Fish Finder Issue - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

DPevin · 09-21-2017, 10:18 AM

Got my Garmin Striker 4 awhile ago and a used battery/charger (knowing full well I would need to get a new battery soon enough). Rigged everything up and first time out it worked great. Battery only has like 7 amps to it only ran for 6 hrs or so, but worked and I was happy.

Fast forward a couple months and it is all the sudden not working. Charged it for a whole afternoon and overnight. Plug it in and its not working. It will start up and flash the Garmin screen then power off. This is with the transducer cable plugged in. With it unplugged it powers up.

Is the batter just not holding enough of a charge? And when the transducer kicks in it draws to much and powers the unit off?

Just seeing if anyone has had a similar experience or not. I pretty confident the fix is to get a new battery/charger. It was just strange it worked perfectly fine then not.

Dirty Curti · 09-21-2017, 11:23 AM

Sounds like my battery experience. Bought a new battery and all is good.

goldenglory18 · 09-21-2017, 11:44 AM

Might as well get a new battery, fully charge it, and try again.

If the same issue still happens, you might have an issue with the Transducer cable that is causing a short. Unit works without it, doesn't with it, leads me to think its something with that side of the system (corroded connector, pinched cable, etc.)

TJones · 09-21-2017, 01:23 PM

Look for harbor freight coupon. Free volt ohm meter with any purchase. Really is nice for double checking that the battery took a charge so you don't have any surprises at launch site. Can also be used to check continuity which is helpful at diagnosing connection problems. Meter is relatively inexpensive and worth purchasing as to eliminate guess work.

DPevin · 09-21-2017, 02:33 PM

Thanks all. Glad to hear it sounds similar to an issue someone else had.

New battery in my future.

I did think about the cable being an issue. But I literally only used it 1 time. And the cable looks perfect, as well as the connector. When I say it works without it, I mean it just starts up to the main menu. Usually with the transducer in it starts up to the sonar screen.

That is what leads me to believe that with the cable plugged in it is drawing too much juice (for what the battery has left in it, which is probably nothing) and just turning off.

We will see I guess.

jruiz · 09-21-2017, 03:22 PM

If you only have the battery plugged in and it lasts for hours on the highest brightness setting then I doubt it's the battery.

09-21-2017, 10:18 AM	#1
DPevin Member Join Date: May 2016 Location: Dana Point Posts: 96	Fish Finder Issue Got my Garmin Striker 4 awhile ago and a used battery/charger (knowing full well I would need to get a new battery soon enough). Rigged everything up and first time out it worked great. Battery only has like 7 amps to it only ran for 6 hrs or so, but worked and I was happy. Fast forward a couple months and it is all the sudden not working. Charged it for a whole afternoon and overnight. Plug it in and its not working. It will start up and flash the Garmin screen then power off. This is with the transducer cable plugged in. With it unplugged it powers up. Is the batter just not holding enough of a charge? And when the transducer kicks in it draws to much and powers the unit off? Just seeing if anyone has had a similar experience or not. I pretty confident the fix is to get a new battery/charger. It was just strange it worked perfectly fine then not.

09-21-2017, 11:23 AM	#2
Dirty Curti Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Oceanside, CA Posts: 419	Sounds like my battery experience. Bought a new battery and all is good. __________________

09-21-2017, 01:23 PM	#4
TJones Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,526	Or Look for harbor freight coupon. Free volt ohm meter with any purchase. Really is nice for double checking that the battery took a charge so you don't have any surprises at launch site. Can also be used to check continuity which is helpful at diagnosing connection problems. Meter is relatively inexpensive and worth purchasing as to eliminate guess work.

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09-21-2017, 11:44 AM	#3
goldenglory18 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Seattle Area Posts: 861	Might as well get a new battery, fully charge it, and try again. If the same issue still happens, you might have an issue with the Transducer cable that is causing a short. Unit works without it, doesn't with it, leads me to think its something with that side of the system (corroded connector, pinched cable, etc.)

09-21-2017, 02:33 PM	#5
DPevin Member Join Date: May 2016 Location: Dana Point Posts: 96	Thanks all. Glad to hear it sounds similar to an issue someone else had. New battery in my future. I did think about the cable being an issue. But I literally only used it 1 time. And the cable looks perfect, as well as the connector. When I say it works without it, I mean it just starts up to the main menu. Usually with the transducer in it starts up to the sonar screen. That is what leads me to believe that with the cable plugged in it is drawing too much juice (for what the battery has left in it, which is probably nothing) and just turning off. We will see I guess.

09-21-2017, 03:22 PM	#6
jruiz Large Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: La Verne, CA Posts: 1,011	If you only have the battery plugged in and it lasts for hours on the highest brightness setting then I doubt it's the battery.