TZT2BB with DFF3-UHD - 165T/PM542LM sounder issue

[Neversatisfied]

Hello,

I have a 34 seavee with a TZT2BB/DFF3-UHD/165T-PM542LM and I am having trouble getting my sounder to read bottom correctly when I am running or moving at anything over 10knots. I figured the issue was interference from a lip or something on the bottom of the hull. I pulled the boat out and inspected along with a furuno/airmar certified installer and we didn’t see anything that would be a issue to cause a reading issue. When I am moving slow or drifting it is reading perfectly. Does anyone think that this maybe a setting issue? When I’m running I get to about 300-500ft and loose my picture on the screen. No fuzz no interference, nothing. Just a blank screen. I have tried auto frequency and manual and have had no success for better or worse. I tried presetting my frequencies and didn’t notice a difference either.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Titanic II]

Is the DFF3D doing the same (view on the triple-beam screen)? Also when running and you lose the bottom at 300-500 feet, if you stop does it paint the bottom? Usually any underway difference in performance is related to cavitation across the face of the transducer.

 

[Neversatisfied]

Yes Both are acting up. The transducer is installed according to the specs in the installation manual.

 

[Titanic II]

The DFF3D and the DFF3-UHD are independent in regard to settings.

We can work with the DFF3-UHD first. Please leave the DFF3D off for this testing. Set the mode to dual frequency so we can look for a difference between the 2.

Set the range to minimum so you can see the zero line in detail. Observe the 0 line still and then increase speed to beyond 10 kts, if you see the area below the 0 line get really noisy at 10 kts and higher then there is cavitation.

To try to eliminate the effects of the cavitation set the gains to MANUAL, AUTO RANGE to OFF. First in the FF menu set STC to higher numbers to attempt mitigate noise bubble effect. Set CLUTTER to a higher number (eliminate low level echoes). Also raise COLOR Erase to ignore low level green/light blue echoes.

 

[Neversatisfied]

The DFF3D and the DFF3-UHD are independent in regard to settings.

We can work with the DFF3-UHD first. Please leave the DFF3D off for this testing. Set the mode to dual frequency so we can look for a difference between the 2.

Set the range to minimum so you can see the zero line in detail. Observe the 0 line still and then increase speed to beyond 10 kts, if you see the area below the 0 line get really noisy at 10 kts and higher then there is cavitation.

To try to eliminate the effects of the cavitation set the gains to MANUAL, AUTO RANGE to OFF. First in the FF menu set STC to higher numbers to attempt mitigate noise bubble effect. Set CLUTTER to a higher number (eliminate low level echoes). Also raise COLOR Erase to ignore low level green/light blue echoes.

i would assume running in the intracostal would be fine for that type of test? I obviously want to get offshore but the break in the inlet has the inlet closed off starting tomorrow and it’s blowing 20-30 knots. If deeper water would be better I will wait till it calms up enough to go run it out.

 

[42Duffy]

SeaVee's are great boats. I had a 29 with the same transducer installed. Is your 34 a Classic or a Z? Where did they install the pocket??
It might be helpful if you sent some pics of the install and screen shots of drifting and at 10 knots. I learned the hard way that any turbulence will degrade the return. What you describe sounds like a problem with turbulence; air or water flow. Hope this helps

 

[Neversatisfied]

It’s a b hull. There is no cavitation/turbulence. It’s mounted 3 feet from the transom.

 

[Jsubzero]

on my old 320b seavee i had a b260 transducer with dff1-uhd in the same location with no problems. i could mark bottom all the way across the gulf stream. this is just a sample of the machines clarity. i did not take any deep ones. i was to busy catching fish.

 

[Neversatisfied]

I will get some photos for everyone and some videos once the weather calms down. My machine was not marking like that at a drift which was disappointing. On the seavee I have my tzt2bb hooked up to garmin 8616s and I get a much better image off of my b275HLW with a gsd 28 than I am with furuno system which was very disappointing as the furuno sounder is a 2kw and the gsd 28 is powering a 1kw. The garmin marks fine when I am running out to 2500ft and Marks fine drifting and HST.

 

[Jsubzero]

here is another one of the seavee 320b with dff1-uhd and b260. thermocline clearly seen. maybe the dff3-uhd will need some software updates in the near future to get this clarity with that 165t-542lm transducer.

 

[Neversatisfied]

if your 1kw is marking like that I have a problem with my transducer or software update is needed because it’s reading very bad even at a drift.