Finally got new Humminbird 575 installed - transducer spray :(

[gss036]

Re: Finally got new Humminbird 575 installed - transducer spray

They sent me one of the brackets and a rubber plug, but I think my silicone plug works just as good and a lot easier and faster to do.

 

[ziemann]

Re: Finally got new Humminbird 575 installed - transducer spray

Hey guys- I thought that I would wait until this thread died down before weighing in on this thread. I am currently using a 981c SI with both the SI transducer and the highspeed transducer (with the transducer selecter switch) both mounted to a transducer mounting board. So, on the mounting board I have the speed paddle wheel and 2 transducers. I have a handheld GPS (Magellan Map 330M) networked (NMEA 0183 protocol) to provide me trackplotting capabilities. I have found their systems now days to be extremely reliable and extremely functional.

I must say the Humminbird bashing from a couple of folks here is surprising. Lowrance has taken a huge dive and Humminbird has quickly seen growth due to the reliability and capability thei SI units. Customer service has been fantastic and online resources such as http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sideimaging/
are readily accessable. Customer service, and factory reps respond all the time to user questions. Browse any of the Pro boards related to professional walleye or bass fishing and you will see the accolades. It seems to me that Humminbird has been responsive to the customer requests posted here- although it is perceived that it is not as timely as you would have prefered.

Will large tranducers spray? Sure. Do the small transducers spray? Sometimes. Is spray a defect? No. The fishfinders operate as claimed thus this is not a defect. There is no defect for them to "admit" to. The spray does not effect the function of the fishfinder unless it is improperly mounted.

I can somewhat understand that the spray may be somewhat annoying...I am not sure why it has evoked such a strong reaction here.... it gets your outboard wet? The boat wet? Is there anyone else that notes this as being a bit absurd?

Positioning and repositioning of transducers is common. It is impossible for a manufacturer to address the application of a transducer to EVERY type of hull- thus general guidelines are used. A mounting board/plate should be used when mounting transducers- Here is an example:

http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0000847010102a.shtml

This way you do not have to drill multiple holes in your hull and can reposition the transducers to achieve the best performance.

 

[soretoe]

Re: Finally got new Humminbird 575 installed - transducer spray

Good post Ziemann. I think that a lot of people forget that it took some time to learn their units the first time ever with a fish finder or GPS. I do not know of a single person that was ever an expert first time out. I switched from a Lowrance LMS_332C that I thought was the best thing out. It took me a while to learn that one. I also replaced a GPS transducer when I purchased that 332. Didn't get it right the first time then. When I purchased the 797 I tried the transducer in the same place as the Lowrance & it didn't work.

Side Imaging is not new technology. It is however, new to the average joe like us and takes time to learn and adjust to. I have had my 797 for over a year and I'm still learning. But I also prefer it over any unit that Lowrance has.

 

[Randybeall]

Re: Finally got new Humminbird 575 installed - transducer spray

Execllent workmanship. Thanks for following this through to and acceptable end. Send Humminbird a pic and an offer to accept a royalty for something they could sell a lot of. Someone in the plastics business could make this light and cheap.

 

[John_S]

Re: Finally got new Humminbird 575 installed - transducer spray

FWIW, about HB customer service: I reported that I was having some interference problem on my SI whenever my Motorguide wireless motor was running. My older HB actually has more interference. I just received notice that HB has shipped me free of charge, an "Interferance Kit". The kit includes chokes for the power lines and a new nickel coated SI transducer. They sell the transducer for $250! So, you are probably talking close to a $300 kit.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Finally got new Humminbird 575 installed - transducer spray

I just received my plug fix and they sent the extra bracket hardware too which was a nice touch because if I stay with Humminbird all I have to do is add another transducer and with the 1 button detachment I can switch it between my two boats.

I like the unit. Customer service has been good for the two other issues I had where they quickly replaced the defective pieces like when the external antenna started opening like a clamshell which would have let in water since it's mounted on my bow.

