Fishfinder Question

[BobT]

Looking for ideas.

I have a Lowrance X67c fishfinder. Originally, I used it on the bow of my boat with the transducer mounted on my trolling motor. It always worked fine. A couple years ago I decided to get more year-round use out of it so I picked up an ice pack from Lowrance and an ice transducer. 

 

Every once in a while it seems to have difficulty. It can work one time and not the next or it can be working fine and then suddenly display incorrectly. Let me explain.

Yesterday, I used the sonar unit to shoot through the ice before deciding where I wanted to set up. It worked fine. After drilling my holes and placing the transducer just below the ice, it worked fine for about 1/2-hour. All of a sudden it displayed 2.1’ of depth even though I was in 24’ of water. 

 

I tried lowering the transducer deeper in the water but that didn’t help. I tried raising it up so it was actually inside the hole and that didn’t help. I tried shutting the unit off and restarting and that didn’t help. With the unit still turned on, I pulled the transducer out of the hole, wiped off the bottom with the palm of my hand and dropped it back into the hole and it started to work. It worked for about five minutes and then went back to displaying 2.1’. 

 

I tried playing around with sensitivity and the various noise filters (there are four settings) and that didn't help. I tried adjusting the surface clutter filter and that didn't help.

 

I played around with it and discovered a work around. I turned off the automatic depth range and set the depth manually to 30'. Now I could at least see the water column although digitally, it continued to display 2.1’. I decided to use it in the flasher display mode and for the rest of the time I was there it continued to display the shallow reading digitally even though I could see the bottom at 24’. 

 

Anybody else run into this? Any ideas? 
 

[Grainbelt]

Does your unit display voltage? If so, if you move your power wires does it change? Maybe wires going into spade connectors at battery starting to break at the crimp? If power is good do you still have your other transducer from the boat to test with?

[BobT]

1 hour ago, Grainbelt said:

Does your unit display voltage? If so, if you move your power wires does it change? Maybe wires going into spade connectors at battery starting to break at the crimp? If power is good do you still have your other transducer from the boat to test with?

Voltage was good at 12.3 and I haven't noticed any fluctuations to indicate a connection issue. I do have the old skimmer hanging in my shed. Might be worth a shot. 

[delcecchi]

On 2/18/2019 at 2:08 PM, BobT said:

Voltage was good at 12.3 and I haven't noticed any fluctuations to indicate a connection issue. I do have the old skimmer hanging in my shed. Might be worth a shot. 

 

I had a lot of problems with Lowrance transducers of that sort of vintage, the ones with the blue connectors.   It seemed to me that they didn't deal well with being frozen.   Now I store my transducers inside in the winter (I know that isn't possible when ice fishing).   I went through 3 or 4 transducers before realizing the problem.   Try borrowing a transducer to try.   Sounds exactly like what mine did.  Gradually lost sensitivity and would lose the bottom. 

[gunner55]

Same here, our 1st color unit, 520 c(?), had that type of transducer(blue/5 pin) & it didn't last 1, maybe 2 seasons. We replaced it & the 2nd lasted much longer.

[leech~~]

Huge school of Crappies, pull your lure up next time!    

[BobT]

14 hours ago, leech~~ said:

Huge school of Crappies, pull your lure up next time!    

I didn't think of that! Probably should have glanced down the hole, eh? 

[BobT]

19 hours ago, delcecchi said:

 

I had a lot of problems with Lowrance transducers of that sort of vintage, the ones with the blue connectors.   It seemed to me that they didn't deal well with being frozen.   Now I store my transducers inside in the winter (I know that isn't possible when ice fishing).   I went through 3 or 4 transducers before realizing the problem.   Try borrowing a transducer to try.   Sounds exactly like what mine did.  Gradually lost sensitivity and would lose the bottom. 

I usually keep my sonar unit in the house because I put it on the charger every time I get home. Just for fun, the next time it does it, I might try just warming up the transducer and sending it back down the hole to see what happens. Thanks.

[Wanderer]

5 hours ago, BobT said:

I usually keep my sonar unit in the house because I put it on the charger every time I get home. Just for fun, the next time it does it, I might try just warming up the transducer and sending it back down the hole to see what happens. Thanks.

 

When you rubbed your hand on the ducer before, did you notice a thin layer of ice on it?  I’m guessing No, with how you described the situation, but that can happen with a ducer that’s below freezing when you dunk it in the water.  It ruins sensitivity.  

 

You’re open ice fishing, yes?  Not in the warmth of a house?  Like the others mentioned, could just be your graph doesn’t like the cold.  And it’s always better to have the depth range locked in than on auto.

 

Good luck Bob.

[delcecchi]

My transducer issue was during open water.   My hypothesis after several transducers was that freezing them after having been in the water damaged them.    Once I stopped letting them freeze then they stopped going bad.   Maybe some water was getting into them and causing damage when it froze.   The transducer in my Minnkota  US2 is fine with freezing.