Depth Finder Diagnosis please

[Robin Meigel]

My Horizon depth finder will arbitrarily stop showing the depth and instead present two horizontal dashes. It will then right itself and show the (correct) depth again. The head unit has been checked out by a marine electronics technician and exhibited no problem. In my experience, however,it works 50 minutes and acts up for 10 in a typical hour. I have checked for loose connections. Theories: (1) the transducer (but I am told that the fact that it works correctly most of the time may rule out this theory) or (2) any other ideas?



rlmeigel@aol.com

[S/V Rhapsody]

My Horizon depth finder will arbitrarily stop showing the depth and instead present two horizontal dashes.

Robin

The horizon on my old C-27 did the exact same thing, however, I never timed it. I do know that it didnot happen on the frequency that you describe. I have no idea what the problems was so I just ignored it.

Bill
S/V Rhapsody
CD 25D # 148



willie@clnk.com

[Jim]

Mine occasionally does the same thing. It's a West Marine made by Standard Communications. I see this when leaving my slip in water ranging from 4.5 to 7 feet, depths it normally can read accurately. I've assumed I'm passing through grass and the thing can't read it. It would have helped if the manual had mentioned this anomaly.

In deeper water, I've not had a problem. However, I've heard others mention the same problem in deeper water which they attribute to fish under the keel.

Hope this helps .... Jim.

"Odyssey" Cape Dory 28 sloop.
Oriental, NC.



jsgiles@mindspring.com

[Jerry]

My Horizon depth finder will arbitrarily stop showing the depth and instead present two horizontal dashes. It will then right itself and show the (correct) depth again. The head unit has been checked out by a marine electronics technician and exhibited no problem. In my experience, however,it works 50 minutes and acts up for 10 in a typical hour. I have checked for loose connections. Theories: (1) the transducer (but I am told that the fact that it works correctly most of the time may rule out this theory) or (2) any other ideas?

Don't discount the transducer as the source of your problem. I had the same symptoms on my Signet unit. I sent the head unit to Signet for service -- same problems. I bought a new transducer (thru hull type) from Signet -- it worked for about 20 minutes then quit altogether. There was nothing left to replace on the unit. After much yelling and screaming at Signet (I paid them almost $400 to fix a unit that was still broken) they finally sent me another new transducer. By that time, however, my CD30 was already in the water for the season. So I jury-rigged an inside-the-hull mounting for the new transducer even tho it was a thru-hull type. It works! For the first time in 3 sailing seasons I've had no problems with the depth sounder. I can only conclude that the first transducer Signet sent me was defective. By the way, I have no plans to mess with success. I will leave the transducer inside the hull and abandon the thru-hull unit. I hope this helps.

[Ferd Moyse III]

For what it's worth, I've had this problem to some degree with every boat & depth sounder I've ever had...14 or 15 now. I am advised by the experts that the sounder is telling you it is not receiving a bounceback signal that can be interpreted satisfactorily by the unit, i.e., something not within it's design parameter is being received. Some units will start "hunting"...others will display the dashes. An uncertain bottom (very soft mud for instance) may not bounce the signal back with enough strength...or may bounce a ghost signal along with the primary signal and the unit can't determine the valid one. I also suspect that transducer placement has something to do with this...the keel may produce a bounce-back signal (either going down or from the return signal) confusing the unit....particularly with a wing keel. Also, water inversions can produce reflected signals to the unit. IMHO be thankful if yours works. My experience is that SR Mariner units are the worst (are they still in business?) and Standard are the best....but they all tend to do it when you need it MOST, like in thinner water. Sorry I wrote so much. Please forgive. flm



seawolf@tecinfo.com