Depth Sounder quit working

[S. Todd]

I have a 2015 R25SC that has just under 100 hours on her. We have a Garmin PS Map 741XS.
Everything has worked flawlessly, but for the depth sounder.
When we launched the first time this June the depth sounder gave inaccurate readings that resorted to flashing depths that were totally inaccurate. Somehow over the winter months the antifreeze in the transducer mount apparently evaporated enough that it was sending bum readings. It was an easy fix. Stand on your head, remove the transducer from the cup, add antifreeze with a turkey baster, reinstall the transducer to cup, clean up spilled antifreeze.
Week long cruise everything worked perfectly. Week long cruise in July everything worked perfectly until the last day when we started up for the cruise back to the trailer there was no depth reading at all. The connection at the back of 741XS unit appears good, the transducer is happily mounted in the cup. The depth reading is _ _ _ . _ ft. It does not matter whether we were in five feet of water or 200 feet, it reads nothing. When you go to the sonar screen it reads "Transmission Disabled". Does anybody have a fix for this? Do transducers just die for no good reason?
Secondary question: Has anyone found the handheld portable units are accurate and useful enough to warrant carrying as a backup? Loosing this navigational instrument twice in one summer has left me thinking a backup might be good to have.

 

[S. Todd]

Thought I should refresh this question. Does the lack of response mean no one else has had this problem? (if not, I guess that is good news.) Ronnie, any advice from the factory?

 

[serang]

I have had a similar problem with a 547xs unit and a Airmar P79 transducer on a 21EC new in may 2015. Right now the depths read OK until it gets under about 8 ft, then it just starts flashing. I have a e-mail into Garmin and am awaiting an answer.

 

[JohnH]

FWIW, I have had 3 different models of Garmin GPS/depth units on 3 different boats (2 of them RangerTugs), with both in-hull and thru-hull transducers. None of these Garmin depth sounders has ever worked on depths shallower that 5-6 feet. In shallow water, where you really want a depth sounder, they either flash the last "good" reading or display dashes. Yes, I have talked with Garmin "tech support", and yes, I have updated the software, and yes, I have tried replacing the transducers, and none of this has ever made any difference. My next boat will have a different brand of electronics.

-- John

 

[Two killicks]

Mine flashes when there is a lot of weeds on the bottom... Have you notice any weed on the bottom?

 

[S. Todd]

I had no complaints with my depth finder until it quit working completely and that is what has me stumped. 🙁 :?: I understand that weedy bottoms can be difficult to get the sound waves to bounce off. I found this Garmin to be as accurate as any in my three prior boats even though it is working through the hull bottom.

 

[blifland]

My Garmin sounder was going crazy, too. I found the note below and changed my settings as described in it - and my sounder has been working great now for 60+ hours.

Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2015 9:36 pm
Re: my depth sounder has gone wonky - 5212 Garmin
by Kenny Marrs
Hello Bob,
I've seen this before. If the depth is flashing that's a good thing, that tells me the
transducer is working it just can't find the bottom. First thing I'd check would be the
gain, this needs to be set to AUTO. If the depth is set to say 50ft and you go past that
depth the numbers with flash at you. You also want to make sure your Zoom is set to,
No zoom and range is set to Auto.
Hope this helps.Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2015 9:36 pm
Re: my depth sounder has gone wonky - 5212 Garmin
by Kenny Marrs
Hello Bob,
I've seen this before. If the depth is flashing that's a good thing, that tells me the
transducer is working it just can't find the bottom. First thing I'd check would be the
gain, this needs to be set to AUTO. If the depth is set to say 50ft and you go past that
depth the numbers with flash at you. You also want to make sure your Zoom is set to,
No zoom and range is set to Auto.
Hope this helps.Thanks,-Kenny

 

[S. Todd]

Thanks Bob:
If mine was flashing I would fell better about getting it to work again. No flashing. I have played with the range settings. I does not matter whether it is set for 10 feet of depth, or 800 feet, or anywhere in between, or auto. Still nothing, no flashing, nothing at all but blank lines. From your post it sounds like Kenny has experienced a non-working transducer, which is what my guess is.
That is not such a big deal, except for the difficult part of how to pull the wire back through to the rear of the dash. I asked when I ordered the boat if they would install a pull wire for just such a problem and I was told no option is available for that. I expect the original one is held in place with numerous cable ties etc., otherwise I could just use it to pull the new one through.
Todd

 

[knotflying]

Check to make sure your receiver cup is filled with antifreeze. Your symptom is similar to having lost the fluid.