Sensors and antifoul

[jon and michie]

Just a quick one - is it ok to anti foul depth sensors or is it best left alone?
Jon

 

[penfold]

Most are ok with a few thin coats; what does the manual say?

 

[jwilson]

Thin coat only is the usual rule. Better a little AF than a large barnacle....

 

[pvb]

Depth transducers can be antifouled without problems, unless perhaps you have a Nasa transducer.

 

[ctva]

I’ve never had any issue with a couple of coats, standard Airmar transducer.

 

[[70521]]

I never bother as I pull mine out and replace with a blanking plate when not in use.

 

[Dellquay13]

I've been putting a couple of thin coats onto my lowrance transom skimmer for years. I scrape most of the old off before repainting each year. I once tried some Eco brand from force4 designed for sonar transducers but it neither lasted very long nor prevented much fouling, so I went back to slapping some tiger extra on as usual ever since.

 

[salar]

Some plastic transducers will react to antifoul but I have never experienced this. To be safe (as I have three expensive transducers) I use a special water based transducer antifoul called Echo. Costs a lot but does many seasons if used carefully. Echo Water Based Antifouling for Transducers - Black 70ml

 

[jon and michie]

Thank you for your replies - I managed to put a light coating of antifoul paint on - the sensors appeared to have had af paint on at sometime in their life.
Thanks again

Jon

 

[tillergirl]

The Echo looks like the same as the Eco. Exactly the same bottle and marks except mine is marked Eco! I used Eco last year - good at weed but not good, not at all, at nuns (barnacles). The electromagnetic log sensor starting misreading about half way through the season.

Oh, Adding; I have just emailed Humminbird as I have just fitted two expensive 'ducers. I'll add the response.

 

[pvb]

The vast majority of transducers are made by Airmar; they use decent plastic which shouldn't be affected by antifoul. Some Nasa transducers seem to be rather more vulnerable and I wouldn't put antifoul on them - the same way that Nasa say not to use Sikaflex type sealants to install them.

 

[tillergirl]

The response from Humminbird (who make these transducers say "The antifouling paint has to be water based, and you do not want it to be too thick. If to thick it could possibly hinder the transducer readings." Airmar used to say the same thing and for 30 years I had a tin of Blakes water based stuff that was very effective. Eventually the remains of the tin went south before the contents of the tin got used up!

 

[salar]

The response from Humminbird (who make these transducers say "The antifouling paint has to be water based, and you do not want it to be too thick. If to thick it could possibly hinder the transducer readings."

That's odd. The same transducer can be mounted the other side of 10mm of GRP (plus a few layers of antifoul on the other side) and still work. How thick to they think you are going to slap on the antifoul paint ?

 

[tillergirl]

That's odd. The same transducer can be mounted the other side of 10mm of GRP (plus a few layers of antifoul on the other side) and still work. How thick to they think you are going to slap on the antifoul paint ?

I am not sure you appreciate the transducers are thru-hull and these cannot ever work mounted inside.

 

[salar]

I am not sure you appreciate the transducers are thru-hull and these cannot ever work mounted inside.

Ok, you didn't specify which transducer. Plenty of Humminbird transducers can be mounted inside the hull and shoot through GRP and multiple layers of antifoul. Definately some of the more sophisticated transducers have to be mounted outside. Most of them look as if they have to be transom mounted but that is only the case for those that are limited by the technology they are using.