360 MEGA interference

[5 Alive]

I'm getting interference from the maximizer on my Fortrex. I've done all the wiring by the book so I'm thinking my next step is ferrite rings? And yes I've checked all the fuses and the noise filter options do nothing to help.

[jasonG]

I’ve had TM interference since day 1 going on 4 years now. When using my ultrex M360 is useless unless I use noise filter 2. Even then I still get noticeable interference. I’ve done all the rings etc. nothing has made any difference. It’s 100% to do with the trolling motor. Just a shame a new ultrex quest is likely the only fix.

[Wayne P.]

I'm getting interference from the maximizer on my Fortrex. I've done all the wiring by the book so I'm thinking my next step is ferrite rings? And yes I've checked all the fuses and the noise filter options do nothing to help.

Did the "book" include anti-RFI cable management and keeping the transducer cable away from the trolling motor power wires?

[5 Alive]

Did the "book" include anti-RFI cable management and keeping the transducer cable away from the trolling motor power wires?

As I said I've done my research and yes all cables are as far as possible from the TM, excess wire doubled and wrapped in larger coil, 10 ga tin with all ends soldered, ground wire to TM foot, choke at battery ext...

It's clear as can be on 100% so feel it just might be the TM itself.

[Wayne P.]

As I said I've done my research and yes all cables are as far as possible from the TM, excess wire doubled and wrapped in larger coil, 10 ga tin with all ends soldered, ground wire to TM foot, choke at battery ext...

It's clear as can be on 100% so feel it just might be the TM itself.

Get two F240 Mix 77 ferrite toroids and undo the doubled/looped transducer cable, and put the doubled cable through one of them several times. If that doesn't fix it stack the two stewards and do the same thing.

This is two stacked that I used when I had Motor Guide Tour motors.

[tajchauvin]

Had the same issue. Does your Fortrex have an internal ground wire with a fuse in the head? Mine does not and I had to run a ground wire from the motor of the trolling motor to the negative on my graph battery.

Sounds as if you have already ruled this out however.

[woppercatcher]

I never got RFI from my trolling motor (Ultrex) before the last updates. Now after the latest updates and a new Quest trolling motor I do get both interference on my Mega 360 and my built in 2D Quest. I'm using the Mega 360 Y cable now and before. I also have the two ferrite rings shown above but I believe those are only used for the two Ultrex power wires but I didn't do the wiring for this boat so can't verify. Both my Mega 360 and Mega Live are on their own battery source as well. Weird part is I only get this interference when I'm in deeper water, say 30ft or more. Noise filter 1 or 2 help the Mega 360 but no setting totally eliminates it.

[5 Alive]

Will do. Thank you

[SLYDoggie]

I never got RFI from my trolling motor (Ultrex) before the last updates. Now after the latest updates and a new Quest trolling motor I do get both interference on my Mega 360 and my built in 2D Quest. I'm using the Mega 360 Y cable now and before. I also have the two ferrite rings shown above but I believe those are only used for the two Ultrex power wires but I didn't do the wiring for this boat so can't verify. Both my Mega 360 and Mega Live are on their own battery source as well. Weird part is I only get this interference when I'm in deeper water, say 30ft or more. Noise filter 1 or 2 help the Mega 360 but no setting totally eliminates it.

Are you sure you are getting RFI type interference and not crosstalk from other transducers?

[5 Alive]

Are you sure you are getting RFI type interference and not crosstalk from other transducers?

yes

[bombercraw]

Same here on my end. I started out with an older motorguide trolling motor and tried every suggestion known to man, including the ferrite rings, ground wires, cable management, chokes etc., etc. I gave up and bought a new trolling motor and the RFI only got worse. I spent days, weeks and countless hours doing trial and error to no avail. Nothing worked and I have been dealing with this for years now. It's extremely frustrating to spend thousands of dollars on equipment that doesn't work as it should. I still think HB and the other manufacturers should be the ones to figure out how to solve this issue. I'd gladly pay a little more for the equipment if it actually worked as advertised. The onus should not be on us the end customer to try to figure out how to make their product work as advertised.

