Sonar Interference (Help please)

[sneak_e_pete]

Hi there, been a while since I have been on here....but looks great!

 

Hoping someone can help me. I bought a new Smokercraft ProMag 182 last year. I am having trouble with sonar interference when I use my trolling motor. Sonar is great until I engage the tm.

 

For reference, it is a Terrova with i-pilot and universal sonar. I have 2 sonar units (Humminbird 587ci run off the bow and using the trolling motor transducer, and a 597ci on the console with transducer at the stern). Both sonars react the same to the trolling motor turning on.

 

Both sonars are connected to the 24v trolling motor battery set-up. There is also an on-board charger adding to the mess of wires. Is there an easy fix to this? The wiring set-up under the console seems pretty complex. I thought of just lengthening the power cord and running it to the cranking battery in the back....but am not sure and don't want to mess anything up.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

[BITEME]

Run the sonars off a different battery

[Gerritt]

Hi there, been a while since I have been on here....but looks great!

 

Hoping someone can help me. I bought a new Smokercraft ProMag 182 last year. I am having trouble with sonar interference when I use my trolling motor. Sonar is great until I engage the tm.

 

For reference, it is a Terrova with i-pilot and universal sonar. I have 2 sonar units (Humminbird 587ci run off the bow and using the trolling motor transducer, and a 597ci on the console with transducer at the stern). Both sonars react the same to the trolling motor turning on.

 

Both sonars are connected to the 24v trolling motor battery set-up. There is also an on-board charger adding to the mess of wires. Is there an easy fix to this? The wiring set-up under the console seems pretty complex. I thought of just lengthening the power cord and running it to the cranking battery in the back....but am not sure and don't want to mess anything up.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

There is your problem.... you can try Iron ferrite.... if that does not work, you may need to somehow else isolate the sonars. (IE. Seperate battery, or cranking battery)

 

If ferrite does not work... here is some more info.

http://www.humminbird.com/Faq.aspx?TaxonomyId=103A1849

 

 

G

Edited April 17, 2013 by Gerritt

[sneak_e_pete]

Thanks for the reply. What is iron ferrite? How do I use it?

[bigmac1984]

I saw this same thing on another forum once, and alot of people seem to be recommending a TMC-1 attachment.

 

http://www.bbcboards.net/lowrance-garmin-sonar-gps/250494-tmc-1-got-rid-my-interference.html

[Gerritt]

It clamps around the power cables and reduces electronic interference and it does work in ALOT of cases.. and is a very cheap solution.

 

It has worked here in the past for people..

 

The link I gave you, even mentions it.

 

Worth a shot and might cost you less then 10 bucks

[Gerritt]

I saw this same thing on another forum once, and alot of people seem to be recommending a TMC-1 attachment.

 

http://www.bbcboards.net/lowrance-garmin-sonar-gps/250494-tmc-1-got-rid-my-interference.html

 

 

Yup... a fancy iron ferrite cable made by Humminbird to make $$$

[sneak_e_pete]

Ok....one more question...where do I get a ferrite bead?

[Roy]

Just run the sonars off the starting battery. It's the safest, easiest way to solve the problem. Connecting a sonar (or anything else except the on board charger) to your 24V TM setup will cause you other problems as well.

[manjo39]

Just run the sonars off the starting battery. It's the safest, easiest way to solve the problem. Connecting a sonar (or anything else except the on board charger) to your 24V TM setup will cause you other problems as well.

 

I have the exact same problem as mentioned above. I am going to connect the sonar to the cranking battery.

Is there a risk of draining the cranking battery after running the sonar all day? Wouldn't want to have the motor not start because of this.

[zamboniwaterboy]

Ok....one more question...where do I get a ferrite bead?

Maybe you can salvage it from old computer cables. http://www.howstuffworks.com/question352.htm

[Gerritt]

I have the exact same problem as mentioned above. I am going to connect the sonar to the cranking battery.

Is there a risk of draining the cranking battery after running the sonar all day? Wouldn't want to have the motor not start because of this.

