Humminbird 899 SI - Depth Reads a Constant 1.6' and Never Changes - Help Needed

[kailor]

I've have two 899 SI units networked together. When out on the lake, the console unit reads a depth of 1.6'. This reading is constant all day long and NEVER changes. It's always 1.6' deep whether idling, running or fishing. It's 1.6' deep until I power down the unit. All other functionality seems fine on this console unit. I need help running down this problem.

Current setup: unit A is at console, unit B is at bow.
If I swapped units, putting unit B at console and got a depth of a constant 1.6' on the water, I would deduce a bad head unit. Is my troubleshooting effort going to be this simple or is there more to it? Or could it be a bad transom-mounted transducer?

Thanks for any/all help in this matter,
Keith

[Wayne P.]

The transducer 2D has failed, replace it.
If you have companion 2D transducer with your SI transducer, that is what has failed.

You should be using a shoot-thru 2D transducer with that hull, disconnect the Y cable from the SI transducer and connect the SI transducer directly to the unit to verify it's the shoot-thru that is the issue.

[kailor]

Thanks Wayne. I have a transducer on the TM and one outside on the transom mounted low. I really don't know which is which? I figure my TM transducer provides the depth for the bow unit and the outside-on-the-transom transducer provides depth reading for console while moving.

So is the bow transducer the SI transducer and the transom transducer the 2D one? I really appreciate your help!

[Wayne P.]

Depends on what transducers you are using with the 899's. They come with the transom Compact SI transducer. There is a Compact SI trolling motor puck just for that application.
Most that want better images use the HDSI transducer at both locations.
If your hull type has the transom extension, some have the thru-hull SI transducer under the transom extension.

Are you sure you don't have a shoot-thru transducer epoxied in the bilge?

[kailor]

Wayne,
I'll go to the lake on Friday, snap some pics of all transducers and look around in the bilge area for a shoot-through. Will the transducers have a model number on them or would I have to match their visible appearance against Humminbird's website images. Is there any other info I can provide to you to enable you to help me further? Again...THANKS.

[Wayne P.]

Wayne,
I'll go to the lake on Friday, snap some pics of all transducers and look around in the bilge area for a shoot-through. Will the transducers have a model number on them or would I have to match their visible appearance against Humminbird's website images. Is there any other info I can provide to you to enable you to help me further? Again...THANKS.

About 1' from the cable plug is a label with the model name. If you have a Y cable for two transducers with the console unit, it is a double cable to single plug connected to the back of the unit.

[kailor]

Wayne,
Should I try swapping the units first? Have you heard of or experienced my issue before. I just want to minimize my trips to the lake. Would a shoot-thru transducer be more forward or aft in the bilge area...like behind the batteries?

[Wayne P.]

Wayne,
Should I try swapping the units first? Have you heard of or experienced my issue before. I just want to minimize my trips to the lake. Would a shoot-thru transducer be more forward or aft in the bilge area...like behind the batteries?

Yes you can swap displays to eliminate the display itself as the issue.

A shoot-thru typically within 12" of the hull drain.

[LittleJohn]

Kailor since both units is the same switch them out. That 1.6 reading is mostly on land reading. If u get same results on water then the transducer has gone bad.
LittleJohn

[kailor]

Thanks LittleJohn! I report back Friday with findings/questions.
Keith

[kailor]

So, would I have a puck transducer for the trolling motor, one external on transom and a third inside the bilge area? Would I have 2 or 3 transducers?

[Wayne P.]

So, would I have a puck transducer for the trolling motor, one external on transom and a third inside the bilge area? Would I have 2 or 3 transducers?

3 transducers for a proper installation for your hull.
Two of them would be Side Imaging transducers and one would be a 2D sonar transducer.

[kailor]

As promised, here are my findings (there are three images):

I swapped the units from console to bow and vice versa. The unit now positioned at the bow worked perfectly, and the unit now positioned at the console read a depth of 1.6' and never changed. There is a transducer problem.

Starting up front at the bow here's a pic of the transducer and it is cabled with a XNT 9 20 T:

20190222_104446.jpg

20190222_104525.jpg

20190222_104623.jpg

[Wayne P.]

What transducer/s are connected to the console unit?

If you are using the pictured transducer with a 899ci HD SI Combo, the Connected Transducer setting should be Dual Beam.
Default is Compact Side Scan.

[kailor]

Regarding a "Y" cable, this was the closest wire(s) that I found resembling a "Y". I'm referring to the two smaller sized wires at the top of this image (left). These two wires plug into their own respective plastic rectangular housing (right image).

Console Unit wires
20190222_115149.jpg 20190222_110253.jpg

With console unit removed I found a wire labeled "DUAL BEAM" and another wire labeled "SIDE IMAGING". The wire labeled “SIDE IMAGING” is also labeled XNT 9 SI 180 T and is the thicker of the two wires (left image, 2 wires at top) and heads toward the rear of the boat.

