Topic: Wow, Trolling Motor Interference

[Dixie Boy]

Not only do I have trolling motor interference on the front 788 unit, but I have it on the console 998 unit.  I have a 18' War Eagle Aluminum boat, with 80lb Minn Kota Fortrex trolling motor, & again the 998 at console & 788 at bow.  I have both trolling motor batts mounted up front under the deck, the onboard charger is in the back with the charging cables ran to the front in the port gunnel.  The units are connected by ethernet which runs down the starboard gunnel.  I have been researching why I have so much interference on the front unit when I use the trolling motor, but never noticed till this weekend that its interfering the console unit as well.  I can hit the trolling motor petal three times for 2 or 3 seconds per time, then go back to the console unit & there will be 3 lines on the SI, DI, or 2D screen.  Explain that to me!  Both units are running off their own battery with nothing else on it, both are using their own transducer, and I'm at a loss guys!  Can someone help me?  Is my Aluminum boat not grounded good or something?

[ITGEEK]

This is an extremely common problem in fishing sonars,
and arguably, the most common asked question, next to
'Where should I mount my Transducer?'.

I can hit the trolling motor petal three times for 2 or 3 seconds per time, then go back to the console unit & there will be 3 lines on the SI, DI, or 2D screen.  Explain that to me!

It takes time for the sonar to scroll out all of the old information.  If you would wait about 45 seconds or so before looking at your console unit (after using the trolling motor), you would not see any interference lines.

Search this site for trolling motor interference, and you will see many, many posts about it,
with many solutions.

[Humminbird_Greg]

There are different types of interference.  You may be getting interference from a poor ground on your aluminum boat or it may be from RF (Radio Frequency) interference being broadcast from your trolling motor.

Call the Humminbird Customer Resource folks at 1-800-633-1468 and try what they suggest.  Be forewarned here that you may have to try several different things to get this sorted out as there is no ‘one size fits all’ fix for this.

[wolfs4evr]

100% same for me though some differences on equipment.  I spent months attempting to get rid of it and gave up about a year ago.

798 Bow/898 Console - Ethernet
Terrova w/I-Pilot 24v/80lb
2012 Aluminum deep-v boat w/dual batteries up front.  Wiring extremely clean and properly done.

It is all about the CSI transducer IMO.  It is picking up all the noise from the Terrova and then sending it over the Ethernet to the console unit.  Humminbird advice/thoughts/solutions did ZERO for me other than waste my time on hold waiting for the next available rep...

I did do away with the problem but not how I would like.  (Not a clean install IMO.)  I had to run the TD wire going to the CSI transducer on the Terrova as far as possible away from the TM (if that makes sense).  ie; not near the shaft, TM power cables, etc.  My TD cable just drops off the bow of the boat down to the TD and dangles in the water.  I just allow enough cable to feed out that it won't get caught up in the TM plastic prop.

Disconnect the Ethernet and at least your console unit will not have interference.

I am fairly sure if I had the HDSI transducer on the TM I wouldn't be having these problems.  From what I have read and understand it has more shielding built into it thus more resitant to this kind of interference.  $270 bucks or so that I don't have laying around to potentially fix something that shouldn't be happening in the first place.  Sure would be nice to be able to trade in my interference monster of a CSI transducer for a HDSI one and be able to cleanly install everything...

[Humminbird_Greg]

wolfs4evr,
Which CSi transducer do you have: the transom mount or the trolling motor ‘puck’ version?  The trolling motor version has as much shielding in it as the HDSi transducer has.  Both feature copper covered housings which are internally grounded.  Just the shape and element content are different is all.  If you do not have the trolling motor version XTM-9-Si-180-T; try calling the Humminbird Customer Resource folks one more time and ask for one.

By the way, have you ever contacted Minn Kota to see if there is something that they can do about the trolling motor producing so much interference?

