Fish Finder Help

Need help with FF. I have a LOWRANCE Elite-4x. Screen showing 12ft but I know it isn't cause it takes a good 10 seconds to reach bottom.
Usually when I launch out i turn it on. the dept is good as I paddle out but somewhere along the way to my spot the FF goes crazy and it jumps from 10-12 ft and then 60 and then it stays at 12 ft all the time. like I said 10 seconds to reach bottom. I can't locate any structures. is my battery faulty in not providing enough current? Could that be my problem because I don't know what's going on. I'm almost fed up with this FF.

any ideas would be appreciated.

How do you have the transducer mounted?  If just gooped bubbles can develop under the puck and effect depth and reduce sensitivity as the signal can not penetrate the air gaps.  This would prohibit it from detecting the greater depths as you paddle out.  Just a thought.

Pm fishinforthecure he's very knowledgeable with lowrance

I'd say transducer mounting.  Is it a CHIRP model?  What is the ping speed set on?  Should be on the lowest.  This is a VERY time tested model so I'm leaning towards a setting or installation issue.

Tell us more about the install, transducer location.  Have you done a 'factory reset' in the event something got set wrond during initial setup?

Bill

Pm fishinforthecure he's very knowledgeable with lowrance

I was alreading writing a few questions.  Lol

I'd say transducer mounting.  Is it a CHIRP model?  What is the ping speed set on?  Should be on the lowest.  This is a VERY time tested model so I'm leaning towards a setting or installation issue.

Tell us more about the install, transducer location.  Have you done a 'factory reset' in the event something got set wrond during initial setup?

Bill

Bill,

Not sure what you meant by CHIRP. I'm not experience with FF. The model I have is the elite-4x HDI. Everything is factory default. The Transducer is mounted inside(goop) just about where my feet is resting when sitting down. That area is a flat surface or almost flat. If it is a installation problem would I be able to remove the goop and re-install again? 2 weeks ago same thing happened and i turned it off and on and it worked for several minutes and then it went crazy again. today the on/off did not work at all. Check out one of the vid from today's trip. the last 10 seconds the FF went crazy (all day like that) shows 5.8 feet dept. Thanks for your help!   Joe

Seems like most transducer issues I've read are fixed with switching to a water bath instead of Goop. At the very least, you'd know the issue wasn't the transducer mounting.

Seems like most transducer issues I've read are fixed with switching to a water bath instead of Goop. At the very least, you'd know the issue wasn't the transducer mounting.

First make sure your software is up to date. Next check your install: The goop over time can peel up and you can get air between the trans and the boat hull. I would recommend removing the ducer and then testing it in a bath for a full day OTW. You can make a simple easy to create/ removable bath from plumbers putty but go easy, it can be messing to clean up if you use a lot. If you're still getting the same issues contact myself or Bill regarding other possible options.

Software update for all Elite and Mark units.
http://www.lowrance.com/en-US/Software-Updates/Elite-40/

Mike

Thanks Mike ...  All GREAT advice that I would have said had he not beat me to it.

WARNING - Geek Talk:  The principal of how a transducer works is based on it making a "clicking" sound that travels thru water to bounce off an object & return to the transducer to compute into an image of what is going on.  This sound does not travel thru air worth a darn SO any air voids between the face of the transducer and the water (such as a small air gap between the GOOP & the hull of the kayak or air bubbles in the GOOP can/will cause the sound signal to go crazy.

I have found that the wet bath method works better than straight GOOP to the hull; here are two options:
     1)  use Duct Seal to form a ring, fill with a little water, place the transducer in the hole & covering with more duct seal works.  Cons of this is these larger HDI transducers take at least 1 brick, if not more, of Duct Seal to install.  Bulky & hard for me to see that there is water inside the 'Duct Mound'.
     2)  Create a block about 2" thick from pool noodle type material.  Trace the shape of the transducer onto this block & cut out a transducer shape opening that is slightly smaller than the transducer itself ... all the way thru.  GOOP this foam block into the hull & let it dry for a couple days.  If done right, this should hold water.  Now place the transducer into the foam block with a little water - voila!  Water bath that can be checked & water added if ever needed.  I prefer this method.  Just make sure to get a good coat of GOOP between the block & the hull so it doesn't leak out.

   Software update is always a good idea.  New updates are posted as they become available and area free to do.  Keeps you unit operating at best performance too!

   Don't hesitate to reach out to Mike or myself along this journey if you need further assistance!  It's what we are not paid to do.

  Bill

Don't want to hijack the thread, but kind of related. Why most seem to prefer inside installation and not outside - using magnets or external mounts? Is it because of risk hitting vegetation or something else?

There are pro's & con's to both methods.  In hull means less drag, no possibility of damage to the transducer from rocks, beaching, vegetation, etc.  Downside is in-hull can be a little more troublesome to install initially and it won't give you correct temp readings like outside the hull will.  On a plus side ... a lot of the kayak manufacturers are taking notice of the need for 'fishfinder ready' kayaks and manufacturing thusly; Hobie & Wilderness Systems and of course Santa Cruz 

Thanks. Yes,  hopefully they will start making me fishfinder-friendly kayaks, make them universal (forget about particular brand preference) and make them future proof (so current transducers fit into 2yo boat)

1)  use Duct Seal to form a ring, fill with a little water, place the transducer in the hole & covering with more duct seal works.  Cons of this is these larger HDI transducers take at least 1 brick, if not more, of Duct Seal to install.  Bulky & hard for me to see that there is water inside the 'Duct Mound'.

+1, use it all the time, and it works great. See my post here for details: http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=37264.0

Thanks. Yes,  hopefully they will start making me fishfinder-friendly kayaks, make them universal (forget about particular brand preference) and make them future proof (so current transducers fit into 2yo boat)

Universal is a little harder IMHO.  They COULD, but you have certain brand alliances already in play.  Ocean is H-bird.  Hobie partnered with Lowrance, as did W.S. (I believe).  The transducer manufacturers tend to advance their designs faster than kayaks since the kayak companies have to get their money worth out of the mold before making changes to accommodate different transducer designs.  So far, the only one I know that is 100% compatible across the board is Jim's Santa Cruz Kayaks.  Each year, we tend to see more models come out that are transducer ready.  Problem being, FF manufacturers aren't necessarily manufacturing for the kayak crowd since it is still a tiny percentage of their sales.  This will change a bit though in the future 

Most manufacturers didn't start with transducer ready till 2014/15 model boats so they are still limited, but growing in #'s & models. 

Thank you for all of you guys help, advice and suggestions. I will attempt to figure what is wrong. And if I can't I won't let this worry me much. I've been putting in a lot of OT to buy a new Ocean Trident 13 with the scupper transducer ready which will hopefully bring me fun on the water.