Helix 12 G2N DI and Ultrex Interference

[Bob B]

If it's a SI transducer .... they are the same. The DI transducers are not.....it matters.

There is still no guarantee that you will have zero interference, but without the correct transducer the deck is heavily stacked in favor of interference.

[GEEBASS2000]

Ok now I have a dumb question after reading all this. Would a US2 eliminate all this interference if you used US2 for sonar and a 360 for SI and 360 because the 360 never actually touch the Minn kota??

[ezfishn]

Ok now I have a dumb question after reading all this. Would a US2 eliminate all this interference if you used US2 for sonar and a 360 for SI and 360 because the 360 never actually touch the Minn kota??

No guarantee on that one.

[Ralbertina]

I'm having the same problem I just bought a Brand New 2017 Phoenix 921 PHX last month and had the Helix 12 SI Mega at console and Helix 12 DI at bow. Mine at the Bow is doing the same, I have the Helix 12 Di G2N but with the 112 Fortrex 36v. I have done everything humminbird has asked me to. They sent me the interference ring, had me run a new ground wire from the unit to the motor and scratch the paint off the trolling motor and put the ground in a spad under the band to ground it twice. I even went a extra step and wrapped my whole transducer cable with silver foil heating and air tape to help shield interference then wrapped the whole cable with 3m electrical tape. Made sure all trolling motor cables is on port side and they never cross the 12v supply on the starboard side. Checked the fuse in the trolling motor, it's good. I have tried the Mega at the bow it does the same. Then they asked me to take the transducer off the trolling motor while I was fishing and hold it off to the side of the boat, It still does it. They said maybe there was interference coming from the switch or the fuse panel, so I go by new wire and run it straight from the Battery and laid the wire over the top of the boat to the unit and still does it everytime you step on the switch. So now I've emailed them again and added video. I have requested for a technician to come out and go on the water with me. They know they have a problem one dealer I talked with says 1 out of 10 have problems. They don't want to hand out DI transducers because there $250 a Piece. But you would thank since Johnson Outdoors owns both Minn Kota and Humminbird that they would not have any problems cause you would want people to put both of your products on there boats. I'll keep you informed I know one of the sale reps at Johnson Outdoors so maybe we can get this solved. Cause right now its useless would be better off with one of the old flasher boxes.

I have a 2016 Phoenix 921 configured like your boat, plus I'm running a Humminbird 360 unit off the trolling motor as well. Like you, I've taken all these steps to try and eliminate trolling motor interference from the Ultrex 112. I've spent hours trying to isolate the issue with little success. I agree, its a known issue with the Ultrex112 without a known solution. Very frustrating when your running all minn kota and humminbird products and the Ultrex 112 makes both my bow mounted Helix 12 DI and Humminbird 360 units virtually useless on the water. When I purchased the boat in APRIL 2016 it came with a fortrex 112, and I did not have these issues. It seems to be totally related to the electronics n the Ultrex 112. I too asked humminbird is there an expert I could take my boat to to help figure this out and was willing to pay for the service given I have $10K+ electronics on the boat. They told me they were not aware of an expert that I could contact and work with on this issue. Very frustrating.

[TroyBoy30]

i finally got lucky, but i do have an si unit. zero interference on si, di, 2d or 360 and we even ran the cables down the trolling motor cables of my ultrex which i've always preached against

[Ralbertina]

I am by no means mechanically, electrically or otherwise technically inclined in any way, shape or form. But after forking over almost $60K in cash, I find it totally unacceptable to have these "little" problems from the get go. And yes, I can hear already some stating that a bass boat is nothing more than an "expensive toy"... This is besides the point. I got the boat because I wanted it and could afford it. Is it wrong of me to expect everything to work flawlessly, the way it's supposed to? Since I am, as I mentioned before, not very good at fixing my RFI-related problem, what are my options, besides putting my hand in the pocket and starting to throw money away left and right?

Same hear.... I have about $80k tied up in my boat with about $12k in minn kota and humminbird products - e.g Helix 12 DI, Helix 12 SI, Helix 10 DI, Humminbird 360, Ultrex 112 Ipilot-link, 2 Talon 12' poles. I too find it frustrating to have this much invested in technology and have to spend countless hours on the phone and speaking with others on how to solve the RFI problem between the Ultex 112, 360 and HB 12 DI unit. What's worse, when you contact Humminbird, they can't recommend a vendor to take your boat to to sort out the RFI issues. Ray

[TroyBoy30]

it's not an ultrex issue. the electronics are doing what they are designed to do.