Topic: Humminbird powering off in heavy chop !!!!

[ukmailserver]

I have my 789c SI mounted in my 5.3 meter fiberglass boat on top of the dash.

I have followed the manufacturers installation instructions to the letter but when the boat is getting a hammering in heavy chop and the hull is getting smashed hard the unit keeps powering down. It appears to me that the mount for the unit has got dodgy connections. This is only about 3 months old and has not been used much. I have sprayed the connections with contact cleaner but it still keeps powering off.

Anyone with the same issue ??

/Barry

[Wayne P.]

Remove the metal collector that holds the cable plugs in the mount and bend the tabs up some. Then bend the plug pins slightly so they make better contact with the unit receptacle.
According to a Humminbird tech, the pin-to-socket fit is not snug so the unit can be removed/installed easily from the mount.

My opinion is that they over did the looseness of that fit.

[RGecy]

Barry,

Wayne is correct.  The pins on the power cable connector just need to be slightly bent outward. 

I had the same issue on my 997.  Any rough waves would cause the unit to lose power.  Bending the pins did the trick.

Lets us know if you get it resolved.

Robert

[ukmailserver]

Cheers guys

I have found the plugs were not tight and 'adjusted' the chrome cable clamps which took the slop out of the plugs. I have tweaked the the pins as suggested. I have banged the boat hull around the unit and all looks good as doing this before made the unit power down.

Just going to wait for some rough weather and give it a real test.

Again, thanks for all the replies.

/Barry

[ukmailserver]

I finally found the issue. The power cable does not fit correctly  in the socket and is very loose. I have a spare cable and it fits really snug. Looks like a badly made cable.

[ETnSC]

I had the same problem on my 1197c SI.  Slightly bent the pins and also cut a small square of plastic out of a sandwich spread lid and put it between the cable connector and the collector.  This keeps the cable from moving around in the collector.  Has not powered down since making the modifications.  I have never seen the cable collector on a 798 but I assume it is similar to the 1197.

Pretty sad to have to use a piece of scrap plastic to fix a $3000.00 piece of electronics design flaw.

[cphillips]

Found this forum while searching for this exact power cable problem. Having three humminbirds, I have felt from day one that these power cables were a bad design. I have had trouble with all three of these units loosing power under rough water or chop. These are on a 21ft Stratos that rides as smooth as any boat there is. Owning an auto repair and diagnostic business and having alot of experience with installing racing electronics and related items, I have seen alot of different designs for electronic devices. This has to be by far the worst of them all. Having a unit that cost as much as these do, a person shouldn't have to worry about design issues such as this. Had I known this might have swayed me to another brand of Sonar.

That being said, I am pleased so far with the performance otherwise. When it does stay on, it works well. I have not tried to contact Customer support as of yet since the unit has only been on my boat for a week or so. From what I hear they are good to deal with. I feel that it is gong to be one of those just bend the pin responses or maybe try a new power cable. The three cables I already own have the same problem, so why bother with another. I'll just bend the pins on my new two thousand dollar unit.

Awesome forum by the way. Lots of very helpful info to be had here! Thanks! Chris

[Wayne P.]

I have the same problem with a 798 and I sent an e-mail to Humminbird stating the ignorant design of the plup/receptable fit and their response was it is intentionally loose so it can be unplugged easily.

[Moose1am]

Is that so somone can steal if off your boat faster when you are at the rest stop going to the bathroom?  Being sarcastic here but I don't like that reply from Humminbird any more than I do hearing the gas station owners telling us they don't make but pennies on a gallon of gas they sell to us for over $4.00/gallon now.
Humminbird should be using military grade BNC type connections as they are easy to remove and twist lock on for better connections. YSI uses these type connections on their Dissolved Oxygen Meters that I used while in School at Purdue University back in the 1970s.  They don't cost that much more and for $3000 for a 1198 Humminbird unit they should be the standard for the power connectors.
I noticed that my 898 C SI unit was powering down by itself as I was going though the various views too quick.  Ie pressing the exit button or the view button in quick succession.  Perhaps my power cable connection is loose and it's just happing by chance as I'm pressing the view buttons in quick succession.
I'll check the pins. I have an 1986 Humminbird LCR 8000 unit that has the same type of problem with the pins not making good contact. And over the years I've had to clean some green stuff of the gold plated pins. I thought that gold was an inert metal Must not be real gold then if it's corroding with green stuff on the pin or the holes that the pins go into. I simply took a diamond studded drill bit from my dremel tool box and stuck it inside the holes where the pins go and twisted the drill bit device around by hand until the inside of the hole was cleaned.  Some electrical grease may keep it working longer.