Topic: 360 installation / Attn Humminbird Greg

[Spd 135]

I received my 360 trolling motor unit and am installing it.  MY 898c si is set up to stand alone in a uk box.  The GPS antenna on the 898 is a AS GR50.  The one for my 360 is AS*GPS HS Precision GPS and compass.  My question is this:  Do I need both GPS Modules?  Can I replace the exisiting with the "Compass" model or do I have to hook both of them up?

[Bob B]

You only need the new one.

[Spd 135]

Thanks Bob!

[Humminbird_Greg]

Bob B is right, but I would be concerned that there may be something in that box that could throw off the magnetic compass.  i would check for this with a handheld compass first.

[Spd 135]

The 898 is the only thing in the box.  It seems to work as it should. 

Now......next question:  I have to assume that the 360 unit itself is waterproof.  I also have to think the "pipe" that extends up from the actual 360 unit is attached beyond the place that it is waterproofed as there is a grommet at the top where the wire go to the unit.  Is there any data showing this to be accurate and at what depth is the 360 waterproof?  I ask because I would like to be able to lower the unit as is done with a sector scanning sonar.  The one downside of a surface mounted 360 is the cone below the unit gets quite large as depths get greater and of course the further the sonar is from a target the less chance of showing an image.  For fishing this is not a problem.  I will be using my unit for salvage and location of drowning victims.  If the unit is not waterproofed I will have a canister built to seal it as we do in our cave diving lights.  If this works, either way, this will blow the game open for SAR operations putting a sector scanning sonar in reach of public safety people. 

In Laurel River Lake KY I have been searching for a man in 100'+ water and in 40 degree temps below 50'.  This man went missing in 2012 and was given up on due to knowledge, experience and resources with safety issues as the main concern.  I put a team together and using cadaver dogs (multiple) we believe we have narrowed a location.  A few weeks ago, after many dives throughout last year, a deep section was scanned using sector scanning sonar.  The result was a very promising target, in the area we were searching, but where we probably would not have located.  It measures 6' x 2'.  Side Scan was used early on, but due to a standing forest on the bottom, the result did not produce anything to work with.

Being able to adapt a 360 unit to be deployed at depth is tantamount to being able to find that needle in a haystack.  I hope this can be done as it will enhance the search and recovery efforts and bring missing loved ones home where they belong.  Mark Michaud

[Humminbird_Greg]

Spd 135,
Are you talking about a 360 Transom Mount or a 360 Trolling Motor mount unit?
Both pass the IPX7 waterproof rating test (1 meter for 30 minutes).  I don't know that we have tested it at any greater depth/pressure.

[Spd 135]

Greg, it's the trolling motor mounted unit.  I see where the grommet protects the wires, but I guess it is waterproofed at the head itself.  I will post some pics tomorrow.  I worked yesterday and again today. 

I have used the 898 to find missing persons / vehicles as well as other things and, though not the intended use, your products rock and open capabilities that were previously out of range financially.

I'm soon to retire and I will likely be teaching PSD operational changes and other search tools which include Humminbird products.  I have watched the same thing being done over and over, when recovery of drowning victims an missing / stolen vehicles can be located with a few operational changes.  The results are, more than not, send a bunch of people and then wait for the body to float.  Sidescan and 360 open up so many options to bring loved ones home sooner (and in better shape).  Thanks for your helpful input.  Mark Michaud diverecoveries at charter dot net

[Redbad]

Hello Mark,

I saw your message on the forum en maybe I can help you in the right direction.
Last december I had almost  the same question, since I also want to use the AS 360 TM as a sector scan. We use it in turbid water with a visibility of 10 to 40 cm, we are a group of amateur underwater archeologists and we recover mostly wooden vessels.
When a diver is in the water he is very easily disoriented by the poor visibility. I needed a steady AS 360 TM. My idea was to built a triangle bracket from stainless steel en put it on de bottom of the lake or sea. In doing that you eliminate the influence of wells or instable ship.

The question what I send to the  importer of Humminbird in the Netherlands was “Can Humminbird deliver a AS 360 TM with al longer cable for the 12v and sonar data, perhaps 25 or 30 meters”.

I received the follow answer by e-mail:

We would not be able to build anything differently than what is built today.
You would need to use Ethernet extension cables.
The longest we could recommend is a total of 75 meters with no signal lose.
Please make sure you are aware, this product has not been tested to be lowered into the water more than 15 meters.
Lowered deeper than 15 meters could incur pressure issues that have not been tested. You could see water ingress into the pod and other areas of the assembly.
Ethernet connections are not waterproof and if you have to extend the power cable to accommodate these types of depths, there will be voltage and current drops that we have not designed for. 

The e-mail contained good en bad news. The good news was that I have a official answer from Humminbird that the AS 360 TM is test till 15 meter (45ft) water depth, the bad news was that I must built a waterresist cable connector.

What I did was the following;
I bought few Humminbird Ethernet Extension cable AS ECX 760025-1 and connected them together to the length that you want (the maximum length is 75 meter (225ft) without signal lost). The connectors have I taped with an overlay of 3 times with self amalgamating tape (RS-online partnr: 494-455).
The 12v cable is also original, on the end that you normal connect to the fuse box have I welded a 25 meters (75ft) cable. On both wires I used scrim protection and also self amalgamating tape.

When my test gives good results in a few months, than I consider changing the connectors for a 10- or 12-pins waterresistant connector from  http://www.axsub.com/axsub/leurs_fichiers/sc-standard_circular_connectors_(6-8-10_pins)_en.pdf

Another suggestion is to connect the GPS-antenna to the top of the triangle bracket (when it is in shallow water), so the antenna is located 50 cm above the water. The only problem is the maximum length of the signal cable from the GPS antenna. This cable can have a maximum length of 16 meter (48ft), otherwise you’ll lose the GPS-signal. You can use the Humminbird AS EC 10 - 10' Accessory System cable 720050-1 for the length you need.

Good luck with your experiments en let me know how it’s going.
Kind regards
Bert

[Spd 135]

Thanks Bert!  I extended cables for a towfish and scotchkast each attachment point and that has worked well.  The link you posted gave a "404 not found" so I can't see what is in it.  But, you answered with what I am looking for.  How deep have you had the unit?  I assume then intent of Hbird is fishing so depth was not in their testing parameters.  But I bet it can go pretty deep.  100' is only about 60 psi pressure.  Mark

http://www.mesaproducts.com/Products/3M/3M-Resin-In-line-Splice-Kits?p=1

[Spd 135]

I have extended the ethernet cable to 60' plus the original 10'.  I bought cables from HB but realized after it is just cat 5 cable.  The cables were soldered and the skotchkast.  The power was extended 100' and also scotchkast using shrinkwrap to make a smaller connection.  I kept the male and female plug for the extension cord and attached alligator clamps to the cut end for power.  I bought a 5' tripod that is used for satellite tv.  It was $50.00 with shipping.  I took a tubing cutter and cut the ends of the tripod as it had been flattened for feet.  I bought 3, 6' lengths of pvc (2").  The tripod is 1 1/4" OD and the PVC is 1 1/2" ID.  I drilled and pinned each leg in 2 places, but could have just done the one to extend it.  It sits with the head at 5' with the tripod.  I extended it to 7' with the PVC.  Now I have a bare bones sector scanning sonar.  I'll wait for Bert to see how deep (past 45') he can go.  Around here I won't need to go that deep too often.  At 100' there is 60 psi on the head so I would imagine it can go a lot deeper than it was designed for.   You can go to the link below to see pictures since they are too big to post here (UGH!!!!!!) Mark

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1574472772823187.1073741835.1438568169746982&type=1