Winter and my Humminbird..... - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

peguinpower · 02-15-2010, 06:26 PM

When I went to LJ last week, my fish finder fogged up. Worked ok, besides that I could hardly see the screen.

Well, I used it today and its fried. It didnt power up, or just had an all black screen. Later in the day, after the sun had heated it up, it turned on but was utterly useless except for depth readings.

Its out of warranty, so I opened it up today, soaked it in formalin (used to clean electronics in factories) and am letting it dry. Have my fingers crossed.

Anybody else having condensation problems?

/bing

Fiskadoro · 02-15-2010, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peguinpower

When I went to LJ last week, my fish finder fogged up. Worked ok, besides that I could hardly see the screen.

Well, I used it today and its fried. It didnt power up, or just had an all black screen. Later in the day, after the sun had heated it up, it turned on but was utterly useless except for depth readings.

Its out of warranty, so I opened it up today, soaked it in formalin (used to clean electronics in factories) and am letting it dry. Have my fingers crossed.

Anybody else having condensation problems?

/bing

Should of got a Garmin

peguinpower · 02-15-2010, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Day

Should of got a Garmin

*&%$#@!

I had a Garmin and liked it. Just dont like those needle pins in the back. Broke them once, and gave up on Garmin. When they start using quick release base mounts, only then can they have me back as an FF client

dsafety · 02-15-2010, 07:00 PM

I have had a little fogging in my brand new Humminbird Matrix 12 but the screen cleared as soon as the unit warmed up. I store the head in a a gear bag and there could have been some significant differences in temp and humidity that needed to get adjusted.

I have experienced a bigger problem the last couple of trips however and I wonder if anyone else has seen this one. The unit works fine for a while and then suddenly shows the depth to be 1.2 ft., the same reading that I get when the FF is turned on out of the water. Restarting the device does not fix anything but after a while, for no apparent reason, it works again.

The only thing that I can come up with that may be a contributing factor is that the problem seems to occur when I pass over the canyon with depths of 500 feet or more. When I get back to 100 ft. depths, the thing works again.

This unit has a max depth of 800 feet. My previous, less expensive Hummingbird unit never had this problem. I called Humminbird and they suggested that I set the max depth to the range where I typically fish. Currently I have it on auto. I will give that a try with a 200 ft. max.

Has anyone else experienced this problem.

Bob

yakrider · 02-15-2010, 07:35 PM

one word!

Lowrance

sorry Bing...
couldn't help myself

GregAndrew · 02-15-2010, 07:49 PM

dsafety, I have the same problem. You only have 800 ft range in ideal circumstance (perfectly clear water, etc.). So when my fish finder loses the bottom it reads like yours until it finds the bottom again.

Nice to see you out there today Bing. Like I was telling you, my 580 screen was fogging, so I sent it back and they replaced the back of the case. And it fogged right back up on the first use. Mine does some weird chit, but so far (knock on wood) it is still working. Did you buy your unit on a credit card that might have extended your warranty? I have gotten a few breaks because of that.

peguinpower · 02-15-2010, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregAndrew

Did you buy your unit on a credit card that might have extended your warranty? I have gotten a few breaks because of that.

Its 3 years old. I guess I can upgrade, but I expected indefinite use of these things. bummer.

/bing

dsafety · 02-15-2010, 09:39 PM

If you decide to get a new one and buy it from West Marine, you can purchase an extended warranty that doubles the time for about 10% of the cost. A good deal if you use your FF a lot as they are known for their limited life spans.

Bob

stairman · 02-16-2010, 04:56 AM

I have to agree with the word lowrance.I bought a hummingbird for my yak when i first got it and within ten trips had the same problem.

Willy · 02-16-2010, 06:51 AM

Bing,
I'm in the middle of a refurbishing project on my 535, and I'm not suprised at all it fogged up on you.
The seals they use are made from thin maliable material, seem really small and weak, and look like they are really prone to failure.

If any of you guys have upgraded and would like to get an extra $20 I will buy your old one for parts!

I'm just messing with mine as a hobby project (yeah, I'm a geek), trying to rebuild a broken one (which also failed due to fogging, leakage, and weak wires/pins) to get it to work.

Willy

peguinpower · 02-16-2010, 07:14 AM

Its working again!

After a quick bath in formalin, overnight air dry, and a date with a heat gun, I was very careful, shes working again. I have to do water tests but its seems promising.

I rebuilt the whole unit by slipping a silica gel pack inside (for the moisture), sealing the screw holes with 3M 5200 sealant and taping the seal around the case shut with tape.

I do have an extra transducer assembly (complete) it anyone wants it.

/bing

GregAndrew · 02-16-2010, 08:20 AM

That sounds promising, where did you get the silica packets?

fishdude · 02-16-2010, 08:49 AM

Wow, I thought I was the only one with a hummingbird problem. Exact same thing as dsafety with mine. In and out some times works then nothing then works again.

I will be looking into lowrance next time.

peguinpower · 02-16-2010, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregAndrew

That sounds promising, where did you get the silica packets?

