CA50BL-12HR and CA200B-8B went bad, ISO advise

[SrScrapes]

Both my transducers went bad and I am looking for advise on which rabbit hole to venture down first. My equipment is a DFF3 networked to (2) TZTL15Fs. Here are the options I have come up with so far:
(1) Replace both transducers with same make/model.
(2) Remove CA50BL and replace with CA50/200-1T(pocket mount) and be able to use the Bottom Discretion and AccuFish features.
(3) Install two separate, 50hz and 200hz, thru hull transducers with tilted elements while leaving the old transducers where they are.
(4) Upgrade to a chirp sounder and chirp transducers, which ultimately will mean I would need to upgrade the TZT3 MDFs...
(5) New Idea?
Fishing up to 1500', deep drops, wreck fishing, and pelagic game fish in the Caribbean.
Any advise would be appreciated; I am new to the technical world of transducers and sounder technology but fished my whole life.
TIA

 

[Flatline]

SrScrapes,
Thank you for your inquiry. First of all, we are sorry to hear that both of your current transducers "went bad". Hopefully you've been able to determine and rectify the cause of this failure as this does not normally occur. Secondly, while replacing the installed transducers can be problematic, however this might provide the clearest path forward. Based on your particular fishing scenario (1500' water, deep drops, trolling for pelagic game fish, etc.) the combination of the DFF3 and the CA50BL and CA200B transducers are an excellent choice. These transducers provide for a full 2kw of output power and a wide 14x18.5 degree and narrow 5.5 degree beam angle respectively. The other options you listed above are 1kw, and therefore a reduced output power and sensitivity.
Finally you could also chose to utilize both the DFF3 sounder AND the internal sounder in the TZTL15F (sounder source selection is in the menu). You could install a transducer directly to the TZTL15F to specifically use the bottom discrimination feature when wreck fishing (listing of models of bottom discrimination transducers on our website)

 

[SrScrapes]

SrScrapes,
Thank you for your inquiry. First of all, we are sorry to hear that both of your current transducers "went bad". Hopefully you've been able to determine and rectify the cause of this failure as this does not normally occur. Secondly, while replacing the installed transducers can be problematic, however this might provide the clearest path forward. Based on your particular fishing scenario (1500' water, deep drops, trolling for pelagic game fish, etc.) the combination of the DFF3 and the CA50BL and CA200B transducers are an excellent choice. These transducers provide for a full 2kw of output power and a wide 14x18.5 degree and narrow 5.5 degree beam angle respectively. The other options you listed above are 1kw, and therefore a reduced output power and sensitivity.
Finally you could also chose to utilize both the DFF3 sounder AND the internal sounder in the TZTL15F (sounder source selection is in the menu). You could install a transducer directly to the TZTL15F to specifically use the bottom discrimination feature when wreck fishing (listing of models of bottom discrimination transducers on our website)transducers

The transducer’s performance had been fading since I bought the boat a few years ago. I had the DFF3 sent to Furuno for testing and it was works properly. The cost of replacing the current 50 and 200 would be at least $4k plus labor/installation. Could that $ be better spent elsewhere on a tilted chirp transducer and a DFF1-UHD? If so, what make/model am I looking for?

 

[Flatline]

SrScrapes,
"....could that $ be better spent elsewhere" . That is a subjective call. While typically CHIRP produces more defined individual targets, particularly vertically within the water column, than that of conventional CW transmission. However the lesser (1kw) output power of the tilted element CHIRP transducers vs. the 2kw output power of the CA50BL & CA200B transducer would result in less depth/range of the echo sounder image.

 

[Deep Blue]

SrScrapes,

If you want to really pound the sea bed at 1500 ft. and doing deep drops, then I would select the DFF3 utilizing the CW Transducers like the CA50BL12HR & CA200B-8B. However, if you are more interested in the trolling for pelagic species within the water column, then I would go with a CHIRP setup.