Author Topic: SI beam blockage issues (Read 9387 times)

Jawzz · « **on:** May 13, 2013, 02:13:36 PM »

I have a 2008 Skeeter ZX 190. I thought and was told on a thread that I had some type of blockage on the left side of my transducer. This was causing a garbled line in the water column toward the center-line when in SI mode. I thought it was the jackplate causing the issue on left side with the way the transducer was installed.

Since then, I have purchased all the "Transducer Sheild" products for my boat. This included the transducer shield, an extension portion and "L bracket. I installed everything perfectly according to the instructions. My first time out after install shows the same issue and I would say its worse than before. Can anyone figure out the issue, thanks

Bob B · « **Reply #1 on:** May 13, 2013, 07:30:34 PM »

Everyone is going to want to see pictures of your installation from various angles......

Looks like you were putting them on when I posted.

Jawzz · « **Reply #2 on:** May 13, 2013, 07:48:41 PM »

couple more pics. I could not rotate the pics for some reason....

Bob B · « **Reply #3 on:** May 13, 2013, 08:39:29 PM »

Doesn't look like you should be getting blockage......maybe turbulence?

Do you get the same thing if just drifting? You won't get a good image, but this would help determine if turbulence is causing the issue.

Jawzz · « **Reply #4 on:** May 13, 2013, 08:50:24 PM »

I agree, there seems to be nothing for it to reflect off of. I tried that, same thing happens, engine up or down, moving or not......

rnvinc · « **Reply #5 on:** May 13, 2013, 10:47:04 PM »

Can you get us a screenshot with your SI range set to 20'...

Sometimes this short distance gives enough speculation to tell if the pings are bouncing off something on the boat ...

Another test you can do (but a little more trouble) ...is to temporarily mount the xducer to a broomstick and stick it down in the water farther to below anything on the boat to tell if the issue is a blockage or a problem with the xducer...

Rickie

Jawzz · « **Reply #6 on:** May 14, 2013, 08:06:30 AM »

Ok, will be out again this week

Humminbird_Greg · « **Reply #7 on:** May 14, 2013, 05:06:49 PM »

In addition to the broomstick test that Rickie advised, I would try and test your unit on someone else’s boat that has an Si unit just to make sure it is not something in the unit itself that is causing this problem.

Jawzz · « **Reply #8 on:** May 15, 2013, 04:03:51 PM »

I was on the water today. Per rnvinc, here is a snapshot at 20 feet left and right. I also added one at 39 feet. The disruption is obvious.

Since I have two units, this one, which is on the back and a front one with a transducer on the trolling motor, I switched the two humminbird units around. The front unit and transducer have no disruption. And with the front unit on the back transducer, the disruption showed and with the back unit on the front transducer, there was no disruption. This should conclude the issue is with the rear transducer and not the unit itself. I investigated the position of transducer and cannot find where there would be a blockage....do you think I need another extension on the shield/mount to get the transducer lower? Can the transducer be bad??? Please help. I cannot figure out where this issue is coming from.......

boec0020 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 15, 2013, 08:29:45 PM »

For whats its worth...just installed a 1198 and had it on the water over the weekend...exact problem. Ill be watching to see how you resolve it.

Jawzz · « **Reply #10 on:** May 15, 2013, 08:35:01 PM »

What kind of boat do you have and did you mount it on the transducer shield hardward brackets etc.?

boec0020 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 15, 2013, 09:27:13 PM »

Warrior V193

rnvinc · « **Reply #12 on:** May 15, 2013, 09:50:15 PM »

As the tests indicate that the issue is with the rear xducer...I would test with the temporary broomstick to determine if the issue is blockage or bad xducer...

The boat does not even have to be moving....just make sure all other electronic devices on the boat are off to get a definitive result...

Rickie

Humminbird_Greg · « **Reply #13 on:** May 16, 2013, 05:12:14 PM »

I would broomstick test it too. This will prove whether it is the transducer or something that is blocking the Si signal. At this point it looks to me like the transducer is the culprit. If it is, contact the Humminbird Customer resource folks about getting it fixed/replaced.

Moose1am · « **Reply #14 on:** May 16, 2013, 09:34:15 PM »

I have the same type of problem with my 898 and the transducer on the starboard side of my transom. I bet it's the tranducer that went bad. I have not tried the boom stick trick yet. Too much trouble to remove the transducer and get a broom stick to attach it onto. I'm just living with this bad tranducer right now.

Quote from: Humminbird_Greg on May 16, 2013, 05:12:14 PM

I would broomstick test it too. This will prove whether it is the transducer or something that is blocking the Si signal. At this point it looks to me like the transducer is the culprit. If it is, contact the Humminbird Customer resource folks about getting it fixed/replaced.

Jawzz · « **Reply #15 on:** May 17, 2013, 06:12:12 AM »

This is beginning to look like a wide spread problem, what's the deal?....all these transducers are bad?..
I was looking at a post from another site by that Doug Vahrenberg guy and noticed the same disruption line on his screen as well when he posted snapshots........

sjefsrafsern · « **Reply #16 on:** May 17, 2013, 10:01:03 AM »

hi, i would try to lower the x ducer 1 inch or so. if this dont work i would try to move the xducer from the jackplate and forwards and put it at the stern just beside the vee, and a little bit lower than the hull. this would give you clear images and good higspeed readings. (i think that your x ducer is getting a lot of turbulece form all sides of your hull where it is placed in these pics.)

Humminbird_Greg · « **Reply #17 on:** May 17, 2013, 10:20:22 AM »

Quote from: Jawzz on May 17, 2013, 06:12:12 AM

This is beginning to look like a wide spread problem, what's the deal?....all these transducers are bad?..
I was looking at a post from another site by that Doug Vahrenberg guy and noticed the same disruption line on his screen as well when he posted snapshots........

Jawzz,
What you may have been seeing on Doug V’s images was a partial blockage of the Si sonar. Usually it shows up more as individual lines (like the image below) and not a whole fuzzy area like yours is. Depending on the boat design, if you are using a jackplate or not and what else may be mounted on or hanging off the transom will dictate whether there is any partial blockage or not. Using the broomstick test will show whether it is some type of blockage as you can point the left beam away from the boat and anything on the boat.

Jawzz · « **Reply #18 on:** May 17, 2013, 01:11:45 PM »

Broomstick test is next, thanks
Stay tuned.......

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