Hummingbird Depth Sounder
 

Hey all,
I have a "vintage" Mariah 1850 and it has a Hummingbird sounder in the dash. It seems to be unreliable and shows random readings.

My question is, and I know this is a shot in the dark, but does anyone have a good idea if this is more likely an issue with the electronics or the transducer? If its an electronics issue, do you think I could put a newer Hummingbird sounder on the existing transducer?

Thanks

Re: Hummingbird Depth Sounder
 

I'm not a big 'fishfinder' guy but i suspect you wont be able to install a new unit on the existing 20 yr old transducer. First thing i would check is to see that the transducer is still firmly seated in the hull. The epoxy used to seat them becomes brittle after a while and once they begin to work loose they give erratic readings.

Re: Hummingbird Depth Sounder
 

Mikey's right. Check the transducer. If it's broken loose from the epoxy, most of the time you can re-epoxy it back down with slow cure epoxy (not the 5 minute fast cure stuff). Just make sure and turn it as you install to avoid any bubbles forming. There's some more specific instructions here on the site, just search epoxy and transducer.

Otherwise, one of the most common problems with boat electronics like sounders, depth gauges, gps, etc is that they change the fittings every few years, so chances are, a new sounder/gauge will likely not fit your existing plug. If you're having doubts, you could always buy a newer unit with a transom transducer, and just use that! Just make sure and use some heavy duty sealant in the screw holes under the waterline. (3M 5200/4200)

Re: Hummingbird Depth Sounder
 

Thanks everyone. Appreciate the ideas.