Looking For Someone With An Elite-4X To Help Me Out

[Rhino68W]

I mounted mine through the hull of my kayak. I feel like the image is not near as clear and accurate as it should be. I understand that the hull may cause some interference, but it seems like a lot more than it should be. I used Marine Goop to mount it, and thought I had all of the air bubbles out. 

 

If you have this unit could you please let me know what ALL of your settings are on and take a few pictures of your screen the next time you're out so I can compare? Or possibly a good video showing your settings and sensitivity level and some screen time. Thanks in advance.

[flyfisher]

i don't have that unit but i would try to mount it thru hull with duct seal or plumbers putty,  You could also just mount the transducer on a pole temporarily and hold it over the side and see if there is any difference in image quality.

[Wayne P.]

If you want the sonar to work correctly for shoot-thru, the transducer and the hull should be one piece. That takes a solid connection with EPOXY.

ANY flexible material will absorb some of the sonar pulse strength so it cannot work full strength.

 

You have to remember the transducer transmits sound and the transducer face and hull have to vibrate at the same rate. Then the returning sonar echos have to be detected by the hull and to the transducer face at the same vibration rate.

 

The next best shoot-thru installation is a pool of liquid with the transducer inside so the liquid forms the solid bond to the hull. That liquid can be water, oil, anti-freeze, etc since it does not compress like putty or duct seal.

 

ANYTHING less is just that----LESS

 

Additionally the hull material has to be of a solid nature, without any aeration that would keep it floating if submerged.

 

Externally mounted like flyfisher suggested is the best way if you do not use epoxy or the pool method.

[Rhino68W]

Thanks guys, I originally was going to use duct seal, but could not get my hands on any. I just want to compare it first and see how bad it is/isn't before I go through the trouble of taking it off and redoing it. If I need to, I will probably hold it over the side by hand and see what happens. but I do want to stay thru-hull, possibly a scupper mount.

[paleus]

+1 on the duct seal/plumbers putty over the goop. I've got my Elite 5 transducer (same as Elite 4x) mounted inside my kayak with plumbers putty and get a perfectly clear image, just as clear as when it was on my trolling motor on my boat.

[Rhino68W]

+1 on the duct seal/plumbers putty over the goop. I've got my Elite 5 transducer (same as Elite 4x) mounted inside my kayak with plumbers putty and get a perfectly clear image, just as clear as when it was on my trolling motor on my boat.

Do you fill it with water, or stick it directly on the stuff?

[paleus]

Do you fill it with water, or stick it directly on the stuff?

 

Just roll it into a ball and then press the transducer into it. Press it as far into the putty as you can so it is as close to the hull as possible. Then, I pushed what was around the edges up against the transducer just so it will stay stuck.

[Rhino68W]

Just roll it into a ball and then press the transducer into it. Press it as far into the putty as you can so it is as close to the hull as possible. Then, I pushed what was around the edges up against the transducer just so it will stay stuck.

What exactly did you use? I had a hard time trying to determine what kind of putty/duct seal I needed to get.

[paleus]

What exactly did you use? I had a hard time trying to determine what kind of putty/duct seal I needed to get.

 

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Gardner-Bender-Duct-Seal-Compound-Plug-DS-110/100212441