How I float my non-Vex transducer

[P Gottshall]

I have a Humminbird flasher I picked up at a garage sale for $5. It works great. Last year was the first I've really gotten into ice-fishing, & did a lot of reading, & realized I needed electronics. Not wanting to spend $300+ yet on a Vex, I made up a rig to float my Humminbird transducer, which I wish I could give you a pic of, but let me draw you a mental image.

I first had a rod, mounted to a box on the ice, to hold the transducer. Every time I bumped it it was misaligned, & that transducer really needs to be horizontal to work well. I saw a Vex, & decided floating the transducer was the only way.

But, for trolling-motor mounted transducers, the cable comes out the side, & hangs wrong, so I couldn't simply add a float to the cable. Good thing I are an educated engineer. . .

Here's my solution:

Cut 3/4" PVC about 24in long. On the bottom of it, mount a T. Cut across the length of the T with a good saw, creating a flat surface that the transducer will sit against.

Use wire-ties to mount the transducer, like you would on your trolling motor, on the flat side of the T. As you hold onto the 24" section, the transducer should be hanging parallel to the floor.

On the top of the 24in piece, slide on a piece of foam pipe-insulation. Adjust the length of the foam so it hangs low in the water; too high & the weight of the PVC will lean, causing misalignment.

I also cut a slit up the side & pushed the cable inside of it.

That's it. Pretty simple, & it works great, for a single-color flasher. For 60min of work and $2 in material, my $5 Humminbird is now an ice-fishing machine.

If you're interested, drop me an e-mail & I'll send you a sketch.

Good luck,
Paul Gottshall

[gill man]

That's a great idea! I used to use an old Hummingbird super 60 for ice fishing. I made a leveling arm, but like you said it always got bumped, and had to be adjusted. Now I have a float on my FL-8, but if I ever need to rig something up for anyone I'll remember that idea. Good thinking!

gill man

[Rueben]

I would like to see your sketch. I've got an old Lowrance "green box" that I bought at a garage sale for the same $5. It works great, but I will have the same issues on the ice. Send to [email protected]

Thanks

[picksbigwagon]

I have an old 60 as well. i would love to have the diagrams for this. I have found that My sixty works really well if I can eliminate some of the noise from other people's machines............
My email is [email protected]

[P Gottshall]

Anyone else who would like, I may miss your request here, so mail me at [email protected]

Paul

[Boar]

I would like a schetch also, I have a vex but i also picked up an old 70's model lowrance portable beigh box that would be cool for the kids to use if I could get the transducer to float level.

[Boar]

Oopps, my email is [email protected] thanks

[Barnabas]

Great idea about floating the transducer. I have an old Hummibird 60 that I'm going to try that trick with. One question, my Humminbird is not a portable unit --it runs off the 12V boat battery. I'm not fond of the idea of lugging a big battery around on the ice. What do you guys use/intend to use? A motorcycle battery would have a lot less bulk but I'd like to keep the costs down. I've got a few 9.6V NiCad rechargeables for my cordless drill. Perhaps I could hook up two in series (19.2v) and then step down the voltage somehow...

[Z-man2002]

I have a ? simalar to barnabas, about voltage changing. I have an old lowranace green-box that uses two lantern batteries right now, but I would like to hook-up a re-chargeable battery system to it. I have a couple of 14.4 v. re-chargeable batteries w/charger, how could i make this work. Any help would be appreciated.

thanks in advance
matt

[Surface Tension]

Change those flashers over to the 7 amp 12 volt batteries. You will save money from buying the lantern batteries, not to mention the waste.

Use a dremil tool to cut out the battery partitions then add power leads and connectors.

[Guest]

I have a pirahna I won last year, I took the transducer and mounted it to a piece of 1/2 pvc leveled it and made it in screw together section so I can get it down in thick late ice.I tried the foam tube, but I mounted a wood clamp on the end and I clamp it to the ice hole door in my portable. Seems to work good so far.
Hope this helps.

------------------
Crappie:
It's the other white meat.

[P Gottshall]

On the batteries - I use a motorcycle battery, which is probably about the same weight as two lantern batteries.

The two 6V lantern batteries are probably wired in series, adding up to 12V. The depth-finder was most likely designed to run on the 12V system in a boat, and 14.4V is well within the spec of a "12V" system, specified by the SAE for automotive products to be 9V - 16V.

If you plan to use two, wire them in parallel and you should be OK.

Good luck,
Paul

[mpotter21]

I have the clearwater pro. I would like a diagram on rigging for winter. Thanks

Mike--

[P Gottshall]

e-mail me at [email protected] & I'd be happy to send.

Paul