Author Topic: Transducer location help (rollers)  (Read 10904 times)

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Offline urn357

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Transducer location help (rollers)
« on: July 05, 2013, 03:35:09 PM »
Well, I have moved the transducer now 3 times and hopefully this is the last, but I appreciate any advice.  First, I mounted it on the step to as far right as possible from the motor and the transducer kept kicking back on me because it was too low and I couldn't raise it anymore because the step is very short.  2nd I mounted it on the transom (old location pic) to the right of the jack plate and I was getting a lot of turbulence or water bubbles it looked like on the right side of my unit.  It looked like schools of bait fish all the time in the water column.  Little specs everywhere that would never go away.

Now I have mounted it in the location that you see.  It's under the prop I know and barely to the right. I read on here from Greg that the 15 inch thing really don't matter when it is front of the prop so I'm hoping no turbulence. It's the only other location that would work, but I'm concerned about the rollers possibly hitting it?  As you can see it is above the rollers about an inch when sitting on the trailer.  And the transducer horizonal line is in line with the first strake coming off the bottom of the boat.  So , only the bottom half of the transducer is protruding beneath the boat.Do you think this will be ok? Any advice would be much appreciated.


Offline Humminbird_Greg

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Re: Transducer location help (rollers)
« Reply #1 on: July 06, 2013, 12:48:01 PM »
urn357,
You must have misread one of my posts.  The 15-inch rule DOES MATTER when the transducer is forwards of the propeller!

I would think that the best mounting option would be just to the right of the jackplate but low enough so that it does not block any of the Si sonar to the left.
Greg Walters at Humminbird
gwalters@johnsonoutdoors.com

Offline urn357

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Re: Transducer location help (rollers)
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2013, 02:00:52 PM »
Here is the thread I was reading where you said that and it looks like you suggested to mount it near where I have mine mounted now.  His prop is behind the transducer the same as mine.

http://forums.sideimagingsoft.com/index.php?topic=5522.msg34606#msg34606

"Forget about the 15 inch deal as that is the minimum recommended distance from the prop to the transducer but it was really meant for boats with inboard motors and propellers that are forwards of the transducer, which yours is not." 

That is where I got that from in that thread.  Now I'm really paranoid of what to do because the suggestion you made is the same place I had it before and was getting all the specs in the water column when I would be going only 1-3 mph.


Offline Humminbird_Greg

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Re: Transducer location help (rollers)
« Reply #3 on: July 09, 2013, 01:11:27 PM »
urn357,
Sorry but have been busy with training classes here again.  I sent the previous message from home (where I have ‘spotty’ internet when it is raining…) and should have taken the time to be more specific in my explanation.

The 15-inch rule was originally added to the transducer installation instructions for those boats that have an inboard motor where the propeller is typically forwards of the transducer.  The propeller can cause air to separate from the water and flow across the transducer which will not allow it to work.  Now if the transducer is mounted directly in front of the motor and/or propeller it can cause a problem in two ways: when underway and usually only at higher boats speeds, an air cavity can form behind the transducer which may not allow for proper water flow to the propeller causing it to slip or spinout.  This air cavity if it reaches the cooling water intakes of the engine can cause overheating issues as well.  Not all boats experience this and the only way to know for sure is to mount the transducer and test it.  If you look back at the post you referenced, his location “C” looks to be farther away from the propeller than your proposed location appears to be.  His is outside the rotation of the propeller while yours looks to be within the rotation area.

Greg Walters at Humminbird
gwalters@johnsonoutdoors.com

Offline urn357

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Re: Transducer location help (rollers)
« Reply #4 on: July 09, 2013, 02:38:20 PM »
Im going to the lake tom. To see how it does there. If im still getting the specs/dots even without the motor running Im going to send the transducer back. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks

Offline urn357

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Re: Transducer location help (rollers)
« Reply #5 on: July 13, 2013, 01:29:10 PM »
Well the good news is it seems to be working fine, but the bad news is when i'm idling down banks and the motor is running I'm getting all the waves of dots and disturbance in the water column still.   So, now I'm thinking my only hope is to move the transducer as far to the right as possible on the transom, below the jackplate.  If I still get the dots, turbulence there in the water column, then I don't know what to do. 

I had it below the jackplate before and was getting the same results, but I'm going to try to move it about 4 -6 inches to the right I guess? 

Offline Humminbird_Greg

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Re: Transducer location help (rollers)
« Reply #6 on: July 16, 2013, 10:46:44 AM »
You didn’t happen to grab any screen snapshots of this while you were out did you?
Greg Walters at Humminbird
gwalters@johnsonoutdoors.com

Offline urn357

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Re: Transducer location help (rollers)
« Reply #7 on: July 16, 2013, 10:55:41 AM »
I know...I should have. I definitely will next trip if it does it again. Which we hope don't.

