Transducers "I'm so confused"

[Nikolina]

Okay, about a year an a half ago I purchased a Garmin 740s with the 18 HD radar package from west marine. I hooked up the gps last fall and it works great. I have the boat out of the water now and I'm getting set to install and connect the radar soon. I also want to purchase and install a transducer that will allow me to use the sonar feature of the 740s. When I purchased the package I'm sure I was quoted about 250-300 dollars for a 1kw transducer, not sure what brand. So now when I'm ready to buy one they're 1,000 bucks. Here's the questions to run my depth sounder on my 740s do I need a 1kw transducer? Also were they always this expensive and I just heard wrong so long ago? I fell like Vinny Barbarino in math class "I'm so confused" Any info will help, thanks

[skipmac]

1 KW (that's kilowatt or 1000 watts) is a really powerful transducer. Do you need range to about half mile deep? If not then a transducer with a lot less power would be much cheaper.

[Nikolina]

Thanks skipmac
No I don't. I'm more interested in 0-50' depth (or right before the boat touches bottom). So are you saying I don't need the 1kw, that a 500 or 600 watt transducer will work fine just not give me a reading to the marianis trench? Will the sonar capabilities (if thats what it really is) work okay on the garmin? Or will it just be a depth reading on the screen.

[skipmac]

I figured that was the case. I don't really worry too much until I start seeing less than 8 or 10 feet on the screen, but it is nice to read a bit deeper to give you a little more advance warning.

Sorry I can't help you with the sonar bit. The Garmin website shows several transducers as options for the 740s.

[St. Elsewhere]

I think that your unit has 1KW capability, but you do not have to use it. It may be worth reading this and calling them: Garmin GPSMAP 740s Touch Screen GPS/Sounder

[gts1544]

Nikolina, I have always found Garmin's Tech Support people to be more than helpful. What not get it straight from the "horse's mouth"?

[Emmalina]

As most transducers are made by Airmar I would consult there website regarding you MFD
http://www.airmartechnology.com/2009...ch-results.asp
Hope this helps

[Nikolina]

Thanks
Your right I'l get it from the horses mouth. I'll give them a call.

[Panope]

I also have a Garmin 740s. I use this transducer. It also has temperature sensor. It works great. $149.

Steve

GARMIN Airmar P319 200/50kHz Plastic Thru-hull Transducer (8-pin) at West Marine

[Panope]

I just realized that the transducer that I suggested above is for vertical installation only. Not sure if you have the ability to mount vertically. Airmar makes several other models for angled installation.

Steve

[sww914]

1000 watts / 12v = 83.3 amps.
That thing must have some huge wires to draw 83 amps!
Mt alternator only puts out 130 amps. You'd need to have the engine running full time to use it unless you had about 2500-3000 watts of solar panels or 6-8 wind generators.

[Dsanduril]

Transducers issue a very short (milliseconds) pulse at that power rating. Airmar says theirs pulse 1% of the time, and listen 99% of the time, so average power usage of a 1000W transducer is around 10W. The transducer includes capacitors to store energy for each pulse, so the load is not that high.

http://www.airmartechnology.com/uplo...s_pc_rA_lr.pdf

[sww914]

That sounds a bit more manageable now, doesn't it?
Then there's still the $1000.00 part which doesn't seem like much since you just saved him $10,000 on solar panels and wind generators.

[Nikolina]

See there's the confusing part, how we went from 83.3 amps to milliseconds to 99% and now I owe someone 10,000 dollars for solar panels that where never installed! Thanks for all the advice I have to wire up a wind generator now!
Panope I saw your boat at Port Townsend last fall looks good! and I'll check into that transducer thats more in my budget.