Lowrance Elite 7 HDI use offshore

[drpete]

Hi. I have the above sounder and I used it for fishing the 32 and 33 fathom carparks, sorry, ledges yesterday and I can't seem to get it to read right.
Even with the motor off, there's a lot of scatter on the screen. I was able to reduce it by dicking about with the settings (no clue which one actually helped) but it's still not right. It shows structure and depth clearly enough, but there's too much interference to see fish. So without being able to drive over ground and see shows of fish, it makes it a little more hit and miss than I like when travelling that far for a feed. We still GOT a feed, but they were hard work and nowhere near as easy to find as Friday when I fished with a mate in HIS boat. He has the Elite HDS which, granted, is a much better sounder but they should still read pretty much the same. His picture is MUCH clearer and you can easily identify fish at speed. I know what you're thinking and I already checked the transducer and it's sitting perfectly. I have a good Furuno too that I got with the boat but same story there too. Good bottom view, good structure clarity, but too much interference to see fish. I've never noticed before coz I usually dive and I just need the GPS mark and a bit of structure on the sounder to hit the spot. I've tried turning one or the other sounder off in case that was the problem, but no difference.
Any thoughts would be great. Or if anyone knows someone I SHOULD talk to, that would help too.
Thanks in advance
Peter

[Cav(J.C.)]

Hi Peter.
This seems to be a common problem, no matter the brand of the sounder.I have a Northstar sounder--GPS--plotter which I have had to
1--change the position and shape of the transom mounted transducer to ensure it was deep enough and did not have bubbles going over it. If I had the time over again I would have the transducer mounted internally along the keel line with access through the deck.
2-- Ran the power to the sounder directly from the Aux. battery (fused of course) down the opposite side of the boat from where motor cables run.
I found this solved most problems. I get a good picture at speed using 200HZ, but 50 hz. is a different story. I have to have practically no gain, and at idle to get a picture without interference.
Have given up on it and use 200 hz all the time.
someone else might have some answers for both of us.
Cav(J.C.)

[scorpo92]

Sounds like the sensitivity is too high. Try turning it down a bit

[drpete]

That's an awesome idea rerouting the power! That could easily be what's causing it.
I will also definitely play with the sensitivity too.
Thanks guys.

[nathank]

Swap it to 200hz for sure, u prob have it running at 50hz. I would almost bet that"s what the entire prob is.. its in settings > transducers >200 or 50 pick 200 and should be right

[PROS]

That's an awesome idea rerouting the power! That could easily be what's causing it.
I will also definitely play with the sensitivity too.
Thanks guys.

I think you need to reroute the transducer cable only, not the power cable.
the issue as far as I understand is any power cable which transmits alternator noise.


I had a noise issue with mine, over 1500rpm noise started immediately. under that rpm crystal clear.

[drpete]

I'll look into ALL of those things. I'm pretty sure it IS set to 200 but I'll check again.
And I might try moving BOTH cables coz it does it even with the motor off.
I spoke to a bloke at tech help for Lowrance and he said he has exactly the same unit and his does EXACTLY the same thing. When I mentioned the power cable idea he got all excited. He said that it sounds like the perfect way to fix it. He said they are VERY sensitive and his sounder cuts out when he uses his uhf radio coz the power cables are bundled together and the extra current interfere's with it.

[ben kent]

I have a lowrance hdi 5 chirp and mine does the same thing might look at re routeing the cables

[Daintreeboy]

Two other settings options is to increase the surface clarity and noise rejection. The default for both is either low or off. I typically use at least medium on both and it gets rid of water column noise nicely.
Further to that, you can adjust both the auto sensitivity and colour line while still staying in auto. I increase the colour line a bit and if needed, adjust the auto sensitivity to suit.
worth a try before re routing the transducer cable although that is also a very good idea. Mine has always been kept separate.
i would try the settings first as you say you have issues with the motor off and at anchor even so power and travelling is not the issue there.