cuda 168 sounder problem

[mudrunner]

i installed the cuda 168 in my kayak, last saturday ( ithink) 9 days ago.

yesterday, it was working good. i came up on a beach and bottomed out. the transducer is on the bottom. when i got back into the yak the sounder was flashing 60ft, and has been ever since. ive trid to reset the factory settings..its simple. but the 60ft sighn is still flashing...

anyone have any ideas on what the prob may be? the transducer is still rock solid in the hull...

[Blackened]

G'day

When you tested it again, were you in a bit of water (over 2m for example) and you'll have to give it a small time to "think" and reorganize itself.

Are all the plugs/connections good?

Dave

[mudrunner]

well, when i paddled back home i think i had it turned off......but i did go over some water 2 m deep....

there may be some moisture in the joins i made in the cable. but there are too many mossies out there to muck about with it this arvo.....

i just noticed the backlight is flashing in time with the 60ft sign. all other stuff on the menue is working fine...?!

[Blackened]

G'day

May be best re-reading your installation manual if you think there's some dodgy areas and giving eagle/lowrance a call

Dave

[mudrunner]

this morning i rang eagle in sydney. i spoke to the eagle troubleshooter, (cant remember his name) and told him of the problem. his first question was if i had used a 2 part epoxy to glue down the transducer, or weather i had used a silicone straight from the tube......straight from the tube i told him. he went on to explain that they work better with the two part epoxy, as it sets more solid and doesnt soften the sound, like soft silicone does, and weakens the strength of the sounder....

to test if i had air under the TD, he suggested i put some water in the hull to cover the transducer, thereby displacing any air that may have got under the TD when i beached her.....and see if it started working again then.

then he took me through a 'factory reset' that isnt in the manual. when we were done, he said it is now the same as it left the factory, and if it isnt working now, to put water in the hull (as explained), check wiring for moisture, failing all that to send the unit back...

we reset the unit. i turned it off. 10 mins later, i walked the yak down to the water, paddled out into deeper water and turned the unit on....60ft, confusion, 12.5ft. aaahhh. you beauty. she worked. so i paddled about for 20 mins watching the depth change. when i got to shallow water, 2.9ft, the unit failed, and kept blinking at that number, even after i went into deeper water. so i turned the unit off and on. it started working again.

the unit seems to get confused in shallow water. from now on i'll turn it off when i beach, or working near shallow water.

interestingly, the eagle troubleshooter had to do a bit of digging for the specs on how to reset the unit as he doesnt get many calls on it. he said they have very little trouble with that unit (cuda 168) and said "it has been a very good little unit for us.."

thank you blackened for the help.

[finga]

Try putting the depth range into manual instead of the auto. Page 35 of the manual
it might be picking up the siganl after a few bounces off the bottom and thinking that's the depth.
And if that doesn't work go manual sensitivity and try that. Page 37

They are a good unit. My dad has one and works a treat and never missed a beat.
I hope this helps
Scott :)