Problem with my Eagle FishMark 320

[shute420]

I have a Ealge Fish Mark 320, its a great unti, but i am having some sort of issues with it and i'm thinking it might be the unti itself.

It keeps shutting off and turning almost all of the time, sometimes itll stay on and i am able to use it but, when i shut the boat off and turn the unit off by the power button....itll come back on in a minute or so and keep going off on off on......so i have been unplugging it by the plug/transducer in the back of it so that it doesnt drain the battery........

You guys think its the unit itself?? or possibly the power cord??...although im leaning more towards something inside the unit....the cord is in good shape, no kinks or pinches anywhere......

What should I do....just get another one??

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Problem with my Eagle FishMark 320

Sounds like the power button may be the source of the problem. I suspect it is an internal problem. Those units are sealed and tough, if not impossible for the average Joe to attempt repairs on. However, what I would try is to install a separate power switch. If the unit stays on most of the time, the power button on the unit would therefore be used only to turn the unit on. Turn the unit off with the switch you add. With the added switch in the off position there is no way the unit can turn on by itself. The added switch also limits additional damage to what is probably a faulty internal switch. See if that works -- or at least makes the situation a little more tolerable.

 

[shute420]

Re: Problem with my Eagle FishMark 320

hmmmm....yeah I actually thought of that...but, i'm not sure how to put the switch on or where....the power cord is one wire basically, well at the battery it goes into two, one for the positive and one for the negative...i think.....and from the battery to the unit its one wire.....and then where it plugs into the unit it splits again into 2 wires into the plug that plugs into the unit......

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Problem with my Eagle FishMark 320

A simple two terminal switch is all you need and you can get that at any Radio Shack store or in the electrical department of Lowes, Home Depot, etc. There should be a black wire (ground) and a red (+12 volts) in the power cable. Do not modify the wire harness where both wires are inside the single cable. Insert the switch back at the battery. Disconnect the red wire from the battery and connect it to one terminal on the switch. Use a short piece of wire to connect the other terminal on the switch to the positive terminal on the battery. Yes -- it's sort of unhandy but this is a trial situation. You can change the switch location later if it works.

 

[catfighter]

Re: Problem with my Eagle FishMark 320

Silvertip's suggestion is ideal. a 50-cent switch will rectify the problem, whereas if you send back an otherwise working finder for something that minor it's going to cost you more to fix than the thing cost you to purchase it.


I'm thinking about buying a 320. The switch seems to be the only issue I can find with it and I won't have a problem putting an external switch on if it happens to me.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Problem with my Eagle FishMark 320

I have a buddy that has had a similar issue with his locator (not an Eagle) but I've watched him operate the unit and he is one of those folks that can't just touch the button -- it gets pushed so hard it makes one think it will disappear inside the unit. Try being a little more gentle with the button. Also check to see if it is cocked a little. If so, gently try to straighten it. On and Off are momentary contact devices so the ON button is probably the one causing the problem.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Problem with my Eagle FishMark 320

I would also make sure you have good power coming to the unit.
A loose power wire or a loose ground can ack the same way.
Also if the battery voltage at the unit is under 12 volts will also act very much the same way.

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: Problem with my Eagle FishMark 320

Hi- as far as a toggle switch: Other than my helm controls and the starter solenoid cable, ALL my accessories are wire after a single swtich which cuts ALL power. Even the lights. Master kill switch, basically.

I did this somewhat as a safety feature, but it has turned out to be very convenient when I get home at night after a fishing trip- I just hit that master switch and remove the key from the helm and I know that every wire in the boat is disconnected; no safety concerns, and no dead battery issues.

Although I did forget once and five days later I noticed an odd intermittent beeping in the night. Turns out the GPS was giving a tone because it couldn't 'see' any satellites through the tarp covering the boat :-O

 

[robert graham]

Re: Problem with my Eagle FishMark 320

I had a very similar problem with my sonar unit, cutting on and off, turned out to be just a bit of corrosion on the in-line fuse, took it out, cleaned it up, a touch of grease, no more problem! Good Luck!

 

[lastchance32]

Re: Problem with my Eagle FishMark 320

I have the same sonar unit. i would suggest cleaning all battery terminals to make sure you have good connections. I have noticed that when I leave my sonar plugged in, but not turned on, and I turn on my on-board battery charger, sometimes the sonar will turn itself on. This makes me think that the unit is pretty sensitive to voltage fluctuations.

Hope this helps.