I have mounted a new Raymarine ST 40 transducer in hull on sailboat, using silicone. Worked great for several months. Then after underway for awhile, readings start going down and settle at 2 feet. If I turn power off, and repower it again works ok for a while, then repeats the problem. Or it may work all day ok. Returned the instrument to Raymarine who tested it, says it is ok, and that problem must be in the transducer. Have you had a similar problem?
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I mounted an in-hull transducer puck on a previous boat using silicone even though it is not recommended. As Ross notes, most manufacturers recommend epoxy. Most manufacturers never have to move the mounted puck sometime in the future and if you've used epoxy to mount it, trying to move it may be impossible. Not so with silicone. I think the trick to using silicone successfully for this application is first making sure the location is clean, sanded, and has a clear shot through a solid fiberglass hull (not cored) to the bottom. Next build a little dam out of clay in which you can fill with silicone. The key now is make absolutely sure the silicone does not have air bubbles trapped in it by gently moving the puck around as you seat it. You may want to try removing it and starting over again using this method.
I don't know what material the transducer face is made of, but is it susceptable to corrosion? Some silicones generate acetic acid (hence the vinegar smell) during the cure process. Diffusion of that acid might have caused some damage to the guts of that particular transducer??
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I wouldn't use either epoxy or silicone. Silicone is nasty stuff that has no place on a boat IMHO, outside of bedding certain ports and covering cotter pin ends.
What I generally recommend, if you want a shoot-through-the-hull setup is epoxying a section of 4" schedule 80 PVC pipe to the hull and mounting the transducer in a pipe cap, and filling the pipe with mineral oil. Works very well, and can be reused if you ever upgrade to a different depthsounder.
What I generally recommend, if you want a shoot-through-the-hull setup is epoxying a section of 4" schedule 80 PVC pipe to the hull and mounting the transducer in a pipe cap, and filling the pipe with mineral oil. Works very well, and can be reused if you ever upgrade to a different depthsounder.
For $2.25 cents you can isolate the issue-
Just yesterday, I went to Home Depot and bought another wax ring (for toilets). Scraped offthe wax, stuck it on the hull and shoved the transducer into it. Works perfect, mine last about 3 years before I need to redo it. Quick, not messy, and so easy even a caveman can do it.....
If that solves the issue, it was the mounting; if not it's an equipment issue. This is the easiest way I know to discover where the problem is. And since you know it's not the unit, if it's not the mounting, you need another transducer.
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Just yesterday, I went to Home Depot and bought another wax ring (for toilets). Scraped offthe wax, stuck it on the hull and shoved the transducer into it. Works perfect, mine last about 3 years before I need to redo it. Quick, not messy, and so easy even a caveman can do it.....
If that solves the issue, it was the mounting; if not it's an equipment issue. This is the easiest way I know to discover where the problem is. And since you know it's not the unit, if it's not the mounting, you need another transducer.
cup
There is a reason
There is a reason the mfg. recommends not installing with silicone. And epoxy is basically impossible to remove. Mine is installed with marine tex, but if it ever needs to be replaced, I will go back with a wax toilet bowl ring. This is the simplest, and cheeeepest method available. And it works.
There is a reason the mfg. recommends not installing with silicone. And epoxy is basically impossible to remove. Mine is installed with marine tex, but if it ever needs to be replaced, I will go back with a wax toilet bowl ring. This is the simplest, and cheeeepest method available. And it works.
Re: There is a reason
This discussion is why I use a transom mount transducer. My boat is hauled each fall and if I encounter any anomalies with my depth/fish finder I can deal with it come fall haul out. I changed my ten year old system this week because the depth still showed properly but the alarms weren't functioning.
This discussion is why I use a transom mount transducer. My boat is hauled each fall and if I encounter any anomalies with my depth/fish finder I can deal with it come fall haul out. I changed my ten year old system this week because the depth still showed properly but the alarms weren't functioning.
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