epoxy for in-hull transducer mounting

[ranchos]

folks, what brand of slow-cure epoxy would you recom'd for mounting an in-hull transducer in a fiberglass boat? and if you have any tips on this process, please let me know, have looked at the humminbird web site.--thanks

 

[Texasmark]

Re: epoxy for in-hull transducer mounting

Somewhere I read which are the preferred epoxies that mix up relatively bubble free. It may have been in the box with My Eagle Cuda when I purchased it.

Bubbles are voids which are useless (essentially) in sound transfer so bubbles would reduce your sensitivity. If you're like me and fish 20 feet and less, then you aren't that concerned about a little signal loss....as a matter of fact I cut the gain down to reduce the clutter.

Problem with epoxy is that it runs when it cures so if you made a little form from paper or something to hold it till it cures it would help you to get a deeper amount of adhesive.....course the form will stick to the epoxy so it's there for the long term.

Otherwise, clean up both surfaces, sanding, degreasing, etc. Make your form, mix the epoxy, pour it in, push your transducer down into it and move it up and down a couple of times to get good coverage and let her dry. You may want to support the wire from it till it dries as any pressure on the wire will cause the ducer to tilt which you don't want.

HTH

Mark

 

[Boatist]

Re: epoxy for in-hull transducer mounting

Before your Glue it down make sure to test your location first. Test it out on the water at different speed and locations, then Glue it down in the best spot.

After you are sure you have found a good spot then slow cure Epoxy. Longer the cure time the better to allow all the bubbles to get out. Mix slowly so as not to put any bubble in.

 

[TNfire]

Re: epoxy for in-hull transducer mounting

someone on here had mentioned an option which I did and love alot better than gluing my transducer . I took a 3 inch PVC coupling w/ treading and glued it to my hull with 5200 epoxy( wal mart carries it) or any boat store. then I took my transducer and mounted it to a male treaded cap, filled the PVC coupling with mineral oil and then screwed the cap on, took it out the other day and worked perfect, no air pocket that you can get with glue.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: epoxy for in-hull transducer mounting

Mounting the transducer in a mineral oil "bubble" has been a standard method for some time. I mounted my transducer flat to the hull without any glue or oil. It just needs to be wet, so the first time out in a season (or a prolonged dry spell) I need to put a cup of water in my bilge to get the transducer wet.

 

[pman7]

Re: epoxy for in-hull transducer mounting

someone on here had mentioned an option which I did and love alot better than gluing my transducer . I took a 3 inch PVC coupling w/ treading and glued it to my hull with 5200 epoxy.

Would it be possible to glue the PVC tube to the fiberglass boat hull with silicon caulk? Wouldn't the caulk be fine when exposed to the mineral oil?

I've heard good things about the mineral oil method if the transducer is still somehow held tight against the bottom. If one could use silicon (which I don't think would cause signal degradation in this case since it isn't under the transducer) the set up wouldn't have the problems caused by the permenant nature of 5200. With a cap on the top of the PVC tube, creating a snug, secure fit for the transducer against the boat bottom could be achieved several different ways.

 

[Boatist]

Re: epoxy for in-hull transducer mounting

Yes you could put some pvc couplings down with Silicone put your transducers in them and fill with water. Then fill a small bag with sand to hold the dransducer down against the bottom and it will work quite well. However it will shift postion now and then and not work as well until you fix it. Something will get in the coupler and work it way down under the transducer and degrade the signal. Remember best you can hope for is a 10 percent loss of signal with a shoot thru hull. If your unit has good sensistivity and power will probably work good. No need to use mineral oil water work just as well.

 

[TNfire]

Re: epoxy for in-hull transducer mounting

I used 5200 expoxy from wal-mart to glue the PVC down, working fine so far

 

[Expidia]

Re: epoxy for in-hull transducer mounting

My two cents . . . I've been expoxy-ing transducers in my hulls for years with this method. Have used this method on at least 4 boats so far. I think I discovered this in the instructions that came with my first Humminbird about 20 years ago.
Simply take some modeling clay or duck seal (electrician's clay) and roll it between your palms so it shapes into like a long night crawler. Long enough to go around the transducers circumference (if it breaks while your rolling it out long enough just piece it together again).

Then place the transducer where you want it. First put some water in the bilge and test it in various locations, because prop wash or the boats chines can mess up your readings. You want to find the spot where there is not too much turbulence flowing by on the hulls bottom. This testing is easiest to do with another person who can test different spots while you're driving or visa versa.

Once you know where you want it. Rough up the bottom of the spot in the hull and the bottom of the transducer with a course piece of sandpaper. Place the transducer in position and press your clay shaped like a night crawler all around the transducer. Remove the transducer and what you have left it a little transducer shaped empty swimming pool.

Mix some epoxy up. I use the stuff that is in the twin side by side syringes from Walmart or any hardware store. I mix it slowly on a paper plate and then slowly fill the swimming pool up about 1/4 inch or so and then slowly press the transducer into the epoxy, so as not to cause air bubbles.

The next day after it's cured, just take a screwdriver and scrape or pull the clay off from around the edges of the transducer.

That's it that's all.

Best part of this method is when you get another boat (I've upgraded 4 times) you just take a screwdriver and a hammer and tap it between the transducer and the hull and it always just pops right off. Take a knife or sandpaper and clean off any remaining epoxy on the hull and transducer and you're ready for your next boats installation.

I've used the same transducer 4 times already. Reason is the epoxy never really bonds all the well to the hull or the plastic transducer, but it bonds well enough to hold it in place until you tap it off when you want to move the transducer to another location or boat.

My new boats coming next week but I'm really ticked off, I ordered a new Lund on March 23rd and they finally called me that it's due on Monday. The dealer quoted me 4-6 weeks and i'm in week 10 now and still no boat. I probably just bought my last "ordered" boat. Next one will be used or off the floor. Sold my other boat in 3 days during the last week in March and missed out the entire month of a gorgeous May for fishing around here.

In any case, it only took me 5 minutes to pop off the transducer and prepare it for my new boat's thru the hull installation.

Let me know how this works for anyone who tries it out. It's the best way IMO for thru the hull installations.

 

[dingbat]

Re: epoxy for in-hull transducer mounting

Yes you could put some pvc couplings down with Silicone put your transducers in them and fill with water. Then fill a small bag with sand to hold the transducer down against the bottom and it will work quite well. However it will shift position now and then and not work as well until you fix it.

I’ve donet 3 of the PVC installations so far with very good results. The transducer is mounted to the bottom of the screw on cap I use to seal the unit. No shifting or movement of the transducer is possible.

Something will get in the coupler and work it way down under the transducer and degrade the signal.

The enclosure is completely sealed. It’s not possible for something to get between the hull and transducer unless you inadvertently left something inside the housing during installation

Remember best you can hope for is a 10 percent loss of signal with a shoot thru hull. If your unit has good sensitivity and power will probably work good.

This has not been my experience with the 3 units I’ve installed. so far. On the last installation a 300W RMS unit showed more like a 1% offset in 30’ of water and showed less than 2 % in 60’ of water. Location in the hull is critical and your results may very but 10% isn’t a given.

No need to use mineral oil water work just as well.

You want a liquid that will not freeze or support bacteria and algae growth. I’ve successfully used mineral oil in the past but have since switched over to RV anti-freeze as it’s easier on the tank adhesive and is a good bit cheaper.

Here is more info on the subject.
http://www.airmartechnology.com/uploads/InstallGuide/17-217-01.pdf