Thru-hull transducer
- Thread starter Lusitano
- Start date
You shouldn't drill a hole.
See here how to test your hull. If the hull is solid (uncored) you're ready to go holeless (if that's even a word
)http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=911277&highlight=zip lock
Listen to these guys! Please don't drill a hole in your boat! Find a spot where it works using a ziplock bag of water and then put her down with toilet bowl wax or silicone. Chief
Agree with these guys and suggest forward of the keel if you can. That way if you're inching your way in a tight spot you'll get a short warning before touching. Good luck
So the transducer will always be inside the bag with water once i put her down with silicone?
Thanks.
No, sealed water bag is used temporarily to find the spot you want to mount transducer in your boat. The transducer is placed on top of the water bag, pressed down and checked for signal quality at a possible good spot. Chief
Get 2 toilet wax rings (about $1 per). Make a little mound of wax at the spot of your choosing and then stick the transducer into the wax leaving no air bubbles. You can leave it at that as permanent and nontoxic but easy to remove and clean up.
A transducer cannot shoot through air. In order for it to be able to shoot through the hull it must be solid core with no air bubbles. Now the purpose of drilling through the hull is to provide a perhaps clean permanent installation. Have seen transducers placed inside water filled PVC pipes, enclosed by toilet wax rings, in pools of epoxy or in water bags. They take up space and some methods have less permanency than others. I used to have an h27 Cherubini and the transducer was installed about 4" inside the starboard settee forward of center. If you are considering an inside installation look for a place where it may not interfere with the keel or rudder and remember that you will have to route the wire to the control display unit.
Mary years ago when we owned a different boat. We angsted over this for a year. We were advised and counseled and finally tried it by building a small dam on the hull out of RTV as an experiment.
About 4" in diameter. We put water in it and duct taped the transducer down. It worked perfectly. So then we purchased epoxy with a special attached mixer tube. Poured the epoxi in the dam. People told us absolutely no air bubbles or it would not work. The instructions said use very slow set epoxy so bubbles can leave solution prior set.
Well everything went wrong, I could see tiny air bubbles and they did not leave, the transducers ended up cocked off, and the tape did not hold.
Funny thing, we got lucky, it worked anyway, still does. Compared it with known depths to 100 ft and it is exactly on.
About 4" in diameter. We put water in it and duct taped the transducer down. It worked perfectly. So then we purchased epoxy with a special attached mixer tube. Poured the epoxi in the dam. People told us absolutely no air bubbles or it would not work. The instructions said use very slow set epoxy so bubbles can leave solution prior set.
Well everything went wrong, I could see tiny air bubbles and they did not leave, the transducers ended up cocked off, and the tape did not hold.
Funny thing, we got lucky, it worked anyway, still does. Compared it with known depths to 100 ft and it is exactly on.
Bubbles in epoxy usually inhibit signal strength both send and receive. How deep it will pick up is a better evaluation along with detail of bottom if appropriate. Chief
There are two transducers epoxied to the hull of my O'day. Only one is used, it is in the center of the hull just behind the keel. Appears to work fine.
The more centered the better for when you are heeling.
I can see the reasoning for putting it just in front of the keel for quicker notification of the bottom coming up for some boats and areas.
I haven't seen it mentioned that when passing through a powerboats wake, I do get funky readings caused by the turbulence left behind by their props.
The more centered the better for when you are heeling.
I can see the reasoning for putting it just in front of the keel for quicker notification of the bottom coming up for some boats and areas.
I haven't seen it mentioned that when passing through a powerboats wake, I do get funky readings caused by the turbulence left behind by their props.
The transducer for my depth sounder came with a plastic tube about 3" long with a lip on one end for mounting it inside the hull. The transducer screws into the other end. The end with the lip is cut on an angle to accommodate the slope of the hull. I tested the area using foam tape on the lip to position the tube and the filling the tube to the top with water and testing the depth sounder. Once I found a good spot ( a little aft of the front of the eked to the port side) I removed the tape and used RTV silicone to glue the tube in place. After the RTV dried I filled the tube with antifreeze (the stuff I use to winterized the boat) - about a cup or so, and screwed the transducer in place. A little of the anti freeze squishes out.
It works great!
It works great!
Unbelievable .....................
Who's stupid here .................... the so call "experts" or the posters here who have done it already and moved on to other things.
Anyone:bang: :bang::bang: :bang: ? ? ? ?
............... I can't believe the bull crap that these companies (in addition to this one) go through in mounting in-hull transducers when so many people on this site have simply slapped them on to the inside of the hull with epoxy, silicone, toilet wax rings, or anything else within reach which provides a bubble free base AND IT ^&*%#! WORKS.
Who's stupid here .................... the so call "experts" or the posters here who have done it already and moved on to other things.
Anyone
:bang: :bang::bang: :bang: ? ? ? ?
I would not use the tube and water concept as I would be concerned with leakage or evaporation. Now thats an air bubble! The other reason, is I want signal transfer immediately through the hull into the seawater media. Mounted close against the hull helps reduce signal distortion angle as well. Chief
