Aotohelm st50 tridata problems

[slavek]

On my new boat baba30 i have Autohelm St50 Tridata depth/speed .
Unit workls fine on shallow water. But usually after reaching 30+ feet just freeze on last number and stays there. So far what I have tried:
- check if transducer is not fouled- cleaned it up
- when with unit working and shiowing changing depth I have disconnected transducer- It show last display .Also- is it normal? After shutting power off ( with disconnected transducer) and switching ON- display shows "0". After connecting transducer - will start to show changing depth. Ater reaching deeper water- sometimes 30+, or 50+ feet will freeze again- Comming back to shallow water will start to show depth again. Anyone has any idea what is wrong?
Desparete!!!
Slavek

[Ex-Calif]

That is very strange - I know many units have a setting for "max" depth to display. But the fact it stops at 30 sometimes and 50 sometimes is strange.

After it reaches 30, for example and you return to shallower water, does it go back to showing decreasing depth or do you have to turn it off to make it work again.

Also I don't think I would be running the unit without the transducer hooked up. Probably not a problem but it needs the transducer signal to work properly. Any reading you get with the transducer disconnected would be meaningless.

Maybe you could check the manual about the max depth setting.

[FrankZ]

Is the transducer a dual frequency one? High frequency might give you greater precision but lack deep penetration. Low frequency should go deeper but not be as percise.

[Bradley]

This is why everyone switeches from this system. I recently installed a Lowrance system that includes a GPS, all of the tridata info and much more plus displaying Navionics chips and it is in color with a very bright display. Probably cost less than fixing the tridata. It is a no-brainer to me. I kept the other instruments like wind sppeed and off course.

[slavek]

Ex Calif-Thank you for reply.
I have to do more testing but so far display comes back to "active" while returning to shallower water. I have check manual and there is indication of max depth setting.
There is 2 more concerns. Speed transducer cable is running most of the route close to dept transducer cable, According to manual they should be about 8 inch apart to not cause interference. As for now I do not have speed transducer in well anyway - it's plugged- but cable is connected to display. Do you think disconnecting speed transducer cable and try? Also both cables run in some point very close to engine- it's not the best solution according to manual. Do you this could create problem? My last few testing were under the engine to see how depth sounder behaves, but previously the same was under sail.
Thank you for your time
Regards
Slavek