Plastic or Bronze Transducer Housings?

[Dockhead]

I am inclined to use bronze transducer housings, although they are much more expensive. It seems to me that in case of grounding, or a misplaced lifting strap, a bronze-housed transducer will be much less to crack and leak or flood the boat.

Am I being paranoid here, or what do you guys think?

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I am inclined to use bronze transducer housings, although they are much more expensive. It seems to me that in case of grounding, or a misplaced lifting strap, a bronze-housed transducer will be much less to crack and leak or flood the boat.

Am I being paranoid here, or what do you guys think?

Well, I think you are being a bit paranoid. The bronze housing is designed for wooden (carvel) hulls to withstand the pressures of the timber expanding.

Think of the ten of thousands (prolly 100's of 1,000's) of plastic housings take haven't caused a problem.

But I am also paranoid about strength at times so I can understand why you might go bronze

[Dockhead]

Hmm, well I don't want to go overboard with it. I'm not near the boat and can't remember whether the original transducer housings are bronze or plastic. If they're plastic then I don't think I will bother with bronze, which is special order and hundreds of dollars extra. But I have to order them tomorrow, so I won't have a chance to check

[atoll]

transducers will work through a fiberglass hull without the need of a through hull fitting.
some epoxy putty and a tube for the sender unit mounted on the inside of the hull is all you need.

http://www.tomneale.com/tips13.html

http://www.dngoodchild.com/7752.htm

[sharpey]

Our ancient Stowe depth sounder has a plastic fitting... I reckon they're fine as long as they're fitted well... you can glass over the locking nut to be super safe.

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I am inclined to use bronze transducer housings, although they are much more expensive. It seems to me that in case of grounding, or a misplaced lifting strap, a bronze-housed transducer will be much less to crack and leak or flood the boat.

Am I being paranoid here, or what do you guys think?

Chances are that you have an AIRMAR. They make transducers for everyone. They make them with impegnated fiberglass like the Maralon valves.

A lifing strap right on the senser will sometime just break to spin wheel, which has happend to me, but thats all.

Its important to mark your boat for the lift straps.

Plastic would be the way to go, so you have no bonding issues.

DST800 —Thru-Hull, Smart™ Sensor - Airmar Marine Transducers

[westsailwill]

The outside of the hull, no problem with plastic. It's a violent shift of cargo shearing off the inside that bothers me. Not likely, but being a good boy scout... My choice is bronze.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by westsailwill

The outside of the hull, no problem with plastic. It's a violent shift of cargo shearing off the inside that bothers me. Not likely, but being a good boy scout... My choice is bronze.

Not really any chance of that on my boat -- the transducers are under the sole in a separate mini-cofferdam, with no cargo around.

Hrm, sounding like plastic is ok. It will save me quite a bit of money.

[Tomm0]

I have plastic, and I have a spare. Both of them together cost less than a bronze one.

[jeremiason]

Originally Posted by westsailwill

The outside of the hull, no problem with plastic. It's a violent shift of cargo shearing off the inside that bothers me. Not likely, but being a good boy scout... My choice is bronze.

I think this is a myth, I have never heard of one of these breaking from shifting cargo or anything else.

On my last boat I replaced the Raymarine sounder and knot meter, when I upgraded the electronics....

I had to beat the old ones out with a 2 lbs hammer, since they were bedded with 5200.

They were still in one piece when they came out...

The are much stronger than you will imagine.

[riggear]

I am in the process of a refit and plan on upgrading the thru hull transducer.
Definitely want a depth, but can't decide whether to get the Tri Data with Depth, Speed and water Temp/
In this day of age of GPS and back up GPS is a speedo really worth the hassles of cleaning the impeller etc.???
Any thougthts?
Thanks

[toddedger]

I'm in the plastic camp, but just to get the paranoia going. When watching the last around the world race on TV, I recall a transducer blew out on a 70 footer. They were coming off a wave, and it blew it right up into the boat. I think it must have been the threaded ring holding the paddle wheel in place that failed. I bet you get that same plastic ring with a bronze through-hull triducer.

[malbert73]

Originally Posted by jeremiason

I think this is a myth, I have never heard of one of these breaking from shifting cargo or anything else.

Actually, friends of ours had their boat sink underway in a pitching sea when a spare danforth anchor broke free in the bow locker and sheared off a plastic thru hull. But haven't heard of such an occurrence since and that was 25 years ago.

[Cheechako]

I would forego the impeller for speed. With GPS, backup GPS and GPS built into everything from your radio to your depthfinder... who wants an impellor that's always stuck anyway?

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Well, I think you are being a bit paranoid. The bronze housing is designed for wooden (carvel) hulls to withstand the pressures of the timber expanding.

Think of the ten of thousands (prolly 100's of 1,000's) of plastic housings take haven't caused a problem.

But I am also paranoid about strength at times so I can understand why you might go bronze

So you approve of plastic thru hulls too? Just sayin'... it's the same thing really... transducer probably less stout... Not sayin' I dont approve of plastic transducers... just that most everyone disses plastic seavalves,, but this is no different....