Sounder - location ?

[tomcater]

Hello.

I have a dilemma. I have been reading and reading and receiving contradictory information.

I have a 2002 180ssi Chaparral. It has a volvo penta sx-m outdrive. I need to find the depth transducer.

I was told that there is a puck in the bilge but there is none but I have a working gauge. I have a speedometer too.

Also there is a white tube on the transom (see pic).

The white tube: is it a speed pitot or a depth sounder ?

I've been told that the penta has a built in speed sensor and this is the transducer.

How can I confirm that ?

Thanks for all the info

 

[marine4003]

Re: Sounder - location ?

TC,
The tube running down the transom is the pitot tube..its a water pressure activated speed'o, not very accurate to boot,as for the transducer,if you cant find it..chances are it doesn't exist, what brand depth finder do you have ?, most have the wire for the transducer built in the back of the unit.. how many wires come out of the back...there should be 3 : power - light's - transducer follow the wires...or- buy a transducer for your specific unit & install it yourself. As for Volvo-Penta or ANYONE for that matter, installing a transducer on or near the prop, well...it wont work , there's too much " noise" generated by prop spinning/cavitation/air in water for it to work,if you do buy another unit..buy the one you can mount in the hull,mounted with epoxy.
And stop taking advice from crackheads

 

[jevery]

Re: Sounder - location ?

The white assembly looks exactly like a pitot tube for a speedometer. (page 3)
http://www.downloadingfiles.co.uk/teleflexfiles/library/instructionmanuals/99511.pdf
I?ve never seen a transducer puck that resembles a pitot tube. A pitot tube will have a small hole on the leading edge to allow water to pressurize the air in the tube to the speedometer. As you?ve been told, your outdrive should have a pitot tube built in, but it looks like someone has added a pitot tube at some point. Look on the leading edge of the outdrive just above the bullet for a small hole. A confirmation would be that a pitot tube will have a hollow tube attached and a depth transducer will have a wire bundle attached. Your transducer puck is likely under the engine, but could be forward of the engine. Just out of curiosity, why do you need to find the puck if it?s functioning?

That marine's a fast typer

 

[cbavier]

Re: Sounder - location ?

The white tube is definatly the speed sensor the Puck or transducer must be mounted/ glued under the floor if it's not in the bilge. It's a shoot thru the hull transducer. The only way to know how accurate your Speedometer is. Will be to match it against GPS. Mine is the same as yours and mine is four MPH slow. When my spedometer says I'm going 48 mph GPS says I'm going 52 mph.

 

[salty87]

Re: Sounder - location ?

yup, you'd have to have a wire going through the transom to have a transom mount unit. you say you've got depth readings so if there's no wire then you must have a puck glued to the inside of the hull.

it needs to be toward the stern to be in the water at all times, won't read the bottom without water to shoot through. usually a couple of feet forward of the prop and away from any strakes or other structures that might interrupt the flow of water underneath the boat. it'll have a wire coming out of it.

 

[tomcater]

Re: Sounder - location ?

Just out of curiosity, why do you need to find the puck if it?s functioning?

That marine's a fast typer

That's a very good question.

It's my new boat and I like to know it inside out so in case something happens, I know where to look

 

[tomcater]

Re: Sounder - location ?

Thanks for all the replies. Really appreciate it.

I'll have to recheck the bilge area and get a little dirty.

I would assume that the transducer is an "in-hull" and not a "thru-hull" as I carefully inspected the bottom of the boat and I don't have any holes.

 

[cbavier]

Re: Sounder - location ?

Thanks for all the replies. Really appreciate it.

I'll have to recheck the bilge area and get a little dirty.

I would assume that the transducer is an "in-hull" and not a "thru-hull" as I carefully inspected the bottom of the boat and I don't have any holes.

If it doesn't have any holes it is through the hull. The Transducer signal shoots through the hull. Look in the bilge, it should be easy to see. It is only glued to the hull so don't try to pick it up or move it! The transducer is probably somewhat oval shape. You do not have an external mount because it would be near the speedo pick up and you don't have one mounted there. Again as someone else ask. Why do you need to know where it is if your sounder works?

 

[tomcater]

Re: Sounder - location ?

Again as someone else ask. Why do you need to know where it is if your sounder works?

Only because I like to be a competent owner and I like to know what each part does and where it is located so I can work on the boat and identify all the parts. Also, if someone else needs help, at least I'll have an idea of what is going on.

 

[cbavier]

Re: Sounder - location ?

If you can't find the Puck/Transducer. May I suggest you look in catalogs or online at Depth finders to get an Idea what one looks like. That may help you in your search. That is if you don't know what your looking for. They do come in different sizes and shapes. Just a friendly suggestion. Other than the motor, the puck /transducer and the bilge pump. Maybe an alarm. I can't think of anything else that should be in the engine compartment/Bilge area.

 

[tomcater]

Re: Sounder - location ?

Mystery solved.

Due to my bad lower back, I was unable to bend enough to look deeply under the engine. Had to use my camera to see what's underneath, and there it was.

Thanks for all the help

 

[cbavier]

Re: Sounder - location ?

Mystery solved.

Due to my bad lower back, I was unable to bend enough to look deeply under the engine. Had to use my camera to see what's underneath, and there it was.

Thanks for all the help

Glad you found it.