Getting vertical lines on my matrix 17

I have a matrix 17 with the transducer gooped in the hull.  It has worked great until saturday when It stopped reading a couple times then I started getting these vertical lines on my finder.  Is this because my transducer is coming loose?

In my experience, the tranducer-coming-loose scenario mostly results in odd depth readings.  Mine was fluctuating between 450 feet and 4 feet for a while before it delaminated and came free.  I just stuck the little toad back down with more marine goop and all is well again.

I'd suggest removing and replacing the goop as your easiest method for troubleshooting.  It's not that difficult to get the goop off, and pretty cheap to put it back on.

A decent way to test if you have air between the hull and goop is to dump a cup or two of water in the hull. pour it right on top of the transducer. It will fill in the gap and your ff will work just right. In my 1st ever kayak ( talk about a newbie ) it was customary for me to dump about 4 ounces of water on top of the transducer for it to work. If this water test doesn't solve the prob then it may lie elsewhere.

Travis, I have the same FF. Last week my head took a swim at lindamar when I got crushed in a wave going out with Stuart to go crabbing. I noticed the same type of lines. Did the head get wet? Mine seemed to go away after it dried out, and I cleaned it throughly. before you pull the transducer give it another chance and see if you experience the same thing. Joe

I had some recent problems with my Matrix 17.  Seems like the connections to the battery were getting a bit corroded which resulted in some weird display problems.  I had some vertical lines once.  The next time out I did not have any display at all.  The corrosion resulted in enought voltage drop to make the unit not work.  I ended up cutting off a couple inches off the connection and redoing the connection and it works ok now.

-Allen

Thanks for the input guys.  Now that I think about it I think the head got splashed a little when I was getting in and out for my dive on saturday.  I even remember having moisture condensation on the inside of my screen.  I goop dielectric grease on my connectors frequently and I don't see any kind of corrosion but maybee one of them came a little loose.  I will check all this and try the water on the transducer thing before I re-goop.  The funny thing is that it worked great the first half of the day until I went back to shore to drop off my diving gear and when I went back out it was malfunctioning.   

You should not be getting moisture in the 17.  I was curious and popped mine open when I was having problems.  There are rubber gaskets everywhere that look like they should keep the unit water tight.  So perhaps the moisture is your problem.  Also the corrosion I had was not just on the connectors.  It was the actual wires themselves where I crimped them to connectors.  I'm guessing water seeped up the line because the copper was all green for a couple inches up.

-Allen

You should not be getting moisture in the 17.  I was curious and popped mine open when I was having problems.  There are rubber gaskets everywhere that look like they should keep the unit water tight.  So perhaps the moisture is your problem.  Also the corrosion I had was not just on the connectors.  It was the actual wires themselves where I crimped them to connectors.  I'm guessing water seeped up the line because the copper was all green for a couple inches up.

-Allen

  So if I have moisture inside the screen something is not sealing properly? 

Sounds like it perhaps.

Where you fishing this weekend?  I got a couple 17's in my garage.  If we can meet up somewhere, we can swap head units between us and isolate whether it's the head or the transducers.

-Allen

Sounds like it perhaps.

Where you fishing this weekend?  I got a couple 17's in my garage.  If we can meet up somewhere, we can swap head units between us and isolate whether it's the head or the transducers.

-Allen

Thanks Allen, that would be great.  I don't know if I will be able to get out this weekend but I will let you know if I am going to head that way.

After one outing my Humminbird 530 wouldnt work at all, then neither would my sons. I had fog on the inside of both screens. Frustrated at the thought of having to replace them both I decided to take them apart to see if water inside was the issue.
It sure was. After a thourough drying and wiping down, hours upon hours worth, I put them back together and have had no problems since.

Compressed air is your friend.  Try not to physically wipe down any electronics boards.  They can sometime be quite fragile and you don't want to risk the damage.

-Allen

If you are getting condensation, take it in the house for a week.  A heeated room will dry it out.  It should only get condensation if it gets REALLY whomped by water.

If you are getting condensation, take it in the house for a week.  A heeated room will dry it out.  It should only get condensation if it gets REALLY whomped by water.

  I have been getting some condensation almost every trip out.  Just a little splash here or there from paddling etc.  Not a major whomping.

i believe your transducer is coming loose. my little cuda does that when the transducer is loose or in deep water like moss landing.