Sub troll 900 grounding problem

[steelfire]

Has anyone had issues with their sub troll only reading to certain depths. This past trip my sub troll would only read down to 80'. The worst part is I had both of my probes and head unit sent in over the winter to re calibrate them and check them. They checked out fine. When I ask Moor electronics about this they tell me it is a grounding issue and that I need a grounding plate in my aluminum boat. WTF. I have had the sub troll on this boat for 10 years and this is the 2nd time this has happened to me, it started last summer with only reading down to 100' I need to get this figured out soon, because I return to fish the fall LOC in 3 weeks. Thanks for any input!!!

[EKoselny]

If you use coated cable I would start by checking for any missing coating. If you have bare wire exposed in the water you will loose signal through that. Also check your RCA cable connections and make sure they are not rusty, that will also cause a loss of signal. 

 

I was having issues with mine starting a couple of years ago. I did the whole wet rag trick for a while, then swapped out the cable and the antenna to the new Torpedo brand.  I was still loosing signal even after all that. This spring I installed a new RCA cable from the antenna to the head unit and that did the trick. Have not lost the signal once since I replaced the cable. This is what I used:

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003FVYXY0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00

[steelfire]

 Thanks for the info! all the wire is good on the rigger and I just replaced both the antenna and wire to the head unit this spring.  I just ordered your subwoofer cable. hopefully that is where my problem is also. How does the wet rag trick work??

[EKoselny]

wrap a wet rag around the antenna and it helps a little bit when the signal starts cutting out. I would use the washdown hose to keep it wetted down every once in a while. 

[steelfire]

I'm starting to think its time to buy a fish hawk.

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[jason]

Is you cell phone next to your unit head. Your phone will throw off the readings.

[steelfire]

No I usually have it in my pocket. However I have noticed when I talk on the marine radio I loose my speed reading. Good to know though. I will keep my cell phone away from it. My boat is at my mechanics house. He he confident it's a grounding problem and is re doing the ground wire. Moor electronics suggested putting in a grounding plate with a bolt that touches the water through the hull for complete grounding. Hopefully that will take care of it!!

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[jason]

Marine radio always does that.

[Flyer88]

No I usually have it in my pocket. However I have noticed when I talk on the marine radio I loose my speed reading. Good to know though. I will keep my cell phone away from it. My boat is at my mechanics house. He he confident it's a grounding problem and is re doing the ground wire. Moor electronics suggested putting in a grounding plate with a bolt that touches the water through the hull for complete grounding. Hopefully that will take care of it!!
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Did grounding fix the problem permanently? And how did your mechanic do that? Run the black wire to the ground instead of to the battery negative terminal? My Subtroll works fine below 2mph but cuts out when I speed up.


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[steelfire]

20 hours ago, Flyer88 said:

 

Did grounding fix the problem permanently? And how did your mechanic do that? Run the black wire to the ground instead of to the battery negative terminal? My Subtroll works fine below 2mph but cuts out when I speed up.


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Flyer88 that was 2 years ago. Unfortunately the only true way to fix a sub troll is to buy a fish hawk. My mechanic tried everything and nothing would work permanently. I finally got frustrated enough after a few ruined trips and bought a fish hawk. Best thing I ever did because the fish hawk is awesome. This is my second season with it and it works awesome. No more stupid freyed cable or pinched antenna. AND the best thing about the fish hawk is that it gives you the depth the probe is at so no more guessing at what depth your running at with cable blowback. Save yourself a ton of frustration  and spend the money for a fish hawk. It will be well spent money!!! Oh,  and Fish Hawk customer service is awesome too.

Edited June 25, 2017 by steelfire

[Decoy Hound]

35 minutes ago, steelfire said:

Flyer88 that was 2 years ago. Unfortunately the only true way to fix a sub troll is to buy a fish hawk. My mechanic tried everything and nothing would work permanently. I finally got frustrated enough after a few ruined trips and bought a fish hawk. Best thing I ever did because the fish hawk is awesome. This is my second season with it and it works awesome. No more stupid freyed cable or pinched antenna. AND the best thing about the fish hawk is that it gives you the depth the probe is at so no more guessing at what depth your running at with cable blowback. Save yourself a ton of frustration  and spend the money for a fish hawk. It will be well spent money!!! Oh,  and Fish Hawk customer service is awesome too.

Couldn't agree more, but I was dealing with the cannon brand, never would work, no wonder they discontinued it. Fish Hawk is awesome!

[Flyer88]

Not what I was hoping to hear but I definitely appreciate the feedback. Tightlines

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[steelfire]

Sorry. Just trying to save you some frustration. I can't tell you how much hair I pulled out of my head over that frickin sub troll.  Trust me, life is good with a fish hawk

[Flyer88]

I appreciate that. I'm the kind of guy that always wants to keep trying, but at this point I'm willing to consider something different I looked up the Fish Hawk online and those suckers are pretty expensive. I live in Canada, and when I started looking at prices here they were over a thousand bucks. Ouch!

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