Apelco/ Ray Marine transducer swap?

[reelfishin]

My boat is wired for an Apelco 365 fish finder, the transducer includes as speed wheel. I was pleased with the Apelco unit but someone liked it more than me and it's gone. I found a Raytheon L365, which looks to use the same plugs. I realize that Ratheon/ Ray Marine at some point took over Apelco, are the transducers and power cables interchangeable? I get no help from Ray Marine, they tell me that the unit is out of date and should be upgraded.
I have a problem spending money to replace something that still works. I use it most for the speed and depth function than I do as a fish finder. I do better with my old flasher unit as a fish finder.

 

[pvanv]

Re: Apelco/ Ray Marine transducer swap?

If you buy new, it will come with the thru-hull transducer anyway, so not an issue.

If you get a used eBay head unit only, it will be cheaper, and may or may not be in working order. But I bet that if the plugs fit, especially considering Apelco sold to them, it will likely work.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Apelco/ Ray Marine transducer swap?

Well, I chanced the one on eBay, for $12 I'll take the chance, the ad said it works and its guaranteed to not be DOA.
$12 is better than $100 for another fish finder, and I don't have to drill any new holes. I'm guessing that their most likely the same, but was hoping someone had tried. I do see several new old stock Apelco transducers listed as for both Ray Marine and Apelco, so I may be in luck
I was a little surprised that Ray Marine don't offer any parts or support for these models, they were still selling them two years ago in Bass Pro Shops.

I've not yet seen a new fish finder come with a through the hull transducer, what good is that if you have an aluminum boat? The instructions with my 365 say that I could attach the included transducer to the bottom of the hull if it were fiberglass but not if it's aluminum. It would also mean I'd loose the speed wheel function since it's part of the same transducer. The speed wheel is my only speed reference, but I use it more for distance traveled as well a reference to remaining fuel.

Years ago I had a glass boat, what I did to get the transducer to shoot through the hull was to glue a short length of 6" PVC pipe to the bottom of the hull, then fill it with water, I then sat the transducer in that container, submerged, with a cap on the top with only enough of an opening to let the wire out. It worked great and never had any issues, and the transducer was easily removed and changed.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Apelco/ Ray Marine transducer swap?

Well for information purposes, the Apelco transducers don't work on a Raytheon unit. They are close but the the Raymarine plugs are just a bit larger all around. Same number of pins, same keyway location but a the pins and plug are about 10% larger.
I guess I keep looking. For as many of these as were sold I'd think they'd be more common. I've had better luck finding parts and transducers for 25 year old units than this one.