Topic: Cloudy Picture on DI & SI on 898

[cmblizz96]

I recently installed a 898 Transom Mount on the transducer first couple times out it had a sharp & clear picture one time out on a lake the other time in the Missouri River. The last time I went out I had a lot of cloudiness on the DI and SI even at a still position and motor off. I have been reading that this could be caused by wave action or turbulance but nothing in that regard has changed. The only thing I could think of was the last time I was out I filled up my gas tank in the front of the boat, about 13 gallons of gas and I didn't have a big bait tank toward the back of the boat which I did before. I also have a side console so I usually put the bait tank on the left side of the boat to balance out things.
Could the front to back change in weight possibly be enough to change the angle or how deep the transducer is and could that maybe be the problem? I went out last night on the Missouri River with less gas in the tank and the picture did clear up when I was still or going really slow but anything over 3-5mph and it clouded up again.
I was thinking about lowering the transducer but lots of trees float under the boat in the missouri so it kind of scares me doing that. Any ideas?

[sonar2000]

If you can post a couple of pictures of your install of the transducer. Assuming you have the 180 t...
These things are quite sensitive to placement boat by boat..

Chuck

[cmblizz96]

Here is a couple pics

[cmblizz96]

nother pic

[cmblizz96]

Screen shot

[ITGEEK]

I can't be certain, but it looks to me that
the back of your transducer is tilted too far down.

Raise up the back a little.

Also, it looks like you could have some type of
electrical interference.

Did you have anything running when you took that
picture (vhf radio, another sonar, bait aerator pump, trolling motor, main motor)?

[cmblizz96]

Thanks, I had my running lights on and was running the main motor and am wired to my switch board, I am planning on wiring directly to a seperate battery. You mentioned you thought the back might be angled too far down should I angle down or push down the front a little to accomplish this?

[ITGEEK]

I would lift the back of it to raise the back a little.
When you are on the water in your boat, and it is fully loaded,
the transducer should be more or less level with the water.

[Humminbird_Greg]

I think you are right ITG.  That looks like a repeating pattern that you just don’t get with waterborne air bubbles (surface clutter, waves,…).

[cmblizz96]

I changed my wiring to have it wired direct to the battery and went out last night and there is still something going on,  here is a screen shot.

[cmblizz96]

Another screen shot that looks kind of cloudy might have more than one thing going on with this.

[Humminbird_Greg]

Do you have a Screen Snapshot of the Si sonar from the 898 unit itself that you could post?

Does it do this with everything else on the boat turned off?

[ITGEEK]

Are your sonar wires close to and/or touching
any other power wires (main motor, trolling motor, another sonar)?

If they absolutely have to touch, then route the sonar wires
at right angles to the other wires (like a cross).