 

 

There could be... anyone that says otherwise would be foolish... that said, if it did happen it would probably be a battery gone bad, and not likely the drain the sonar places on the battery..

 

and most larger motors will place a charge upon the battery to help out.. However several sonars? that I am not sure of.

 

G

Edited April 17, 2013 by Gerritt

[Gerritt]

I think this could be easily solved with ferrite... instead of rewiring everything to the cranking battery.. the OP states his wiring is a mess...

 

Hopefully he can find the power cables to the sonars LOL

 

G

[SylvanOwner]

I have the exact same problem as mentioned above. I am going to connect the sonar to the cranking battery.

Is there a risk of draining the cranking battery after running the sonar all day? Wouldn't want to have the motor not start because of this.

 

Not much risk of this at all, the draw from your sonar is minimal compared to the capacity of a cranking battery. Your sonar would take weeks to drain a cranking battery. Another possible alternative for people here is to use the battery from your ice fishing sonar if you have one or 2 or of course you can buy one for around $30. The advantage to using the cranking battery is that it will charge when you're under power.

[manjo39]

Not much risk of this at all, the draw from your sonar is minimal compared to the capacity of a cranking battery. Your sonar would take weeks to drain a cranking battery. Another possible alternative for people here is to use the battery from your ice fishing sonar if you have one or 2 or of course you can buy one for around $30. The advantage to using the cranking battery is that it will charge when you're under power.

 

The disadvantage of using the battery from my ice fishing sonar, is another battery to charge after each use. Not convenient is all.

As original poster, we have a dual port on board charger. So would have to buy a three port or take out the third and charge it offboard manually.

[BillM]

Re-wire the sonar if you have to.. Do it once and never worry about it again. It's not like running wires is overly difficult.

[Luke V.]

i wonder if this is the exact same problem i am having

trolling motor and sonar hooked up to the same battery

sometimes the graph doesnt work at all. Just shows "snow" and a depth of 2-3'

if i turn off the trolling motor and reset the sonar

it usually fixes the problem

Dont want to hijack this thread but it seems to be the same problem

My boat only has one battery,

If i were to get one for my graph only what should I be looking at getting?

 

Thanks

Luke

Edited April 17, 2013 by Luke V.

[BillM]

i wonder if this is the exact same problem i am having

trolling motor and sonar hooked up to the same battery

sometimes the graph doesnt work at all. Just shows "snow" and a depth of 2-3'

if i turn off the trolling motor and reset the sonar

it usually fixes the problem

Dont want to hijack this thread but it seems to be the same problem

My boat only has one battery,

If i were to get one for my graph only what should I be looking at getting?

 

Thanks

Luke

 

 

You should be getting a separate battery for the trolling motor...

[Luke V.]

Here's the problem bill

My tinner only has room for one big battery for the trolling motor

I don't have a cranking battery it's a pull start tiller

What battery should I be looking at for the graph?

Edited April 17, 2013 by Luke V.

[Fisherman]

Any small 12 Volt 7 or 9 amp gell cell will do just fine for a couple days, remember to recharge after each use.

[Terry]

or easier, just have hook-ups for the small battery to the big battery and disconnect when using the electric , then hook it up to charge when not using the electric

[davey buoy]

or easier, just have hook-ups for the small battery to the big battery and disconnect when using the electric , then hook it up to charge when not using the electric

What about a battery switch?. My boat has a #1,#2,and a both setting.By using both,you can charge on the way home or charge all at once when docked. Run your trolling motor on two,and all else on one. ??.

[BillM]

Here's the problem bill

My tinner only has room for one big battery for the trolling motor

I don't have a cranking battery it's a pull start tiller

What battery should I be looking at for the graph?

 

Ahhh....... Well yeah my suggestion won't work,lol.

[Luke V.]

I will pick up a battery and give it a try!

Thanks guys

[Kerry]

I use my 12 volt snowmobile battery.Will last a lot longer than the ice fishing battery and I get to keep it well charged in the offseason.

Kerry