NASA Clipper Duet

[gcostell]

Hi, just launched may boat for this season (Westerly Pageant) and my NASA echo just gives me the same depth all the time when on the move (this is not correct). Dept is 1.4M regardless of where I am!

Has anyone experienced this before? Would the transducer be shifted so it's bouncing off one of the keels (sounds about the right distance).

Instrument was OK last season.

 

[VicS]

How and where is the transducer mounted
There are 3 options

Bonded to the inside of thr hull. Has it become detached?

Transom mounted ? unlikely!

With an in hull kit, which presumably is an oil filled reservoir. Has that been disturbed or has the oil leaked away?

Have you checked the connections to the instrument?

It's not displaying the alarm setting is it?

 

[alan_d]

Mine was doing that. I discovered that the oil which is meant (in my case) to surround the transducer had disappeared over the winter. Refilled with oil - problem solved.

Alan

 

[gcostell]

Thanks for the quick responses. I'll check the oil, sounds like the easiest place to start.

Basic question, any particular type of oil? Manual does not mention this (as far as I remember).

 

[VicS]

Castor oil was used by other makes but the manual for the Duet says nothing about it other than mentioning the existence of a kit. Presumably that came with its own instructions.

 

[RestlessL]

Airmar specify propylene glycol for their in-hull transducers.

This is the main constituent of KY, available from chemists.

John

 

[VicS]

Virtually any liquid which is non volatile and does not attack the transducer or the grp will do. I think you will find. There are I guess some obvious ones you would not use though.
Important that air bubbles are not trapped.

Polypropylene glycol is the prefered antifreeze for marine use on ecolgical grounds (non toxic to marine life ) Next time the topic arises I must remember to suggest KY as antifreeze /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[gcostell]

OK, thanks for all the advice.

 

[bobgosling]

You're just trying to get him to order several tubes of KY "to sort the echo problem out" aren't you ?

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[RestlessL]

I was going to use liquid paraffin, but I needed 170ml, and the chemist would only sell me 1 bottle (150ml). Not sure what she thought when I said in that case I would take 200ml of KY instead /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[ms1]

if all else fails you can do a reset (not in the manual)
speak to NASA (they are helpful .. but just make sure you phone the UK number not the USA version !)
they will tell you how to do a reset. That might serve as last resort fix.
FYI , I use castor oil in my Clipper

 

[gcostell]

Thanks Martin.

The transducer well was dry alright and I think the problem is sorted now. I'm getting a proper depth where the boat is tied up, but cannot fully check as I will not be sailing for a couple of weeks now.

 

[erbster]

Different problem

I am having a different issue with the duet- the manual only indicates one power connection which cannot be correct, can it?

There are 3 wires - red (connect to 12V +ve), greed (connect to red wire on buzzer), black (connect to black wire on buzzer).

Shuurely there needs to be another power connection- black wire to 12V -ve?

I don't want to experiment, in case I fry the unit. Can anyone who has fitted this unit confirm this please- tried ringing NASA but there was no answer; I did think of ringing USA, but it's not rocket science

Regards
Charles