Topic: loosing bottom reading

[rwkyle]

I'm having trouble with my 898si loosing the bottom while idling around scanning the bottom. Speed varies from 3 to 5 mph. I have the high speed transducer in the bilge area and SI transducer mounted on my jack plate. It was recommended to unplug sonar transducer to see if it will work. It does not y screen seems to stop moving. Any help will be greatfully appreciated!

[Humminbird_Greg]

They must have meant to unplug the AS-Si-DB-Y cable and to plug the HDSi transducer directly into your 898c Si unit.

You should also try testing it with the XP-9-20 transducer plugged directly into your 898c Si unit as well.

This will tell you whether it is a bad AS-Si-DB-Y cable, a bad unit or a bad XP-0-20 transducer (or its mounting).

[rwkyle]

I will try ASAP! Thanks!

[rwkyle]

Fished all day Sunday with no issues of loosing bottom? One thing i noticed is that my bilge area stayed dry all day. The last time i had trouble i had water in my bilge. I had already pulled my boat out with several people waiting in line or i would have put it back inn. Is it possible that the type epoxy I used on my transducer inside the hull has anything to do with my unit loosing bottom. Or maybe it is cracked or something!

[sonar2000]

I would think that a dry bilge would produce the problem more so.
Wonder if water in the bilge could be getting into a connector...
Also if there were cracks or imperfections in the epoxy it would show up all the time.
HMMMM keep an eye on this and let us know of new findings.
chuck

[Humminbird_Greg]

So what type of epoxy did you use rwkyle?

[rwkyle]

I used the epoxy that came with the transducer.

[rwkyle]

OK i went out today and left all my fishing gear at home so I would consentrate on this problem. When my bilge was dry i had no issues. I tied my float down on bilge pump and filled the bilge with water. Enough to completely cover transducer. Everything worked for a while and then i started loosing bottom. Unit would go from 10 ft to 250ft and back again. I was in about 10 ft of water.
I unplugged sonar transduser and tried again, my screen would just barely move.
This unit should work with just the SI trans right? I doesnt seem to want to work with just the SI trans plugged in. Speed was about 4mph.
Thanks in advance for any info Rob!

[Humminbird_Greg]

Rob,
When you tested the Si transducer was this with or without the AS-Si-DB-Y cable connected?
Did it also do this while sitting still?

The problem still sounds like it is with the inside-the-hull transducer though.  Usually the work better when there is water in the hull, so maybe a break in the cable and water getting in and shorting out something?  I would replace the transducer and see if that helps.  Just be sure and test the location before mixing any epoxy.