Wher to mount fish finder?

[iggyw1]

I currently have a small, cheap Hummingbird fish finder mounted on my dashboard at the driver's area. I am going to move it on the top/side of my boat near the rear so I can watch this fish finder closely while trolling with my trolliing motor that is on my transom. I like to see the fish finder (more of a depth finder to me) to follow the weed beds and drop offs while trolling.

I will be replacing the cheaper unit that I am removing from the driver's area with a much better unit. I am wondering if i can put both of the transducers on the rear of the boat in the same general location, or do they have to be separated as far as I can separate them? I do not want them to interfere with each other.

Thanks for any input

 

[roscoe]

They can be next to each other if only one is powered up at a time.
Or, if the operate on non interfering frequencies.

Otherwise, you will get interference even if 20' apart.

 

[achris]

The cheaper Hummingbirds, I believe, work on 455kHz (post the model of the unit and I'll check the specs). If you buy a 'better' unit for up front, and it's a 200kHz unit, no interference as all, even if the xducers are mounted right next to each other. Units operating on the same frequency, depending on the depth, could interfere at as far as 30 or 40 metres apart.

 

[iggyw1]

achris, the cheaper unit (Hummingbird) is model Piranah MAX 4. The replacement is a Lowrance HDS7 gen.2. I do not know where to find the specs, so I appreciate your help on that. And thank you too, Roscoe, for your input to my question. I appreciate the help from both of you guys!

 

[achris]

Hummingbird Piranah MAX4. https://humminbird.com.au/products/piranhamax/piranhamax-4/ Dual frequency:200kHz/455kHz.

Lowerance HDS7 Gen2. Hard to nail that one down. All the specs sheets want to talk about is the GPS side of it. But based on optional xducers, looks like 200kHz.

As you want to use the Hummingbird for shallow water depth keeping, use the higher frequency, 455kHz, for better resolution in very shallow water. That will also keep it away from the Lowerance xducer frequency.

Chris......

 

[iggyw1]

Hummingbird Piranah MAX4. https://humminbird.com.au/products/piranhamax/piranhamax-4/ Dual frequency:200kHz/455kHz.

Lowerance HDS7 Gen2. Hard to nail that one down. All the specs sheets want to talk about is the GPS side of it. But based on optional xducers, looks like 200kHz.

As you want to use the Hummingbird for shallow water depth keeping, use the higher frequency, 455kHz, for better resolution in very shallow water. That will also keep it away from the Lowerance xducer frequency.

Chris......

Thank you achris. My error, but I really do not think this will make any differance to your reply, but my Lowrance HDS7 is not GEN2, but a GEN3 unit. I am putting one transducer on the port side & the other on the starboard side of the transom.

Thanks again!

 

[iggyw1]

One last question for you guys here on the same original subject that I posted. I am going to have to add an in line fuse holder for the Lowrance HDS GEN3 fish finder. I cannot find what size fuse to use for it. My smaller fish finder (the Hummingbird) has been operated with a 3 amp in line fuse, but I don't want to just guess at what size I need for the bigger fish finder. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[iggyw1]

Got it. There is a small tag on the power cable that states to fuse it with a 3 amp fuse. Thanks.

 

[achris]

Thank you achris. My error, but I really do not think this will make any difference to your reply, but my Lowrance HDS7 is not GEN2, but a GEN3 unit. I am putting one transducer on the port side & the other on the starboard side of the transom.

Thanks again!

No difference.

Power consumption is 2.4A @12v. I'd probably carry a 5A fuse as a spare. May I suggest you use a mini blade fuse and not a glass 3AG fuse... I've seen too many of the glass fuses with corroded ends (which stop the angry pixies getting through). When I get boats in for repair now, I always remove any glass fuses and put a water proof mini blade fuse holder and fuse in.

Chris.........

 

[iggyw1]

Yes, I planned on picking one of those up. Thanks. Should I get a 5 amp to begin with instead of just taking a 5 amp fuse out as a spare? Thanks.

 

[achris]

.... Should I get a 5 amp to begin with instead of just taking a 5 amp fuse out as a spare? Thanks.

I would.

 

[iggyw1]

UPDATE: I am all set. Got the job done today. I moved my old fish finder to where I wanted it, & I installed my new one where I wanted it. I put each one on it's own 5 amp mini blade type fuse with a rubber cover over the fuse to keep dampness out. Everything came out sweet!! Thanks for your help thru out my entire procedures of getting it done, achris.

 

[achris]

Don't forget to carry spare fuses on the boat. I have my spares in an old 35mm film canister. I can get quite a few fuses in one of those, and they are waterproof.

Chris......

 

[iggyw1]

Don't forget to carry spare fuses on the boat. I have my spares in an old 35mm film canister. I can get quite a few fuses in one of those, and they are waterproof.

Chris......

I have them in an empty diabetic test strip container. The only thing I need now is an owners / operator's manual for the Lowrance HDS7 Gen.3. I did not buy it new, so no manual came with it. I see there is a lot to learn on the thing.

 

[achris]

... The only thing I need now is an owners / operator's manual for the Lowrance HDS7 Gen.3. ....

ftp://software.lowrance.com/Document...0740-005_w.pdf

Enjoy. (only 196 pages. )

What I did with the manual (on a CD) for my Furuno 1870 was to print the pages, double sided, in A5 size, then bind them as a booklet and leave it on the boat.

 

[iggyw1]

I saw the manual on line that I can print. I'm going to do that today. Also, I watched a few tutorial videos on wetting it up and operating it which were very helpful Cannot wait to get out on our lake here in Mich. (Lake St. Clair).

 

[aburke120]

no manual came with it. I see there is a lot to learn on the thing.

google and utube are your friend, achris's post about printing and keeping on boat is a good idea also. Your FF may have a instructional mode that you can play with sitting in a lazy boy.