Transducer Placement

[mailman55]

I installed a Lowrance 510C on my "02" Starcraft 190 LE. When I put the transducer on the back of the boat I mounted it on a 3" X 5" peice of nylon type board glued to the transom. The bottom of the boat has a 15 degree upward slope from the center to the outside. When I mounted the transducer I have it setting level or 0 Deg. to the bottom of the boat, with the inside of the transducer line even with the bottom edge of the boat and the outside edge of the transducer maybe 3/4 to a inch below the the bottom of the boat to where it looks level. Just wondering if this would be the right way to set it up. I tried to go as to what the manual said but sometimes a person reads it the wrong way. Thanks for any input.

 

[fishmen111]

Re: Transducer Placement

How you have it set sounds fine to start with, but you will not really know until you hit WOT. I assume your "board" is Starboard and you have it glued on? With what and how long has it been on there? I would be a little concerned that it will not stay attached with a high speed impact to the transducer. I know the unit will flip up as designed, I have just never glued anything below the waterline.

 

[mailman55]

Re: Transducer Placement

I glued it to the transom and fastened it with two screws into the back of the boat which I also sealed. I noticed at WOT that it doesn't always give a real clear picture back, (bottom) is this normal or would I have to adjust the graph more. Also it seems to stick on certian depths once in a while and will then continue to show the digital depth off and on.

 

[fishmen111]

Re: Transducer Placement

Good, you do have screws in there. The way you worded it, I thought you may have just glued it to the transom. If your depth is freezing or not continually reading, then you need to adjust your transducer. Put a straightedge on the bottom of your boat next to the transducer. The lower edge should be 1/8-1/4" below the bottom of your boat. Also verify that the transducer is tilted down about 5 degrees at the back. My guess is it is not far enough down from what you describe. Be patient, sometimes you have to adjust them to get full readings at WOT. Also, the transducer must be mounted in "clean water" meaning not close to the motor or any other attachment that may be sticking down. Minute air bubbles are your enemy. If your boat has rivits in the bottom, sometimes it can be hard to dial in.

 

[mailman55]

Re: Transducer Placement

Sounds like I might have it too straight. I'll slope it down on the back end a little bit and give it a try when the weather breakes. Thanks a lot and I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[mailman55]

Re: Transducer Placement

To all, I tilted it down about 5 deg. and that seemed to help, now I'll just have to fine tune it a little. Thanks again.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Transducer Placement

my experience with Eagle sonar (same equipment as lowrance): when it starts flashing its last known depth, means it's lost contact with the bottom - one possible cause of that is, the 'ducer shifting in the bracket from the force of the water. Be cautious about tightening it in the bracket cause you *do* want it to kick up on impact.
From your description it sounds like you might have a little room to raise it a quarter inch or so. Just something to consider. Whatever you do, make only very slight adjustments and only one at a time.

I have also noticed that if the face of the ducer gets dirty, sometimes at speed it will stop drawing the bottom contour while continuing to accurately show the digital depth.