GPS/SONAR Guru?

Share info on fishing Champlain.
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FishfulThinking
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2019 9:26 pm
Species: Bass Pike Trout

GPS/SONAR Guru?

Post by FishfulThinking »

I am looking for a boat electronics expert to fix my multi-unit install that was poorly done by a boat dealership. Can any of you give me some local referrals for experienced & quality technicians? I currently have twin Solix 10s, bow & console & HDS Carbon 12 on console. Lowrance is fine...SI/DI/2D purring. The networked HBirds are a hot mess. Both units REBOOT on main engine start, front ducer works...mostly until it takes a day off. Rear 2D ducer reads 2ft deep everywhere on Champlain.

Many thanks for any info!
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Detritus
Posts: 537
Joined: Mon Apr 15, 2019 8:50 pm
Species: Anything we can catch
Location: Vergennes

Re: GPS/SONAR Guru?

Post by Detritus »

I don't have a recommendation for a technician, sorry for that. I usually do everything myself.

However, the reboot thing just sounds like a power supply thing. Most fishfinders have a range of voltage that they will operate on, since they are used all day, and the voltage is often higher in the morning. However, if you drop below that range, which might be what is happening when you crank the engine, they may shut off. And, if you have an auto power up when electricity is supplied, and it's turned on (boat starts), they turn back on.

That being said, you have a couple of things to try.

Test your battery, make sure it's healthy. (Battery load tester) might be available from an auto parts store for loan.

Check your connections on the battery, and the starter, ensure that they are clean, and tight. A loose or corroded connection can do funny things with amperage draw, heat, voltage, etc.

Add a second battery to minimize the voltage drop when cranking. If you do, make sure they're wired in parallel, with the correct gauge wire, with all of your hots on one battery positive, and all of the grounds on the other negative, for balanced charging and discharging.

Make sure your humminbirds have adequate gauge wire supplying their power. (Not plugged into your fuse panel with skinny little wires). If they are, check for tight and clean there first. You may want to run a new power and ground (fused) back to your battery with a separate dash switch, instead of going through tour dash power block.

That's actually a way to eliminate the dash wiring as a problem as well. Run temporary correct gauge wires to your battery from your units, start the boat. They blink off, it's batteries, starter drawing too much, etc. They don't, you need new wires to the dash.

On the transducers, luckily you have two. I'f they are close enough to switch the wires with the head units, or if your units have identical cradles, switch the head units in their cradles. Eliminate that as a possibility. If the stern one reads 2ft on both head units, and the bow works on both units, it's a transducer or cable issue.

The last thing really, is at the end of the day, when you finally sit down, think up simple key words to search and read about on the internet. Chances are, someone has had similar issues, and may have posted a solution. Or at least point you in a direction. "Solix 10 2ft" or Solix 10 intermittent transducer, etc.


Then there's always tech support. The big three can be hard to get a hold of in these covid times, but, I've found Garmin tech support to be helpful on my stuff before. Humminbird is probably similar.

Hope this helps.
"Country Angler" - '93 Trophy 2002 - Cold water boat
"Strike Three" - '04 Triton SF21 - Warm water boat
"The Dumpster" - '90 Starcraft SF14 - Camping Boat

Jack
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