Thru Hull skimmer transducer install!

[waynec]

A few guys asked me to post some pics of my trnasducer install , after messing with the location i found a good spot on my 21 SS Extreme, and it works great!
I started with using plumpers putty to make a dam to hold the epoxy in place!


Sand the bottom of the transducer or scuff it up, sand area to me mounted in as well and clean area with alcohol, have one youself won't hurt either LOL!
Now the poxy i used is the 2 part and with this brand there is no mixing, which is real good because you create no air bubbles, just be sure to push out the epoxy slow or you can get acouple.

If you standing at the back facing the bow i mounted mine just to the left of center, epoxy sets up hard within a hour and your off fishing.




Now i had to remove the bigle pump , the one on the left, just unplug it and remove the cartarigde, move aside the hoses and wiring, but be careful as to not break off any hoses from the pump, ( broke one of mine), screen shot sitting in driveway , showwing good bottom, don,t be alaramed if it doesn,t read right in the driveway (depth), it'll be fine in the water!


Hope this helps anyone and if you have any questions just ask.
Total time to install it was about 30 min and i was out fishing!


Modified by waynec at 3:26 PM 5/25/2010

[rchavis]

Thanks Wayne for the pic's

[stratos195]

I am getting ready to epoxy a puck style transducer in my hull, do you create a pool of epoxy to fill up the clay form you make or do you just place small amount of epoxy in it?

[waynec]

I used what was in the tube i purchased, it's really not a great amount but just enough i think, the epoxy i used i thought was great , no mixing to crreate air bubbles.

[4508js]

sorry i just now saw this post, but where did you purchase that particular epoxy ? my local lowes carries (loctite) brand and JB Weld but you have to mix both of them. i used the Loctite Marine grade two part epoxy and i must have got air bubbles in it because it isn't showing proper bottom and i lose readings when i get on plane.

[waynec]

I got mine at home depot, if your losing bottom on plane i would try finding a better location to mount it,unless thats were it was before hand, also have a look under the boat to make sure the area the transducer is in is not getting any water turbulance , i had to move mine twice to find a good spot

[4508js]

yeah i put mine in the same area as the factory flasher ducer. the number reading is accurate at idle speeds, but is showing the bottom as a thin green bottom all the time. i know for a fact that most places i fish are hard chunk rock bottoms, so i'm sure i just have air bubbles in the first attempt. i'm going to get some epoxy like you used and i bet i will get a better result. thanks

[waynec]

Let us know how you made out!The Lepage stuff i used was great, the noozle has a spiral thingy in it that mixes it as you push it out, just go slow LOL! Good luck!
Wayne

[4508js]

yeah i'll definately give a follow up. i'm only off two days this week and the closest Home Depot is about 30 miles from my house, so it might be a few days. i gotta be on the water atleast one of my days off. i only work two days next week but i will be in Alabama on Lake Weiss for three days for a Bassmasters Weekend Series Tournament, so i'll be a little busy.

[4508js]

well i went back to my local Lowes today (2 miles from my house instead of 25 to Home Depot) and looked at their epoxy again. they didn't have the Lepage that you had, but they did have the Loctite version. it had the same spiral thingy and said "instant mix" 5 minute epoxy on the tube. i got it and used it and the screen is showing the same as it did with the ducer submerged in water sitting in the driveway. looks like that did the trick, thanks for the recomendation. i highly recomend the epoxy because it does mix itself and highly reduces air bubbles as long as you GO SLOW. THANKS AGAIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[stratos195]

When you guys made the putty form, did you fill it up with the empoxy and then just set the transducer down in it? I did everything to install my new transducer in the hull last night except for the epoxy. I wanted to ask this question before I messed something up. Also, how far down in the epoxy is the transducer sitting?

[waynec]

The tube i used filled it up about 3/16ths, push the transducer down into it in a twisting motion and hold for a minute, the transducer will sit all the way down with very little epoxy under it, epoxy sets up fast and even faster if it's warm out.I don't think it matters much about the amount of epoxy, just that too much may make it harder to remove in the future, no air bubbles is very critical, the air bubbles with give misleading readings and loss of bottom.
Wayne

[4508js]

the first time i tried it i made the putty damb and pushed the entire tube of epoxy in it before i put the ducer in. the problem was that the epoxy already started to harden when i put the ducer down so it didn't work correctly, so i removed it pretty easily (with a hammer and screw driver) and reprepped the area. the second time i didn't use the putty, i just put the epoxy dirrectly on the ducer and then some on the area i wanted to put the ducer, then i pushed and twisted the ducer when i applied it. i actually put good pressure with my hand on the ducer for 5 continuous minutes and then allowed 30 minutes before testing. good thing about putting the epoxy on the ducer is that you can hold it close enough to your eyes that you can see if you get any air bubbles, and if you see a couple you can mix it around with the needle that the epoxy comes out of. either technique is affective, the key part is to push the epoxy out SLOW.