Depth sounder not working, cannot find transducer

I Recently purchased a 2002 Reinell. It has a depth sounder installed But I don't know if it is original or aftermarket. (picture attached). It seems like all the functions work properly but it does not give me a depth reading. I looked around the transom and all under the boat for a transducer. I did not find one nor did i find any penetrations. Can it be located inside the hull? and where would it be? front, back, mid??? Thanks

Re: Depth sounder not working, cannot find transducer

Yes it could be in the hull. You will just have to keep looking.

Re: Depth sounder not working, cannot find transducer

Follow the coax from the gauge.

Re: Depth sounder not working, cannot find transducer

OK, I found the transducer. It was not epoxied into the hull, it was just rolling around back there. Even worse, the cable was cut right around where the throttle is located.

I may try to slice it back together. does anyone know of a connector that will make this easier & cleaner? (Something like a connector for TV cable coax).

Or... would I be better-off replacing the whole transducer? If so can anyone tell from the pictures a model # I should look for.

Re: Depth sounder not working, cannot find transducer

The cable is easily spliced if you do it properly. The transducer must be epoxied to the hull in the bilge area at the back of the boat. The bow is out of the water at speed so it would not read if mounted up there.

As for splicing, trim both ends of the wire and then strip the insulation back a couple inches on each half of the splice. Do not cut through the shielding (braided wire) if present. Slide that braiding back as far as you can to expose the inner wires, Strip the insulation from the wires. Now add a large piece of heat shrink tubing over the entire cable (one piece on each half). Do the same with smaller heat shrink for each of the small wires (one side only). Solder the wires using a pencil type iron. Cover the joint with heat shrink. Now bring the shields together from both halves of the joint and cover with one of the large heat shrinks. If the shields won't reach each other, cut a piece of aluminum foil and wrap the joint tightly. Then cover with heat shrink. Use the second heat shrink to cover the entire joint and go boating.

Re: Depth sounder not working, cannot find transducer

The cable is easily spliced if you do it properly. The transducer must be epoxied to the hull in the bilge area at the back of the boat. The bow is out of the water at speed so it would not read if mounted up there. There must be no air bubbles in the adhesive.

As for splicing, trim both ends of the wire and then strip the insulation back a couple inches on each half of the splice. Do not cut through the shielding (braided wire) if present. Slide that braiding back as far as you can to expose the inner wires, Strip the insulation from the wires. Now add a large piece of heat shrink tubing over the entire cable (one piece on each half). Do the same with smaller heat shrink for each of the small wires (one side only). Solder the wires using a pencil type iron. Cover the joint with heat shrink. Now bring the shields together from both halves of the joint and cover with one of the large heat shrinks. If the shields won't reach each other, cut a piece of aluminum foil and wrap the joint tightly. Then cover with heat shrink. Use the second heat shrink to cover the entire joint and go boating.

Re: Depth sounder not working, cannot find transducer

Thanks Silvertip, I will try this once the weather clears up. Do you recommend a particular type of epoxy?

Re: Depth sounder not working, cannot find transducer

Epoxy is epoxy -- the only difference is the cure time. You can even use clear silicone but you do need a clean, flat surface, the face of the transducer must be clean and you cannot have any air bubbles in whatever you use.

Re: Depth sounder not working, cannot find transducer

Looks identical to the ducer I have for my backup Humminbird 610 I installed, which is also a gauge type sounder. Hopefully your splicing works out, if not, maybe you could contact Humminbird?

Re: Depth sounder not working, cannot find transducer

After you splice the cable together TEST IT by putting it in the water over the back of the boat. I wouldn't want to epoxy a not working transducer into the boat.

Re: Depth sounder not working, cannot find transducer

I just spliced the wire back together & I am not noticing any reading. Does the boat have to be in water to register something? (it is not yet epoxied in)

Re: Depth sounder not working, cannot find transducer

The transducer must have some water depth to measure!

Re: Depth sounder not working, cannot find transducer

I weighed mine down in a tupperware(don't tell my wife) container filled with water. I cut a hole in the lid for the cable. I then took her out and moved it around until I got good readings, and marked the spot in the bilge.
I only wanted to epoxy it in once!

Re: Depth sounder not working, cannot find transducer

Took the boat out yesterday & the splice seemed to work. Now I just have to epoxy it in. Thanks for all the suggestions.