instrument troubleshooting

[Brian]

My knot meter has power, but always registers zero. I checked the paddle wheel and it is spinning, any other suggestions? Also, my depth sounder bounces up and down a lot. I see soundings of 8 to the mid 100's when I know I am in 8 to 10 feet of water. I know there are no 100 ft holes being dredged off the end of my dock! I did forget to tell some help I had painting the bottom not to paint the bottom of the transducer, and it got painted. But fortunately I was right there and wiped it off before it dried. Even if I didn't get it as clean as I think I did, could this cause false readings on the deep side?

 

[Dave Mauney]

Zero on Speed indicator

I have a ST30 bidata speed indicator giving the same symptoms as yours. It turned out to be one of the leads had been cut in two by a wire tied that it was hanging on. I found it after all other checks from the manufacturer showed the meter was ok. I desperation I started inspecting every inch of the line I could get to before I bit the bullet and bought a new transducer and cable. I have become very respectful of wear from wire tie edges.Good WindsDaves/v DAMWEGAS

 

[LaDonna Bubak - CatalinaOwners]

Transducer age

How old is the transducer? It could be that the transducer has bit the dust. It's probably just coincidence that it happened after painting it. You could get a new transducer & test it by hanging it overboard. If you still get the same readings, the problem's in the head unit. LaDonna

 

[Jerry Anderson]

Speed sending unit

If you can have someone spin the paddle whee.l 1 spin with your finger will tell the story,. If still no reading, substitute another cable and transducer.. This will isolate the problem for you.. If you ever get paint on a transducer, lightly sand the area.. Also try a substitute unit,,. This will isolate the problem.. JDA

 

[B. Smith]

Instrument reading or lack thereof

I have a 1985 Hunter and have experienced the identical problems both with my knot meter and depth sounder. The original housing of the depth meter,( DataMarine) was found to be housing an abandoned hornets nest. The head was replaced. It worked for a short time then, poof! Found out to be defective and was replaced. Now it works as it should. My knot meter is not housing creatures but I suspect that it is the transducer. The paddle wheel spins as it should be no reading although I do have power to the unit. With power and spin I have deduced that it is likely the transducer unit itself. Let me know if you find the problem to be something else. Good luck.

 

[Stephen Ord]

Corroded Solder Joints

My Knotmeter was lighing up with the night light and there was no display numbers. The tranducer was showing a value when I put a voltmeter on it and spun it. So I sent my Datamarine Knotmeter to a repair centre and they fixed it for $45 Cdn ($30 US). They said some of the solder joints from the terminals had corroded and simply needed to be redone. Good deal.