Fishfinder stops working when engine started

[jonnywake]

I have a Humminbird Wide 100 fishfinder unit that stops working when the engine is started. It seems to work fine when the engine is off. <br /><br />Could it be an overvolt problem with the engine?<br /><br />Thanks!

 

[Dman]

Re: Fishfinder stops working when engine started

Can you turn it back on after the engine is started? Could be a weak/too small battery. When the motor is starting it's using a lot of power and it can't keep the Finder supplied with the necessary power to keep it on. Maybe.<br />D

 

[jonnywake]

Re: Fishfinder stops working when engine started

Yes, I can turn it back on, but the display is blank. No depth or bottom display. Just little tic marks. The boat is not underway, so no bubbles or anything like that from the prop.

 

[JB]

Re: Fishfinder stops working when engine started

Hi, Johnny.<br /><br />Check the battery system voltage with engine off and engine running. Typical voltages would be 12.6V and 14-16V.<br /><br />Then check the H'bird label for voltage range. Some 'tronics devices turn themselves off when voltage goes above or below that range. It could be that your charging system is either not charging (voltage drops too low) or is not regulating (voltage goes too high).<br /><br />Good luck, and let us know what you find.

 

[jonnywake]

Re: Fishfinder stops working when engine started

Thanks JB sure will!

 

[Boatist]

Re: Fishfinder stops working when engine started

Jonny<br />I agree with what JB said. With the engine off the voltage should be 12.6 volts and running should be 13.8 to 15 volts. Check the voltage at the wires where you hook up the bird. Make sure you do not have the ground wire wired to a terminal that has 12 volts with the key on.<br /><br />If the unit still works with the key on but the motor not running but does not work with motor running then can be a engine interference problem. You can try wireing straight to the battery and see it that helps. Also you could wrap your plus 12 volt power wire around a ferite bead several times to take noise out of the power wire. The closer to the bird you do this the better.

 

[Ben Konopacky]

Re: Fishfinder stops working when engine started

jonnywake;IF your boat has 2 batt. connect the F.F. unit to the non start batt.IF only 1 batt. what I did was to get a 4ah gel batt.w/charger (used in alarm sys.)for approx.$35. and use it to power the F.F. Use spade term.on the batt. ,easy to take batt.off for re charge .more then enough power for a days fishing,on continuous.

 

[jonnywake]

Re: Fishfinder stops working when engine started

Well, I put the unit on a seperate battery this weekend. Same thing... So not a voltage issue. Called Humminbird support and they suggested a boat ground problem. What exactly is a "floating ground" and how is fixed?<br /><br />Thanks!

 

[murphini]

Re: Fishfinder stops working when engine started

wow. I have the exact same problem with my HBird. I too need to know how to troubleshoot where to ground and what a floating ground is.

 

[BassMan31]

Re: Fishfinder stops working when engine started

I also have the same problem. I will be patienly waiting the big fix if we can find one.

 

[BassMan31]

Re: Fishfinder stops working when engine started

I did however find that my wires running from fuse panel to FF were not tight in the spade terminals so i crimped on new ones it seemed to help but not eliminate the problem.

 

[propwash]

Re: Fishfinder stops working when engine started

HI GUY'S,<br />Ihad the same problem last year and it plagued me for 7 weeks,i tried everything and then finally somehow i discovered that my wires for the hummingbird were very close to the battery cables and sometimes touching,the problem was the battery cables themselves they were old and lost their insulating qualities,so everytime i started up the extra juice would shut down the unit wich it is supposed to do,i could turn it back on but it would not work right ,now i replaced the cables and moved my finder laeds away from them and the unit has worked flawlessly for over 100 hours now,it was a little thing but a big headache to find,hopefully this will help someone.<br /><br /> PROPWASH