Where to mount 2nd transducer?

[jevery]

I want to add a Lowrance X52 at the bow panel, (already have one at the helm with puck shooting through hull in the bilge). This is my first experience with fish finders and also with a NMEA 2000 network connection. I originally thought, "Great, with this network connection I won't have to add another transducer?, but after some reading I found that the connection will not support the bandwidth needed for transducer/receiver communication. So, at this point I'm not sure what good this network connection actually is. Another finder will need it?s own transducer it seems. I originally thought I would mount the puck on the trolling motor, but I really want a clean installation with minimum of visible wires. Could I shoot through the hull somewhere up front, (given I can gain access to the hull topside somewhere in the bow section)? Or could I mount another transducer in the bilge, or would two transducers too close together interfere with each other? Any help is appreciated.

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Where to mount 2nd transducer?

I don't believe if you are running to separate depth finder units the transducers should not interfear with each other I wouldn't think it matters how close they are. I was going to say why not on the trolling motor, they have kits to install the transducers on the trolling motor, not like people are going to think the boat is ugly because you got a couple of wires running up the trolling motor lol that's were mine is going when I get ready to install it.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Where to mount 2nd transducer?

If the two transducers are the same frequency they will interfere with each other. If one is in the stern and one on the trolling motor and boat is about 19 feet then will usually work in shallow water up to about 30 feet. Even for this to work should point the stern unit back if possible and the bow unit forward.

Understand this is a audio sound signal sent out unually 200 kHZ for fresh water units. The unit then waits for the echos to come back and plots then on the LCD. The longer it takes the signal to come back the deeper it marks the signal when it does come back. If you mount two transducer of the same frequency where any part of the cone overlap then neither unit will work while the other unit is turned on.

A 20 foot boat with a 20 degree transducer on the transom pointed a little bit to the stern in 30 feet of water will cover about 10 foot circle on the bottom when refelected back up will spread to about a 20 foot circle. With another unit on the bow trolling motor it will do the same when the signals over lap each unit will think it is a signal returning that it sent out and try to plot it's position however since the signal if from the other unit the timing will not match and it will plot in a totally wrong spot. The other unit will do the same.
Only hope is to use a unit with a different frequency.

 

[jevery]

Re: Where to mount 2nd transducer?

I could easily turn the helm unit off when I'm using the bow unit to avoid interference. There would be no situation where both would need to be on at the same time. Though, with a ten foot cone at the bottom what I would be seeing in the front display would not be representative of what in under the bow of the boat, especially in shallower water where I usually fish. Hmmm.
Seems the only answer is to mount up front. Does anyone have a through hull front installation? Or is the final answer going to be to mount on trolling motor. Process of elimination.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Where to mount 2nd transducer?

If you turn either unit off the other will work good. It only a problem when both units are on.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Where to mount 2nd transducer?

On the where to locate it, the TM mount is best. On one B Boat I had I mounted it right under the front seat so that I could crappie fish and see the fish. Piece of cake, just drop the minnow to that depth and walla. It was out of the water when running but no biggie, I only used it when essentially stopped.

Agree on Boatists caution and your turning one off to eliminate interference. As long as one's signal is withing the bandwidth of the receiver of the other it will interfere. Just what it looks like depends on circumstances, but when I'm chasing fish, I only want to see the real one; same thing applies to a school of baitfish as usually a big fish is not too far away.

Mark

 

[jevery]

Re: Where to mount 2nd transducer?

Thanks for the input guys. I'll go with the trolling motor mount.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Where to mount 2nd transducer?

One thing I have found with my Cuda 168 is that sometimes I have to push the "reset" button when I pull the tm out of the water with the sounder on....which is always when actually fishing. It runs out to 300 feet and gets lost. Sometimes it recovers upon reentering the water and sometimes it doesn't.

Mark

 

[Grits]

Re: Where to mount 2nd transducer?

One good thing about the trolling motor mount, if you can not stand it, it will be easy to remove.

Some of the new model trolling motor have a transducer built into the foot. To me, that seems to be a clean installation.

To my understanding, some of the Humminbird units have a switch that allows you to use one transducer and two units; however, you can only use one unit at a time. There may be a similar switch, not a splitter, for your unit.

For what it is worth, I have never seen a through hull mount forward. If you did have a through hull mount forward and hit something, you could have water coming in in a hurry. That is kind of a phobia if mine.

Good luck and tell us what you come up with.

Grits

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Where to mount 2nd transducer?

Just an FYI. The one I mounted forward was a conventional plastic transom mount. The Ranger had a deck (floor) drain grille forward, right in the center of the boat and also had a tunnel running full length centered on the keel. Made it easy.

I moved just off centerline, built a dam at an angle, poured in my adhesive and mounted it on the inside.....course working through the small hole was a bit of a challenge.

Mark

 

[jevery]

Re: Where to mount 2nd transducer?

Thanks for your advice. I've decided to attempt a thru hull installation as I can access the bow hull bottom through the floor rod locker. My concern is that if it doesn't work for some reason I won't be able to salvage the transducer epoxied to the floor. I wonder if could mount it with silicone or something else less permenant than epoxy to see how well it works before epoxying it permenantly.

 

[StrykeKing]

Re: Where to mount 2nd transducer?

You could try making a "well" with window putty or something similar in the position you want, then fill the well with water placing the transducer in it to test it out before making it permanent. Most sounders have a diagnostic mode to see how strong the signal is. Using silicone is not recommended, it will degrade the performance big time. Although I've never been happy with thru-hull applications.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Where to mount 2nd transducer?

Yes you can. Put it in a plastic bag of water and set it wherever you wish. If happy, epoxy it. If you want to know the relationship to the real world, remove it from the bag (in a fixed location after taking data) and drop it over the side.

Done deal.

Mark

 

[jevery]

Re: Where to mount 2nd transducer?

Just wanted to follow up on my installation for anyone considering a forward shoot-through-hull transducer installation. Call me obsessive-compulsive, but I just couldn’t get past the exposed wires with a trolling motor transducer mount and also how to attach the wires so as not to hinder deploying and retrieving the trolling motor as well as keeping the wire from catching as the motor rotated. I flush-mounted a Lowrance X-96 in the bow panel, cut a small hole in the rod locker liner to access the hull, fished the wires, epoxyed the transducer to the hull, and epoxyed the piece cut out of the rod locker back in. Seems to read fine and the installation came out very clean looking.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Where to mount 2nd transducer?

If you ever do this again think about using one transducer and two head units that you switch between with a locator switch. Obviously both head units need to be the same. Or you can have two transducers and one head unit and switch between the two transducers. The switches are cheap. Myself -- I much prefer a trolling motor mounted locator. No fuss, no bother, and one cable coming up the shaft is hardly an eyesore. You are fisherman not a showman (right??)

 

[jevery]

Re: Where to mount 2nd transducer?

No, actually a showman. You've got to catch fish to be a fisherman.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Where to mount 2nd transducer?

If you like it and it works that is all that matters.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Where to mount 2nd transducer?

Real clean installation. Looks very nice and I know you are proud of it (for having to have taken the time to do it right.....something I have to force myself to do sometimes).

Mark