Keeping FF Connectors Dry

[Mark]

The current thread about FFs for a newbie and the mention of dielectric grease brought to mind a concern I have about keeping connectors dry.

I car-top my kayak without the FF attached meaning the connectors to the power cord and transducer are exposed. If I should travel during a storm or if I load it the night before a trip as I sometimes do the open connectors would be subjected to rain or to the morning dew.

I have wrapped them with a plastic bag to protect them but I don't like doing that. There must be a better way.

Are there caps that fit the connectors?

How do others handle this issue?

Many thanks,

[brianisoutside]

Is the connector female? I would just load it with some dielectric in those situations.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Yak67]

Mark, my Lowrance came with caps. When I was rigging I put them to the side and did not find them until I saw Big Mike had his in place

That being said I looked around for replacement caps from Lowrance and could not find any, like you I put a zip-loc bag with rubber bands around them until I located my caps. I use the dielectric grease on a regular to keep the connection corrosion free.

Yak67
2015 Hobie PA-14
2016 Hobie Outback LE

[mweber02]

This is what has been keeping me from running my wiring through the hull. I'll have to find my Lowrance box and see if there are caps in there. If not, I wonder if there is a better option. I use dielectric grease on the pins/holes I never felt like that would be adequate for outside storage.

[J.A. Veil]

I leave the cables to my FF/GPS units permanently in place. I found on an earlier kayak that I ended up getting bent pins and corrosion if I removed the connectors frequently.

[Big Mike]

Like John I keep my FF permanently hooked up because I was worried about bent pins after removing them a couple of times. I trailer my PA and it gets bounced around a lot (much more than a car top) but after a couple thousand miles there is no impact on the FF performance. I figured if the bass boat guys can run 50+ MPH with them on board then I could trailer it. I have learned that I need to take the battery out. The jostling did not treat it well.

[Mark]

Thanks all for the input.

I don’t recall caps coming with my unit. I believe I still have the box. I’ll check it.

I haven’t used dielectric grease. But I’ll try that. Auto parts stores have it, I presume.

I’m hesitant to leave the FF on my kayak given my transport and storage process. I’m not worried about vibrations to the unit as it rides on my van. But I can foresee it getting damaged as I place the kayak on my cart and remove it, and then on the roof of the van and remove it, and even as I place it in and remove it from its storage rack in my garage. There are lots of opportunities for the unit to get clipped in those moves given its location on the far edge of my gunnel – a $300 ding for sure.

Baggies work, just inefficient and unsightly. Caps would be great. I hope I can find them.

[kuljc]

I have a Lowrance elite 4 DSI, and use these: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-...2818/204225880
there is a gray version that is a little bigger. They fit very snug over the connectors, so using these with the di-electric grease should protect your connectors.

[Mark]

I have a Lowrance elite 4 DSI, and use these: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-...2818/204225880
there is a gray version that is a little bigger. They fit very snug over the connectors, so using these with the di-electric grease should protect your connectors.

Perfect!

Many thanks.

I checked the parts I had left over from my installation and I couldn't find any caps. The ones you cited from Home Depot should do the trick.

[mweber02]

I have a Lowrance elite 4 DSI, and use these: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-...2818/204225880
there is a gray version that is a little bigger. They fit very snug over the connectors, so using these with the di-electric grease should protect your connectors.

That is exactly what I was "looking for" but never actually looked for. Thanks!

[Mark]

Yes. Thanks to all for your advice on this thread.

I'm set.

B.JPG

I got the dielectric grease at Ace Hardware and the caps from Home Depot.

I needed 1/2 inch caps for my Lowrance Elite 5 connectors. They fit perfectly. For those interested, the "screw caps" in various sizes are in the aisle with the screws and washers in one of the plastic cabinets with miscellaneous pieces of hardware.

[jsnyd86]

Keeping FF Connectors Dry

I'm so glad I read this thread. I've never even considered the exposed pins. Thank you!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk