New hummingbird fish finder install and having big issues

[bandrus1]

New hummingbird fish finder install and having big issues

Installed a hummingbird 859xd

 

Take it out and works like a charm and as soon as we hit 50fow it just can not track bottom or get display any reading back

 

Odd thing is when I turn it off and turn it back on it will read the depth even in 200fow for about 3 seconds and then cheap out again, so it clearly works then just messes up again.

 

This is both at dead still and trolling speeds.

 

Any clue what's going on?

[180ccf]

My lowrance would do that. I finally figured out I needed to set it to deep water. I have several settings like fresh water, clear water, muddy water deep water... Not sure if the hummingbird is the same. Also it is imperative to my performance that I select the correct transducer in my setup. Again not sure if your has these settings, but it is worth a look.

[Capt Vince Pierleoni]

Its very possible its a voltage drop. Are you confident in the electrical hook up? Is this unit considerably larger than what you had before? Maybe Yankee Troller will chime in but if not call the customer service number with the model number and they should be able to help. If its not voltage then its in the settings. 

[bandrus1]

Vince are you saying voltage as in how much juice it is sucking from the battery?

 

At this point I'm about 100% sure it isn't a settings issue

Edited April 23, 2017 by bandrus1

[Capt Vince Pierleoni]

I have had what you are describing happen in the past with other brands. It was usually in how it was wired or when additional electronics kicked on that they would go down.

[bandrus1]

Hmmm ... 

Edited April 23, 2017 by bandrus1

[Capt Vince Pierleoni]

3 minutes ago, bandrus1 said:

Hmmm 

Even if you hooked it up like your old unit was, it very likely could demand more juice--or maybe you added some other goodies that are drawing. The fastest way to rule that out is wire direct to the battery that gets ample charging while underway and fuse it near the battery to be safe. Make sure the wire is adequate guage for the length of the run.

[Yankee Troller]

Try what Vince is recommending. When these units don't get the proper power they act funny. I run all my units direct to the battery to reduce any interference issues, and I run larger wire than recommended. Always check the manual for recommended wire sizes.

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[pjprod]

What do you have running on the battery to your electronics and graph? What size wire...I ran 10 gauge wire from battery with a 30 amp fuse at battery to a fuse block under my dash and electronics off of that with zero issues. Garmin 7610xsv graph...Fish hawk unit, FM Radio and marine radio. I believe the Garmin draws more amps than the Humminbird which was my previous graph with same setup.

[bandrus1]

I'm really not electronicly sound... I removed a fish finder and GPS unit... this does sound like a wiring issue, I may take it to Moore's in Ithaca who did all the wiring the first time around...

 

What a mess

[Todd in NY]

I agree with the possibility that it's a wiring issue. I have an 859HD with DI, and a 959HD in my boat and never had any issues with them.

 

Good luck with it, and let us know what's causing the issue when you figure it out.

[bandrus1]

I'm going g to call them today and talk with their support. My next course of action will be take a different battery and hook it directly to it and see what happens.

[bandrus1]

Hummingbird does not think it's a power issue. They said if that was the issue I would get more screen freezing and restarts not loss of depth... they asked me to check the software I'm running. They also asked if I had somebody local I could swap heads with and see if their head works on mine and mine on theirs to isolate if it is a head or transducer issue

[LakerTaker]

Is your transducer next to another one on a mounting plate? Sometime interference can cause issues. I had this happen to me last summer.


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[bandrus1]

my fish hawk is on the other side of the outboard and I asked fishhawk if they would interfere and they said no, and it does this even when every other electronic on the boat is off 

[Yankee Troller]

Not sure where you're located, but if you're on Western Lake O I can try to help ya.

[bandrus1]

Appreciate it but I'm in Binghamton and fish Cayuga and oz

[LakerTaker]

my fish hawk is on the other side of the outboard and I asked fishhawk if they would interfere and they said no, and it does this even when every other electronic on the boat is off 

Ok, that's good, just trying to go through the list of potential issues. I have a larger Lowrance GPS/ fishfinder combo unit and I run a smaller cheap Eagle fish finder for passengers to look at. My Eagle was acting up in a similar way as yours....starts out fine, then freaks out in deeper water. Was working fine in years past. I determined that the transducer was bad. Maybe try another transducer - if you have access to one. And also the power test direct to a battery.

[bandrus1]

Well I'm going to wire this directly to a battery. It it does not work the head and transducer will be sent in for testing

[LakerTaker]

Sounds good


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[Todd in NY]

Just trying to cover all the bases here, with no intent to insult your intelligence...

 

Is the transducer cable coiled up onto itself (to take up excess)?

Is this the only fish finder on your boat?

Are there any kinks in the transducer cable?

 

Sometimes we stare at something so long, and trace all our steps back and forth, and still can't figure it out. I did it with my 959 by not plugging in the transducer cable all the way. I had to install a 10ft extension transducer cable and failed to push the two cables together all the way. I was sure I did, and double checked it. I tried it again the next day and realized my error.

 

I hope it's something simple. Good luck!

[bandrus1]

The good news is that I called cabelas and even though it was an as is unit because it was in their bargain bin they said they would not want to sell me a broken unit so if hummingbird finds a broke head or transducer and won't honor a replacement cabelas will work with me to make it right one way or another.

 

 

I have always had great luck with them

[jigstick]

On 4/23/2017 at 6:42 PM, pjprod said:

What do you have running on the battery to your electronics and graph? What size wire...I ran 10 gauge wire from battery with a 30 amp fuse at battery to a fuse block under my dash and electronics off of that with zero issues. Garmin 7610xsv graph...Fish hawk unit, FM Radio and marine radio. I believe the Garmin draws more amps than the Humminbird which was my previous graph with same setup.

 

 

this.  I was having similar problems with a Raymarine MFD and transducer set up.  I ended up installing a new fuse block right under the dash, and wiring it to the battery bank via 4g wire.  Getting adequate voltage right to the unit solved the problem.  I now have a Garmin MFD which works well with this setup.  

 

[bandrus1]

The company says it's not a voltage issue, when I run the system check it says it is getting 12 volts

 

 

Beats me, I'm going to do the software upgrade, then hook it to independent battery.... it neither works they are sending me a transducer to test

[anytime]

I also have a 859HD and when I get into deeper water you need to change the setting to salt water to punch thru the water to the bottom. Normally over 100' but your's may be different. T that the next time your out. Works for me.