Fish Finder going crazy

[warrior]

Any suggestions on what could be wrong with my FF because it will work by showing depth, structure etc as it should and then bounce to show 6'. Sometimes it's good for awhile and other times it bounces back and forth consistently. The unit is a Hummingbird GPS unit; all the GPS functions work fine and it only seems to be the sonar function. I've checked and reset settings; I guess before I jump and buy another one, I was wondering if anyone had the issue and fixed it.

Thanks

[blitzburgh]

Make sure the transducer is free from any obstructions. Depending on your mount, you may have to reinstall it.

[CheapPelican]

Sounds like your having a similar problem to the one I'm having with my 570di. the depth finder seems to get stuck between 16'-18' depths while the chart is updated uninterrupted. It flashes as if it has trouble locating bottom. It only flashes between these depths and will do it from 10 - 20 minutes at a time.

The warranty is up on mine so its going in for repair.
http://www.humminbird.com/Faq.aspx?TaxonomyId=95A1764

[Badtaste2k]

I have a HB 587ci. Mine had some similar issues. Always with the Sonar. So far it has always been due to the connection of the transducer to the unit. I was getting weird Temp readings, cleaned the connections, fixed the issue. Then I was getting weird depth issues. Cleaned to connections, fixed the issue. Then I was getting inconsistent readings as well as a lot of noise and depth fluctuations. That time it was due to the plug slipping down a little on the mount so the connection was there, but weak. I had to just reset the plugs on the mount.

Check and clean your transducer connector on the wire. clean the male pin transducer connectors on the unit. Check the wire plug on the mount and make sure it is tight and as far up on the mount as it can go.

Don't kmow if that will help, but it worked for me!

Good Luck

Dan

[GregAndrew]

How do you have your transducer mounted? A bad connection will make it easier to lose the bottom.

[gupppy]

i've been having trouble with my cheapo humminbird matrix 12 or something like that. it came with my kayak, mounted in the hull with a transducer hull mount (foam surround, gooped in ducer). finally got fed up with it this past weekend. i ripped it out of the hull. when i looked, there were about a million tiny little bubbles in the goop stuck to the ducer. probably not enough to do anything negative to obstruct the signal. however, there was one big bubble that had water in it. when the water leeches out/dries out, it's a huge gap/bubble of air. not good. i'm sure that's what's affecting the signal. right now, i have my ducer mounted outside of the yak but have yet to test it. we'll see how it goes.

[PapaDave]

I've had that occur on my Lowrance. I discovered that the connector on the back has some corrosion and cleaned it up. That seemed to correct the issue. The other possibility is the marine goop around the transducer has pulled away from the hull and there is a gap there. During hot weather this can happen.

[mtnbykr2]

I had this long drawn out dissertation about this, I have been here and done that, specifically with the HB, I must have hit the wrong key and it disappeared, but it boils down to what everybody has said....connections connections connections

[Baja_Traveler]

Originally Posted by mtnbykr2

....connections connections connections

And a tube of dielectric grease to help stop it from happening again!

[gupppy]

in my case, my connections were also clean. i've always used dielectric grease, and when my ff was not working correctly, i'd play with the connection; which would NOT fix my issue. hopefully the goop gap was the issue and is fixed now. pretty excited to use my ff.

[CheapPelican]

Sorry to to thread jack you but, if the chart is uninterrupted and I can still follow my jig without a break in its trail, could it still be a bad connection? The plugs have no corrosion but I've never checked if they are seated properly.

I also wanted to send mine in for service because when I power it off, I can't turn it back on unless I remove the head from its mount then plug it back in, or disconnect then reconnect the battery.

[mtnbykr2]

HB unit? I believe it still is a connection problem, however, try resetting the unit
which is in the menu, then settings then restore factory settings, I had a buddy
with a 368c I think, he sent it in and they reset it and it has been fine ever since...

[RockyRaab]

Humminbird's plastic thru-hull xducer fixes or prevents a myriad of those issues, guys. It lacks the temp reading, unfortunately, but that's the only drawback.

I know what you're about to ask: No it does NOT leak, even a drop.

[gupppy]

Originally Posted by CheapPelican

Sorry to to thread jack you but, if the chart is uninterrupted and I can still follow my jig without a break in its trail, could it still be a bad connection? The plugs have no corrosion but I've never checked if they are seated properly.

I also wanted to send mine in for service because when I power it off, I can't turn it back on unless I remove the head from its mount then plug it back in, or disconnect then reconnect the battery.

the power on/off issue is a connection problem. i've had that problem before, but not anymore. if it doesn't power on after i've plugged it in, then i flip the head over and plug it in. that normally fixes the problem.

[warrior]

I did notice the connections were crusty, so I'll take care of that. bought the yak pre owned so, I don't know how it's mounted; I'll check that as well.

Thanks for all the responses

[jorluivil]

I have similar issues with mine from time to time, it usually happens when I'm near other yaks or boats with stronger transducers. I've seen everything from false bottom readings to the entire display showing what would normally look like schools of squid. If Matt and Roby would stop following me around I would stop having this issue.

[warrior]

Tried everything suggested and still no resolve to my erratic readings. nice little FF, so now I'm thinking about the cost of repair or replace. Has anyone sent a HH in, and was it worth it?

If all the Hummingbirds use the same hook up (383c), I'll try and see if I come across somebody on the water that wouldn't mind hooking my up to determine if it's the unit or the transducer.

Thanks for all the suggestions

[Badtaste2k]

Originally Posted by warrior

Tried everything suggested and still no resolve to my erratic readings. nice little FF, so now I'm thinking about the cost of repair or replace. Has anyone sent a HH in, and was it worth it?

If all the Hummingbirds use the same hook up (383c), I'll try and see if I come across somebody on the water that wouldn't mind hooking my up to determine if it's the unit or the transducer.

Thanks for all the suggestions

I sent my 587ci back to Humminbird when i couldn't get accurate readings from it. They cleaned it up and sent me an additional power cable back since I mentioned Kayak Use and they said i would probably need it! Quick service, there and back in a bout 10 days. Still works, but there are still connection problems that arise.

Good Luck

Dan