Humminbird Side Imaging Forums
Side Imaging Forums => 997c SI, 998c SI & 999ci HD SI => Topic started by: Mills on June 14, 2010, 03:34:35 PM
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I just added a second transducer (using the manual switch cable) to my 997 to shoot thru hull for running at high speed. The swithc cable caused the SI to go bad. I have to send the unit to the their service department to have it repaired. She said it burns something up inside the unit...not the SI transducer. So now I have no graph for several days.......bummer. Use the new Y cable for this application.
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I'm using a HB switch and have not had any problems..... Did an HB rep indicate not to use a switch?
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If you connect the switch to the unit without having a transducer hooked up and power it on, it can definitely burn your unit up!
You should also never hook a transducer extension cable to your unit and power on without having a transdcuer hooked up.
Robert
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this should be an issue that needs attention. You can power on the unit with out the transducer and it is ok but to power on the unit with only the extention cable (10 feet) and have it "burn' the unit is not an acceptable piece of craftmanship.
We run our 1197 totally portable in SAR and have the extention cable to keep the transducer seperate from the package while in transport. The inability to easily remove the permanent cable with transduce is why we have the extention cable.
We are exploring another avenue to have our own connector in line with the original transducer and detachable with in 6 inches of the back of the unit. when this is done we hope the 6 inch cable will not burn the unit as the 10 foot extention does.
I know that the economy is not very good today and that it does cost for R&D but to spend $3000 for a unit and have it blow for a simple thing like the extention cable is not right. Connectors being what they are it would seem to me that the 1197 should have a in house connector to attach the transducer without having to disassemble the entire cable holder.
Of course this is just my USD 2 cents worth.
Chuck
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Yes the rep from the Humminbird service dep told me that they have had this issue before. She said the manual switches can burn something in your unit. Mine still works but the 800 khz setting on SI just gives me a dark screen no matter how I set it. She said send it in and they will fix it and send a Y cable to use in place of the switch. She said the problem was related to the manual switches. She did not say if it was caused by hooking the switch up and powering on the unit without the transducer connected, however that is what i may have done...can't rembember.
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My marine rep indicated that I should use the manual switch instead of the y cable. He indicated that they used the y cable for Mark Davis', bass pro angler, installation and he had significant interference between the 2d transducer and the SI transducer. They changed to the switch and Davis had no more problems.
I always had my transducers connected when I powered up my units. So far, no problems. I will check my 800 hz si the next time out.
Thanks for the info
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What happens if the transducer cable is torn off the transducer, or breaks close the transducer? This would be like operating the unit with an extension...
Rickard
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Now that is a good question. If Greg gets on line maybe he can research and answer. If not I will try to call HB today and ask.
Chuck
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I have been watching this thread for 2 days and thought I would add my two cents. The transducer switch has been used for years by Humminbird (and most other manufacturers on their product) and I have never seen it to be an issue, before.
As most of you know, when 987 owners had problems reading bottom at high speeds with the SI transducer, the solution was to run a splitter switch box with a dual beam (read more hydrodynamic shaped) transducer on one side of the splitter for high speed running using only the downward reading channel (which gives you your digital depth and your 2D view) and then switch over to the regular SI transducer for slow speeds. It solved the high speed erractic depth problem and worked just fine. I ran one on my boat for two years with no issues what so ever. The only negative was that this setup left the two SI transmitter channels with an open circuit on the output with no transducer or load attached when running at high speeds.
I have seen a few failures on the 997 transmitter transformers that I am fairly sure are all directly related to using the switch box (the last 3 for sure, as I asked). I haven't seen a singe transmitter failure on a 987 or a 1197. That's not to say that there is anything wrong with the 997 transmitter as I believe all the failures I have seen are attributed to the use of the switch box.
I was always taught that you don't run any kind of an amplifier without a load on it. You wouldn't crank your stereo wide open with out the speakers attached and I don't believe it is a good idea to do it with your sonar. The worse part of it all is the SI transmitters are open when your outboard motor is running the fastest and the charging voltage is higher hence a higher supply voltage to the 997 and a higher boost voltage to the transmitter. I believe the transformers are arcing internally, much the same as a failure on a car ignition coil's secondary (high voltage ) circuit.
It really is a no brainer, the Y cable is a lot cheaper then the switch box and now that I am using the Y cable I am not fumbling around looking for the splitter box switch once I come up on plane because I forgot to switch it over for high speed running. I haven't heard of the Y cable causing interference on trolling motors, as RzorBackAngler mentioned, although it could of been one that failed. I had one come across my bench that was arcing internally so badly that I could hear it on my PC's speakers every time I wiggled the cable just below the connector.
I'm not even sure if the Switch Box was a Humminbird solution as I never heard or saw any directives from them to go this route to solve the high speed issue. I heard about it on the forums, as I was checking to see if anyone else was having trouble getting the SI transducer to work at speed with out having the transducer well down below the bottom of the hull which created that great rooster tail we all have known to love. It used a standard available switch that was around since the Wide Side days and I am sure that some rigger came up with the idea and as it worked so well with the 987, everyone use the setup.
Hope this helps and explains a bit
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Sonar, based on what you are saying, I should change out my switch and go to the y connector? Am I correct?
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Personally, I would, if I owned a 997 (I do and I did). If it was a 987 I wouldn't be too concerned as I have never seen a failure on this model.
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Sonartech, I own a 898 unit. Do you have a concern about this unit?
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I haven't had a 898 with a transmitter problem. Actually the Humminbird transmitters are really bullet proof and I rarely see a failure in that portion of their units. The above mentioned 997s were the only ones, so when I saw more then a few coincidental failures, I started asking questions and that's when I found out about the switch box relationship.
Personally I wouldn't use the switch box on any SI unit if I was just adding the 2nd transducer option due to the lower cost and the convenience of not having to switch back and forth between the 2 transducers
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I already have the switch installed so I guess I will continue to use it. I will talk to my marine dealer to see if he wants to make a change. I know that he is concerned about interference between the two transducers. They are mounted very close together - SI on the jackplate & 2d on the transom. Apparently he has experienced interference on other installations.
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Hm,
I installed a switch this spring to switch between the transom mounted transducer and the tow fish. I hope I will not run into problems with my 981 with this set up.
Regards / Harry
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I hope so too!
But the load on the amplifiers is critical!
hendrik