Furuno 587 freezing

L

LionelJ

Guest
Hi guys,

A couple of years back I bought a 587 and TM260 for my Trophy. It worked great for about 18 months and then it started freezing. It freezes just like a PC would - non responsive and will only switch off if the power was disconnected. I then took it to Furuno Australia (as I live in Brisbane) for servicing who could find nothing wrong - but they did charge me for looking at it!

Has anybody had anything similar? It seems to happen mid day when the temperature picks up. The unit does not get overly hot though.

Any suggestions welcome :jump

Thanks,
Lionel
 
I would ensure that you have the newest software loaded in the unit. (v2.01) It might not solve the problem but overwriting the software can't hurt. Hopefully, if they charged you, they would have checked that the unit was up to date. Ensure your unit is getting clean power. It could be noise spike or low power. You might try running the unit from a stand alone battery for a day trip to see if that helps.
 
Thanks Johnny. I will check the software, but I was told Furuno updated it. I'm running twin marine batteries that are fairly new. Also, my GPS seems to work fine off the same power. But perhaps worth a try as well. I know the winch draws a fair amount of power, but the 587 doesn't seem to freeze when I use it.
 
LionelJ,
One other thought here, are you using any of the Auto modes? If so, you my try switching into manual for a test. If the sounder still freezes try restoring it to the default settings.

Snips
 
Ok, l give it a go. I ran it all day at home and it was fine. Didn't charge the battery all day. Only difference would be that it was in the shade. I'll give it a go leaving it in the sun and try the default settings.
 
Guys,

The issue was heat. I run it at home again, but this time in the sun. After about 2 hrs, it froze. I let it cool, switched it on and checked the internal temp. It was just over 55C (131F). I then checked the manual and it's maximum operating temp is 131F.
To double check this, I put it in demo mode and left out in the sun. Same thing happened.
So, bingo! Happy I found the issue (only been 2 years). But I'm a little perplexed why Furuno haven't done anything about this. It's ment to be used outdoor, yet it's go a dark cover and a limit of 131F. I reckon it can easily reach 150F if I had to leave it out all day.

How just to find a suitable cover for the back...

Cheers,
Lionel
 
You might talk to the local distributor because they might have options or suggestions. In the Furuno USA service area, we have seen very little problems with the units. The design that started with the FCV585, FCV587 and now moved to the FCV588 has worked well. I would put it and yourself under some air conditioning. Sounds very hot there.
 
Hi,
The day temp is peaks at about 90F, but I did think there could be a problem with my internal thermostat. Until I checked it on my FLIR camera, which also showed about the mid to high 90's.

It will be interesting to hear what temp other units run, relative to the ambient temperature
 
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