Detecting fish with the help of a fish finder is really an amazing experience. But if suddenly fish finder turns off how will you feel? Definitely you will be pissed off. Nonetheless, it is a common problem that almost every angler comes across; the moment the motor is ignited fish finder turns off, leaving the angler simply clueless. Usually you will feel like blaming the store owner from where you have purchased the device but basically the story is something else. When you go on fishing especially drift fishing and when you try to motor back, it may happen that the unit goes off automatically.
You are sure to wonder about the reasons; few such reasons are described below:
1. Voltage dropping
- Now Fish finders turn off due to voltage dropping, the moment you start the engine, if the voltage drops off below the minimum level (which is required for running the device smoothly) fish finder will certainly go off.
- But this is not the only cause for the motor to shut off, poor connections, long cables, fatigued batteries and varying other causes contribute amply to this automatic shut down
- Certainly there are varying causes that provoke voltage dropping but you can anytime install a voltage booster and push the voltage up to 12v.
- If you can keep your voltage in sound condition, chances for your fish finder to go off will surely become less. Such boosters are available at good auto electric or marine supplier store.
2. Connection Error
- Loose connection and corrosion is one of the probable causes, why your motor is turning off.
- You must also take care of the batteries and don’t forget to add fluid to the batteries, make sure that the fluid is at the correct level. The battery should be completely charged. Even when you are having a new battery and its big enough, still you need to keep it charged thoroughly.
- Often big batteries cause voltage dropping so its better to remove the big ones and replace them with smaller ones, you will find consistent supply of voltage with no more depth finder shutting down.
- Moreover, you must check all the fuses and double check the dash connections, so that there remains no loose connections or terminals.
- If you can secure a voltmeter, and place the same on the battery terminal the moment you will start the motor, it wont go off.
- When the voltage is dropping off, definitely there is a loose wiring connection or a faulty battery.
- If everything is OK then you should take away the cowl from the motor and you need to double check the heavy battery connections that move from the battery to the motor.
- You need to make sure that the motor battery connections are tight and secure if the battery wire is not that secure, then there could be high resistance connection and generate extreme current which is drawn from the battery and cause the battery voltage to go low.
- You need to check the transponder connection along with the battery connections.
Things To Check
You need to check the condition of the battery, you need to ensure that it has sufficient life and for that you need to test its capacity, now maximum battery shops will do the test without asking a dime.
Now when you will be doing a draw down test, the test will show you whether the batter is operating functionally or it is likely to operate in different direction.
Now if the battery test shows Ok then you need to cut off the finder power source from the battery
The moment you are igniting the depth finder or circuit for initiating the engine the power will be pulled down.
It will be giving you some low voltage condition on the fish finder. The moment you find the circuit for the depth finder is separated, then you must make sure that upgrading to a battery could be done with a higher rating.
Finally
Right before planning any fishing trip you need to make sure that your battery is running uninterrupted and you are not at any point be facing any detrimental situation. So if you find your motor is stopping suddenly and you can not do anything on your own, without wasting a moment you should interact with a professional and fix the deficiencies.
