Tacktick Micronet System Depth Problems

[ianhef]

Hello

Anyone else out there have problems with the depth display on a tacktick micronet system? I've just installed this on my steel 36 footer. Initially it worked like a dream but on day two the depth disappeared, nothing but dashed lines. I tried everything, networking all the gear again, removing and replacing the triducer, wiggling and re-running all lines and all wires. In the end I got on to tacktick customer support, they guessed it was a hull transmitter problem, got a replacement, fitted it all, still no depth? Tacktick recommended trying the system in a big bucket of water - depth returned?

So initially I had everything, speed, depth, temperature all good. Day two the depth disappeared, at first removing the triducer then replacing it would result in the depth briefly returning. Now no amount of playing with the triducer returns the depth? BUT, here at home in the kitchen the depth works fine in a bucket of fresh water?

I'm slow to put it down to the boat being steel, surely steel boats have depth sounders too and anyway the original depth sounder worked fine for years and the new triducer is in the exact same spot as the old transducer. I'm toying with the idea that its (the triducer) not pushed down far enough but as I said it worked fine on day one, I didn't touch it and on day two about an hour into motoring about the harbour the depth just stopped?

Any thoughts?

[daddle]

I've had a TackTick depth for years. My only complaint, which is related to yours, is that it does not read very deep. Over a hard bottom it may read to 150 feet, but over softer bottoms it may not read until 30 feet. I never asked if this was up to spec. Until it gets a reading it just shows the dashes. Hope this is a tiny help...

[paulrack]

I never had problems with my depth unit, but plenty of problems with the windspeed unit on the mast and the lenses on the display units cracking, even though they were kept inside when not in use and they were only cleaned with fresh water. For my next boat I am avoiding tacktic. Your problem could be the oil in the sender unit which might be too low. Does the unit fit flush with the bottom of the boat?

[bgallinger]

I have used Tacktic on my Hunter for windspeed/direction only and it performs very well. Once in a while, it goes off for unknown reasons. I power it up again and its fine. I'm still puzzled why it shuts itself off though.

[Keith Albury]

We have had Tacktick Instruments on a Farr B30 for about 4 years.
We have had ongoing problems with the instruments "dropping out".
Depth goes out intermittently and stays out for extended periods.
All instruments "turn off" requiring resetting.
We have had them back to the agents several times for test/repair but have had no explanation of why they stop working.
Recieved a replacement speed log (charged for as the old one was out of warranty) in October and installed it. No signal while spinning paddle wheel. Contacted agent and was told to send hull transmitter and speed log back for test. Have been told today that both are faulty and we need to pay for replacements.

[paulrack]

Following on from Keith's comment I had forgotten I had the same issue where you had to turn it off and on again. My friends who sailed with me used to say it needed wires to work properly! What was irritating was that I went that route specifically for the ease of installation and to be problem free. It was also not cheap.

[svstrider]

have a Tac Tic depth sounder in one hull of my cat and am installing a second in the other as it is 8 metre wide. Is it possible to install another Tac Tic or should I go for a different brand with maybe fish finder? Could the central display read either?

[ianhef]

Thought I should update this post. As a lot and mmmm well nothing has happened since February. The problem with the depth turned out to be a faulty triducer, odd as the tech on the phone to me swore black and blue that they NEVER fail, especially a brand new one. It took me several trips back and forth to the local dealer to eventually sort this one out and I should stress I was the one who sorted it out, the after sales service is shockingly poor. Its very much a case of we have your money good luck. Its still not completely resolved as the triducer I'm now using is a spare 2nd hand one the local dealer had and tacktick back in the UK will not honour my warranty with that one fitted. You'd think this would be a straight forward deal of fine send me a new one and I'll send you this one but for reasons I can't figure out its way more complicated and I'm still waiting for some kind of closure. Trying to get them to do anything or accept any responsibility is impossible, this was a brand new out of the box very expensive system. I like most people on this thread installed tacktick as I hoped it would be easier, I couldn't have been further from the truth. So now I'm sailing around with a triducer thats out of warranty and two displays that seem to have a mind of their own and work when they feel like it. In fairness to tacktick they have said they will resolve this but that was in February, I'll let you all know what happens.