I got mine from a box that one of my camera lenses came in. I do know Samy's camera has 'em.

Guys...two things....

Humminbird has a flat rate to repair their units, whatever the issue is. Prices vary from model to model but almost all the mid priced units service rate are around 80 bucks. If its completely fried, I would think you would get a refurb. Their customer service is A++.

Secondly, its pretty easy to open the cases and dry it out with a blow dryer. Ive done that in the past to minimize condensation and it works. I just havent done it in a while and this is the first time that I actually had it not work due to really bad condensation. It has to be said that I had it at Pyramid lake quite a few times this year at freezing temps. That might have someting to do with it. I will report if I got it working good again.

/bing

dtownfan · 02-16-2010, 11:02 AM

mmmmmmmmmmmm.......i am hoping the 2010 570 hummingbird sonar unit i have ready for the kayak is gonna cooperate! i have been piecing my new fishing kayak together for the last several months. i used the $240 in gift cards my students gave me (X-mas presents) to Cabelas to purchase it. right now it is sitting downstairs waiting the chance to read bottom. i will be picking up my new kayak on the 27th. can't wait!

my brother has used them in Michigan's UP his whole life. he recommended hummingbird to me. he tried to talk me into the the new 597ci combo due to the performance he has had with a slightly older model. he uses his as a portable between several boats (a few of the the great lakes and smaller inland lakes) and even as an ice fishing unit for the gps topical graphs through navgonics. never a problem (knock on wood). this summer his track plotter and way points put me on walleyes during summer vaca.

i will share my experiences as soon as she is mounted and tested.

where do you store the head unit while not in use? just curious.

peguinpower · 02-16-2010, 11:20 AM

I talked to humminbird about the issue and they recommended that I ease the unit coming out of the car when there is a great temp difference. You can wrap it in a towel or a jacket and place it on your kayak for a few minutes before unwrapping to acclimate. A fleece or neoprene bag would even be better.

Its hard for me to blame them. My waterproof camera and my slr lenses do the same thing. I just hope its a condensation problem and not shorted out.

The last occasion, it looked like it was raining in my ff

/bing

dsafety · 02-16-2010, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishdude

Wow, I thought I was the only one with a hummingbird problem. Exact same thing as dsafety with mine. In and out some times works then nothing then works again.

I will be looking into lowrance next time.

I called Humminbird and explained the problem of the unit sometimes only registering 1.2' depth. The technician said that these things can sometimes get confused when the depth changes drastically and quickly such as when we go over the LJ Canyon.

The recommendation was that I set the max depth at something other than Auto. I have not yet tried that solution. They also said that if this procedure did not fix the problem, it was probably a hardware problem which would be covered by the warranty.

I will keep everyone posted on this as the troubleshooting continues.

Bob

Bob

GregAndrew · 02-16-2010, 12:10 PM

I am going to pick up a couple of those packets and throw em in after doing the hair dryer trick. Hopefully that will last for a while. What type of tape did you use for the housing Bing?

Fiskadoro · 02-16-2010, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peguinpower

I talked to humminbird about the issue and they recommended that I ease the unit coming out of the car when there is a great temp difference. You can wrap it in a towel or a jacket.....

Hey if you have to baby it... just use a disposable diaper as a cover

Sorry bing..... After what you said on the water about your past Garmin use I just could not resist bing

As to the breaking pin issue Furuno's are the worse after using one of them for years my Garmins seem bullet proof.

Jim

peguinpower · 02-16-2010, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GregAndrew

I am going to pick up a couple of those packets and throw em in after doing the hair dryer trick. Hopefully that will last for a while. What type of tape did you use for the housing Bing?

Yep. If its dry inside, then there should be less condensation. I used to blow dry the inside once a year when condensation started showing again, but I have been remiss.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Day

Hey if you have to baby it... just use a disposable diaper as a cover

Sorry bing..... After what you said on the water about your past Garmin use I just could not resist bing

As to the breaking pin issue Furuno's are the worse after using one of them for years my Garmins seem bullet proof.

Jim

Garmin wanted 125 to fix the pins

If I were a careful person, it shouldnt be a problem. Problem is, I am not a gentle person

02-15-2010, 06:26 PM	#1
peguinpower bing! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: socal Posts: 246	Winter and my Humminbird..... When I went to LJ last week, my fish finder fogged up. Worked ok, besides that I could hardly see the screen. Well, I used it today and its fried. It didnt power up, or just had an all black screen. Later in the day, after the sun had heated it up, it turned on but was utterly useless except for depth readings. Its out of warranty, so I opened it up today, soaked it in formalin (used to clean electronics in factories) and am letting it dry. Have my fingers crossed. Anybody else having condensation problems? /bing

02-16-2010, 07:14 AM	#11
peguinpower bing! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: socal Posts: 246	Its working again! After a quick bath in formalin, overnight air dry, and a date with a heat gun, I was very careful, shes working again. I have to do water tests but its seems promising. I rebuilt the whole unit by slipping a silica gel pack inside (for the moisture), sealing the screw holes with 3M 5200 sealant and taping the seal around the case shut with tape. I do have an extra transducer assembly (complete) it anyone wants it. /bing Last edited by peguinpower; 02-16-2010 at 07:29 AM.