My beef with their service was that they would not admit there was a rooster spray problem. Many of us had called and they said they were not aware of any issues . . . ya right. That's the problem when Brunswick now owns them. They are taught to deny any issues so they don't have to go through a major recall.

To the poster that said the spray does not bother him . . . It took me a while to tweak the position of my motor to get no spray. To look back and see this rooster tail spraying out of the transducer was unacceptable to me after spending a grand!

That was my beef. That it took them a year for them to finally admit it only to finally solve their design issue after another year with a cheap plastic plug. They could solved it faster than me having too cruise around for 2 seasons with transducer spray.

But hey, that's just me I guess, I'm just picky because in my business all I can provide is better service than my competition!

 

[soretoe]

Re: Finally got new Humminbird 575 installed - transducer spray

My experience with them has been totally opposite that what you are describing. I do not for one second believe that they are taught to disavow any knowledge of problems. They have ALWAYS been sensitive to the couple that I have had, one of which was a spray (which was acknowledged). Perhaps from your description you were one of the early ones with that problem. My experience with their customer service has always been positive. Try getting through to Lowrance in less than 3 weeks.

There are two websites devoted to side imaging and their people are almost always there. Even ther head of customer service is there.

http://www.xumba.scholleco.com/viewforum.php?f=8&sid=725268473784f4c2babe117ecd57af37


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sideimaging/

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Finally got new Humminbird 575 installed - transducer spray

While I think the the SI units is some fine equipment, its a shame HB can't get the timing problem fixed in their GPS. I know of several people that use the SI for locating structure and use another GPS to get back to it. 3 weeks to contact tech spt at Lowrance?? I've never had a problem contacting them.

 

[huckelberry]

Re: Finally got new Humminbird 575 installed - transducer spray

I have only an 11" transom on my boat and the rooster tail is very annoying. Thanks for the post, I will start on mine tomorrow

 

[omcboats]

Re: Finally got new Humminbird 575 installed - transducer spray

I designed and built a transducer guard and spray shield over 4 years ago. Was working for a very well known boat dealer here in the southeast at the time. Everyone there including my boss told me what a stupid idea it was. Needless to say I don't work there anymore.

I have the tooling to produce it and have one on my own boat. Works great. When I get caught up building race boats I might turn out some if there is any interest.

 

[IndyBasser]

Re: Finally got new Humminbird 575 installed - transducer spray

So..., finally got new Humminbird 575
Installed and it works great except that when the boat goes
faster than 10MPH I get excessive spray from the transducer
I moved it high as possible without drilling new holes to the transom
but it didn't help much. Should I make spray guard or take the risk
and re-drill new set of holes ?
I hate to ad any more hole to brand new G3 boat ( DeepV)
The transducer is installed exactly as recommended in the installation manual.
It is fairly large ( quadrabeam)

Things to try:
I mounted a large piece of 1/2x8x14 white PVC on the outside of my transom, with two bolts thru transom and silicone sealer between it and transom. I have changed locators & tranducers several times without new holes in boat.
Locate new mount, drill holes in PVC & thread SS Helicoil to fasten new mount. HATE to drill new holes thru transom. use 10/32 ss socket head bolts.
Just purchased a HB 798ci si. Tranducer mount has a RUBBER piece as a spray guard to block open area between tranducer & Mount. Don't know how much spray it will block.
Every transom mounted transducer that I have ever had has caused some spray behind the boat, seems to be a little less if transducer is canted a little downhill from front. Not sure how well the 798 will work, just waiting on some fair weather.
Hope this helps
IndyBasser

 

[sebago_kid]

Re: Finally got new Humminbird 575 installed - transducer spray

Hmmm...
I just picked up a 580... wonder if I'll have the same issues???
maybe I'll build a guard right off the bat, so I don't have to dismount/remount later....

