Depth Finder

[jroberts]

The depth finder on my '03 LSV is acting strange. It will often blink for a very long time before deciding on a depth, and then will start blinking again almost immediately. This is in water of all depths, and happens at all speeds. The depth it eventually gives appears to be accurate. It did not always do this. The DF is a Lowance 3500, and I believe that it came standard with the boat. By searching here, I have learned that it is probably a "shoot through the hull" type tranducer, because I sure can't find any place on the bottom of the hull where it comes through. I have 2 questions: 1) Where did they mount the transducer on this year/model, and 2) Any tips on troubleshooting?
Thanks!

[mphurrough]

I have a 2000 Kamberra with the same depth finder ... Mine is located under the v drive. Mine always reads 0.5 ft and I can't figure out why. If anyone has any suggestions I would appreciate it.

[jroberts]

I found it. The transducer is bigger than I thought it would be. It is about the size of a hockey puck. It used to be located to the right of the V-drive gear box as you faced the rear of the boat-- very close to the front wall of the compartment. I say "used to" because it had broken loose and slid toward the rear of the boat, and was lodged under some other stuff. I can see the epoxy from where it used to be stuck. Now, I'm wondering if I should clean the old epoxy off and try to stick it back where it was, or clean up a new spot and re-mount it there.

BTW mphurrough, if it is blinking .5 rather than reading a solid .5, I think this means that it cannot get a good reading. Mine would do that when I first started the boat, but after about 10 minutes it would give a different number and start blinking again. Is yours stuck down good? If so, maybe the wires are loose at some point. I'm a little afraid to start jerking around on it for fear that I will pull something loose. Does anyone know if the wires are permanently connected, or if there are connectors of some kind?

[cab13367]

jroberts,

I would save the hassle of cleaning up the old epoxy and find a new spot close to the old one. Install it as close to the center line as possible. Before epoxy-ing it in place, but the boat in the water and fill the bilge with some water so that the spot where you plan to mount the transducer is under water. Hold the tranducer in place and verify that you are getting a reading. You want the transducer under water so that there is no air between it and the hull. If you got a reading, mark that exact spot, drain the water, clean it up good, dry it, then set in liberally in epoxy, making sure that there is no air at all in the epoxy. It's important to test the location because if there is any air trapped in the fiberglass layup of the boat, the tranducer won't read (it won't read thru air).

Hope that helps.

Al