Test for transducer function

[DoctorCAD]

Is there any way to test a transducer on dry land?<br />My Humminbird Platinum ID 120 "sort-of" worked on my maiden voyage. It seemed to be intermittent, sometimes it would read the bottom, sometimes not. Towards the end of the trip, nothing was happening. It seems like a bad wire, but I since this is my first boat with electronics, I really have no idea what to do. I contacted the Humminbird web site and have not heard back from them.<br /><br />Any help?? Is it worth keeping the head unit and spending $50 for a new transducer? (I think can replace the whole unit for not much more than that!)

 

[Ghost]

Re: Test for transducer function

Just went through the same issue. you can put the tranducer in a 5 gallon bucket and test it. Mine read the height of the bucket with no problem. This assumes it is transom mounted and you have enough play in the wire to disconnect it from transon and get it in bucket. You can also hear it clicking if it is getting pulsed fron the unit.<br />My unit was dead so I bought another Eagle unit that used the same tranducer and speed pickup to avoid running new wires.<br />Good Luck

 

[DoctorCAD]

Re: Test for transducer function

It is mounted where it will be easy to get it off. I will try this tonight, but it really seems like a broken wire to me. Guess if I get any reading, and start shaking the wire, that should tell me.<br /><br />Thanks, it's fun being the new guy for a change.

 

[blipship]

Re: Test for transducer function

I recently went through the same problem and ended up having a bad transducer. I ordered a new one from Hummingbird and kept my unit. My unit is only a few years old though and too nice to chunk. The new transducer was very cheap compared to the cost of a new unit. I would make sure that is your problem first before you order a new one. By the way..Hummingbird's online website was very good to deal with and shipped very fast.

 

[DoctorCAD]

Re: Test for transducer function

blipship,<br /><br />How did you determine that the transducer was bad?

 

[blipship]

Re: Test for transducer function

I was able to try and test it in a bucket of water. I would only here it when I moved the wire going into the transducer from side to side so I knew I had a bad wire. If the transducer sounds normal you might have another problem. Fortunately mine was an easy diagnosis. Good luck!

 

[DoctorCAD]

Re: Test for transducer function

I put the transducer in a plastic bucket and wiggled the cable, seems that the end that plugs into the head unit was sort of loose. did a little surgery on it and all seems fine. The only thing I noticed is that it read 4' depth in a 2' bucket, but not consistantly. Sometimes it read 11'. Do you think it was because of the transducer being enclosed or is it bad?

 

[blipship]

Re: Test for transducer function

I would try testing it on the water in an area that you know the relative depth of. If you get a resonible depth and no funny reading its probably fine. Thats what I had to do with mounting my new one. Good luck.

 

[SlowlySinking]

Re: Test for transducer function

 

[crab bait]

Re: Test for transducer function

if'n you haveta buy another 'ducer'.. put the $50 bux toward an eagle,or garmin.. hummingbirds are really problemmatic junk in a major way.. <br /><br />if you don't believe me ,, ask around..or better yet,, let there web site speak for themselves..

 

[seaya]

Re: Test for transducer function

Stay away from Hummingbird, nothing but trouble.

 

[boatingfool]

Re: Test for transducer function

I love hummingbirds,never had a problem, but thats not the point of my post.<br /><br />I have found the bucket test only shows if it works or not . The accuracy is not easily gauged in a bucket.<br /><br />What I have done is gone out on the lake at varying shallow depths(10 - 20 feet) and match the depth finder up to how much rope I let out until my ancor hits bottom.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Test for transducer function

Depth finder should work in air ... you don't need water. I can't remember the relationship, but you definitely should get a reading with the boat on a trailer (and you should be able to hear the transducer clicking audibly.

 

[boatingfool]

Re: Test for transducer function

You will not get a reading in air.<br /><br />The trancducer has to be in water.<br />You can hear the clicking noise but you will not get a reading.<br /><br />The air is not dense enough to transfer the sound waves back to the transducer. They get "lost".<br /><br />You will get a reading on the trailer without the transducer in water but it will be the depth finders default setting.<br />For example my depthfinder reads 60' when on dry land but if I put the transducer in a bucket of water it will read 3'.