What Happens to FF with Low Battery?

My FF was acting funny at the end of the day last session.  Not picking up the bottom, erratic graph, no fish marking, etc.    The temperature read / displayed constantly.  I have the battery alarm turned on, and it never sounded but I was wondering if maybe my battery was just low?  I hadn't recharged it for 2 sessions, so I am hoping that was it.  It is a Humminbird Piranhamax 170 that I literally have used only twice before.

I am hoping it isn't the transducer or something more major.  I can always send it back to Basspro if I have to, but it would suck to not have a FF for this weekends ARW Hopper!

I run a Piranhamax also, and at one point I had to rub some dielectric (sp?) grease on the connections because I was getting funny readings also.  Give that a shot, I think you can pick up a small packet of the stuff at Napa for about a buck.

not sure about that model but mine has a battery level reading. when it gets low I will get odd readings (like depth saying I am in 4 feet of water) the numbers also flash. Are you using a brick or AA's? If its the latter two trips may be all you get (esp if they are rechargables)

My Eagle displays actual voltage.  See if you can figure out how many volts your battery is putting out (or just recharge it).  My FF was acting funny and I cleaned up the connections and now it is ok.  I dunnno how you have the transducer rigged, but if its the foam mount with some water in it, if the water in the foam gets low (small air pocket) that will give you readings like you described.

I dunnno how you have the transducer rigged, but if its the foam mount with some water in it, if the water in the foam gets low (small air pocket) that will give you readings like you described.

This is right on..  I recently redid my transducer mount from just gooped in the hull to a foam block mount, and the first time I tried it I got very bad readings.  Realized that I had forgot to put more water in there and that it had shifted so the guy I was fishing with opened my hatch OTW, poured in a bit more water and set it back in straight.. worked perfect after that.

I also went to a 12 v batter and it seems like I get much clearer readings as far as fish and bait balls.   I never seemed to get arches with the AA installation, but that could have been a glitch in the goop mount as well.

I dunnno how you have the transducer rigged, but if its the foam mount with some water in it, if the water in the foam gets low (small air pocket) that will give you readings like you described.

This is right on..  I recently redid my transducer mount from just gooped in the hull to a foam block mount, and the first time I tried it I got very bad readings.  Realized that I had forgot to put more water in there and that it had shifted so the guy I was fishing with opened my hatch OTW, poured in a bit more water and set it back in straight.. worked perfect after that.

Yep, probably not enough water under the x-ducer. Had to add some water to mine OTW recently, too.

Actually I am using the mini-liberator so the transducer is submerged at the side of the boat well under water.  So I don't think it is an air bubble issue.  I charged the battery last night and plan on doing some pool with pool toy research tonight when I get home to make sure it is working right!  I am using a 12v gel battery so hopefully nothing going on there.  I will definitely get some of the recommend grease and use it on the connections.  VJ.Dave also recommended this last time we chatted so I have no excuse for not getting that done yet.  Thanks for the info!

My Humminbirds notify me when the voltage is running low, I then know I only have maybe an hours worth of ff time. My units run fine up until they completely quit due to the low voltage. I run a 12 v battery. Any other problems I've had have been due to invisible air bubbles. I silicone my xducer to the hull on the inside. I've learned to reglue it when the unit acts flakey, even though the xducer still seems solid to the hull. This always takes care of the flakiness.
Good luck.

Update:

Recharged the battery and paddled the pool.  There is something definitely wrong.  Took all connections apart and added the electrogrease stuff (Noalox anit-oxidant joint compound).  Recheck it, same problem, inconsistent bottom readings, weak plot.  Did a search here and on other sites and found the recommendation from a guy to take the transducer out of water and listen for clicking.  No click =s broken.

Mine does click but it is an irregular cadence not a constant click and it does seem to fade and get stronger on an irregular pattern.  I don't think it is working right.  Can anyone do a quick check on there's and see if they get a constant click or does there also do a irregular beat?

Most likely I need to send it back.

sounds like you found the problem = mine just starts to fade and in 15 seconds= BLANK&BLIND for the rest of the day

I'd slap everything back together and test it in something besides a pool also.  The bottom/walls of the pool can have your signal bouncing all over the place (kinda like Pong), giving you some crazy readings.  If it's still acting up on the big blue, I guess it's warranty time. 

Keep us posted on how this shakes out, I'm looking to pickup another FF and this is what I was going to pick up.

Sounds like a power supply issue. Replace the battery-connection terminals if you haven't already done so. I have to strip 2-3" of wire and reapply the terminals every 6-10 months due to corrosion etc (even though I put a dab of dielectric grease on there each time).

A low battery make FF very sad 

-FF

I had a similar problem last year and it was a combination of the shoot through hull installation and batteries which got weaker over time. I ended getting a LifePO4 battery and love it. http://www.batteryspace.com/lifepo418650battery128v4050mah5184wh7aratewpcb.aspx?SSAID=314743