Depth Finder

[ozarkmom43]

Our depth indicator on our Raymarine Tridata has gone out (speed still works). We're weekend sailors on a lake, but still need the depth meter. Any suggestions as to the brand we should consider (on a budget and need to do it as cheaply as possible). Thanks!

[Vasco]

Have you checked to see what the problem is? I am not crazy about Raymarine instruments but their depth sounder is a fairly good unit. It may be a simple fix like no power to the unit or transducer painted over.

[ozarkmom43]

I've checked connections to the transducer. I also ordered a new transducer and connected it to the the head and it does the same thing. The depth just flashes ZERO. The boat has not been painted since we bought it (2) years ago. I did check to be sure there wasn't film over the transducer. I'm open for more suggestions! Somebody thinks maybe I took a lighting hit because about the same time the depth meter quit working my mast lights went out. And when I fixed one bulb at mid mast it blew pretty quick when I turned the lights on, also when you turn one light on the other light switch comes on. When I disconnect the wires on top the deck and turn the lights on the other one doesn't come on. Thanks again for any help.

[Pblais]

Somebody thinks maybe I took a lighting hit because about the same time the depth meter quit working my mast lights went out.

It's possible. Depth sounders are not usually what blows from lightning but they can. The head may be more vunerable than the transducer. The wires are the item I would suspect the most. Lightning moves through wires to. With depth sounders there are only ahnd full of companies that make the transducers and thy all sem as good as another to me. Personally, I would give up a lot before i would not have a depth sounder here on the Chesapeake. We have more shallow water than deep water.

[Alan Wheeler]

The lighting sounds more like you have a short somewhere. You would certainly know if you were hit by lightning. A lightning strike will be very evident.
So you have a new transducer? then seeing as you are halfway there, why not see if someone can service the head unit or buy a new head unit so as it suits the transducer. The Transducers are very robust and tend to be the least likely to fail.

[Lazy Cat]

Just went through this mess. I was told the transducer would make a "pinging" sound when it had good power. Never heard it on mine. Didn't want to haul the boat to replace the transducer during the trip so I bought a unit with a transducer that could be mounted and would shoot through the hull. It worked OK for a cheapie. One day with little to do caused me to wonder what the inside of the head looked like so I opened it up. Turns out the sealing ring around the instrument had leaked and allowed corrosion at the bottom of the head. Carefully cleaned it, reinstalled it and it worked.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Lazy Cat

Just went through this mess. I was told the transducer would make a "pinging" sound when it had good power. Never heard it on mine.

Put a transistor radio near the display. Turn it on in the am band. You will hear a tick, tick, tick if the transducer is working.

[Bradley]

Amair works well with all kinds of mfrs. It has its own NMEA output. Jack rabbit carries them.

I recently installed a fishfinder/gps and took out the tridata. IMHO this is a lot better and for me it was cheaper.