Airmar P66 transducer gone bad?

[Insequent]

Back in November I had a new outboard fitted to my AB RIB. When I put it back in the water my depth sounder, part of the Simrad NSS 8 chartplotter, has not been working properly. I can usually get weak bottom traces which seem to be right depth, and can use the gain to alter the intensity etc. But the depth reading, big numbers on the screen, only shows sporadically. They may at times be right depth but are often a multiple of the depth of water that I'm in. It kinda points to poor connection/weak signal, but I've cleaned the plug/socket and it made no difference.

Now, the chartplotter was auto-rebooting while the new motor was being fitted. Iwas ale to fix this by a software upgrade to the Simrad. It very likely was on for much of the time the RIB was on the hard. Is it possible that the chartplotter cranked up the gain for the transducer trying to get readings while it was on the hard, and in the process fried the Airmar P66 transducer's sensors?

The unit is 12 years old, so maybe its just age. But its an odd coincidence that its not working properly after the new motor install. During that install the transducer cable was not moved. I think I can get a tech to take a look next week, but I'm just curious about any experiences folks here have with failing transducers in general, and the Airmar P66 in particular. Note that the temp sensor stopped working properly about 6 years ago.

 

[C lectric]

Have you inspected and cleaned the wiring and the connections. Don't know your unit but i do know that if units don't get proper voltage from dirty, corroded wiring and connections they cannot work properly and/or will be erratic.
This means ALL connections no matter where they are. Batteries, buss bars, fuse connections, crimp on wire terminals.

Have you attached a DMM to the supply wiring and monitored the voltage the unit sees. Almost any fluctuation may cause trouble from loose or poor, corroded, dirty connections.

For years I have used electrical coatings such as NoAlox , Penetrox, and now dielectric grease but all connections got at least one of them. Many connections are 30-40 or more years old and never had a problem.
Just keep some rags / paper towels at hand as they can be messy.
To apply I use a small brush or a pipe cleaner. I often rely on the pipe cleaners for small connections.

I know I am harping but problems keep showing up here and often it is due to the above.

Just a last comment that when we got our current boat several guages did not work or not well. I used a cleaner, soldering ROSIN paste, for cleaning electrical connections , applied it to the wire and carefully heated it. I could see the colour change from dark to that of copper. Reterminated the connections. THe guages perked up and are still going fine.
Yes it was a bit of discussion to remove the old terminals from the wire as it was without cutting or if enough slack was available trim the terminal and reterminate. Often carefully pinching the crimps would get them to release but sometimes it was cut it off. I always tried the pinching first though..

I also used heat shrink tubing although less of it then than I do now. All connections now get the full treatment.

DO NOT USE ACID CORE rosin or you will make things worse.

Reason was it was simple to try that rather than pull all the wiring and then the application of some of the above coatings. The Rosin paste worked and the guages are still working.
Just some comments.

 

[Insequent]

Hi Clark. Thanks for your post. There is only one connection from the P66 to the chartplotter and the 7 pin plug and socket got of lot of my attention as a first step. Made no difference.

But I have not checked voltage to the chartplotter, which in turn would be powering the P66. So I'll try that. All of the other chartplotter functions work normally. But who knows, that circuitry could be more tolerant of voltage issues.

In particular I'll check the chartplotter's power connection to the busbar. The P66 started acting up after the new engine was installed. During that install they would have been changing wires on the busbar, so there is a potential trigger event for what I'm now seeing.