Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge  

Go Back   Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge > Kayak Fishing Forum - Message Board > General Kayak Fishing Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 09-11-2009, 08:47 PM   #1
WahooUSMA
Senior Member
 
WahooUSMA's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Rancho Cucamonga
Posts: 753
Troubled fishfinder

Need some assistance: I have the Lowrance M68C Fish Finder/ GPS unit. Today, when fishing at 184 ft depth, the FF unit suddenly started flashing, the screen went clear, and the depth went from 184 ft to 5 ft. After that, nada, except when heading back into the harbor my depth gauge registered 225 ft when in fact we were in only 25ft of water.

I don’t know if it’s the transducer or the head unit has gone belly up? Anyone else out there ever experience anything similar? The unit is only 3 months old.
WahooUSMA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-11-2009, 09:50 PM   #2
peguinpower
bing!
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: socal
Posts: 246
Sometimes, FFs turn quirky when getting low or unstable voltages.

Check the voltage of battery at the terminals and then the connector ends. With an SLA, you should get a reading of about 12.7 volts. If you are getting less than 10v with no load, that battery needs charging, or may already be dead. If you get a good reading at the terminals, and a lower one at the connectors, the connectors are corroded. Sometimes, they can be polished up, other times, you need to change them.

Next, put the battery in, but not the head unit. Check the voltage at the pins that go into the unit. You should get a reading that is equal to what it is directly at the battery terminals. If not, there is something wrong along the power lines. Its either corroded connectors, corroded or bad fuse contacts or black wire disease (blackening of the wire due to saltwater shorting). Check the voltage at different points along the power line too. Particularly after each connection point (butts, connectors, jumper). If you have to, cut lightly into the wires so you can insert a DVM probe. Tape the cut close when finished.

If power problems are ruled out, send the head and tx unit in. Its under warranty, so its better that the company check it out.

I just solved a long standing problem with my ff. It likes to turn off on the water or sometimes not turn on at all. Found out that a perfectly good looking connector develops enough resistance to drop my voltage from 12 volts at the battery, to 6-7 volts at the pins. Change the connector, and she ran fine.

/bing

Last edited by peguinpower; 09-12-2009 at 09:19 AM.
peguinpower is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-26-2009, 11:25 AM   #3
Useful Idiot
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 286
Quote:
Originally Posted by peguinpower View Post
Sometimes, FFs turn quirky when getting low or unstable voltages.

Check the voltage of battery at the terminals and then the connector ends. With an SLA, you should get a reading of about 12.7 volts. If you are getting less than 10v with no load, that battery needs charging, or may already be dead. If you get a good reading at the terminals, and a lower one at the connectors, the connectors are corroded. Sometimes, they can be polished up, other times, you need to change them.

Next, put the battery in, but not the head unit. Check the voltage at the pins that go into the unit. You should get a reading that is equal to what it is directly at the battery terminals. If not, there is something wrong along the power lines. Its either corroded connectors, corroded or bad fuse contacts or black wire disease (blackening of the wire due to saltwater shorting). Check the voltage at different points along the power line too. Particularly after each connection point (butts, connectors, jumper). If you have to, cut lightly into the wires so you can insert a DVM probe. Tape the cut close when finished.

If power problems are ruled out, send the head and tx unit in. Its under warranty, so its better that the company check it out.

I just solved a long standing problem with my ff. It likes to turn off on the water or sometimes not turn on at all. Found out that a perfectly good looking connector develops enough resistance to drop my voltage from 12 volts at the battery, to 6-7 volts at the pins. Change the connector, and she ran fine.

/bing


If your electrical checks out, try re-mounting the transducer. You may have an air bubble or a gap in the silicone.
__________________
Useful Idiot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-26-2009, 12:31 PM   #4
Iceman
Administrator
 
Iceman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: 1-2 miles off the point
Posts: 6,948
Quote:
Need some assistance: I have the Lowrance M68C Fish Finder/ GPS unit. Today, when fishing at 184 ft depth, the FF unit suddenly started flashing, the screen went clear, and the depth went from 184 ft to 5 ft. After that, nada, except when heading back into the harbor my depth gauge registered 225 ft when in fact we were in only 25ft of water.
It may have jumped to simulator, that unit will, when not getting a reading for 30 seconds or so. You need to go through the menu and reset it manually.
__________________
Iceman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-27-2009, 03:36 AM   #5
WahooUSMA
Senior Member
 
WahooUSMA's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Rancho Cucamonga
Posts: 753
Quote:
Originally Posted by Iceman View Post
It may have jumped to simulator, that unit will, when not getting a reading for 30 seconds or so. You need to go through the menu and reset it manually.
Thanks Andy. I set it back to the factory spec's on Friday and went out fishing yesterday. It seemed to be ok. A couple times the depth finder went a little haywire with incorrect depth readings when I passed the 200 ft depth. And only once did the unit powered off. But at least the screen did not clear! Thanks again. Roger
WahooUSMA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-27-2009, 08:51 AM   #6
premo
Senior Member
 
premo's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: costa mesa
Posts: 124
Roger, you don't need fishfinder if you are fish magnet
premo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-25-2009, 06:42 PM   #7
sundog
Junior
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 12
Quote:
Originally Posted by WahooUSMA View Post
Need some assistance: I have the Lowrance M68C Fish Finder/ GPS unit. Today, when fishing at 184 ft depth, the FF unit suddenly started flashing, the screen went clear, and the depth went from 184 ft to 5 ft. After that, nada, except when heading back into the harbor my depth gauge registered 225 ft when in fact we were in only 25ft of water.

I don’t know if it’s the transducer or the head unit has gone belly up? Anyone else out there ever experience anything similar? The unit is only 3 months old.
I have an eagle 320c. I works great most of the time. However, once the female side of the pins rotted out and once my transducer came unglued from the bottom of the boat. The service wasn't real good either. I now use die-electric grease from the auto parts store on all my electronics as well as contact cleaner spray. Sometimes, a little sandpaper on the fuse will do the trick. sundog
sundog is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 12:16 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
© 2002 Big Water's Edge. All rights reserved.