B&G depth finder not working

[drprunner]

My B&G depth finder quite working this weekend. The control unit seems fine, but the depth only displays dashes. I'm guessing the B&G is original equipment on my 1997 400 Sundancer. Seems like the mostly likely candidate is a faulty transducer. Which brings me to my 3 questions:

1. Can I buy replacement transducers for my 1997 equipment?

2. Can I replace a thru-hull transducer while my boat is in the water?

3. I have 2 identical looking transducers, 1 is for depth, what's the other one for?

Thanks for any help.

 

[fwebster]

You apparently have lost the signal either to or from the transducer. You should check any connections between the transducer and the depth head......but there probably aren't any extension cables on a 400DA. The quickest and easiest fix is to replace the transducer. Here is a cross reference showing popular Brooks and Gatehouse transducers and their equal in the Airmar line of products:

http://www.airmartechnology.com/xref.html


Changing a transducer usually means changing the entire housing in the hull so, no, this cannot be done in the water from inside the boat.

As to the second transducer, do you have other depth measuring equipment on the boat like a bottom machine? If not, then you will need to follow the cables from the bilge to the panel and see just what the second transducer connects to.

 

[drprunner]

Thanks for the info, Frank. I have the retractable insert transducer, do I still have to pull the boat out of the water to change it?

Thanks

 

[fwebster]

Not if you replace the transducer with an identical one so that you do not have to remove the housing in the hull. If, however, you change to a different model transducer where the housing must be changed, then yes, the boat has to come out.

 

[Capt. Rusty Higgins]

one is the speed wheel and the other is the depth and temp transducer.....you should have a blank plug transducer inside the boat and if your are really quick, you may pull while in the water and quickly insert the plug....I said quick twice in one sentence, and I meant it.

Capt. R