depth finder power problem?

[ellroy2]

Have a Lowrance x510c that freezes up and flashes usually 3.4 feet of water. It seems to do it more when we are back trolling with the electric trolling motor at slower speeds in calmer water. It will freeze sometimes too when just drifting(with no motor on). Sometimes the freeze lasts just a little while and sometimes it will go for a hour. The only thing that seems to unfreeze it is to turn on the main motor and drive around for a bit. Lowrance replaced the unit(not the transducer or power cable) over a year ago but both units do the same thing. I figure the next step is to try a new transducer and see if that fixes it. But I also didn't know if it could be a bad power cable or some sort of interference. The unit is hooked up to the same 12v deep cycle as the transom trolling motor. I have tried all sorts of settings and even messed with how things are set up on the battery. Any thoughts before the unit gets smashed against a wall?

[PerchJerker]

Any thoughts before the unit gets smashed against a wall?

Yes.

Display your voltage so you can see what the unit is getting from the battery.

Do you have another battery in the boat? Can you power the 510 off the other battery, at least temporarily? Does the problem happen when you're not running the trolling motor?

Since you say it mostly happens backtrolling, is your trolling motor prop causing cavitation on your transducer? If so, relocating the transducer would help.

Have you tried moving the power cables and transducer cables to rule out electrical interference? Especially with the trolling motor cables? If you're having electrical interference, moving the cables an inch or so will usually clean it up.

How old is your transducer? Do you know anyone with a similar unit, so you could try the 510 in their boat, or try their unit in your boat. Or you could just bite the bullet and replace the transducer.

Since you said you had 2 units do the same thing, I suspect it has something to do with your transducer, transducer location, power supply, or wiring.

Good luck getting it figured out.

[Ed Carlson]

I also suspect it is more of a transducer alignment issue or a failing ducer than a power supply concern.

If it was a low power issue, it would shut down completely and need to be restarted every time the power dipped below 10 V DC. Hit the key to start...Poof...it would shut down, it does not appear to be doing that.

Try realigning the ducer and also take the tilt of the boat into consideration when in the water and under a normal load. Place a level on the transom top and get an idea if you have a side tilt that needs to be compensated for at the ducer to get a true level read on the bottom. Note the angle of the tilt required to get the level to bubble center, and then set the pitch of the ducer to compensate for it.