Author Topic: Cloudy Left Side  (Read 18942 times)

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Offline Bassgrabber

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Cloudy Left Side
« on: January 30, 2013, 01:14:25 PM »
I have had 898 SI for about a year now. Close to the end of the season last year I noticed the left side of my SI screen is cloudy. Doesn't matter what lake im at same thing happens. When I installed it things were nice and clear. I have tried about everything so far. I haven't moved the transducer, it isn't dirty, I don't have the ability to plug it into to another boat. The only thing I can think of is when i wired it I am using power from the power switch on the dash it isn't going straight to the battery. Seems like the trouble started after I installed a fresh battery in the boat. I dont have any pictures to show the cloudy part but it seems very close to the transducer. Called HB support and my options are either tear the entire transducer out and and send the whole thing in or find another boat or unit to plug it into. Since im not going to burden someone else with plugging my screwed up unit into their boat and tearing the transducer out of mine is a nightmare guess its on me to fix. Any other ideas ?

Regards
Mark


Offline ITGEEK

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2013, 01:40:53 PM »
I think if it was a power issue, that it would affect
both sides.

Have you inspected your transducer for cracks/damage?
Is it possible that you struck something, and it bent
the transducer some?
When you are on the water in the boat, is the transducer
more or less level with the water?
Have you unplugged the transducer and checked the connections
at the cable and unit for bent/broken/corroded areas?
Have you checked the transducer cable for kinks/cuts?

Are you running the latest software?, or did this happen after
a software update?  If so, you may want to go back to an earlier
software version.

If none of the above, it may be that your transducer
has just gone bad.  It does happen.

Offline Bassgrabber

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2013, 02:20:21 PM »
Transducer looks fine no nicks or bumps. Havent really chased the wiring down or the pins to see how those look. It is possible this happend after one the software updates I just cant recall. I am sure that the HB was fine after a fresh install and the problem started sometime after the last update. I think i saw a new update was out for my unit recently so i may try it

Offline sonar2000

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2013, 02:28:40 PM »
Check around the forum a bit and see if you really want to install a new version.
There are some issues with new updates right now...
Also there are posts in the past of these HDSI transducers having internal element issues. You might search on that also..
One key piece here is to try and take a snapshot of the display on your unit (this is a function of the unit)and then post it to the thread. It will place the picture on a sd card in jpg format and you can then post here..
Pictures really help us see exactly what you are seeing..

Chuck
« Last Edit: January 30, 2013, 02:43:32 PM by sonar2000 »

Offline Bassgrabber

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2013, 02:31:29 PM »
Makes sense I have done quite a bit of forum searching and it seems like a smattering of issues for sure. I may just go back one update and try that.

Offline Humminbird_Greg

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2013, 11:02:25 AM »
I wouldn’t change the software at all. 

Does this happen when the boat is drifting (motor off) with the motor trailered all the way up (assuming you have an outboard motor here that has power tilt/trim)?
Can you get us a Screen Snapshot of what the screen looks like when you do this?  Set the Si Range to 20 feet if the cloudy area is showing close to the centerline.

Have you added/changed anything at the back of the boat that could now be hanging to the left side of the HDSi transducer?

Like ITG stated: “it may be that your transducer has just gone bad.  It does happen.”

Greg Walters at Humminbird
gwalters@johnsonoutdoors.com

Offline Bassgrabber

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2013, 09:09:44 PM »
I found a recent snapshot I took that shows the problem pretty well.. This happens no matter what engine on or off. The only thing I have changed is I put a new 3 bank charger in my boat and the transducer cable could be very near it I suppose. I went back and looked at some old snapshots and turns this problem has been there prob. since I installed it I guess I was so new to SI I just didn't catch it. wonder if my transducer isn't angled right.

Offline Bassgrabber

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2013, 09:12:28 PM »
This is from April of 2012 the last pic was from August

Offline ITGEEK

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #8 on: February 01, 2013, 07:30:58 AM »
Bassgrabber:
I don't now if it's just me, but in your photos, I really
can't see too much difference between your left and
right side

Offline Humminbird_Greg

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #9 on: February 01, 2013, 08:47:57 AM »
ITG,
Look just to the left of the centerline and you will see that there is a cloudy area on the left – but not on the right side.

