Garmin GSD 28 Installation tutorial
Posted by Shotgun Shelly - With thanks to Garmin Phillipines. on 21st Nov 2023
Installation guide of fitting the GSD 28 sonar module to a transducer; - Check out this tutorial courtesy of Garmin Phillipines.
Installation of a transducer on the GSD 28 Sonar module.
For this installation we will need a number 2 phillips head screwdriver, 3 mm flat head screwdriver, wire cutters, wire stripper and a 24 mm wrench. You will also need to apply dialectic grease that is sold separately.
You must check your transducer compatibility before beginning your installation. Check out our transducer compatibility page for the GSD 28 to confirm your transducer will work.
Remove the terminal block lid from the solar module using a number 2 Phillips head screwdriver.
Remove one of the cord grips.
Remove the rubber plug - you may need to push the plug all the way through and retrieve it from the inside of the terminal block area.
The GSD 28 can use a single element transducer, dual element transducers or 2 single element transducers. Each transducer type is installed differently please refer to the installation manual for your specific transducer type. You can connect a single element to search to either the low or high terminals regardless of nominal frequency, this only applies to one single element transducer being used. This does not apply to 2 single element transducers.
For dual element the low frequency element wires must be connected to the terminals labeled "low" and the "high" frequency element wires must be connected to the terminals labeled high. Ground temperature XID and GID wires can be connected to either set of terminals. You must connect each single element transducer to its own set of terminals when using 2 single element transducers to ensure proper transducer identification and safe operation. (refer to the transducer diagrams located in the installation manual of the GSD 28 wiring diagrams specifically for your compatible transducer.) Please contact Garmin marine installer if you are unsure of which transducer or how to install the compatible transducer to the GSD 28.
Feed the transistor cable through the nut and cord grip and pull the cable into the terminal block area.
Cut the transducer cable as close to the connector as possible (if you're transducer has one), before feeding through the cord grip. Then use a wire stripper to remove 9cm of the outer cable jacket and foil sheild.
Seperate each cable, and use the wire stripper to remove .6cm of the insallation from each internal wire.
Connect the uninsulated section of each wire to the corresponding terminal block using a 3 mm flathead screwdriver. (you may need to connect the transducer to one of the ground posts under the terminal block using a number 2 phillips screwdriver if the transducer has a separate outer shield bare wire.)
Then secure the terminal box lid using the number 2 screwdriver.
Secure the nut back onto the cord grips. Connect the power cable to your battery source, and plug to 2 pin power cable to the GSD 28.
The GSD 28 is compatible with both Garmin blue net and legacy Garmin marine network devices.
A GPSmap 9,000 series chartplotter will require the included bluenet cable to connect the GSD 28. The Garmin bluenet chartplotter uses the bluenet 30 gateway to connect to other Garmin legacies devices. The GSD 28 can be connected to the Garmin bluenet device or the legacy Garmin network device using the included adaptor cable. Routing your sonar module to your legacy device does not impact the performance.
Boats with only legacy Garmin marine network devices must use the included adapter cable to connect the GSD 28 your network.
The sonar module turns on when the charter is turned on the status LED on the sonar module indicates its operational status - refer to the installation Manual for status LED codes.
A transducer with an Xid, Airmar or GID Garmin will auto configure in the chartplotter to identify which transducer is being used. Please contact marine support for your local Garmin authorized Dealer for assistance if you are not sure or any help with manual configuration of the transducer. and that's it! For more help visit marinesupport.garmin.com. or contact us at Shotgun Marine.
