Splicing transducer cable

[b_cdot]

Big eff up yesterday. Totalscan transducer flew off the back of the boat yesterday. Wires were damaged by the prop but was able to save the transducer. Curious is this is fixable. Called angling outfitters, where i bought it from and i was told i am screwed. Just curious if anyone has had any luck repairing this? Should i even bother?

[Terry]

i have fixed them before

i took the shield wire from a piece of Coaxial cable and put it over the wires and slide it out of the way

solder wires together and taped each wire

then slide shielding over the joined wires making sure it is touching the old shield wire or foil whatever was there and tape tightly or shrink wrap

[b_cdot]

So i might not be screwed? Why is angling outfitters telling me to toss it out?

[porkpie]

Bummer! I hope Terry's suggestion works for you, that's an expensive transducer!

[Fisherman]

What Terry said, patience, small soldering iron, electronic solder, maybe some thin shrink tubes or liquid tape and shield.

[b_cdot]

Bummer! I hope Terry's suggestion works for you, that's an expensive transducer!

 

Think it was 350-400$. Cant believe it happened

[b_cdot]

What Terry said, patience, small soldering iron, electronic solder, maybe some thin shrink tubes or liquid tape and shield.

 

 

Im trying not to cry haha. One of my buds is good at soldering might have to give him a call

[Fisherman]

Serves me as a good reminder, I have to add a couple of cable holders to the back of the boat.

[b_cdot]

Serves me as a good reminder, I have to add a couple of cable holders to the back of the boat.

Mine broke... not very effective when going 45mph

Edited October 14, 2017 by b_cdot

[smitty55]

Like Terry said, soldering the wires is easy, most important is to make sure the shields are well connected. I would try overlapping them to ensure good continuity and shrink sleeve real good so they don't move. Even if you have to cut back the outer sleeve some you can always shrink sleeve over that as well. Certainly worth trying as you have nothing to lose. Even if there is a bit of interference noise it could well still be quite functional. Good luck.

 

Cheers

[Old Ironmaker]

I was told not fixable but Terry said yes so I say yes too.

 

How does a transducer come off? When you remount it use 3M-5200. That is as long as you never want to take it off, that stuff is like welding plastic. 4200 if you want to remove something in the future.

 

I mounted mine on a piece of that plastic cutting board from Dollarama. 2 bucks.

[b_cdot]

I was told not fixable but Terry said yes so I say yes too.How does a transducer come off? When you remount it use 3M-5200. That is as long as you never want to take it off, that stuff is like welding plastic. 4200 if you want to remove something in the future.I mounted mine on a piece of that plastic cutting board from Dollarama. 2 bucks.

My mounting plate is fine. The screws ripped out of the mounting plate that connected the transducer to it. The mounting bracket has a small bend in it. Its quite possible something knocked it off. I cant make sense of it either

[Old Ironmaker]

We soak the screws in 5200 before going into the plate. We use a deep course thread screw.

Edited October 15, 2017 by Old Ironmaker

[b_cdot]

We soak the screws in 5200 before going into the plate. We use a deep course thread screw.

Definitely doing that! Is 5200 an epoxy or a glue?

[Fisherman]

It's a glue and sealant, not epoxy.

[dave524]

You need to maintain the impedance of the original Coax cable , usually either 50 or 75 Ohms , I would try to splice it with cable TV connectors before just soldering..

[b_cdot]

You need to maintain the impedance of the original Coax cable , usually either 50 or 75 Ohms , I would try to splice it with cable TV connectors before just soldering..

 

I've got a few electricians at work I might talk to. Maybe they would be nice enough to help me out. Looking at how some of the wires are foil wrapped and others aren't tells me I'd rather a pro deal with it and show me how to do it. It looks a bit intricate.

[b_cdot]

It's a glue and sealant, not epoxy.

 

 

I believe I looked for this stuff at home hardware and couldnt find it. Where do you buy it?

[G.mech]

It's may not be recommended but I've spliced cables with no issues. It's not really magic wire but if you're going to splice it, it needs to be done properly. Lots of how-to videos if you google it including this one which is pretty good:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuNCYPMdT28

Edited October 15, 2017 by G.mech

[b_cdot]

It's may not be recommended but I've spliced cables with no issues. It's not really magic wire but if you're going to splice it, it needs to be done properly. Lots of how-to videos if you google it including this one which is pretty good:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuNCYPMdT28

 

I just watched it this morning. Great instructional vid!! I was told by the place that sold it me that it can not be done. Looks like it can. Guess they just want another 400$

[Fisherman]

 

 

I believe I looked for this stuff at home hardware and couldnt find it. Where do you buy it?

Canadian tire should have it on the shelf by the boating stuff.

[dave524]

 

I've got a few electricians at work I might talk to. Maybe they would be nice enough to help me out. Looking at how some of the wires are foil wrapped and others aren't tells me I'd rather a pro deal with it and show me how to do it. It looks a bit intricate.

 

Disregard my comment , on looking at the video it is not really coaxial cable but a metal foil shielded twisted pair, a waterproof soldering would work.

[Old Ironmaker]

I believe I looked for this stuff at home hardware and couldnt find it. Where do you buy it?

If I remember correctly I did find some at CTC. Most marinas carry it. Not cheap but well worth the peace of mind. For what you are doing you won't need much. It comes I a tube like tooth paste. Too bad you aren't close by, or are you? I'm in Selkirk On.

Edited October 15, 2017 by Old Ironmaker

[b_cdot]

If I remember correctly I did find some at CTC. Most marinas carry it. Not cheap but well worth the peace of mind. For what you are doing you won't need much. It comes I a tube like tooth paste. Too bad you aren't close by, or are you? I'm in Selkirk On.

 

I'm down in Chatham. CT around the corner has it!

[aplumma]

To be fair they are not repairable from a shop. They can be patched by a person though. If they repaired it and charged you only $100.00 you would expect it to preform perfectly for as long as the transducers life and would expect them to repair it for free if water got into the splice and stopped working. Worst would be they repair it and it does notwork %100 as well as it did before. So thats why you got the unrepairable answer. I hit cases in the plumbing profession that I will condemn a faucet and the homeowner decides to fix it himself. after he spends 2 hours and some jb weld he "fixes" it. If I did the same thing and gave him a 2 hour labor bill and a maybe it is fixed it would have been the same price for a new faucet.

You can find in a plumbing warehouse a well wire splicing kit. The repair of the wire do as others have advised but while the wire is in two use the well wire splice shield it is a shrink tube with a special ooze inside that when heated to shrink makes the splice permanently water proof.

 

Good Luck

 

 

Art