Topic: Humminbird 859 DI Transducer Question

[brisner]

I have a buddy that has a 859 DI unit that wants to be able to see depth when running at high speed. He does not want to use the transducer that came with it, meaning he does not want to mount it at the water line afraid he'll knock it off. What transducer does he need for an in hull transducer. He called Humminbird and they told him none were available. This is hard for me to believe? If one is available what transducer and splitter cable will he need? I've tried to search this for him as well. I do know that the splitter cable AS SIDB Y is required.

[Humminbird_Greg]

Welcome to the Humminbird Side imaging Forums brisner.

Do you know if the person he spoke with at Humminbird stated that there were no such transducers in existence or that we just did not have any in stock?

Is your buddy using the standard XNT-9-DI-T transducer or is he using an optional transducer?  Depending on what frequencies and/or transducer beam widths he wants and where he wants them to come from (inside-the-hull or off the transom), there may not be a ready-made inside-the-hull transducer option.

This can be answered several different ways as there are optional transducers for the larger 859ci HD DI model units that the smaller DI model units cannot use.

Let’s start with the easiest: an inside-the-hull version transducer that is made for the DI model units: XIH-9-DI-T.  This transducer has 200/455kHz 25/16 degree 2D sonar capabilities along with 455/800kHz 75/45 degree DI sonar capabilities with a built-in temperature sensor.  This is the same transducer that was originally shipped with his 859ci HD DI unit except that is has an epoxy kit with it in place of the transom mounting hardware.  Unfortunately that means that the temperature from this transducer will be of the boat’s hull and not the actual water temperature.  This transducer can be used along with the AS-Si-DB-Y cable connected to his original transom mounted DI transducer or he could just epoxy the transducer he has now inside-the-hull and have both 2D and DI sonar from it.

He could opt to use a more standard XP-9-20 200/83kHz, 20/60 degree 2D sonar transducer.  This is the same transducer that many use for an inside-the-hull application and it uses a different 2D sonar frequency set.  He would still use the AS-Si-DB-Y cable with this but would have to set the Connected Transducer menu to the “DI 200/83” setting so that the unit will use the correct 2D frequency set.

Another option is to mount the trolling motor version XTM-9-WIDE-20-T transducer as an inside-the-hull transducer.  This transducer has the same 200/83kHz, 20/60 degree 2D sonar as the XP-9-20 transducer above but also has the same 455/800kHz 75/45 degree DI sonar capabilities that the XNT-DI-T transducer has.  Since this transducer is made for a trolling motor mounting, the water temperature would be reading the boat’s hull temperature, he would need to buy some epoxy to use for the installation and the cable for this transducer is only 15-feet long (the other transducers have a 20-foot cable); so it may or may not reach without also buying a transducer extension cable.  He would not need the AS-Si-DB-Y cable with this and could take his other transducer off the boat.   If he just wants the DI sonar to come from a transom mounted transducer it would be cheaper for him to use one of the other two options I already listed.

[brisner]

Thanks Greg I'll past this along to him. Not sure of your first question about his conversation with Humminbird.

Bob...

[Humminbird_Greg]

Was just wanting to know what the person at Humminbird actually told him.  If they were wrong I can get with the training person so that they can pass along the correct information.  So I just needed to know whether they said "there is no such thing" or "we don't have any right now".  No big deal if he doesn't remember.