Sonar depth reading while driving

[shimano19]

Usually when I drive my Gen 2 hds 7 will cut out and not show a depth reading. I've noticed this on all my sonars but it happens more consitantly on this one. My boat goes a max of 25mph. My Gen 1 hds reads a lot more frequently while driving. When they do cut out it takes a bit to get back on track and start reading again. (Up to 1 min or have to reboot) Both transducers are at the same height and level. Any ideas on if it can be improved some how?

[Pikeslayer]

Is your transducer in line with one of your hull strakes? Mine was & realigning it solved the issue.

[DRIFTER_016]

Yep, you need to play around with your transducer mounting.

 

My Garmin's still pick up bottom at 40 MPH although they lose side and down imaging at those speeds.

Haven't had time to play around with the mounting since I installed them earlier this year.

Hope to get the side and down imaging to mark @ speed.

 

 

[shimano19]

Okay I will try to remount it. Is there a certain distance I should have between the transducers?

[shimano19]

Is your transducer in line with one of your hull strakes? Mine was & realigning it solved the issue.

Did you put it off to the sides of the hull streaks?

[wallyboss]

If you can have a look or have somebody to have a look at the back of the boat when you are riding and see where the water comes out smoothly from under the boat. That would be a great spot to install the transducer.

[Garnet]

Side imaging only works at 3-4 mph so it's not necessary to have transducer below hull.

 

Almost all problems are poor installation .

 

Try the transducer thing if that doesn't do it move to the harder stuff.

 

Running wires together is major. Todays electronics are sensitive little dudes.

 

The problem is most times you have 2-3 minor issues. You spend 1-5 k on unit why wouldn't you spend $200 for a good installation?

 

My Gen 1 shows bottom and detail at 60 mph on a bassboat if yours doesn't it's likely poor installation.

[Sterling]

I lose bottom almost immediately with my depth finder. Believe it's 200hz transducer. Would having a higher quality transducer (CHIRP?) fix the problem, or is this poorly mounted?

[grimsbylander]

Guys, listen to Garnet. It's not the unit or the transducer. Heck the units that we're made in the 70's used to read above 60mph. Transducer location and position, transducer wiring and unit wiring(ie dedicated power lines) all contribute to the signal quality at ALL speeds.

[mike rousseau]

I usually lose bottom on plane

 

But in all honesty I'm not sure why you need depth going wide open

 

I don't even look at my sonar while driving

 

As long as it works at my fastest trolling speeds I'm happy

 

I will say my ref transducer works find but my imaging transducer sucks (even the regular mode)

[grimsbylander]

I've found some great spots while doing 60mph on my way to another spot. One time I found a tiny hump with weeds in the middle of nowhere stacked with crappie. The hump was on the chart but looked like nothing at all...the weeds growth made it a hotspot.

[Hoppy]

sigh not even worth posting when on mod q . The delays is so big you can't be relevant.

[Sinker]

You might just have to tilt the transducer down a notch to improve the reading at speed. Mine needed to be tilted down one notch and it made a world of difference. When the boat is on the trailer my transducer looks like its mounted wrong, but when on plane in the water its sitting level.

 

S.

[shimano19]

Thanks for all the tips. I will start with the transducer tilt and then relocate. As for the wiring are you referring to keeping the wires away from other sonar wires because of interference? Or are you saying not to mount more than 1 sonar to a power source. Long time ago I used to have my TM and 1 sonar on a single battery. As soon as I turned on the TM my sonar would get interference.

[Garnet]

You should run your depth in manual. This way if it will cycle threw 0 to 30 ft and not 0 - 10,0000 ft.

 

Don't run power threw fuse block with all other wiring.

 

The correct way is to run dedicated wires from unit to starting battery. So with my bass boat 2 wires from front to back and 2 more from console to starting battery. I also wrap areas with electric tape for a little more protection. Also my trolling motor wires go down the other side.

 

If I was to up grade these to dual console units and dual units up front I would up grade to 6 gauge wire and a stainless buse up to my console and run all units off this.

 

1 common mistake is to wrap transducer cable in a ball and tape. This makes a coil increasing frequency's.

 

2 different makes Lowrance are 200 and Hummingbird 187 frequency . You need to keep transducer cable separate as much as possible and tape area's where not possible. I would run cables down transom at different locations.

[shimano19]

You should run your depth in manual. This way if it will cycle threw 0 to 30 ft and not 0 - 10,0000 ft.

 

Don't run power threw fuse block with all other wiring.

 

The correct way is to run dedicated wires from unit to starting battery. So with my bass boat 2 wires from front to back and 2 more from console to starting battery. I also wrap areas with electric tape for a little more protection. Also my trolling motor wires go down the other side.

 

If I was to up grade these to dual console units and dual units up front I would up grade to 6 gauge wire and a stainless buse up to my console and run all units off this.

 

1 common mistake is to wrap transducer cable in a ball and tape. This makes a coil increasing frequency's.

 

2 different makes Lowrance are 200 and Hummingbird 187 frequency . You need to keep transducer cable separate as much as possible and tape area's where not possible. I would run cables down transom at different locations.

If I ran it at manual 0-30' then when I'm in 5' of water my sonar will show past bottom to 30' correct? I'd be loosing a lot of screen. As of right now I have both sonar power wires going to a battery (not my starting, they have their own separate). I will take a look at how my wiring is done through the boat and try to clean it up or separate

[grimsbylander]

If I ran it at manual 0-30' then when I'm in 5' of water my sonar will show past bottom to 30' correct? I'd be loosing a lot of screen. As of right now I have both sonar power wires going to a battery (not my starting, they have their own separate). I will take a look at how my wiring is done through the boat and try to clean it up or separate

 

It really sounds like more of a transducer placement issue than anything else. I'd start there and then begin looking at existing wiring if you are still having issues.

[Garnet]

You would just change your bottom for each lake or situation.

 

And I agree with doing the Transducer thing then move to the installation.

Edited July 25, 2017 by Garnet

[shimano19]

How close could I mount my transducer to my outboard, if I put my transducer 2" away from my outboard will it affect it negatively? As of now one of my transducers is located almost in line with a hull strake; might be the issue.

Edited July 25, 2017 by MikeCmuskie

[Sinker]

The strake will be the culprit for sure. Can you move it away from the engine? 2" is too close.

[shimano19]

The strake will be the culprit for sure. Can you move it away from the engine? 2" is too close.

I would assume further from the stake the better..that's why I asked about moving closer to the outboard. I'll have to find that sweet spot in between them

[b_cdot]

I posted about this a couple months ago. It's all about fine tuning the transducer mount. I had the same problem. You are getting air bubbles and turbulence underneath the transducer. I tilted mine down a bit and now i get readings up to 35-40mph. Start to lose my bottom at WOT close to 50 mph

[mike rousseau]

Ive tilted mine down and it keep bottom however while fishing I don't get hooks anymore... just crooked lines

[Garnet]

Hooks are fish passing threw your cone and a line across the screen is a stationary fish.

[aplumma]

I have a Ranger and while running I have a flasher unit to track bottom it puts out a stronger signal than a graph unit. A soft bottom will absorb signals return a weaker mark. Turning up your gain will sometimes return your signal at higher speeds. As others say though make sure your installation is bullet proof first.

 

Art