Transducer Replacement_1997 208 Adventure

[fullphase]

It seems my transducer might be toast on my Lowrance Elite 5 GPS. It is giving inconsitant depths and the sonar is not working well at all. I order a new transducer from amazon and am ready to install it. First I am going to hook it up direct and attach it to the old mount just to confirm that is in fact the problem, as the wiring in my electoronics box is a little suspect.
If I do need to replace the old transducer I am just looking for some tips/tricks on running the new transducer from the stern up to the electronics box. Looking at the way the old ducer sits It appears the wire was cut and re connected in order to get it through the small hole that the wire goes through on the back transom.

or am I missing something???

 

[steveditt]

Don't have my boat near by and don't remember how the wire enters the boat from transducer but if your wire was cut that's where I would be checking for your problems with the old one .Installed a new unit a few years ago I would not cut the transducer wire the hole should be well above the water line so make it larger if needed .

 

[Parthery]

If you can avoid cutting the cable, I'd make every effort to do so.

Getting through the rigging tube on a 208 is the easy part. You can remove the panel below the throttle (about where your right foot is when you run the boat) to get to the rigging tube. The bigger challenge will be getting the cable into the electronics box. Prepare to wiggle your fingers. Not much access on the side.

 

[steveditt]

access panel in the cuddy helps

 

[Parthery]

access panel in the cuddy helps

No access panel in a 208...which is part of the problem.

226/228s and up have the fold down e-box...you can easily access from behind.

 

[enfish]

Unless they changed it in 1997, there is a 6" inspection port inside the cuddy specifically for access to the rigging tubes. When installing, I'd use the old transducer cable to pull a long piece of parachute or tuna cord through the tube. Make it long enough so you can pull from either direction without ever pulling the cord out. That makes life easy every time you need to run more wires. You may be able to do the same thing to get the cable into the electronics box, but that might be a bit more difficult.

I also agree on trying to avoid cutting the cable if you can. If that means reaming out the hole through the transom to get the plug through, that's what I'd do unless the plug was ridiculously large. Just make sure you seal the edges of the hole with epoxy before running the cable. Then run the cable through, get the cable length outside the transom correct, then embed with some kind of sealant. 3M 4200 would be a good choice, IMO. Finish it off with a clamshell.

 

[steveditt]

I have a 98 and has an access panel , I disconnect my transducer cable if working on downloads while boat is on land using that panel .I also remember reading you should attempt to run your cable away from electrical line that run within the tubes under the floor . Transducer cable should run by it self

 

[trapper]

2006 208 adventure. Ran my new ducer cables starting from the stern, positioned ducer on transom. Brought cable and plug over transom (no holes) through the rigging access in the splash well over the battery compartment and up the underside of the gunnels through a plastic tube positioned and fastened to hold transom cable and any other wires I may need down the road. Pushed a fairly stiff wire from the electronics box down to the gunnel area and picked up the ducer plug and brought it up. Found it very difficult to access the rigging tubes and when I did found them already quite full. Worked for me. Cheers trapper

 

[Scott89gw]

Mine loops over the transom(held with fasteners of course). Follow the other cables up to the front. May need snake. Or try to use old cable as pulling snake. Plug hole up in transom very well inside and out.

 

[Parthery]

I stand corrected on the "access panel"...I was thinking fold down electronics box....

In my experience (and I've done GPS/FF installs on a couple of 208s) getting through the rigging tube was not the hardest part of the job. Getting into the side of the E-Box was a miserable experience. Found the easiest way to do it was to run the fish tape down from inside the box and then pull the cable/plug up into the box. It's definitely easier with two people.

 

[suzukidave]

It seems my transducer might be toast on my Lowrance Elite 5 GPS. It is giving inconsitant depths and the sonar is not working well at all. I order a new transducer from amazon and am ready to install it. First I am going to hook it up direct and attach it to the old mount just to confirm that is in fact the problem, as the wiring in my electoronics box is a little suspect.
If I do need to replace the old transducer I am just looking for some tips/tricks on running the new transducer from the stern up to the electronics box. Looking at the way the old ducer sits It appears the wire was cut and re connected in order to get it through the small hole that the wire goes through on the back transom.

or am I missing something???

before you replace, is it possible it has been knocked out of position and is now at the wrong angle to the hull? if it has moved one click up or down those are the exact symptoms you would get.

if you do redo, i suggest abandoning that hole and running it over the top of the transom and in through the motor controls hole if at all possible.