Faulty Transducer Quick Fix(temporary)

[NorthernFocus]

During our first trip this year the depth sounder signal was intermittently dropping out at depths over 500ft. Which was annoying since we were setting shrimp pots with 600ft of line on them so it was kind of important to know how deep we were. Anyhow similar behavior next trip but more frequent signal loss. Then last week we were losing the signal completely in anything over 300 feet and intermittently in shallower water.

Our boat is a 2009 R25. Apparently during that timeframe Fluid Motion decided that rather than installing the oil filled reservoir for the transducer they just glue them straight to the bottom of the boat. With the behavior that the sounder was exhibiting and the fact that it was slowly deteriorating I figured that the glue joint was failing allowing an ever growing air gap between transducer and hull. Due to the placement of the transducer in the 25 I wasn't up to trying to properly fix it on the water. But to test my theory and to hopefully effect a temporary fix I poured a few ounces of water around the transducer knowing that capillary action would draw it into a small gap and hold it there. Voila. Sounder immediately started working like a champ and did so for five more days.

Anyway, just sharing this for possible future reference for others who experience similar problems. One of those little tidbits that may come in handy some day.

 

[JeffRad54]

I also had a wonky transducer.
It would give good readings for a while, then start flashing the numbers. a bit later it would work fine.
I unscrewed the transducer cap, lifted the transducer and found the bottom of it was dry.
Factory did not add enough anti-freeze! The random boat movement would occasionally wet the transducer for a good reading.
I filled the cup, replaced the transducer so it overflowed, re-screwed the cap and what do you know, it works perfectly now.

Shame on FM.

Jeff Radwill
2019 R-27 OB

 

[scross]

Dan,
Thanks for that info on the transducer. Our 2009 R25 Classic occasionally reads “- - -“ in really deep waters. I was told by RT staff that this was normal. Over the past 5 seasons it hasn’t gotten any worse. But, just in case, where is the transducer located on your boat? It’s one of the few things I haven’t yet found. Thanks!
PS: Our transducer is not in the low area on the starboard side underneath the bait well like some others have reported. That would have been too easy!

 

[SLyle01]

We were told these units come from the factory dry. The DEALER is supposed to service them. Ours had a poorly installed seal and all the antifreeze leaked out after a few months, so it stopped working entirely. We had to PAY a local Boatyard to repair, reseal, refill and reinitialize the Depth-Finder. Dealer would not help.

 

[iggy]

Personally, I would go with a though hull or a transom mount. The ones that mount on the inside of the hull are not that good. But, thats me..............

 

[NorthernFocus]

Dan,
Thanks for that info on the transducer. Our 2009 R25 Classic occasionally reads “- - -“ in really deep waters. I was told by RT staff that this was normal. Over the past 5 seasons it hasn’t gotten any worse. But, just in case, where is the transducer located on your boat? It’s one of the few things I haven’t yet found. Thanks!
PS: Our transducer is not in the low area on the starboard side underneath the bait well like some others have reported. That would have been too easy!

How do you define "really deep water"? When I lived back east that was anything over 300 ft or so.

Ours has always dropped out at something over 1000ft. Not sure when RT switched from Raymarine to Garmin. But if you have the Raymarine unit make sure that you have it set to automatically select which frequency to use. Either that or set it to use both(which is what we do). The transducer is aft of the platform that the holding tank is mounted on and a little starboard of midships. If you have a holding tank the only way to get at it is through the hatch in the stern locker just above the rudder. If you have the bait well in the locker good luck. We have neither holding tank nor bait tank and I'm not looking forward to the task. It's currently raining and with no shop to work in I have a temporary excuse not to work on it.

 

[NorthernFocus]

Personally, I would go with a though hull or a transom mount. The ones that mount on the inside of the hull are not that good. But, thats me..............

We all have our standards of excellence. If I was the one fitting out the boat I'd not have mounted it to shoot through the hull either. But that's how it came to us and it marks fish in 300 ft of water or more. So given the level of difficulty to change it's way down the list of things to do.

 

[scross]

Dan,
Our depth reading typically flakes out at 600 ft plus but once or twice per season it will flake out at only 400 ft or so. Not that I’m worried about depth when I’m in 600+ ft of water! Not using it for fishing.
Per the owners manual, the transducer should be to the starboard side of the rudder mount assembly in a lower well. Not there. Perhaps under the black water holding tank? I’ve looked for it there through and can’t see it.
We were one of the very first boats built after the switch to Garmin. The autopilot was added a year later since it wasn’t available when the boat was built.
If I have to replace the transducer I just may leave the old one retired-in-place (RIP) where ever it may be and go to an easier service location for its replacement.

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[bob daily]

The Garmin airmar P79 adjustable transducer is not designed for cored hulls and the thickness of the hull must be less than 5/8 inch. I think if you check! Your boat has a cored hull and thickness of where the transducer is located is at the max thickness. That said the P79 operates at a frequency of 50 or 200, with a power of 600 w, beam with of 50 at 45 degrees and at 200 at 12 degrees. The max depth of the unit listed on the German web site is 800 ft at 50 hertz and 1200 ft at 200 hertz.
I am not bad mouthing fluid motions but they install equipment not in accordance with the manufacture recommended installation procedure.