I have a DS-1 Digital depth sounder made by Standard Communications. It appears to not want to read the depth most of the time (sometimes it works for a few minutes) The guy I bought the boat off said that it did not work if the bottom was too soft. I sail on the maine coast and it sure isn't all soft out there. Anyone got a Suggestion?
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G
Gunter Meyer
No Depth
The problem may be the transducer. My DS 45 gave funny readings after the oil leaked out of the transducer housing.
The problem may be the transducer. My DS 45 gave funny readings after the oil leaked out of the transducer housing.
S
Steve O.
check this
Make sure the transducer hasn't been painted over with bottom paint. If it has, remove the paint.
Make sure the transducer hasn't been painted over with bottom paint. If it has, remove the paint.
S
Steve
One Other
I also find that sometimes if I haven't scrubbed the bottom of my boat in a while, my depthfinder will occasionally go into error. I keep my boat in freshwater, and it can get a little slimy occasionally.
I also find that sometimes if I haven't scrubbed the bottom of my boat in a while, my depthfinder will occasionally go into error. I keep my boat in freshwater, and it can get a little slimy occasionally.
C
Charlie on "kestrel"
cable
I had the same type problem with my depth sounder going beserk. I'm on a mooring in salt water so I didn't want to haul the boat for that so at the end of the season I checked the transducer for growth, paint or whatever. It was fairly clean. The next year it was the same, told me I was in 2 ft when I knew I was in 50+. I finally traced it to the cable connection from the trancducer to the back of the sounder unit. Just a little corrosion and after I cleaned it up it works fine. I've added this to the list of things to check every year. Charlie
I had the same type problem with my depth sounder going beserk. I'm on a mooring in salt water so I didn't want to haul the boat for that so at the end of the season I checked the transducer for growth, paint or whatever. It was fairly clean. The next year it was the same, told me I was in 2 ft when I knew I was in 50+. I finally traced it to the cable connection from the trancducer to the back of the sounder unit. Just a little corrosion and after I cleaned it up it works fine. I've added this to the list of things to check every year. Charlie
J
J.B. Dyer
Same Thing
I just went through the same thing with my SR Instrument. Erratic readings, scrolling through from 0 to 999, showing me at 20 feet when I knew I was in 65 feet of water. I checked everything, voltage, connections, transducer, etc. and couldn't find any problem. Tried working it all out through the deep and shallow water gain, didn't work. The kicker was when I turned on my running lights which in turn turned the light on in the instrument, it immediately went to 999 and locked. I called the manufacturer about it and described the problem and their preliminary guess was an interior short. I pulled it our and shipped it to them. I'm getting ready to stick a fish finder in this weekend to make do with until I get it back. It'll drive you nuts!!
I just went through the same thing with my SR Instrument. Erratic readings, scrolling through from 0 to 999, showing me at 20 feet when I knew I was in 65 feet of water. I checked everything, voltage, connections, transducer, etc. and couldn't find any problem. Tried working it all out through the deep and shallow water gain, didn't work. The kicker was when I turned on my running lights which in turn turned the light on in the instrument, it immediately went to 999 and locked. I called the manufacturer about it and described the problem and their preliminary guess was an interior short. I pulled it our and shipped it to them. I'm getting ready to stick a fish finder in this weekend to make do with until I get it back. It'll drive you nuts!!
N
Neil King
Replaced
I just finished replacing my DS-1 with a DS-45. My unit was 18 years old and was too faint to read most of the time. THe DS-45 is a direct replacement. The old transducer seems to work well with the new unit.
I just finished replacing my DS-1 with a DS-45. My unit was 18 years old and was too faint to read most of the time. THe DS-45 is a direct replacement. The old transducer seems to work well with the new unit.
B
Bob
Charlie's got a point,
most electrical problems I've run across on cars or boats are connector related - often just loosening and retightening a connector will solve the problem. Rule #1 of troubleshooting: check the easy stuff first.
most electrical problems I've run across on cars or boats are connector related - often just loosening and retightening a connector will solve the problem. Rule #1 of troubleshooting: check the easy stuff first.
T
Tom
Replace w a fishfinder
Replaced my SR Depth Sounder with an Eagle Fishfinder from boaters world over the winter. $129 with depth and speed. I sent back the transom depth transducer and Eagle exchanged it for a puck mount. I drilled and carved out the old SR transducer from the nylon thru hull insert, and Marine Tex'd in the puck. Took the transom mount speed and temp and butchered it down to where I fitted it in the other nylon thru hull insert. Flushmounted the fishfinder where the old SR depth meter was. Works great for depth, plus reads voltage. Speed and temp did not work after I inserted in the boat, so I must have damaged the water integrity, but a great solution, and looks good in the boat, and fun to see the bottom profile and fish.
Replaced my SR Depth Sounder with an Eagle Fishfinder from boaters world over the winter. $129 with depth and speed. I sent back the transom depth transducer and Eagle exchanged it for a puck mount. I drilled and carved out the old SR transducer from the nylon thru hull insert, and Marine Tex'd in the puck. Took the transom mount speed and temp and butchered it down to where I fitted it in the other nylon thru hull insert. Flushmounted the fishfinder where the old SR depth meter was. Works great for depth, plus reads voltage. Speed and temp did not work after I inserted in the boat, so I must have damaged the water integrity, but a great solution, and looks good in the boat, and fun to see the bottom profile and fish.
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