlikely, that you would be able to use the raw voltage off the motor to run your depth finder reliably. Too much variation as a result of rpm changes.
Good luck
REW
JimmerAB
07-16-2001, 08:47 AM
I agree with what REW says, Pooch. (Now there's a big surprise, huh?!) I had an 80's vintage Honda 10 HP with the 6 amp plug. Hooked my finder directly to it. It worked great until I took off from the dock to my first fishing spot. Unfortunately, I hadn't fused the hot side (can you spell S-T-U-P-I-D, boys and girls...?) and the smoke coming out of the back of the finder alerted me to fact that it didn't work any more! I think the output amperage is dependant on motor RPM's, and at idle my finder was OK. But at WOT...
Putting a small battery in between the plug and the finder would protect the electronics from any amperage variances. You would also have another 12V source for GPS's, cell phones, etc that you may want on your boat.
Take care,
Jim