Depth sounder issues

[Guest]

Hiya

after some good suggestions re a slightly mad depthsounder

Just bought a 28ft glassed kauri yacht with a a hummingbird depth sounder/fishfinder. Worked fine on sea trials but on first trip out started reading erracticly.

 

Was fixed briefly by the old un-plug/ plug back in but only lasted a few minutes before returning to the same and now is permenantly hugely overreading and erratic.

Continues to do this with all other electrical equipment and engine off.

Is it more liley to be unit or tranducer at fault ?

Any suggestions re best place to start with trying to fix this?

Thanks

[wheels 543]

Does it continue to do the same with the boat stopped?

[Guest]

yep does the same even when on mooring with everything switched off (Except the sounder of course!)

[wheels 543]

How clean is the Hull and namely the Transducer?? I asumme it's clean if you recently had a trial, but worth asking anyway. I also assume it is throught hull. Although some of those units had Stern mount transducers only. So check the transducer is facing straight down and is indeed in water.

If you remove the connector, that was from the Head unit? and if yes, then the possibility lies with the cable at the plug, the contacts, which may need cleaning, or a faulty solder joint inside the Unit, which has to be sent away to be fixed. You could try wriggly and pushing the cable in hard and see is anything on the dispaly changes.

[Guest]

Does it have the almost square except one corner plugs and sockets?

If so follow the cable from the sensor and you might find a plug and socket somewhere in the cable that has got wet. They are pretty feeble connectors for marine environment and this is the fault I had.

Mine was on a through hull speed, and the speed was flashing on the display.

It turned out to be causing interference with the VHF as it pulsed on and off trying to get a signal as well. I just cut the connectors off and terminated in a junction box.

Fixed 2 faults in one go that day.

[PaulR 3]

Just bought a 28ft glassed kauri yacht with a a hummingbird depth sounder/fishfinder.

 

Congratulations & Welcome!!

 

The echo sounder wiring to/from transducer should be at least 100mm away from power leads and switchboxes, VHF aerial wire, ideally not just lying in the bilge. As it was working well, your setup should be OK. Check for any tight bends or chaffed / damaged wiring.

 

I agree with wheels. Moisture in the connector most likely. Dissmantle connector without damaging wiring, dry inside connector well, sun or gentle hair dryer / heat gun. Then plug in to test. Then reassemble and use a moisture preventing spray. CRC make "ZONE" spray especially for the marine environment. At a push CRC-66, WD40 can be used to keep the moisture out. Dick Smith have a "Contact Cleaner" spray or use a very fine sand paper (nail file) to clean / sharpen up the connector pins. Some times a very fine drill bit twisted by hand helps the socket inside contacts.

 

Consider putting the connector inside a waterproof electrical (IP 56?) connection box $5 + waterproof glands say $15 all up.

 

Could be moisture inside the Hummingbird unit. Remove display and back cover and treat by putting in hot water cupboard for a few days.

 

Borrow another transducer, dangle over the side to see if fault repeats or you may have a faulty or wet transducer. There are different types of tranducers, ones that send pulses between the transducer and display unit and others that send intelligent data in "NMEA sentences".

 

 

Hope that helps Rachel, or contact me if you need more info.

Simrad this year or next

Cheers

[Guest]

Thanks heaps for all the suggestions guys - much appreciated

All fixed now. Pins of the transducer connection at hull were corroded plus a dodgy connection - cleaned up and works good as new!

[wheels 543]

Cool. Glad to have been of help.

So we send the bill to ???