Having Trouble Dialing In My Transducer

[scrutch]

Got my 1197 installed yesterday and went to the lake to shake out any bugs. I can't seem to find the sweetspot with the transducer to get any images in the screen. On the screen with side imaging, down imaging and switchfire I get static in the switchfire pane, garbled images in the downimaging pane, and some images in the side imaging pane but you can't really make out what you're looking at. I think it's the transducer angle. I nearly froze my arm off reaching down underwater to adjust the angle but could not find the sweetspot. I never got any accurate depth readings either. Most were readings around 1000 - 1500 ft. once in a while I'd get it down to 200 ft but still nothing accurate.

I have a stepped hull and my transducer is mounted in the step with a clear view of the bottom and sides.

No motor running. I had only my in-dash Zercom flasher running so I could see the actual depth.

Anyone have any dialing-in tips that might help?

[Fishing Rhino]

I had problems with depth readings on my 898 when the engine was shut off. It would "lose" the depth and start showing several hundred feet of water. Start the motor, and it would acquire the proper depth. It didn't happen on the dash mounted Lowrance that came with the boat.

It seemed like a low voltage problem since it disappeared when the engine was running. My suspicions were confirmed one day when the starting battery, which also powers the electronics failed to start the engine. I don't make long enough runs with the engine on the small waters I fish around here to keep the battery up to snuff. It took a couple of months, but the starting battery was slowly but surely drained of its power. Now I put a charger on the starting battery after every trip. No more problems.

It seems my Humminbird was sensitive to low voltage, at least moreso than the dash mounted Lowrance.

Double check all your connections. If you don't have one, get a volt meter so you can see what voltage your battery is producing. It should be about 12.5 - 12.7 volts fully charged. If you are at 12 or less, your battery might be the problem. There is no "sweet spot" to give you a consistant depth reading, or clear images. It is necessary for it to be level to give you an accurate depth reading.

Static usually indicates the presence of some type of interference. Try turning off your flasher. It could be causing the display problem. If that solves the problem, you'll need some type of "noise suppressor" to filter out the interference. Humminbird refers to it as a "choke" if memory serves.

[Wayne P.]

The transducer should be level with the water surface from side to side and front to back when you are operating the boat.

If your flasher has the same frequency as the 1197, it will cross talk on that frequency. Turn it off.

Post a picture of your transducer installation from the side and back for analysis

[scrutch]

The transducer should be level with the water surface from side to side and front to back when you are operating the boat.

If your flasher has the same frequency as the 1197, it will cross talk on that frequency. Turn it off.

Post a picture of your transducer installation from the side and back for analysis

I did shut the flasher off and it didn't change anything, but I was messing with the transducer so I may not have noticed.

Pics coming soon...

[Wayne P.]

Rhino, the TM choke is to suppress the RF interference caused by a trolling motor.

The SI units use more amps than the simple 2D sonar units so they are more succeptable to low amperage/voltage issues. The wiring and voltage has to be adequate to support the requirements.

[scrutch]

Rhino, the TM choke is to suppress the RF interference caused by a trolling motor.

The SI units use more amps than the simple 2D sonar units so they are more succeptable to low amperage/voltage issues. The wiring and voltage has to be adequate to support the requirements.

My Terrova was running the whole time... I have 3 TM batteries separate from the Cranking battery which powers the HB. Some have said to try a jumper from the cranking battery neutral to the neutral of the TM batteries.

The HB voltage reading was at 12.0 to 12.1. I have an onboard charger that was just unplugged before the outing. I'm pretty sure the charger isn't the issue, Rhino, I might try a different battery. The voltage seems low for a fully charged cranking battery.

Pics of the transducer...

[Wayne P.]

Yes, your voltage is low. Charge your battery or replace it. You may want to upsize the starting battery when you replace it. A dual purpose battery with 1000mca is best suited for the needs of that unit and other accessories. Your unit may shut down when you start the engine due to the low voltage/low capacity you have now. If you haven't done so, run the unit power cord directly to the battery, extend it with at least 18 ga wire. If you use a glass type fuse, replace that with the spade type and a waterproof holder. Radio Shake has the holder and 3A spade fuses.

Your transducer looks to be in a good location for SI/DI and 2D. You may get a fuzzy line next to the center line on the left SI view that is caused by the water flow off the side of the hull step.

For some installations a ground wire between the unit power battery and the trolling motor power at the negative connection works, but in some cases it makes it worse. That connection is called a ground loop.

[scrutch]

Yes, your voltage is low. Charge your battery or replace it. You may want to upsize the starting battery when you replace it. A dual purpose battery with 1000mca is best suited for the needs of that unit and other accessories. Your unit may shut down when you start the engine due to the low voltage/low capacity you have now. If you haven't done so, run the unit power cord directly to the battery, extend it with at least 18 ga wire. If you use a glass type fuse, replace that with the spade type and a waterproof holder. Radio Shake has the holder and 3A spade fuses.