In response to svstrider, I believe (and I'm far from knowledgeable) that to have the central display read another make of instrument you will need the little box that converts NMEA information. So its possible but probably a bit expensive. Contact the tacktick guys, they do respond they just don't get around to doing in a rush.

[Christian Van H]

Just curious...where did you mount the transmitter thats attached to the depth and speed transducers?

[ianhef]

Hi Christian

By transmitter do you mean the box that's hard wired to the triducer? Thats mounted on a wooden bulkhead directly above the triducer about 3ft above the water-line athwartships as per tackticks instructions. Thats about the 3rd spot I've tried it, originally I thought maybe the problem was the placement of this box.

[Christian Van H]

Hi ianhef! Yup, that's the one. The instructions state that it cant be enclosed (such as in the engine room), but must be exposed. I didn't know this until recently, and I'm considering installing the TackTick system. I'm just wondering how many problems might be caused by radio communication (wireless) failures and the blockage of signals. Just thinking about how this system works...the signals must be VERY faint to begin with...

[ianhef]

From talking to the tacktick guys, which I've had to do A LOT. The biggest issue is the initial contact, once thats established you can get away with having the sets way far apart. Problem is that when the signal fails trying to get them to talk again involves starting it all up once more. The bump in the brochure claim it should all be fine even on boats up to 60ft but the reality seems different. I've had no worries with the depth talking to the magic box through the steel deck but talking to the wind instrument on the top of the mast is an issue.

[Christian Van H]

I wonder how big a part the fact that your boat is steel plays in this...I'm starting to worry about this equipment. Has anyone posted having no problems at all?

[Double You]

Hello,

In spring 2010 I installed the tacktick 108 set (windsensor and triducer speed/depth/water temperature). The system worked well for some months, but recently we lost the speed readout seconds after switching on the system. All other sensors work well. The indication is 4 dashes.
According my suplier this means that there is no connection between the hulltransmitter and the display. The depth that is indicated on the upper parth of the same display is ok.
This morning I was about to uninstall the triducer and the hulltransmitter to send it back to the shop. I gave it a last check and the thing worked again and continued to work. I checked and moved the wire between triducer and hulltransmitter wherever I could, but the thing continued to work.
This is one of the most difficult tasks: to find a problem that is not consistant.
May be it has something to do with interference of other equipment like broadband radar, vhf mariphone or AIS. Is the frequency used by tacktick or the message format easily susceptible to interference?

I would be happy to hear from someone who overcame identical problems, or who may give a hint.

Sailors greetings

Originally Posted by ianhef

Hello

Anyone else out there have problems with the depth display on a tacktick micronet system? I've just installed this on my steel 36 footer. Initially it worked like a dream but on day two the depth disappeared, nothing but dashed lines. I tried everything, networking all the gear again, removing and replacing the triducer, wiggling and re-running all lines and all wires. In the end I got on to tacktick customer support, they guessed it was a hull transmitter problem, got a replacement, fitted it all, still no depth? Tacktick recommended trying the system in a big bucket of water - depth returned?

So initially I had everything, speed, depth, temperature all good. Day two the depth disappeared, at first removing the triducer then replacing it would result in the depth briefly returning. Now no amount of playing with the triducer returns the depth? BUT, here at home in the kitchen the depth works fine in a bucket of fresh water?

I'm slow to put it down to the boat being steel, surely steel boats have depth sounders too and anyway the original depth sounder worked fine for years and the new triducer is in the exact same spot as the old transducer. I'm toying with the idea that its (the triducer) not pushed down far enough but as I said it worked fine on day one, I didn't touch it and on day two about an hour into motoring about the harbour the depth just stopped?

Any thoughts?

[ianhef]

Hi Double You

Sounds like your problem is the exact same as the one I had only your speed has gone instead of the depth and its taken a bit longer for your issues to manifest! See if you can find someone else with a tacktick and test out your display unit, just sync it and it should work. If it does then the issue is with the triducer. Apparently these are supposed to be bullet-proof but as I can testify from the amount of running around/e-mailing/chasing up/general work I had to endure it turns out that every now and then a dud turns up. Maybe you just got one of them? Oh and tack-tick hate to admit that the problem might be with their equimpent, they will have you run rings and jump through hoops before admitting that the fault may lie with their equipment.

Good luck, Hef.