6 Ray54 VHF Radio
2.3 Power Connections
The red and black power cord provides connections to DC power. The red (+)
wire is connected to the positive terminal of the power source and contains a
7 amp in-line fuse. The black (-) wire is connected to the negative (ground) of
the power source. Should the power connections be inadvertently reversed,
the unit will not power up but no damage will occur. Check the polarity with
a VOM (Voltage/Ohm Meter) and reconnect observing correct polarity. If the
fuse ever needs replacement, be sure to use the same type and rating.
Connect your Ray54 to the nearest primary source of the boat's DC power. A
typical source may be a circuit breaker on the power panel or a fuse block
near the unit. When connecting to either of these sources, the circuit breaker
or other in-line fuse should be rated at 10 amps.
The power cord should be long enough to reach the DC power source. If
additional wire length is required, the cable can be extended by adding more
cable as necessary. However, for power cable runs longer than 15 feet, larger
wire diameter size should be used to prevent voltage line loss.
To ensure adequate current draw to the equipment, Raymarine recommends
that you use lugs to connect the power cable to the DC supply and that the lug
connections be both crimped and soldered. The connection terminal should
be clean, with no sign of corrosion.
The Ray54 is designed to be operated a on 12 volt system. If battery voltage
drops below 10.5 VDC (approximately), the icon appears on the LCD
(see page 15). You should discontinue using the radio if a low voltage
condition occurs as performance would be unreliable. If voltage exceeds 16
VDC, the message EXCESSIVE VOLTAGE appears on the dot matrix display and
an alarm is sounded. You should immediately disconnect the radio if a high
voltage condition occurs as the unit could become damaged.
Figure 2-3: Wiring Connections