Your transducer looks to be in a good location for SI/DI and 2D. You may get a fuzzy line next to the center line on the left SI view that is caused by the water flow off the side of the hull step.

For some installations a ground wire between the unit power battery and the trolling motor power at the negative connection works, but in some cases it makes it worse. That connection is called a ground loop.

Battery voltage with charger plugged in is as high as 14.5.

Unplugged it drops to 12.0 within 5 minutes.

Battery is getting replaced.

Hope that fixes it.

[scrutch]

Forgot to take my SD card so no screenshots... but...

more clues...

Took a separate battery to eliminate the low voltage and interference possibilities.

Side and Down imaging was clear. But no depth readings and no switchfire regular sonar. Still heavy interference or garbled vertical lines on the screen.

Then...

I unplugged the transducer from the lead coming out of the head unit labeled "side imaging" and plugged it into the lead labeled "Dual Beam". Now switchfire sonar works with good depth readings but obviously no side or down imaging.

I'm a puzzled Humminbird Side Imaging newbie!

[scrutch]

I think I have it figured out... There's a splitter cable in the line that shouldn't be there. I took it out and I'm off to the lake to test.

To be continued...

[Wayne P.]

Why was a splitter cable installed?

Which splitter cable is it?

[scrutch]

Why was a splitter cable installed?

Which splitter cable is it?

The splitter cable (I think it's a SIDB cable) was installed by the previous owner. He must have had two transducers. Not knowing about the splitter cable, I just reassembled the parts that were sent. It turns out that the splitter cable must be plugged into BOTH transducers to work. That's why I got only SI on one side of the cable and Dual Beam (2d) on the other.

[Wayne P.]

An explaination of the AS SIDB Y cable:

It disconnects the 83/200 kHz frequencies from the Side Imaging transducer (XHS 9 HDSI 180 T) and connects a separate 83/200 kHz transducer in its place.

Most chose the XP 9 20 transducer for shoot thru with that setup. The temperature sensor in the HDSI transducer is still used in the Y cable connection.

A potential problem with what you described earlier of the shoot-thru not being hooked up to the Y cable is that the unit senses the presence of a connection on the 2D side of the plug and tries to send/receive a pulse on that connection. Without the transducer connected, the processor may be damaged trying to send the power to get those returns. It doesn't hurt the unit to run without a transducer or anything plugged into the transducer receptacle.

In summary: if you have the Y cable connected, you must have two transducers hooked to it.

If you continue to have difficulty getting on-plane depth with the transducer in the pictured location, move it to the transom beside the motor mount and install a shoot-thru for on-plane depth. Most pad type hulls like yours do not get good performance with a transom mounted transducer for high speed depth readings.

Since the retail price of the HDSI transducer is about $235, most chose to mount it higher on the transom for protection from impact damage and have SI/DI for idle speed only.

In the position you have it, you will get close range distinctive line echos from the part of the hull that is left and right of the transducer and you will be another blurry line on the left SI image from the water flow off the side of the pad. The transducer "sees" more than just horizontally and to the bottom, it "sees' to the water surface.

[scrutch]

An explaination of the AS SIDB Y cable:

It disconnects the 83/200 kHz frequencies from the Side Imaging transducer (XHS 9 HDSI 180 T) and connects a separate 83/200 kHz transducer in its place.

Most chose the XP 9 20 transducer for shoot thru with that setup. The temperature sensor in the HDSI transducer is still used in the Y cable connection.

A potential problem with what you described earlier of the shoot-thru not being hooked up to the Y cable is that the unit senses the presence of a connection on the 2D side of the plug and tries to send/receive a pulse on that connection. Without the transducer connected, the processor may be damaged trying to send the power to get those returns. It doesn't hurt the unit to run without a transducer or anything plugged into the transducer receptacle.

In summary: if you have the Y cable connected, you must have two transducers hooked to it.

If you continue to have difficulty getting on-plane depth with the transducer in the pictured location, move it to the transom beside the motor mount and install a shoot-thru for on-plane depth. Most pad type hulls like yours do not get good performance with a transom mounted transducer for high speed depth readings.

Since the retail price of the HDSI transducer is about $235, most chose to mount it higher on the transom for protection from impact damage and have SI/DI for idle speed only.

In the position you have it, you will get close range distinctive line echos from the part of the hull that is left and right of the transducer and you will be another blurry line on the left SI image from the water flow off the side of the pad. The transducer "sees" more than just horizontally and to the bottom, it "sees' to the water surface.

Whaddya mean damaged Wayne? Can you explain this more please?

[Wayne P.]

From what was described by a Humminbird tech, the computer in the unit can develope problems and fail to function properly due to the unloaded connection.