Does a FF need a transducer fitted to power up?

[alandav123]

Hi aqll, tried to fire up my Eagle easyfishfinder which came with thre boat and I have never seen working.
I connected it up to a spare 12volter newly charged up and its not sstarting up or showing any signs of life.

I am hoping that the FF may need a working transducer connected OR it wont start up?

If its not that, then it looks like the eagle has had its last flight.........

If the FF has had it, I am left with an older style spaceage depth sounder which may of may not work, its has a transducer fitted and just needs 12 volts....only down side is its a one trick pony and cannot see and fishes or show contours etc...

Regards Alan in Arbroath

 

[TheBoatman]

Hi aqll, tried to fire up my Eagle easyfishfinder which came with thre boat and I have never seen working.
I connected it up to a spare 12volter newly charged up and its not sstarting up or showing any signs of life.

I am hoping that the FF may need a working transducer connected OR it wont start up?

If its not that, then it looks like the eagle has had its last flight.........

If the FF has had it, I am left with an older style spaceage depth sounder which may of may not work, its has a transducer fitted and just needs 12 volts....only down side is its a one trick pony and cannot see and fishes or show contours etc...

Regards Alan in Arbroath

Alan
It sounds like it's had it. It should at least turn on although it would give no readings. A new Garmin should only set you back £90 including the transducer.

Peter
The Boatman.

 

[robertj]

Alan
Sorry this is not meant in a patronising way but you have checked the obvious, fuses switches etc?

 

[alandav123]

fuses etc

I took the pos and neg cables and hardwired them onto a 12 volt van battery asnd got nothing.

There was no fuse in-line but perhaps there is one built into the rear of the FF? I will have a close look when I go down onto the boat later today, maybe has one of them "push and twist fuse" set ups.

Its a good idea and thanks for posting, it might save me £90.

If its had it, I am thinking a new £90 FF is the way to go rather than fitting my older spaceage thing which will only give depth.

A new £90 should give me accurate depth and see the fishes and the bottom to some extent.

Regards Alan

 

[FishyInverness]

Or, as the Garmin FF90 has recently been discontinued due to the new Echo models, you could hook a bit of a discount on that £90 with those stores that still have stock, eg:

http://www.gaelforcemarine.co.uk/Na...ishfinders-and-Sounders/Garmin-90-Fishfinder/
http://www.mailspeedmarine.com/fish...medium=base&utm_campaign=Garmin Fishfinder 90

etc, etc...

 

[alandav123]

Its Alive!!!!!!

Hi all, reconected the ff to battery as before but this time I removed and refitted the power connector at all different angles.
The mutli pin system must be adapable to many units but after a wee while I pushed it in and the ff fired up perfect.

I then tried to connect up the transducer wire but it was all oxidised and basically fell apart, meaning I am now going for a new TD to go with the Eagle FF ST.

Just shows you a wee bit trial and error can save a bob or two.

I just hope a new TD will not be more than a newer discounted complete unit.

regards and thanks

Alan

 

[alandav123]

Bad News Im Afraid...Brace Yourselves Men....

Hi all, just rang Eagle and they say that TD are no longer available for the ST model, so it looks like a brand new FF.

I am not really a retail buyer and mostly buy used..... but due to it telling me how much water in under me I feel getting a new one is worth the money.

Quick question.......with an MVF wooden boat , is a transome fitted TD preferrable to a Through Hull one. The discounted ones a poster kindly sent me are transome mounted and the old one was fitted to the hull although as theres a bit of water in there I have not seen exactly how its attached or even what it looks like.

Regards Alan

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I have no personal knowledge, but several previous posts on echo-sounders and so on have suggested that a lot of echo-sounders actually use generic transducers. Might be worth a search on these forums.

 

[FishyInverness]

Hi Alan,

I am in retail (for my sins!) - so can guide you a bit on this. I was under the impression that the Eagle fishfinders generically use the "skimmer" transducer, which is what I have on my Cuda300 and is a simple, basic transom mount - I suspect most transom mounts could be adapted or wired in to be of use, if I get five minutes today, i'll take a peek.

You are right in assuming that the transom mount is the way to go though. With a wooden boat, you're out of options for the through hull mount, you can't "shoot through" and plastic through hull mount TDX's would just get crushed, so you'd be looking at £150-£200 for a bronze mount TDX, a bit excessive for a budget fishfinder.

This page is a pretty good little mine of info:

http://www.lowrance.com/Support/Tips-and-Tutorials/Transducer-Guide/