02-15-2010, 07:00 PM	#4
dsafety Olivenhain Bob Join Date: May 2008 Location: Olivenhain, CA Posts: 1,121	I have had a little fogging in my brand new Humminbird Matrix 12 but the screen cleared as soon as the unit warmed up. I store the head in a a gear bag and there could have been some significant differences in temp and humidity that needed to get adjusted. I have experienced a bigger problem the last couple of trips however and I wonder if anyone else has seen this one. The unit works fine for a while and then suddenly shows the depth to be 1.2 ft., the same reading that I get when the FF is turned on out of the water. Restarting the device does not fix anything but after a while, for no apparent reason, it works again. The only thing that I can come up with that may be a contributing factor is that the problem seems to occur when I pass over the canyon with depths of 500 feet or more. When I get back to 100 ft. depths, the thing works again. This unit has a max depth of 800 feet. My previous, less expensive Hummingbird unit never had this problem. I called Humminbird and they suggested that I set the max depth to the range where I typically fish. Currently I have it on auto. I will give that a try with a 200 ft. max. Has anyone else experienced this problem. Bob

02-15-2010, 07:35 PM	#5
yakrider Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 611	one word! Lowrance sorry Bing... couldn't help myself

02-15-2010, 07:49 PM	#6
GregAndrew Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2,384	dsafety, I have the same problem. You only have 800 ft range in ideal circumstance (perfectly clear water, etc.). So when my fish finder loses the bottom it reads like yours until it finds the bottom again. Nice to see you out there today Bing. Like I was telling you, my 580 screen was fogging, so I sent it back and they replaced the back of the case. And it fogged right back up on the first use. Mine does some weird chit, but so far (knock on wood) it is still working. Did you buy your unit on a credit card that might have extended your warranty? I have gotten a few breaks because of that.

02-15-2010, 09:39 PM	#8
dsafety Olivenhain Bob Join Date: May 2008 Location: Olivenhain, CA Posts: 1,121	If you decide to get a new one and buy it from West Marine, you can purchase an extended warranty that doubles the time for about 10% of the cost. A good deal if you use your FF a lot as they are known for their limited life spans. Bob

02-16-2010, 04:56 AM	#9
stairman Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 84	I have to agree with the word lowrance.I bought a hummingbird for my yak when i first got it and within ten trips had the same problem.

02-16-2010, 06:51 AM	#10
Willy Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: La Jolla Posts: 189	Bing, I'm in the middle of a refurbishing project on my 535, and I'm not suprised at all it fogged up on you. The seals they use are made from thin maliable material, seem really small and weak, and look like they are really prone to failure. If any of you guys have upgraded and would like to get an extra $20 I will buy your old one for parts! I'm just messing with mine as a hobby project (yeah, I'm a geek), trying to rebuild a broken one (which also failed due to fogging, leakage, and weak wires/pins) to get it to work. Willy

02-16-2010, 08:20 AM	#12
GregAndrew Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2,384	That sounds promising, where did you get the silica packets?

02-16-2010, 08:49 AM	#13
fishdude Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: In a house Posts: 79	Wow, I thought I was the only one with a hummingbird problem. Exact same thing as dsafety with mine. In and out some times works then nothing then works again. I will be looking into lowrance next time.

02-16-2010, 11:02 AM	#15
dtownfan Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 50	mmmmmmmmmmmm.......i am hoping the 2010 570 hummingbird sonar unit i have ready for the kayak is gonna cooperate! i have been piecing my new fishing kayak together for the last several months. i used the $240 in gift cards my students gave me (X-mas presents) to Cabelas to purchase it. right now it is sitting downstairs waiting the chance to read bottom. i will be picking up my new kayak on the 27th. can't wait! my brother has used them in Michigan's UP his whole life. he recommended hummingbird to me. he tried to talk me into the the new 597ci combo due to the performance he has had with a slightly older model. he uses his as a portable between several boats (a few of the the great lakes and smaller inland lakes) and even as an ice fishing unit for the gps topical graphs through navgonics. never a problem (knock on wood). this summer his track plotter and way points put me on walleyes during summer vaca. i will share my experiences as soon as she is mounted and tested. where do you store the head unit while not in use? just curious.

02-16-2010, 11:20 AM	#16
peguinpower bing! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: socal Posts: 246	I talked to humminbird about the issue and they recommended that I ease the unit coming out of the car when there is a great temp difference. You can wrap it in a towel or a jacket and place it on your kayak for a few minutes before unwrapping to acclimate. A fleece or neoprene bag would even be better. Its hard for me to blame them. My waterproof camera and my slr lenses do the same thing. I just hope its a condensation problem and not shorted out. The last occasion, it looked like it was raining in my ff /bing

02-16-2010, 12:10 PM	#18
GregAndrew Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2,384	I am going to pick up a couple of those packets and throw em in after doing the hair dryer trick. Hopefully that will last for a while. What type of tape did you use for the housing Bing?