 

[rolmops]

Re: Finally got new Humminbird 575 installed - transducer spray

Humminbird has a rubber plug that can easily be inserted in the transducer space where the water would shoot through.All you have to do is call them and they will send you one for free.I got mine and the water squirting has stopped.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Finally got new Humminbird 575 installed - transducer spray

My plug came a few months ago. Just started setting the boat up last week and had a chance to pop in the plug. Pretty ingenious solution. You loosen the bolt and move the transducer up to open the hole wider. Pop the plug in from the bottom and then lower the head and tighten. This way the plug can't ever pop out.

It could pop out I guess if you hit an obstruction and the break away transducer head pops up, but I doubt even then that the plug could come out.

Too bad so many of us called their tech support with the rooster spray issue out of the hole in the bracket and for two years and they kept telling us that "no one has called with any spray issues".

Nice quick fix though . . . finally!

 

[Expidia]

Re: Finally got new Humminbird 575 installed - transducer spray

A quick fix I used until the plug was designed and delivered . . .

Just wrap a few turns of black plastic electrical tape around the bracket's hole where the water shoots up through. Then I put two black wire zip ties side by side around the tape to hold the tape from unraveling.

This fix is cheap and quick and it worked great last season and does not impede the break away design if the transducer hits something it still pops up.

Someone else above might have come up with the same fix, I don't know because I didn't read through all the posts again.

 

[John_S]

Re: Finally got new Humminbird 575 installed - transducer spray

The plug works, and I used Expedia's solution when I received the larger HDSI transducer, as part of the "noise" kit. It uses a larger/different transom bracket than the standard 797 Compact SI transducer, which the new plug will not fit.

In my case, without a plug/fix, allot of water was get pushed up the side of the engine, and some coming over the transom. The plug/fix stopped that, and you have a much reduced rooster tail.

 

[crobar]

Re: Finally got new Humminbird 575 installed - transducer spray

I must be the only one with a Lowrance transducer spray problem.
The spray gets sucked into the cockpit when using an open back canopy and everything gets soaked. It sounds like the rubber plug works well. Has anyone submitted a pic of the plug?

 

[Expidia]

Re: Finally got new Humminbird 575 installed - transducer spray

Re: back spray. I have the Humminbird plug installed in my Humminbird unit. While you wait for a solution from Lowrance. . what I did was to just wrap a few turns of black plastic electrical tape around the space in the bracket. I only used a few turns of tape so as not to impede the snap up ability of the transducer in case you hit an obstruction.

But I still get spray on my back and neck when cruising but it's not from the transducer anymore. . . It's the nature of the beast when the canopy is up you get light spray coming back towards the front of the boat because of the canopy creating a vacuum tunnel towards the front effect.

I reduce the effects of this by pulling down a zipper a little creating an airflow towards the back of the boat. But I have zippers on both sides when my side windows are up and a zipper going down the middle of the front windows which creates a door when pulled up.

You might want to have a canvas shop install a small zippered window if you can't create any airflow to the rear.

Or wear a waterproof parka. I do that too on windy days when the winds coming from the rear at my back.

Once you fix the transducer issue if you still get spray coming in you will notice the back spray rarely happens when the canopy is down!

 

[John_S]

Re: Finally got new Humminbird 575 installed - transducer spray

The few Lowrance transducers I've used do not have the same gap (hole) between transducer head and mount, as the HB SI transducer has. If it does have that gap, the electrical tape will work. If not, try to adjust height and position to reduce spray. Otherwise, you might have to come up with a deflector approach, which I believed was covered earlier in this thread.

 

[crobar]

The Plug

The Plug

I absolutely love it when I find that I am not the only guy in the world that has a particular problem. I also think it is so fantastic that I can simply enter a couple questions on my computer and get answers that I could never have imagined much less gotten from a boat dealer. Regardless of the issue someone out there has some kind of answer or good idea to try. God Bless the internet. My water spray is so ambitious that I could not see down there to determine what the culprit was. I am going to start with the black electrical tape over the gap and then see if Lowrance has a plug like the one you are all referring to. "I'll Be Back" with the results. Thanks again to you enthusiastic and sharing problem solvers.