Depth reading disappears on 360 screen

[akaslyguy]

Hello, I finally got to get out and spend some time with my new 360 on my Ultrex. A problem I kept having was the depth overlay would lock up.... usually saying 0.7 and then flash or completely disappear from the overlay. The other readings were still there on the screen though (temp, speed, time...). Then at times the depth reading would come back and read ok for a little while before locking up again and/or disappear. I noticed if I changed views to something besides 360, the depth would be back and reading correctly (such as on 2d, di, or si screens or combo screens. Any suggestions. My buddy got tired of me asking to look at my console graph and tell him what it said for depth. He likes the console screen on regular 2d when he is fishing in the back.

My other concern/gripe after my second trip out this year is that since doing the latest update, my units (helix 12 mega on bow and helix 10 mega on console) have had a hard time showing the correct depth. My console unit especially has been all over the place while fishing. Saturday it was reading 200-800 ft deep randomly and crazy colors all over the screen. I finally turned the noise filter from off to low and it instantly went to reading fine. I had to do the same thing on the bow unit that morning too. All last year I rarely had any issues with these units reading depth correctly. I never had to use any filters or give it much thought really. But this year is a different story. I have seen MANY others having to decrease sensitivity and such for erratic depth readings and now it looks like I'm going to join them.

Joe

[akaslyguy]

Guess I stumped the group

Maybe a restore defaults is in order. I always restore before and after an update... but who knows... it may help.

I currently have 1 mix 77 ferrite ring on my mega transducer cable and 1 on the ethernet cable coming from the 5 port hub to the bow unit. Both rings are located close to the bow unit. I bought some extra ones in case I need to double stack some on a cable or add to other cables. The only cables left at the bow are the 360 power wire and ethernet cable, and the power cable for the bow helix.

[tweakjr]

Are you running 2D on both units simultaneously, both units having sonar turned ON, or are you sharing 2d?
Are you experiencing interference on SI/DI with the TM running?
Resetting defaults is definitely a place to start.

[akaslyguy]

I have always ran both units when I have a fishing partner in the back of the boat. (Not sharing 2d) Both units set on 200 frequency, only in deeper water have I noticed any cross talk before. However, when the depth was freezing and disappearing on the 360 screen, i could switch to si or di, and the depth was working/displayed just fine at the bow.

Depending on the situation in the past, I have changed 2d frequencies on either the bow or console if I have been staying in deeper water fishing, but even in deeper water using the same 2d frequency on both units I have only experienced crosstalk... never erratic depth readings like I have seen since hitting the water this year. The only two things different than last year are the addition of 360 and the new update.

[BoatBuggy]

For your 360 issue, perhaps "un-network" the Helix units and see what happens.

[akaslyguy]

For your 360 issue, perhaps "un-network" the Helix units and see what happens.

I will try that....Thanks. Curious what you think may be happening?

[BoatBuggy]

I will try that....Thanks. Curious what you think may be happening?

Just isolating where the issue occurs. When your 2D depth readings went away, was the circle in the middle still showing the right depth?

[akaslyguy]

When your 2D depth readings went away, was the circle in the middle still showing the right depth?

Yes, water column was as it should be for whatever depth I was in. Just the weird disappearing depth reading on the overlay info. Just before it would disappear... it was usually froze on .07 and then flash on and off a time or two then stay off for a bit.

[Wayne P.]

Yes, water column was as it should be for whatever depth I was in. Just the weird disappearing depth reading on the overlay info. Just before it would disappear... it was usually froze on .07 and then flash on and off a time or two then stay off for a bit.

2D sonar is not working when that happens. That is where the depth readout comes from.

You can use the 360 with no other transducer connected since it does Range, not depth.
A 2D source just provides the depth readout.

[akaslyguy]

2D sonar is not working when that happens. That is where the depth readout comes from.

You can use the 360 with no other transducer connected since it does Range, not depth.
A 2D source just provides the depth readout.

Yep... just trying to narrow down the reason the 2d is not working at times. I know the 360 is not causing my issue, it's just weird that I don't, or haven't, noticed it on other screens.

I have done some reworking on how I have some cables running and such but I won't get to test on the water again until next week. Voltage on the unit shows 11.4 - 11.6 when I have looked, so I don't think I have a unit acting funny from low voltage.

[Wayne P.]

Yep... just trying to narrow down the reason the 2d is not working at times. I know the 360 is not causing my issue, it's just weird that I don't, or haven't, noticed it on other screens.

I have done some reworking on how I have some cables running and such but I won't get to test on the water again until next week. Voltage on the unit shows 11.4 - 11.6 when I have looked, so I don't think I have a unit acting funny from low voltage.

If you wiring is adequate as well as your battery health, you should be getting over 12V. A fully charged lead/acid battery is 12.7V.

[Wayne P.]

[akaslyguy]

Ok... maybe on to something now... the console unit will show about 11.9 and bow unit 11.6 to 11.7. I have a 1 year old Sam's duracell AGM group 31, 6g wire from battery to a master cut off switch, 10g wires from cut off switch to a blue seas fuse block located in my rod locker, 10g wiring from fuse block to each graph. I don't think I've ever seen either graph show over 12 volts, but the battery will show over 12.8 - 13 volts with a multimeter after charge. (Depending if the surface charge has been removed) After fishing all day Saturday, the multimeter showed 12.38 for the battery and around 11.2 - 11-5 on the graphs. I haven't actually checked the voltage at the plug of power cable though. My charger is a mk330pc with the main batter bank set to agm.