Offline urn357

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Re: Transducer location help (rollers)
« Reply #8 on: July 20, 2013, 10:48:16 AM »
I'm still getting the water turbulence and now I'm getting the bad echo line it looks like from my jackplate.  I marked waypoints and thought it was taking snapshots so I could upload them to show you and found out that my snapshot feature was off!!!  I thought it was on by default.
Anyway, I found some examples online what mine looks exactly like.  If you notice the cloud looking area in the water column in these pics is what I'm getting on mine all the time when I idle and it bothers the heck out of me.  Also I get the parallel thick line that runs next to the middle that I've read from other threads is a echo coming off the jackplate even though it is about 2 inches below it.  I didn't get this line when I had it installed on the step.

edit:  I mean to say also.  Right now it is mounted on the transom about 2 inches below the jack plate and about a foot to foot and a half to the right.  So far it performed best in front of the prop on the step.  Still got the clouds of turbulence there, but at least I didn't have a real thick line running parallel to the left there.
« Last Edit: July 20, 2013, 10:58:46 AM by urn357 »

Offline Humminbird_Greg

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Re: Transducer location help (rollers)
« Reply #9 on: July 22, 2013, 02:26:34 PM »
Can we see a picture of the overall transom of your boat, from a low angle please.

The parallel lines are there is the boat is drifting or moving, correct?
The cloudy left side is only there when the boat is moving, correct?
Greg Walters at Humminbird
gwalters@johnsonoutdoors.com

Offline urn357

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Re: Transducer location help (rollers)
« Reply #10 on: July 22, 2013, 03:14:20 PM »
Clouds are there when boat is running only yes.
parallel lines are there always if installed on transom below jackplate.
there is only about 3-4 inches, as you can see, of left to right clearance below the jackplate on the transom.

Offline Humminbird_Greg

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Re: Transducer location help (rollers)
« Reply #11 on: July 22, 2013, 03:27:01 PM »
I’m stumped.  Let me see if I can get Doug Vahrenberg to look at this as he has a lot of experience with transducer installs on Skeeter boats.
Greg Walters at Humminbird
gwalters@johnsonoutdoors.com

Offline urn357

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Re: Transducer location help (rollers)
« Reply #12 on: July 22, 2013, 03:31:45 PM »
Pretty amazing to me you identified it as a Skeeter by seeing the small tag. Lol
I put it back on the step for now and thought I could try trimming the motor up while idling to see if that helps. Didnt think to try that
« Last Edit: July 22, 2013, 03:33:45 PM by urn357 »

Offline DougV

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Re: Transducer location help (rollers)
« Reply #13 on: July 22, 2013, 04:08:41 PM »
Which model is this Skeeter? On the ones I've done I would off Jackplate but this looks like older model then the ZX, iClass and FX models I've installed.

Offline urn357

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Re: Transducer location help (rollers)
« Reply #14 on: July 22, 2013, 05:49:32 PM »
88 starfire 175D

Offline urn357

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Re: Transducer location help (rollers)
« Reply #15 on: July 25, 2013, 09:25:55 AM »
Ok seems to be working as good as I pretty much can get with the transducer being installed back on the step and idling around with my motor trimmed up some.  A new problem I found or maybe it is normal is look at my downscan images when sitting still.  The grey feedback area on the right seems to always pop up and scroll to the left when sitting still.  Is this normal?


Offline Humminbird_Greg

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Re: Transducer location help (rollers)
« Reply #16 on: July 25, 2013, 11:40:17 AM »
This only happens when sitting still/drifting?
Turn the DI Enhance Sharpness menu to “Off” and see if it still happens.

Greg Walters at Humminbird
gwalters@johnsonoutdoors.com

Offline urn357

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Re: Transducer location help (rollers)
« Reply #17 on: July 25, 2013, 12:27:34 PM »
It seemed to be happening when sitting still yes.  The motor was not running either. I was trolling down a bank on the trolling motor and it seemed like it would only do it when I was sitting still and go away when I started trolling down the bank again.  I will make sure tomorrow because I'm fishing in a tourney and I will try the sharpness setting.  I will fill you in Sat.  Thanks

Offline urn357

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Re: Transducer location help (rollers)
« Reply #18 on: July 27, 2013, 11:11:41 AM »
It didn't do it anymore lastnight.  Only thing I changed was the frequency from 200 khz to 200/83.  Worked like a gem all night.  I just hope it don't start happening again bc it makes me think it's defective.


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