Electronics Gurus: NEED HELP!

[WeCallEmRockfish]

Afternoon all,

I know many of you are electrical geniuses based on some of the rigging I've seen done here. I am decidedly NOT that, and need some help.

I have a Lowrance Hook 5. It wouldn't turn on when I tried it for the first time this year. We had moved, so I thought maybe something had happened to the unit during the move. I took it down to Bass Pro Shops and they plugged it in - turned right on.

Back to my kayak today...still won't turn on.

I've used it with my current setup before. Using a test light, I checked the battery (12.6 V), the connection (12.6 V), and finally, the plug itself that goes into the back of the unit (using a paper clip) - 12.6V!

So, I'm getting voltage to the plug, based on the test light reading, and the unit turned on at Bass Pro just fine.

Any ideas? I'm at a loss!

[J.A. Veil]

I am not an electronics whiz either, but here are a few ideas. Some of the Lowrance connector plugs I have used on various units have numerous thin wire prongs on the male connector. The matching female connector has a series of holes where the wires go. If any of the wires get bent, or if the male connector does not fully mesh with the female connector because there is dirt or debris in one of the holes, the unit is unlikely to turn on. Do a visual inspection. Also if any portions of the connector have corrosion, you may not make a full solid connection. Try spraying with an electronics cleaner, allow to dry, then try the connection again. If you see any dirt or obstruction in the holes, try cleaning it out.

Good luck. I spent several months last winter trying to get a transducer cable to work on a new-to-me FF/GPS. In the end, it never did work, so I decided to use the unit just as a GPS and keep my old FF/GPS for the sonar portion.

[ronaultmtd]

The connectors on the Hook2 units are very snug fitting and very difficult to get seated due to a vacuum lock.. It is sometimes a struggle to get them pushed in completely seated...I was very unsatisfied with my unit until I finally got the connectors completely seated...love it now, but it was a real PIA...hopefully Lowrance will redesign the connectors...

[LivinTheDream]

I had a very similar experience even including the same sort of test results that you described. In the end it turned out that the connector at the end of the pig tail wiring that connects to the battery wire was only working intermittently due to corrosion. I believe the issue was that this connector tended to lay in puddles of water for extended periods of time at the bottom of the kayak if I didn’t get things completely dried out. My solution was to replace that connector, for which I really ended up replacing the whole wire to it for confidence and simplicity, and also putting wire hangers along the inside, side of the kayak so that no connection during use or storage is ever at the bottom of the boat.

[Mark]

I no longer use electronics but when I did I used dielectric grease on the connections at the FF unit and on each connection on the wiring from the FF to the battery. I believe it helped greatly to prevent power disruptions.

[LivinTheDream]

I no longer use electronics but when I did I used dielectric grease on the connections at the FF unit and on each connection on the wiring from the FF to the battery. I believe it helped greatly to prevent power disruptions.

I thought about doing this as well, but also not being an "electronics guru" at all, watched some Youtube videos on applying dielectric grease and was scared off of that solution by folks that said not to apply it to the metal part of connections since it is an insulator rather than a conductor of current. At the same time however, I used wire nuts that are filled with grease. I'd love to hear from an expert in this area for this sort of particular application.

[Mark]

I thought about doing this as well, but also not being an "electronics guru" at all, watched some Youtube videos on applying dielectric grease and was scared off of that solution by folks that said not to apply it to the metal part of connections since it is an insulator rather than a conductor of current. At the same time however, I used wire nuts that are filled with grease. I'd love to hear from an expert in this area for this sort of particular application.

Interesting...I put it right into the connectors with pins and sockets and never had a conductivity problem. The connectors on my Lowrance unit never corroded either.

[WeCallEmRockfish]

Some good suggestions here, thanks all!

J.A., I will try the electronics cleaner.

LivinTheDream, I think that's very likely what's happening. I absolutely have the sitting-in-water issue. I have the connections sealed, but we know water finds a way.