[5 Alive]

Same here on my end. I started out with an older motorguide trolling motor and tried every suggestion known to man, including the ferrite rings, ground wires, cable management, chokes etc., etc. I gave up and bought a new trolling motor and the RFI only got worse. I spent days, weeks and countless hours doing trial and error to no avail. Nothing worked and I have been dealing with this for years now. It's extremely frustrating to spend thousands of dollars on equipment that doesn't work as it should. I still think HB and the other manufacturers should be the ones to figure out how to solve this issue. I'd gladly pay a little more for the equipment if it actually worked as advertised. The onus should not be on us the end customer to try to figure out how to make their product work as advertised.

What I don't understand is why is it clear at 100% ? When the maximizer kicks in I get interference so you would think isolating the problem would make it an easy fix.

[bobcoy]

Maximizer turns off on 10. The TM runs straight off the battery without the PWM speed control.

[woppercatcher]

One thing to note. In the past with my old Ultrex before any updates if I changed the noise filter say to 4 or 5 if I pressed the trolling motor button the Mega 360 would completely wash out. Other noise settings would clear it up. Now after the update and even with the Quest the noise filter setting does nothing. Also, as I said before if I'm in shallower water everything is fine. My issue does seem like cross talk but what would cause that on the Mega 360 and 2D? I turned off the other 2D sonar and it doesn't help. I don't have any Mega DI running either.

[bobcoy]

Maybe there could be option to turn off PWM at times at any speed. Will be less battery friendly, but that could be for us to decide. I am not sure if that is even possible, but it would make things simpler at times. JMO Bob

[bombercraw]

What I don't understand is why is it clear at 100% ? When the maximizer kicks in I get interference so you would think isolating the problem would make it an easy fix.

I know. I ran into those same types of issues. I tried everything I could think of, everything that HB suggested, and everything that everyone on here recommended, as well as every other suggestion on web sites that I found. I literally spent countless hours out in my garage many many weekends and evenings during the week desperately trying to solve this issue. I even tried running my units off a dedicated battery. Nothing worked. What really frustrates me is not only did I spend thousands of dollars on the HB units and equipment, then dropped another $1500 on a new trolling motor only to find zero difference. I finally just gave up. Equipment looks fancy and great on the boat, but only usable when trolling motor is off so ultimately it's pretty much useless. Then, what really put me over the top is after spending countless hours on the phone with HB tech support (which by the way I had to wait on hold for over an hour most times to even get a live person), to be told that it's not their equipment but it's the trolling motor companies issue, and that I should contact them. And early on I tried that too only to be told by the trolling motor company that it's not their fault but rather Humminbird's. This entire subject just really pisses me off to rehash it in my mind. I'm sorry you are having the same issues and I truly hope you find the magical bullet resolution that a few lucky ones on here have been able to find. For me it has definitely not been the case.

[TomP.]

^^^^^ I cannot imagine the frustration and why some have horrible issues, knock on wood I have had 4 different Minnkota trolling motors on my 23 year old boat and have never had trolling motor interference on any of my Humminbirds over those years.My current setup is 3 12 Helix gen3`s, Mega 360 and Mega live I do get cross talk at over 20 feet of water turn sonar off on the dash unit and that clears that up.

[n_gong]

I’ve had TM interference since day 1 going on 4 years now. When using my ultrex M360 is useless unless I use noise filter 2. Even then I still get noticeable interference. I’ve done all the rings etc. nothing has made any difference. It’s 100% to do with the trolling motor. Just a shame a new ultrex quest is likely the only fix.

Quest Ultrex is not the only fix, I had issues and tried all kinds of chokes and ideas, until I went with the Ghost, then all was good.

[5 Alive]

Quest Ultrex is not the only fix, I had issues and tried all kinds of chokes and ideas, until I went with the Ghost, then all was good.

I'm thinking about the new PP move. They seem to have more intelligent design than most companies.

[jasonG]

I run a y cable on my M360 to an external 2d transducer I need to try running it without the y cable. I wonder if it’s coming through my 2d transducer?