The wire labeled “DUAL BEAM” is also labeled XNT 9 20 T and is the skinnier of the two wires (left image, 2 wires at top) and heads toward the rear of the boat.

[kailor]

Now for the outside transducer at the back of the boat:

This transducer had no identifying markings or labels on it. It is 3.5"L x 2.5"W. Note the copper connector...I think this comes into play shortly.

20190222_122045.jpg 20190222_122156.jpg 20190222_122208.jpg

[Wayne P.]

The cable with the white tags on it is the Y cable. The Side Imaging transducer plugs into the Side Imaging plug and the Dual Beam transducer (2D) plugs into the Dual Beam plug.

The XNT 9 20 T is a transom Dual Beam transducer that some use for shoot-thru or on the transom.
Check the "rear of the boat" to see if both transducers are there or just the Side Imaging transducer.

Take the cable collector apart and remove the cable plugs. It will be obvious which plug is the Y cable (has two cables). Unplug both transducers from the Y cable and ONLY connect the XNT 9 SI 180 T to the unit. On the water, check for the depth readout.
Next ONLY connect the XNT 9 20 T to the unit. Check on the water for the depth readout.
That should let you know if the XNT 9 20 T is defective or the Y cable is defective.
You don't have to put the cable plugs back into the cable collector for the testing, just connect the transducer to the transducer port and power cord to the power port.

[kailor]

Now for the inside bilge area transducer at the back of the boat:

There are two transducers! Remember the copper connector on the transom transducer zip-tied to the mounting plate?
One of these transducers (#1) seems to be a "puck" style that would affix to a trolling motor and the other (#2) seems to be an "external transom" style. It's clear to see that #2 came off of it's epoxy bed...I simply pulled it right up.

20190222_153428.jpg 20190222_153641.jpg



Takeaway:
Since the depth was not reading at all, I think transducer #2 (above, right) is wired as the supposed active transducer and the copper connector referred to earlier is associated with the possibly older puck style transducer #1.

Now for my questions:

Q1: Do I have a "Y" cable?
Q2: Are these the best transducers that I can have for my two 899 units, i.e., are they HD?
Q3: If "no" to Q2, then which ones (by exact name/number) should I purchase?
Q4: How do I remove the puck style transducer in the bilge?
Q5: Why would I have two transducers in my bilge area?
Q6: How should I ultimately correct my problem, if yes to Q2, and transducer #2 is the culprit, re-epoxy?

[Wayne P.]

Now for the inside bilge area transducer at the back of the boat:

There are two transducers! Remember the copper connector on the transom transducer zip-tied to the mounting plate?
One of these transducers (#1) seems to be a "puck" style that would affix to a trolling motor and the other (#2) seems to be an "external transom" style. It's clear to see that #2 came off of it's epoxy bed...I simply pulled it right up.

20190222_153428.jpg 20190222_153641.jpg



Takeaway:
Since the depth was not reading at all, I think transducer #2 (above, right) is wired as the supposed active transducer and the copper connector referred to earlier is associated with the possibly older puck style transducer #1.

Now for my questions:

Q1: Do I have a "Y" cable?
Q2: Are these the best transducers that I can have for my two 899 units, i.e., are they HD?
Q3: If "no" to Q2, then which ones (by exact name/number) should I purchase?
Q4: How do I remove the puck style transducer in the bilge?
Q5: Why would I have two transducers in my bilge area?
Q6: How should I ultimately correct my problem, if yes to Q2, and transducer #2 is the culprit, re-epoxy?

1. Yes you have a Y cable I already described it in my last answer.
2. HD is irrelevant, it means nothing. Either the XNT 9 20 T, XNT 9 20, XP 9 20 or XP 9 20 T will work. They are exactly the same for 2D sonar.
3. Since the XNT 9 20 T is loose, put a couple of gallons of water in the bilge, put the transducer face down in the water and see if you get a depth reading on the water. It is works, re-epoxy it back in place in a clean sanded area.
The smaller transducer amongst the hoses is a Lowrance shoot-thru.
4. If the Lowrance transducer has the blue plug, you can adapt it to Humminbird with the Motor Guide 8M4001962 adapter. Leave it there.
5. see #3
6. see #3

Review the proper installation of a shoot-thru transducer in post #2 here--no short cuts.
http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=172972

[kailor]

Wayne,

On your prior post (#19), are you saying to put water in the bilge AND put the boat in the water? Regarding a blue plug, I did see this cable in the console that was not connected to anything:

20190222_105325.jpg

I appreciate all of your help.

Of course you are...thinking slowly today...
Keith