Humminbird 597 DI........HELP!

[catfish123]

Ok, long story but I'll try to keep it short........lol. Have had a Humminbird 597 DI in my Allison XB 2003 now for probably 5 years. It is installed as shoot thru the hull installation and it was put in the tray that Allison provides. For a few years, it worked fine..........then about 2 years ago, the 2D view stopped working, but the DI view continued to work. After a lot of guessing what to do, I put some water in the tray and both the 2D and DI worked! The transducer when installed was put in with a slow curing epoxy. It worked then until about a month ago, and I did have to replenish the water in the tray from time to time. It has now stopped working again, same thing, 2D view does not show the bottom but DI view works fine............................Do I need a new transducer?............or just what is causing this? When I put water in the tray now..................it does not "fix" the problem like it used to. Thanks!597ci HD DI Combo

And........is there a "correct" transducer to use for a thru hull installation of a 597ci HD DI? If so, what is it?

[Wayne P.]

DI transducers are no longer recommended for a shoot-thru application. There are no shoot-thru DI transducers made. Back then, the only difference between a transom and shoot-thru DI transducer was the included mount system---- transom bracket or epoxy.

Transducers do fail or wear out with age. The replacement is the XNT 9 DI T.

https://humminbird.johnsonoutdoors.c...ing-transducer

[catfish123]

Thank you very much. Will the transducer you listed work properly as a shoot thru hull allowing my 597 to work with all functions? I want to be able to shoot thru the hull with a transducer. If this won't work, what new units work well with a shoot thru the hull transducer? Thanks again.

[Wayne P.]

If you were satisfied with what you had, the XNT 9 DI T is what you have, just replace it.

[catfish123]

If you were satisfied with what you had, the XNT 9 DI T is what you have, just replace it.

Thanks again, Can that transducer be installed with silicone instead of epoxy? My tray on the Allison has very limited access and it is going to be very difficult because of that to remove the current epoxied in transducer. From the factory there was a transducer for the flasher installed in the tray with silicone, allowing for much easier removal if there ever was an issue.

[Wayne P.]

Silicone is flexible so it will absord sound vibrations. If you want the best performance, the transducer face and hull have to be bonded solid so they vibrate at the same rate.
With the high frequency that the DI transducers use, it may not work at all using silicone.

Any of the hulls made like the Allisons with that much transom setback are tough to get to the bilge area.

[catfish123]

Silicone is flexible so it will absord sound vibrations. If you want the best performance, the transducer face and hull have to be bonded solid so they vibrate at the same rate.With the high frequency that the DI transducers use, it may not work at all using silicone. Any of the hulls made like the Allisons with that much transom setback are tough to get to the bilge area.

Hate to keep asking more questions but is there just a 2D transducer that I could use thru hull that would work on my unit? I don't really care for the DI that much anyway.

[Wayne P.]

Do not see the XP 9 28 listed anymore, just the trolling motor puck XTM 9 28 T.

BUT you still would be using 455 kHz for 2D sonar and that is what doesn't work well for shoot-thru.

Does that unit have a 83/200 kHz choice for Connected Transducer?

[catfish123]

Do not see the XP 9 28 listed anymore, just the trolling motor puck XTM 9 28 T.BUT you still would be using 455 kHz for 2D sonar and that is what doesn't work well for shoot-thru.Does that unit have a 83/200 kHz choice for Connected Transducer?

I am not sure.........boat is about 100 miles away............I will check on that when I go up next week. I am not against buying a whole new unit. I would only need one with GPS, Temp if possible, 2D.........and shoot thru hull capabilities. Have any suggestions?..........Not looking to spend a fortune, lol, but $500 or so is OK.

[Wayne P.]

If you really want water temp instead of hull temp, you need a shoot-thru that has the remote temp sensor. Those would be XP models with a T in the name.

The Helix models replaced all the models with number names and Helix models with GPS in the name would have GPS.
Number name models have Combo in the name which stands for a combination of sonar and GPS.

Current Helix models are in screen sizes of 7", 8", 9", 10", and 12" and they are G3 or G3N. N stands for Network.

Older discontinued Helix models, first generation and G2, have a 5" model.
If you can find a Helix 5 CHIRP GPS G2 or older Helix 5 Sonar GPS, those would be about $300 new. They are 83/200 kHz standard.

MSRP of the current non-networkable Helix 7 CHIRP GPS G3 is $500. It is 140-240 kHz CHIRP standard.

All the models come with a transom transducer. Humminbird has a transducer exchange program so you can get the proper transducer for your installation type-----thru-hull (XPTH), shoot-thru (XP), and trolling motor puck (XTM).