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Full Version: CP370/B164 issue
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Last year installed 2 C127 units, autopilot, radar, CP370 and a B164 transducer. The bottom machine constantly looses bottom around 400 feet and this weekend it would show bottom but not depth and then show static and then clear up with out changing any settings. I have reset the transducer and CP370 several times while underway to try and correct. Is 400 feet the standard depth to loose bottom with these units. After researching and purchasing the units I thought I should be able to get at least 1000 feet?
Welcome to the Raymarine Forum Eric,

Care must be taken to ensure that the corresponding transducer has been selected from the Transducer Setup menu of the Fishfinder application page/pane being viewed. Should the DSM be commanded to be reset, then this setting will be erased and the operator must then re-configure this setting.

The 1k transducers such as the B164 when driven by a 1kW sounder should be capable of sounding to at least 1000' at 50kHz when operating at trolling speeds. Should bottom occur when viewing 200kHz, then it would be recommended that the Channel be changed from to 50kHz.

We have a concern that the noise seen within the fishfinder plot may be due to electrical interference. It is recommended that the transducer cable's routing be inspected to ensure that it has not been routed/bundled with other cables. If not and should the problem persist, then it is recommended that the vessel's equipment, engines, and power circuits be switched OFF one by one until the noise within the fishfinder plot abates. Should all devices, engines, and circuits excluding those necessary for the MFD to display fishfinder imaging be switched OFF and should the problem persist, then please respond accordingly.
Once the machine was reset it default it auto for most settings so it saw the transducer and you can see that the frequency was set on auto. I have had issues with the autopilot also and the response was to make sure all the wires were run separate and no interference with the compass sensor. Now I have to make sure no wires are run with the transducer, with most boats there are some space constraints and it is hard to have everything separated. I will see if I can move some stuff around again, the static issue is a new issue, the depth has been a issue since install. What can be done with the depth issue while I work on the static issue?
Dennis,

Please be aware that resetting the sounder module will change the selected transducer. This will not however prevent the fishfinder from operating, but may adversely affect the performance of the fishfinder. It is unclear from your response whether you have used the previously provided command sequence to correctly configure the Fishfinder application's settings to specify that the sounder module has been interfaced to a B164 transducer. Please ensure that this action takes place following any action to reset the sounder module.

Per my prior response, it is recommended that you try not using the Auto frequency feature and instead command the Fishfinder application page/pane being viewed to use the 50kHz frequency ... I am concerned that the sounder module may be incorrectly using 200kHz rather than 50kHz.
Went out Sunday for fathers day....made sure selected transducer was b164, set the machine on 50hz manually and still did not hold bottom running in on smooth ocean in 80 feet of water, something is definitely wrong with either the cp370 or the b164.
Eric,

Your photos indicate bottom loss at planing speeds, but no indication of performance while operating at trolling speeds. Please click here to view a FAQ addressing loss of bottom at planing speeds. Essentially, should the problem not occur when stationary, drifting, or operating at trolling speeds, then the problem would not be associated with the sounder module or transducer. This issue may also result electronic noise from the engine. The latter may be verified by observing the engine RPMs when the problem is observed, halting the vessel, and then with the engines in neutral, raising the engine RPMs to the same level at which bottom loss had occurred. Should the problem not be related to engine noise and manifest itself when stationary, drifting, or operating at trolling speeds, then it would be recommended that the CP370 be sent to Raymarine’s Product Repair Center to be bench checked / serviced.
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