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Data Marine Depth Sounder failing?

cawinter

Member III
Funny story this year (or not so): My depth sounder is starting to act up. Occasionally we get correct soundings but generally it just jumps all over the place w/ an occasional MDS (sp?) on the side. I suspected paint to be the issue. Checked all the wiring and moved some stuff around in the back but without much success. Any thoughts from the assembled wise people? Thanks.
 

Patti Wood

Member I
Check transducer

I have that gauge and mine was on the blink, too. I borrowed a friend's gauge (doesn't have to be the same make) and hooked it up to my transducer, and it worked fine. Easy test, and a good way to isolate the problem. Sent my gauge to DMI, they fixed it for a little over $100, plus shipping - they were great and fast.

Patti
1978 E27, "Epiphany"
 
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cawinter

Member III
Thanks.

I'll give it another try when I get back to the boat. She's in New London for summer vacation :)

I seems that there is not much that can fail in the transducer plus cable and the trouble is most likely in the signal processing/timing unit, i.e., the display part. $100 seems acceptable given that everything else is working fine. I'll check with them directly.

Thanks for the comments!
 

Shadowfax

Member III
I just went through this this spring. Had the head unit renovated last year which helped with the problems you describe, but when we hit shallow water the reading went all over the place. Called DMI and they said it sounded like the transducer, especially after the head unit rehab.. DMI had them at around $135.00 if memory serves.

The problem is that the old transducer has to be completely removed; it is a one piece unit. It does not slip out like the speedo does, at least this was the case with mine. This HAS to be done out of the water for the obvious reasons. The good news is that the replacement does remove as the speedo does.

The biggest problem is rerunning the new wire. This was a major hassle for me as you can't get to about the first 10 feet or so of the cable. Finally reran it only to find the cable defected. DMI quickly replaced the cable with a 1,000 apologies. The problem was that I happened to be one of the first 10 to receive the new transducer and cable [4 where bad of the 10] and the reason given is that they use a five wire to support the latest innovations in speedos. We only need 2 wire to support our old technologies so what ever they did to kill off the other 3 wires didn't work. The unit now works correctly and was worth the BS factors.

DMI are good people and I would recommend a trip through their web site and a call to describe your particular problem.
 

cawinter

Member III
Thanks, Paul!

Execllent info. I'll go that route, too. Head unit and then transducer (keeping my fingers crossed).

Their website was down last night but I'll try later, and I'll keep the group posted.

Thanks again.
 

dpddj

Member I
same here

I also had a DMI depth gage issue. I sent the head in and DMI pronounced it fine, so I bought a new transducer. Now mind you, I did check wiring prior to this. After I ran, with, as you say, major difficulty, the new transducer cable, unit still did not work.

So I went back to work with the meter and found a break that was intermittent in the power cable near the distribution panel. Soldered in a new section and life is fine. I also have a new transducer I did not need but at least I am able to remove it and plug it if ever that need arises.

Boats.
 

Erich

Member II
Love those depth sounders

Our sounder started to go on the blink in the middle of holidays last year. By the time we got home, it wasn't working at all. Cleaning the transducer didn't work. I took the unit apart, played with the pots inside and did get a couple of proper readings. Thinking the situation solved, I remounted it. No good. No amount of fiddling could get it working. I ordered a Raymarine ST60 tridata to use as a shoot thru until the spring haul-out. DSI quoted something like $300 to refurbish the depth sounder. In case I couldn't get that to work I also ordered a little portable fish finder -sounder for $50. Both worked for the balance of the season. I still could not get the original depth sounder to work for the balance of the year.
Then, in the spring, as is bound to happen when you take your car to the mechanic, as we were sailing to our haulout, the depth sounder worked perfectly. These things like to have the last laugh. We still changed out the depth and speed for the ST60 tridata and are very happy with that. the little fishfinder is nice for checking out depths for future anchorages... and to see all of the fish that we can't catch.
I better sign off before I get started on the chartplotter that went into reverse colour until I ordered a replacement!
 

Rocinante33

Contributing Partner
In case I couldn't get that to work I also ordered a little portable fish finder -sounder for $50. Both worked for the balance of the season. ........ the little fishfinder is nice for checking out depths for future anchorages... and to see all of the fish that we can't catch.

Erich,

What brand of portable depth/fish finder did you get and can you tell us the source?

thanks
 

Erich

Member II
It is a Norcross FF3355P from Boaters Basement. Sadly Boaters Basement closed up their on-line shop. (They knew more about the Raymarine ST60 packages than Raymarine themselves.)
What i like about the Norcross is that the transducer is on a long (20' at least) line so that you can mount it as a shoot thru the hull, throw it out by hand or take exploring with your dinghy.
 

supersailor

Contributing Partner
Datamarine

Erich,

I too have the Datamarine depth sounder blues. Since I bought the boat two years ago, the depth sounder has jumped around like a shocked kangaroo. Looking at the repair costs, I have considered buying a Ray Marine unit that is compatible with my E-90 so I can read direct off the screen. It would have to fit in the pod at the helm station. Does anyone have the specs for the transducer? The information provided in the Owner's Manual doesn't even mention the specs for the transducer. I was needing to know if I could use the same transducer or if I have to wait until the boat is hauled to make the change.

I still have to check the wiring to the unit and the transducer but this problem seems to be rather universal so replacement with a unit that has Sea Talk appears advisable. My E-90 has been doing the depth indications successfully so far but I would really like to have a real depth sounder that is accurate and has working alarms.
 

supersailor

Contributing Partner
Datamarine Depthsounder

Thanks Tom. I've been getting conflicting advice about getting the unit rehabilited ant going with a new one. Mine is set at the pedestal in an Edison pod. I will take it out and send it in for a check. It would be kinda neat to have a modern one that repeats to the E-90 but the pod systems also works and keeps to the character of the era. :rolleyes:
 
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