checking out a failing depth finder transducer?

[richg99]

I have a Humminbird 200 dx that was working just fine. All of a sudden, it only reads 2 feet, all of the time. I know it is telling me that something is amiss. I switched out the unit istelf with another 200 dx, and it reads the same. <br /><br />The battery power reads 13.6 volts and the internal diagnostics say "transducer connected". I have another depth finder ( Eagle ) that works on my bow. It reads the depths fine. I don't think that there is any conflict between the two, since the two worked fine before, and the Eagle is turned off but I still get the same 2 feet reading on the Humminbird.<br /><br />Is there anyway to check out the epoxied-in ( shoot-through hull) transducer to find out if it is really malfunctioning? I checked the leads, which were bundled up in the bilge. I pulled the wires loose and dried them off ( bilge has about two inches of water in it most of the time ) and sprayed WD 40 on it, after waiting a few days. Still, same results. <br /><br />I HATE buying another transducer that costs almost as much as the whole unit did, just to find out thaat some other item was the problem. <br />Any help appreciated. RichG TX

 

[Sea Six]

Re: checking out a failing depth finder transducer?

I was reading reviews of the Humminbird depth finders on the West Marine site. Most of the owners wrote negative reviews because of the very problem you mention. The reason I was reading the reviews in the first place is because my Humminbird does the same thing. Overall, the Humminbird was rated 2 or 3 stars out of 5, and many owners said they would not recommend anyone buy them. Many theories about speed, air bubbles, etc, but bottom line is they do not work consistently. Maybe you should try plugging your existing transducer into a different depth finder to see if it's really bad.

 

[richg99]

Re: checking out a failing depth finder transducer?

"Maybe you should try plugging your existing transducer into a different depth finder to see if it's really bad."<br /><br /><br />See original post...I did that...RichG TX

 

[Ben Konopacky]

Re: checking out a failing depth finder transducer?

take your depth finder to some other boat with a known good ducer and see if it checks out.

 

[Sea Six]

Re: checking out a failing depth finder transducer?

Whatever you figure out, please let us know as this seems to be a common problem. There may not be a fix for this.

 

[Boatist]

Re: checking out a failing depth finder transducer?

I could ask what did you expect, it a hummingbird but I will not. <br /><br />Ok if you have two depth finders both of which were working and they read the same on the transducer in your boat then it sound like you have a bad transducer. Try both heads on the boat that works. Is the connection for the transducer clean and free of any corrosion? Do you have a extension cable hooked up because the transducer cable was too short? If so is that connection good and clean? Putting oil on the transducer is a bad idea. The oil can form a film that causes a small layer of air between the transducer and the water or epxoy. Best thing is to put the transducer in clean water and try it. If it works then tranducer may have air under it which would stop it from working. You can put your hand on the transducer and should be able to feel the pulse, or put your ear near it and here it.<br /><br />If you have two units them try both units on the good boat.<br /><br />I belive transducer fail a lot more than the head unit. After all the transducer crystal flexes with each pulse and each echo. <br /><br />If you do not know if either head unit is good then it could be the head unit as well. Once a year I help people diag there depth finder problems and 80 percent or more of the problems are a setting in the unit. People push the wrong button and it get set in a mode that will not work, then they push every button on the unit 10 times trying to fix it. Best way out of this is to just set the unit back to factory defaults. Bear in mind that if the unit also has a GPS you may loose all your waypoints and routes, so write them all down before reseting.<br /><br />If when you isolate between the transducer and the head unit it turns out to be the head unit then I would contact Hummingbird and download the latest Firmware. Find out the instructions to copy into the head unit and then follow them step by step.<br /><br />Good Luck

 

[richg99]

Re: checking out a failing depth finder transducer?

Boatist..thank you for your very complete reply.<br /><br />The errant t'ducer is epoxied to the hull ( shoot-through style) and has worked OK for a year. After reading your suggestions, I will pop it off of the hull ( its not very easy to get to )and simply drop the t'ducer overboard while in deeper water. If it reads any depth at all, it was oil or other intrusion between the epoxied t'ducer and the hull. If it doesn't read...I'm going to buy another cheap Eagle. The Eagle on the bow is used for fishing when I am using the trolling motor, since I can't see the depthfinder on the console from up front.<br /><br />Since that unit works like a charm...is it possible to -T-splice- the single t'ducer cable into two matching Eagle head units?<br /><br />My requirements are simple, since the waters that I fish are never over 30 feet deep; I don't "look for fish". I'm only trying to keep track of depth changes 99% of the time.<br />Thanks RichG TX

 

[Boatist]

Re: checking out a failing depth finder transducer?

Rich<br />I do not think a T connector is a good idea because if you should ever have both on at the same time the transmiter from one unit will hit the receiver on the other unit. The receivers are designed to pick up the week signal form the echo back off the bottom. When it gets hit with full power from the ping on the other unit might blow the receiver. The other unit will also get the full ping power of the other unit. I think you may end up with 2 unit that have bad recievers.<br /><br />They do make a switch so you can switch one transducer to 2 difference fishfinders but the switch cost more than a second transducer. <br /><br />Eagle unit I have seen all come with the transducer unless your getting it from EBay or something.

 

[richg99]

Re: checking out a failing depth finder transducer?

I knocked the t'ducer off of the hull yesterday. Next time I'm in the water ( maybe a week or so) I'll throw her overboard and see if I get any reading what-so-ever. If not...Eagle it is. thanks for all fo the help.<br />RichG TX