Active target goes black

[haus9393]

I’m having this issue that just started with my active target this past week. All of a sudden the screen somewhat freezes for a second or 2. Next the image goes solid black like what it looks like when you pull the trolling motor out of the water. The image will stay like this for about 10 seconds and then the normal active target screen will start working again. It’s not a “no source” issue as when I disconnect my Ethernet cable it will legit say no source on the screen. It’s acting like the transducer is disconnecting from the black box possibly. I’ve disconnected the transducer multiple times and plugged it back in. My power is great going into the black box with 13.3v and I will say I touch the black box in the rod locker and it is extremely hot to the touch. Like burning up hot. Has anyone heard of this. It happens on average every 30 min or so but I’ve seen it happen every 5 min at times.

[mrdeath]

Definitely overheating. May need to find a new place to mount it where it has some air flow around it. Friend of mine had the same issue recently and moved his. Been fine ever since.

[haus9393]

It’s just mounted in the rod locker against a wall with carpet. My livescope box and my SS3D are all on the same wall. Seems odd but I’ll take the advice. Just not sure where I’m gonna put it now but I will say this thing is screaming hot. Like the locker is closed. Air temp 80 degrees doesn’t feel too hot in the locker and I touch the box and it’s literally hot enough to burn my hand after 2 seconds.

[MonteSS]

Sounds like something is wrong, but get a cheap 12v fan (like the ones that plug in the cig lighter, and blow that over the fins. Might not be a permanent fix but might help.

[haus9393]

Well unmounting the black box didn’t have any affect on fixing it so I guess I’ll be calling Lowrance to see about replacement.

[78Staff]

Well unmounting the black box didn’t have any affect on fixing it so I guess I’ll be calling Lowrance to see about replacement.

Be interested in hearing the outcome, I have essentially the same setup - 3DSS Module and AT Module in rod locker on sidewall - had a similar issue I noticed today - Forward mode I would only see about 30% of the screen (left side) then all black. Flipping to Scout Mode I get the full view again. So not sure if overheating issue (would not think so since Scout Mode works fine), or if other problem. It was fairly shallow, so maybe it's something to do with that - Forward mode is not great in shallow water I've found, but I've never seen it go black like this before though. Meant to take some pics but got distracted by the ole black bass (caught my personal best today actually :). Next time out if still doing it I'll snap some pics and feel the module also...

[haus9393]

https://youtube.com/shorts/38Zns2kjvoM?feature=share

this is what it does. I didn’t record the beginning when the screen freezes for about 1-3 seconds and then goes black just because it’s so random when it happens and My phone wasn’t at the ready.

[haus9393]

update. replaced the black box, no fix.
replaced the power cable, no fix.
have another transducer on the way to see if that's it

[Hunna]

What else is left ?

[Basshopper]

The only thing left is the ethernet cable which could be bad, have seen this before, after looking at your video, First when you have those rings that is a sign you have the sensitivity to high, forcing the processor to run wide open creating more heat. I would put a voltage overlay on your AT screen to verify its not low voltage, Are the other 2 boxes in your locker running at the same time creating additional heat in the locker?

[Marc Marcantonio]

I would suspect your transducer is bad. Been running mine in the rod locker next to my StructureScan3D since both came on the market with no issues, and have used them in air temps over 100 degrees.

[78Staff]

I would suspect your transducer is bad. Been running mine in the rod locker next to my StructureScan3D since both came on the market with no issues, and have used them in air temps over 100 degrees.

I will say, this thread did make me check my AT box, and it for sure gets warm... warmer than I would have expected. It's hot to touch after a few seconds you don't want to keep your hand on it. I guess it's designed for this though... StructureScan3D box by comparison is nowhere near as warm.

[78Staff]

Be interested in hearing the outcome, I have essentially the same setup - 3DSS Module and AT Module in rod locker on sidewall - had a similar issue I noticed today - Forward mode I would only see about 30% of the screen (left side) then all black. Flipping to Scout Mode I get the full view again. So not sure if overheating issue (would not think so since Scout Mode works fine), or if other problem. It was fairly shallow, so maybe it's something to do with that - Forward mode is not great in shallow water I've found, but I've never seen it go black like this before though. Meant to take some pics but got distracted by the ole black bass (caught my personal best today actually :). Next time out if still doing it I'll snap some pics and feel the module also...

Update, no issues with forward mode this weekend, so I will assume it was just that i was too shallow and had the 0* mount to far "up".

[Marc Marcantonio]

One important note that I cannot stress enough...never "hot swap" a transducer. This means do not unplug, or plug in, any transducer on a powered-up display unit or box like StructureScan3D or Active Target. Doing so can ruin the transducer.

Lowrance published a Technical Bulletin about this but it is not widely known. Please help spread the word.

[haus9393]

I have purchased a full new active target. New box and transducer. New power cable. New Ethernet cable and I still have it happen 2-5 times a day on the new setup. My active target is wired to my internal boat harness that Phoenix puts in the boat which is supposedly 8 gauge to a fuse block and then I have my power cable on that fuse block in the rod locker. I’m going to run dedicated 10 gauge from black box to the battery and see if that does anything. But on my Phoenix harness the only thing powered is the structure scan 3D and the active target box so I am by no means overloading that circuit and everything is tight so just not sure. Is it possible it’s because I run my contrast at 88% and noise rejection is OFF?

[Basshopper]

How do you have your ethernet cables routing between units and boxes, How does your AT box connect through the 3D or outside of 3D to one unit. If you have your ethernet set to a series pattern vs though the 3D box so its more of a parallel pattern hook up,that could be slowing down traffice and causeing this delay. Have seen it before. Plug the AT into the 3D this also allows you to standby or shutoff every unit and still not loose any access to data. Assuming you don't already have it that way.

[haus9393]

My active target box Ethernet is plugged to the structure scan 3D box. Then I have a single Ethernet leaving the structure scan box and going to the bow hds16 and then I have another single Ethernet cable leaving the structure scan 3D box going to the console hds16. So all 3 of my ports on the structure scan 3D box are being used.

[Basshopper]

Perfect

Your signiture says you have a Livescope are you running both, Did you ever get the replacement transducer and if so results? So why did you buy a new set were you out of warranty?

[haus9393]

Perfect

Your signiture says you have a Livescope are you running both, Did you ever get the replacement transducer and if so results? So why did you buy a new set were you out of warranty?

No but I fish a lot of tournaments and knew it would be gone for weeks. Figured it would be best to just bite the bullet and buy another that way I wasn’t down and out. I believe the black box just came back in but it doesn’t matter that isn’t the issue. Unless I miraculously got 2 back active target setups. I have the lvs32 garmin and now active target. Personally active target is alot better but I’m using both.

[djtavilla]

No but I fish a lot of tournaments and knew it would be gone for weeks. Figured it would be best to just bite the bullet and buy another that way I wasn’t down and out. I believe the black box just came back in but it doesn’t matter that isn’t the issue. Unless I miraculously got 2 back active target setups. I have the lvs32 garmin and now active target. Personally active target is alot better but I’m using both.

Did you get this issues fixed? What was it? Mine went blank every 2 minutes and would take about 20 seconds to come back to life, it made AT almost unusable this weekend.