[Wayne P.]

Ok... maybe on to something now... the console unit will show about 11.9 and bow unit 11.6 to 11.7. I have a 1 year old Sam's duracell AGM group 31, 6g wire from battery to a master cut off switch, 10g wires from cut off switch to a blue seas fuse block located in my rod locker, 10g wiring from fuse block to each graph. I don't think I've ever seen either graph show over 12 volts, but the battery will show over 12.8 - 13 volts with a multimeter after charge. (Depending if the surface charge has been removed) After fishing all day Saturday, the multimeter showed 12.38 for the battery and around 11.2 - 11-5 on the graphs. I haven't actually checked the voltage at the plug of power cable though. My charger is a mk330pc with the main batter bank set to agm.

That screen shot is with my bow Helix 12 when fishing an electric-only lake.

http://all-about-lead-acid-batteries...g-a-voltmeter/

[akaslyguy]

So... does my setup raise some red flags? Thanks Wayne.

[akaslyguy]

When I got home I checked my voltage at the plug ends of both graphs.... the battery read 12.87..... console graph cord read 12.86... and bow graph cord read 12.86 too. This was right after I unplugged the charger so no surface charge had been removed.

[Wayne P.]

When I got home I checked my voltage at the plug ends of both graphs.... the battery read 12.87..... console graph cord read 12.86... and bow graph cord read 12.86 too. This was right after I unplugged the charger so no surface charge had been removed.

A voltage meter doesn't indicate the circuit capacity. A load on it does. What did the unit voltage readout show?

[akaslyguy]

A voltage meter doesn't indicate the circuit capacity. A load on it does. What did the unit voltage readout show?

Ok... thanks... bare with me... I'm not the sharpest on loads and circuit capacity and such. I'll check it with graphs on.

[akaslyguy]

Here was my findings from the unit's voltage readouts tonight. I unplugged the charger, batteries were full charged, just sitting in standby mode. I plugged the cable collector in my console graph (helix 10 mega) and my bow graph (helix 12 mega). I then turned on the master switch I have for my electronics that powers the blue seas fuse block. Turning this switch on instantly powers up the 5 port ethernet switch. I then turned on both units to normal mode and also turned the power switch on for the 360. When everything booted up I then checked the voltage at the battery and read the readings from both units:
AGM Battery = 12.63
Console graph= 12.0
Bow graph = 11.7

I then turned units off and switched to simulator mode. In simulator mode the graphs read:
Console= 12.1
Bow= 12.0

I left the graphs on, in simulator mode for 40 minutes. After that time, this was my readings:
Battery= 12.63
Console= 12.1
Bow= 12.0

I then turned off the units and rebooted them in normal mode. The results were:
Console= 11.9
Bow= 11.6

So I guess I lied when I said my units have never displayed over 12.0, but I dont usually have voltage displayed either... unless I have a concern about something. And honestly after starting the motor a couple times... I would be surprised if the graphs did actually show over 12 for long.

So... does any of that info lead anyone to think I have a voltage or voltage drop issue that needs attention or should cause concern? Would the bow unit, or both units, benefit from bigger sized wiring from battery to fuse block and then to bow unit? Or does the voltage reading from the bow unit (or both units) seem ok? I do not have any corrosion issues with any of the connections or terminals, btw.

[Wayne P.]

Here was my findings from the unit's voltage readouts tonight. I unplugged the charger, batteries were full charged, just sitting in standby mode. I plugged the cable collector in my console graph (helix 10 mega) and my bow graph (helix 12 mega). I then turned on the master switch I have for my electronics that powers the blue seas fuse block. Turning this switch on instantly powers up the 5 port ethernet switch. I then turned on both units to normal mode and also turned the power switch on for the 360. When everything booted up I then checked the voltage at the battery and read the readings from both units:
AGM Battery = 12.63
Console graph= 12.0
Bow graph = 11.7

I then turned units off and switched to simulator mode. In simulator mode the graphs read:
Console= 12.1
Bow= 12.0

I left the graphs on, in simulator mode for 40 minutes. After that time, this was my readings:
Battery= 12.63
Console= 12.1
Bow= 12.0

I then turned off the units and rebooted them in normal mode. The results were:
Console= 11.9
Bow= 11.6

So I guess I lied when I said my units have never displayed over 12.0, but I dont usually have voltage displayed either... unless I have a concern about something. And honestly after starting the motor a couple times... I would be surprised if the graphs did actually show over 12 for long.

So... does any of that info lead anyone to think I have a voltage or voltage drop issue that needs attention or should cause concern? Would the bow unit, or both units, benefit from bigger sized wiring from battery to fuse block and then to bow unit? Or does the voltage reading from the bow unit (or both units) seem ok? I do not have any corrosion issues with any of the connections or terminals, btw.

If you are not constantly charging the battery, it gets weaker with use. Also with any other device drawing power, that is even less available to support the units.
A fully charged AGM battery is 12.8-12.9V.

https://www.energymatters.com.au/com...age-discharge/