I too have battery woes...

I too have battery woes...

Fishfinder: Lowrance Elite 5 Chirp

For the first 30 minutes or so, I get a depth reading of +/- 2 feet.  Then it worked fine.
It wasn't on simulation mode.

The transducer is mounted on a Revo 13, Lowrance ready mount.

Battery is an eBay battery (12v SLA).

Thanks in advance

I too have battery woes...

Fishfinder: Lowrance Elite 5 Chirp

For the first 30 minutes or so, I get a depth reading of +/- 2 feet.  Then it worked fine.
It wasn't on simulation mode.

The transducer is mounted on a Revo 13, Lowrance ready mount.

Battery is an eBay battery (12v SLA).

Thanks in advance

I don't see how that would be a battery problem. I've had similar readings before. If the depth range is set different than the water depth you're in the FF gets confused and can't find the bottom. Even if it is set on auto depth it can lose the bottom if the water you're in is different than what depth setting it is on.

Is the transducer mount dirty? If there is sand or dirt on the plastic that sits between the transducer and open water, I think that can mess it up.

I've occasionally had my Hook 5 lose the bottom and get stuck reading 1 foot after going over a super dense school of anchovies. Pretty funny: the fish broke my fishfinder. When that happened I just rebooted and it was fine.

 

  I don't seem to have any of these problems with my ancient Cuda 250 gps.  What good is a depth sounder if it "Gets lost" by doing its job?

  I don't seem to have any of these problems with my ancient Cuda 250 gps.  What good is a depth sounder if it "Gets lost" by doing its job?

I have a cuda 350 and it worked well but I went for a hook 4 and I'm finding the cuda was just fine. I just wanted color but it all the same.  I guess no chip.

  I don't seem to have any of these problems with my ancient Cuda 250 gps.  What good is a depth sounder if it "Gets lost" by doing its job?

I understand the frustration. If it does it again try changing the manual setting to a depth near to how deep you think the water. That should get it to look in the right depth and find the bottom. I've had mine read my downrigger ball as the bottom while in very deep water. 

Is the transducer mount dirty? If there is sand or dirt on the plastic that sits between the transducer and open water, I think that can mess it up.

I've occasionally had my Hook 5 lose the bottom and get stuck reading 1 foot after going over a super dense school of anchovies. Pretty funny: the fish broke my fishfinder. When that happened I just rebooted and it was fine.

Had the same problem on a recent trip to HMB.  Found out the cavity that the transducer was mounted in had a bunch of sand/dirt in it.  Prob from dragging hobie backward.  Found out about it when cleaning the cavity with a spray nozzle and thick amount of dirt washed off.  Works fine now.