[wolfs4evr]

OEM 798 CSI TD mounted via a Transducer Shield and Saver mount.  So the transom version.  When I inquired about this before I was told there was no difference between them other than mount style and that I was better off in the long run to just use the transom version along with a high quality aftermarket mount.  Otherwise I would of asked for a swap if I had been told or known there was more to the CSI TM version than just the mount style.

Would it be possible to get it traded for the better shielded version now that this one is used?  If so who do I need to ask for when I call so I don't get a long run around?  Can the TM version of the CSI TD be mounted in my current TD Shield and Saver mount?  (I like this mount.   Solid and very protective.)

I only learned later on that I "could of" traded in a new "unused/never mounted" one for a upgrade to the better shielded HDSI one after I had mounted and used this one.  If I had known what I know now I would of done that and dealt with the ~100 dollar swap from my current CSI to a HDSI TD.  Or now, that I have just learned today, the better shielded CSI version.

I contacted MK also and got their ppt or word document on what to look for/TS purposes.  Didn't do anything for me.

It is all about the proximity of the CSI TD cable to the MK power areas.  Right now I can go to the garage and slip the TM out of the bracket a little and power it up and then the 798.  Zero interference the way I have the cable going.  But all I have to do is move the TD cable over and near my Terrova shaft or the power cable from the head unit to the mount and my 798 is a mess along with the 898 on the console.

[wolfs4evr]

Right now this is what I have to do with the CSI TD cable to avoid interference.




I would love to be able to run the cables like I did in this experiment that resulted in disastrous results.  I know routing the cable this way works for many but it 100% didn't work for me.  Now if I could go back to this with the better shielded CSI or HDSI w/o it costing me a fortune I would be all over it.

[Dixie Boy]

I'm gonna try to ground the lower unit of the TM to the boat and see if that works.

[Humminbird_Greg]

OEM 798 CSI TD mounted via a Transducer Shield and Saver mount.  So the transom version.  When I inquired about this before I was told there was no difference between them other than mount style and that I was better off in the long run to just use the transom version along with a high quality aftermarket mount.  Otherwise I would of asked for a swap if I had been told or known there was more to the CSI TM version than just the mount style.

Would it be possible to get it traded for the better shielded version now that this one is used?  If so who do I need to ask for when I call so I don't get a long run around?  Can the TM version of the CSI TD be mounted in my current TD Shield and Saver mount?  (I like this mount.   Solid and very protective.)

I only learned later on that I "could of" traded in a new "unused/never mounted" one for a upgrade to the better shielded HDSI one after I had mounted and used this one.  If I had known what I know now I would of done that and dealt with the ~100 dollar swap from my current CSI to a HDSI TD.  Or now, that I have just learned today, the better shielded CSI version.

I contacted MK also and got their ppt or word document on what to look for/TS purposes.  Didn't do anything for me.

It is all about the proximity of the CSI TD cable to the MK power areas.  Right now I can go to the garage and slip the TM out of the bracket a little and power it up and then the 798.  Zero interference the way I have the cable going.  But all I have to do is move the TD cable over and near my Terrova shaft or the power cable from the head unit to the mount and my 798 is a mess along with the 898 on the console.

Only the Customer Resource folks could answer those questions, so you would need to call them to find out for sure.  You could try asking for JenniferT (we have two Jennifers now…) and see what she can do for you as far as trying either the HDSi or trolling motor mount CSi transducer for the trolling motor interference.  Neither of these will fit the TS&S adapter mount that you have now.

[wolfs4evr]

You and Jennifer rock!  All the stuff I went through nearly a year ago trouble shooting interference was all solved by swapping from a transom mount TD on my TM to a trolling motor mount TD.  Who would of thought.  I now have the TD cable going up the TM shaft and through the power cable coils to the TM and zero interference.  So much cleaner of a install and a no hassle deploy/retract of the TM.  Also I am getting less cross talk with this TD.  Still some there in deeper water but not nearly as much as I was getting.

THANKS!!!