fishfinder issues, need help

[yakscientist]

So if anyone can point me in the direction of what needs to be fixed, that'd be great. Anyway, fishfinder is about 1.5 years old, it's an elite 3x, pretty cheap anyway but seems like a good unit. About 2 weeks ago it started giving me really choppy readings, usually the screen will just scroll without any breaks, but now theres a break every second or so, and it's not reading depth, only temp and voltage. I cleaned the transducer, and the hull, and remounted it, but it's doing the exact same thing. I even held the transducer out away from the boat, while on shore (maybe not the best place for a test), and it was still not reading depth, and still doing the exact same constant breaks in the screen. I can try to take a picture if that would help, also it's reading 12.8-13.0 volts each time, if that means anything (I assume that's a little on the low side for voltage but still fine). I've got an in-line 3amp fuse wired in, as per the instructions, so I don't know if the fuse going bad would have anything to do with my issues. Again, any help would be appreciated.

[hookmeup]

Check your plug wires. If not badly corroded, add dielectric grease liberally.

[On the fly]

Maybe this can help
http://www.boatus.com/magazine/archi...sh-finders.asp

[DonV]

If you can put up the pictures. I just had to replace my Lowrance Mark 4 transducer and you description of the symptoms sound a lot like mine. I don't quite know what you mean by "breaks" but my problems do sound similar and could have been described the same way. Get the model number of your transducer and if mine is the same or will work your welcome to test using mine and a least can isolate the problem a little more.

[yakscientist]

Yeah I will try to put them up tonight or tomorrow. Thanks for the help everyone, and it's this transducer https://www.amazon.com/LOW-000-0106-.../dp/B00F91QW70 ... the 83/200khz skimmer mount broadband w/temp. I am going to call their support line as well, maybe I could get a replacement sent for cheap, I doubt the finder's under warranty though, since it's over 1 year old.

[mi327]

Sounds like the transducer, 12.8-13 volts is normal for a 12V battery that is not on any form of charger. To completely eliminate power / fuse issues I would remove the inline fuse and put fresh battery connectors directly (no crimp connectors splices etc) on the power and ground wires. If the problem persists you know its not the something with the power connector so it is either the transducer or the connector from the fish finder to the transducer. I believe most of the Lowrance transducers are interchangeable so you may be able to find someone near by who has a compatible model to test with. The Lowrance website should be able to list which transducers will work with yours.

[yakscientist]

If you can put up the pictures. I just had to replace my Lowrance Mark 4 transducer and you description of the symptoms sound a lot like mine. I don't quite know what you mean by "breaks" but my problems do sound similar and could have been described the same way. Get the model number of your transducer and if mine is the same or will work your welcome to test using mine and a least can isolate the problem a little more.

Thank you for the offer, but my ff just started working semi-normally again. I think it's the wire leading into the transducer. While I was on shore, I wiggled it around and pushed it into the transducer a bit more, well I tried at least, and then the readings stopped being choppy, and it read fine for probably 75% of last night's outing (temp, depth, everything). It did start displaying a bunch of what looked like cavitation lines for a few mins here and there, but then went back to normal. I will just play it out and then probably get a gps/fishfinder combo on black Friday or something. Technology is nice when it works, but can be a fickle b*tch when it doesn't. Although I don't even really depend on my ff that much, I just troll 95% of the time, and usually when I get hits, there are only a few marks on the screen, every time I've passed over a large mass (might've been bait), I usually don't get a hit.

[DonV]

Yours is the same one as mine and the offer still stands if need be. Walmart has it for $60 and found this on Ebay , new, open box with no bracket for $48 http://www.ebay.com/itm/LOWRANCE-EAG...-/191978389806

Don't give up on FF yet. Sometimes I don't know what the hell I'm looking and have the same experience as you of seeing no marks when getting fish and marks when not getting fish. But after a few years I am starting to at least determine a little of what I am seeing and do find it useful many time. Schools of perch and schools of perch with some stripers mixed in I can differentiate. They are useful for getting back on the school even when trolling. I have even watched fish on the bottom rise to hit my lure, that I could also see, below me. Even more imporrtant is finding edges, holes and drops. Many times I have ran into strong drops or edges and watching the fishfinder and catch myself anticipating a hit and many many times the hit comes. Definitely a useful tool in the arsenal.

[yakscientist]

Thank you, I will probably take you up on the offer because I assume we will see each other at some point in the near future. And I won't give up on the FF certainly, I do use it to find drop offs, and schools of fish in general. I think in time I will become better at recognizing bait vs larger fish.

[Jman]

I have the same model that is about two years old too. I've been running into the same problems as you, but now I can't get the fish finder to turn on anymore. I've tried cleaning terminals, new batteries and cleaning corroded power wire with no luck yet.


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[Huntrava]

I had the same thing a couple weeks ago. Was getting really weird readings, such as vertical lines or crazy depths, etc. Most recently, when checking the connections, I noticed the paper thin--like, 22 or 24 AWG--wiring was corroded almost all the way to the unit. I cut off probably 3 or 4 feet of wiring, and the FF is now working perfectly. In a nutshell, if it seems like a power issue, your wiring might be more corroded than you initially think.

My plan is to remove all of the old wiring--again, the super thin stuff--and add marine grade, tin-plated wiring.