Humminbird Helix 7 chirp si gps g2 Down Imaging Trouble

[P_Frost7]

I’m needing some help determining what the problem is with my unit. I have 2 helix 7 si chirp gps g2 units. My unit at my console was working fine then I put a Terrova on my boat and had to add a third battery. I’m not sure if there is electrical noise in the power to my unit or what’s going on but the unit started showing junk in the first ten feet of my down imaging. If I speed up to like 5mph it will go away, but if I slow down then the junk re appears. I thought the transducer was messed up so I swapped them out with the transducer on my other unit that I had and it shows the same thing. I thought the electrical noise was in my transducer so I put my boat in the water and plugged my spare transducer in, ran the wire on the deck instead of running it beside all the other wires to eliminate any noise, and put that transducer right beside the mounted transducer and it showed this same thing. I’ve called humminbird, they haven’t helped me. They aren’t sure. I have the most updated software and that didn’t help. If anyone has any idea what could be going on and has any suggestions please let me know, it will be much appreciated!!

[Russ E]

it's strange that it is happening on the console unit.

often times it is motor noise on the trolling motor transducer. 

Are they both on at the same time? Sometimes if you have 2 running they will distort each others readout.

One thing that often helps is the noise filter setting in the sonar settings screen. Some versions have it. Some don't.

generally you will get more definition with the filter shutoff. If there is excessive noise turning it on usually helps clean it up.

 

just looked at my 2 current helix 7s. they do not have the noise filter setting. my previous models did.

Edited February 25, 2019 by Russ E
update

[kenmitch]

3 hours ago, P_Frost7 said:

My unit at my console was working fine then I put a Terrova on my boat and had to add a third battery.

Did you double check your wiring? Maybe something got knocked loose? Maybe loose power or ground on one of the other batteries?

[P_Frost7]

No that picture that is take is with everything off except for that unit. I’ve just did a scan of the batteries and didn’t see anything loose. I had these units put in by a place that sells boats and deals with this stuff on a regular basis. They’re the same ones that put my Minn Kota Terrova on as well. I may just have to take it back to them and have them figure it out. The only problem with that is putting the transducer in water to see what it’s doing in person.

[P_Frost7]

5 hours ago, Russ E said:

it's strange that it is happening on the console unit.

often times it is motor noise on the trolling motor transducer. 

Are they both on at the same time? Sometimes if you have 2 running they will distort each others readout.

One thing that often helps is the noise filter setting in the sonar settings screen. Some versions have it. Some don't.

generally you will get more definition with the filter shutoff. If there is excessive noise turning it on usually helps clean it up.

 

just looked at my 2 current helix 7s. they do not have the noise filter setting. my previous models did.

I’ve got a noise filter setting on my units and I’ve turned them all the way up and absolutely no change

[redmexican5081]

You have 2 units? Can you plug the other unit in to the transducer? Does the screen show the same interference? How is your new TM wired into your existing system? Are the graphs wired directly to the battery and grounded back to it as well?

 

There are guys with all sorts of solutions on this site but they may need a bit more information on your setup to help.

[P_Frost7]

7 hours ago, redmexican5081 said:

You have 2 units? Can you plug the other unit in to the transducer? Does the screen show the same interference? How is your new TM wired into your existing system? Are the graphs wired directly to the battery and grounded back to it as well?

 

There are guys with all sorts of solutions on this site but they may need a bit more information on your setup to help.

I’m not 100% sure how it’s wired up but I do know that before I upgraded my 12V trolling motor to 24V trolling motor, my units were wired to my cranking battery. So when I upgraded trolling motors I had to add one battery. The same guys that installed my two units, installed my new TM. No I’m not 100% sure how it’s wired, but I’m almost positive that the units are wired to my cranking batteries. It doesn’t make sense to me why they would change how the units are wired when they install the new TM but You never know. I do need to swap the units and see if the interference shows up on the graph on that unit as well. Then I will know it’s not that unit that’s messed up.

[junyer357]

Does it change when adjusting the ping rate up or down? 

[P_Frost7]

1 hour ago, junyer357 said:

Does it change when adjusting the ping rate up or down? 

Do you mean the frequency? 

The only frequency I can use to have side imaging and down imaging with my unit is compact side imaging. The only thing that seems to make the clutter at the top of the graph better is changing the beam width. But even that doesn’t clear it up completely. 

[junyer357]

No, the ping or scroll speed. I get better images when i adjust it up to around 7 from the default 5 

[P_Frost7]

1 hour ago, junyer357 said:

No, the ping or scroll speed. I get better images when i adjust it up to around 7 from the default 5 

I haven’t tried that, but I did take the unit By the TM and put it at the console today using the power wire and transducer goes to the unit at the console And the graph displayed the same clutter. I guess I’m just going to take it to the place that put the units in as well as my TM and have them figure it out. 

[redmexican5081]

If you are getting the same interference on a different unit then my bet is it being something to do with the wiring.  A ground being loose would be my first suspect assuming the graph is not connected to the TM batteries. If it is connected to either of the TM batteries then moving it to the starting battery should be the first thing done.

[P_Frost7]

11 minutes ago, redmexican5081 said:

If you are getting the same interference on a different unit then my bet is it being something to do with the wiring.  A ground being loose would be my first suspect assuming the graph is not connected to the TM batteries. If it is connected to either of the TM batteries then moving it to the starting battery should be the first thing done.

That’s what I’m thinking just wanted some thoughts from guys that know more about fishing electronics than I do. I appreciate everyone’s help!

[SC53]

Had a similar issue with my Lowrance mounted to my trolling motor.

Lots of interference when running the troller. I had the unit wired to one of the troller batteries. Researched it a found it needed to be wired to the house battery.  Rewired it and fixed most of the problems. Added a lead shield between the transducer and the troller motor and solved all interference issues.

I’d verify how it’s wired. 

[junyer357]

Only other thing i can think of is if the wires are all one one side, and/or tied together. All of our electronics are ran on console side, and TM power is ran on passenger side. 

[P_Frost7]

21 minutes ago, SC53 said:

Had a similar issue with my Lowrance mounted to my trolling motor.

Lots of interference when running the troller. I had the unit wired to one of the troller batteries. Researched it a found it needed to be wired to the house battery.  Retired it and fixed most of the problems. Added a lead shield between the transducer and the troller motor and solved all interference issues.

Id verify how it’s wired. 

That picture on my initial post is with everything off except for the unit. TM on or off, it looks like that. But that lead shield might need to be done to mine to solve the interference issues.

[Pswaim]

I have them same thing happening to my helix g2 Si at console I have a direct wire running straight from cranking battery to units! I have a helix g2n di up front and do not have the problem!  Any help would be appreciated!

[Georgianbay91]

Did you ever get this issue fixed? What was the cause? I’m having similar issues, but with just a single unit installed.