Transducer Install on New Tahoe Help...

[Fromtoronto]

I have a new Q4 tahoe SF, putting in a Hummingbird Fish Finder ....

How do you or have you installed the tranducer.. I am scared to drill a hole in fiberglass.... Someone mentioned to me that its a double hull and it wont shoot through? Can I silicone a kitchen cutting board type thing on transon and screw to it? Would that hold?

Some boats have aplace for transducer in bilge.... does the Q4 Tahoe?


Anyone have pics of an install for this.... or in hull etc etc

Thanks in advance for any tips , advice and pics.

 

[mandopickr]

Re: Transducer Install on New Tahoe Help...

I have a 2006 q6 with two transducers installed in the bilge. Mine is not a double hull, but I can tell you how to tell, and where to put your transducer.

With your boat in the water, place your transducer on a flat area in the bilge. Mine is in front of my bilge pump, away from the engine. Place the transducer on a baggie full of water, and try to keep the transducer level. Cut on the depth finder, and slowly move the boat around some, preferably over some deep structure. Watch carefully.

Then turn off the depth finder, and hang the transducer over the side. Turn it back on and try to go back over the same structure. Of course you have to move slowly to keep the transducer vertical.

If the results are not similar between the two, play with the transducer placement inside your bilge to see if you can improve it. For me, with depths up to 120ft, I couldn't tell a difference, and the installation was a success.

Also, some transducers are better at shooting through the hull than others, and follow the transducers' recommendation for the adhesive to use. (I used 5200)The hardest part for me was running the transducer cable, and that wasn't hard. Entire job took less than 30 minutes.

I am using the standard Lowrance and Humminbird transducers in my boat.

 

[Fromtoronto]

Re: Transducer Install on New Tahoe Help...

Thanks,

I bit the bullet and drilled and put it on the transom. Transducer bracket takes 2 stainless 1 inch screws, transom is about 2 inches thick. Used a drill stop, filled with 4200 and in they went. The I drilled for the transducer cable above waterline.. calls for 5/8 inch bit I used 1/2 inch. Didn't work... so I tried to move it around to widen hole.. cant be done with 2 inch thick .. bought a 5/8 inch bit... went in a drilled from inside out now... ouch... it went out on an angle. hole is bigger than needed. The wire E-plate didnt cover it all... sigh... so filled with 4200 and covered best I could, can see hole wide at top and bottom of plate bit not real bad look. Its sealed , installed and no worries of mistakes with epoxy in hull. By the way, I posted, want to install on weekend so called dealer, he said nope, double hull. So I installed.. i see its not a double hull, only the sides are.... it is single under engine. Sides in engine compartment is double....

Its done, installed, easy hook up otherwise and great placement found for it, which was a big problem , I used a cup holder, installed over the driver side cup holder, it covers it perfect... and can be repaired if ever removed very easily since no major holes, wires run through cup holder, and the cup holder slips into the hole and the lip around will cover the holes when or if I ever remove it.

One thing is, the stainless screws are not strong that came with unit... One broke and lodged in transom.. I drilled beside it and put another, filling with 4200 and covering it with the wire guides. No problem but its not right the head snapped off on installing.. its tight fit but used the correct size bit etc.

 

[pkdayga]

Re: Transducer Install on New Tahoe Help...

If you get a chance, post some pictures of your mounting location. I am going to tackle the same project so it would be nice to see where you came out and where you mounted the transducer.

 

[Q5inOH]

Re: Transducer Install on New Tahoe Help...

I had the same issues with my new Q5. I pondered and pondered shooting through the hull and finally mounted the transducer on the transom. I agree the screws that come with the bracket are too soft, twisted them both off and had to improvise. I drilled a hole vertically in the part that is below the diving deck. Went to Home Depot and got a rubber plug to insert into the hole. Had to trim it to size and cut it to where the cable would fit into it. Pressed it in with silocone with no issues nor leaks.

 

[brown_one]

Re: Transducer Install on New Tahoe Help...

i just installed my hummingbird on my 195. i didn't want to drill another hole in the transom either. i used the existing hole used by the factory installed depth finder/temp sensor. i dug out the sealant that was in there and pulled the sensor back thru the hull. then drilled out the existing hole with 5/8 bit. ran new transducer and ran the old sensor back thru hull. PIA removing old sealant but saved a new hole in transom.

 

[1ROD]

Re: Transducer Install on New Tahoe Help...

I just bought a 2007 195 I/O and was wondering where you put the transducer? I am buying the Hummingbird 798CI SI side imaging model.

 

[brown_one]

Re: Transducer Install on New Tahoe Help...

here is where i mounted mine. i have the same hummingbird. i mounted the head unti with a ram mount in front of windshield. ram mount allows me to see it over windshield and i can turn it around while i'm up front fishing.