Bassgrabber,
I screen snapshot with the Si Range set to 20 feet may be able to tell us whether this is an installation or transducer problem but so could a picture of the transom of your boat.  We would need to see several pictures showing the transducer and what is to the left of the transducer.  Taking them at the same height as the transducer may or may not show what could be causing this apparent left Si sonar blockage (but I am not ruling out a bad transducer either).
Greg Walters at Humminbird
gwalters@johnsonoutdoors.com

Offline ITGEEK

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #10 on: February 01, 2013, 10:01:11 AM »
My bad.
Ok. I see it now.

I wouldn't call it a cloudy area.
I'd call it an anomaly or band.
It does seem symetrical on the screen
from top to bottom.

Bassgrabber:
Just for kicks, unplug the transducer and look at the
connections on the cable and unit.
Then reset unit to factory defaults, then set unit to
your custom settings and have another look.

Offline Bassgrabber

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #11 on: February 01, 2013, 10:59:55 AM »
Yea my bad folks I wouldn't call that cloudy either.  It was 4 deg. here this morning so working outside isn't much fun. I'm starting to think maybe its the way I have the transducer placed. Also as ITGEEK pointed out, it may have a bad connection on a pin. I will take a few pics later of the transducer install and attach them. Im thinking about ordering one of the transducer shields and mounting it on the jack plate might get a cleaner picture that way. As it is now I have it on the transom and have a clear shot on the left, cant see anything that blocks it. Thanks for all of the input so far on this its def. helping me sort out the issue.

Regards
« Last Edit: February 01, 2013, 11:04:36 AM by Bassgrabber »

Offline Humminbird_Greg

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #12 on: February 01, 2013, 11:06:09 AM »
With the Si Range set to a smaller distance we may see that that cloudy area turns into well-defined vertical lines more like this:

Greg Walters at Humminbird
gwalters@johnsonoutdoors.com

Offline Bassgrabber

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #13 on: February 01, 2013, 11:21:55 AM »
That makes sense I guess I will have to wait until I cant get back on the water to get some new snapshots. Or perhaps I can run a few of my recordings through the Hummviewer and change the settings to 20 ft.
« Last Edit: February 01, 2013, 11:39:07 AM by Bassgrabber »

Offline Bassgrabber

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #14 on: February 01, 2013, 07:27:39 PM »
I Used hummviewer to look at a few recordings interesting lines when I shrank it to 16 and 33 ft. what can we tell from this ?

Offline Bassgrabber

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #15 on: February 01, 2013, 07:32:17 PM »
Xducer install

Offline Bassgrabber

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #16 on: February 02, 2013, 05:10:42 PM »
Had a warm day so I got to tinkering with my xducer found something quite interesting.  The xducer was very loose in the mount and nowhere near level. It was pitched nose up alot and loose in the mount. Im sure just small waves could have moved it around and not to mention running up and down the lake. I leveled it and tightened it up. Will hopefully get it to the lake and see what that did for it. 

Offline Bassgrabber

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #17 on: February 03, 2013, 06:36:50 PM »
I adjusted the xducer and went out today same deal im afraid. Im out of ideas I guess its either return it or bite the bullet and buy a new xducer. Anyone have any idea what the screen looks like when they go bad ??

Mark

Offline Bob B

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #18 on: February 03, 2013, 09:19:04 PM »
Do you know anyone who has a HB on their boat.  You could try your head unit on their boat to determine if it is the unit or the transducer causing the problem......I would guess most likely the transducer.
**Looking for the one that makes it all worthwhile**

Offline Bassgrabber

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #19 on: February 03, 2013, 09:25:11 PM »
No I really don't know anyone with a HB my warranty expires on the 18th.. It is a BIG pain to tear out the transducer on my boat. Guess I will just have to get a new one and test it without fully installing it. If that works I suppose I will take the bad one out and send it to HB..

Offline Bassgrabber

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #20 on: February 03, 2013, 10:04:10 PM »
A couple pics from today..

Offline Bassgrabber

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #21 on: February 03, 2013, 10:17:00 PM »
Even the DI is affected by it

Offline newkid4si

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #22 on: February 03, 2013, 11:41:10 PM »
Bassgrabber
   My suggestion is to call HB Monday before your warranty expires and tell them what you are experiencing.
   They MAY send you a transducer and ask you to return the one you have now. It's free to try.

          Mike

Offline ITGEEK

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #23 on: February 04, 2013, 08:01:10 AM »
That's a very good suggestion Mike.
I know in the past, Humminbird has sent users
transducers to try.
At least the call to Humminbird would document
that this problem happened while the unit was
still under warranty.

Bassgrabber, if you talk to Humminbird, ask if
they could give you a shipping label to send
the old transducer back.
It could save you some money on shipping.

Offline Bassgrabber

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #24 on: February 04, 2013, 10:23:09 AM »
Great idea guys I will call them this morning I'm pretty convinced its the transducer. I really think it could have been bad for a long time I just wasn't sure what I was looking at. I'm trying to get a trip together for Lake Fork TX in a few weeks so I really need this sorted out..

Offline Humminbird_Greg

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #25 on: February 04, 2013, 12:01:06 PM »
It looks like it could be the transducer as well.  I know that menu settings will affect how the Si sonar shows but the Screen Snapshot at 19 feet of Si Range should have shown more defined vertical lines if it was just a partial blockage of the left Si sonar.

Go ahead and call them and inquire about getting a transducer to try.  Let them know you are pressed for time here with the upcoming fishing trip.  As ITG stated: ask for a pre-paid return shipping label as well.  If you have not called by now you may end up on hold for a bit as Mondays are the busiest day of the week for the CRC folks.

In the mean-time I would try lowering the transducer down and see if it makes any difference at all or you could even try taking the transducer out of the bracket and ‘aim’ the left side behind the boat to see if it clears up (which would means something is blocking the Si sonar) or if it remains cloudy (which means it is the transducer).
Greg Walters at Humminbird
gwalters@johnsonoutdoors.com

Offline Bassgrabber

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #26 on: February 04, 2013, 02:05:38 PM »
I called humminbird this morning (yep you were right Greg holding time ) Anyway I explained the situation and they are shipping me a new Transducer. I also decided to order one the transducer sheilds to mount the new one on my jack plate.  I want to thank everyone for their valuable input it was very helpful. Will report back on the result and hopefully have some nice fish pictures as well. 

Offline newkid4si

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #27 on: February 04, 2013, 05:06:22 PM »
Bassgrabber
    I'm glad this worked out for you. I had a transducer go bad very slowly.
    In the beginning the display was very sharp. Over a period of a couple months it deteriorated
    to the point that it was like looking through a fog to see the bottom. I called HB to explain what was happening.
    CS offered to send a new transducer if I would return the old one so they could examine it.
    Installing the replacement cured the problem. Thank you HB.
    I did call CS to inform them that was the problem.

           Mike 
     

Offline Bassgrabber

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #28 on: February 04, 2013, 05:11:08 PM »
That sounds like what happened to mine it has just got progressively worse now its terrible looking. Im sure this will fix it up and I will be back in business.. Thanks again to all who helped, this forum is a great resource.

Offline wickgofish

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #29 on: March 22, 2013, 09:16:17 PM »
Did this fix your problem I have the same issue from day one. Mine is on the jack plate with a shield saver.

Offline Bassgrabber

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Re: Cloudy Left Side
« Reply #30 on: March 25, 2013, 11:06:36 PM »
Well it did improve things for sure I am confident that the xducer. was bad. I still have a slight line on the left side however its not nearly as pronounced. I read somewhere on the forum that HB had suggested another user install a hole shot plate on his boat. I think its because the xducer was shooting up the left side of the jack plate. I seem to recall it was mounted the same way as mine.

Hope this helps.


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