Thanks for the fast reply and info, I really appreciate it!
You don't plan to have radar or SCX20?
Of course, the entire system will be Furuno, but at this stage I didn't want to complicate it with other devices because my primary concern was connecting transducers. In addition to the mentioned, I will also install:
- Radar DRS25NXT/4'
- SCX20
- GP330B
- AIS FA70
- 200WX
- MCU006H
- FLIR
- Fusion radio
- 2x ICOM VHF IC-510E EVO
- JL Audio
- Seakeeper
- Lumishore
- Victron energy
- CZone
Did you look at the combo transducers to share a transducer hole for the DFF3 and DFF3-UHD like the 165T-PM542LHW?
Yes, that was my first idea, but it didn't work out because the boat only has just one small flat spot in the stern, and I could fit only 165T-B54. The boat we are talking about is an OB37 (Onslow Bay Boatworks) and the boat builder already inserted the B54 model into the mold during the hull manufacturing phase. The boat has a stepped hull and that is why we decided to place the other transducers as follows:
- Four B175 (L, M, MW, HW) in front of the first step. That way I will probably be able to use them while planing.
- R599LH inside the bilge in the stern of the boat after the second step. The transducer will only be used for deep drop during drifting and slow cruising (max 5-6 knots) to find deep structure. We should not have any problems with aeration at that speed?
- Side-scan same as 165T-B54 in the stern of the boat and also used at slow speed (max 5-6 knots).
Do you have any experience with placing transducers behind the steps for low speeds?
You can not connect two chrip to the TZT16x because side-scan is being used on that unit (per you notes). When side scan is used you can only run single chirp or dual CW.
The TZT24X and TZT16X will be installed in the console, one TZT13X will be installed in the leaning post facing aft and the other TZT13X will be installed on the upper station. According to your diagram, my idea is to connect two B175's to TZT16X (on the console), the other two B175's to TZT13X (in the leaning post) and Side-scan to another TZT13X (on the upper station). This way it is a little bit different than in your diagram, but it will be much easier to install cables from the transducers. Any thoughts or advice regarding this connection?
You can display side-scan, the DFF3D, and one fishfinder on a display unit. You can NOT select more than one fishfinder on a particular display. (Internal or external) You can have more than two fish finders actively sourced on a network. That means with having two internal sounders and the DFF3-UHD, you have three sounders. Your system would only be allowed to select the source of two of them. So one display could show DFF3D, Side-Scan, and DFF3-UHD while another display could show the DFF3D, Side-Scan, and one of the TZT13s internal fish finders. You could not use the other internal sounder unless you remove the source from either the other internal sounder or the UHD. One fish finder source can be shown on each MFD and max of two fish finders actively selected by the system and in use. Ideally, it makes it simpler if you just go with two fish finders so no one tries to select a third. If my setup, I would drop one of these two pairs and have one internal sounder, the Side-scan and the DFF3D.
This explanation is very useful to me. So if I understand correctly most of the time (while the DFF3-UHD is off) I will be able to use both internal fish finders of TZT16X and TZT13X at the same time on the network, but showing only one fish finder (internal or external) on each TZTXL on the network? For example, on the TZT16X I can see the internal fish finder with a split screen for the B175L and B175MW transducers connected to it and at the same time on the other TZTXLs (TZT24X, 2x TZT13X) on the network I can see the B175M and B175HW transducers connected to the internal fish finder of the TZT13X? On the other side, I can display DFF3D and Side-scan simultaneously on all TZTXLs?
I am also wondering if it is possible to turn off (standby, not emitting) one of the transducers connected in a pair to the same internal fish finder or do I have to turn off the fish finder completely and thus both transducers connected to it? My idea is to connect a pair consisting of B175L and B175M to the TZT13X and and other pair consisting of B175MW and B175HW to the TZT16X. In this way I can use the second pair (B175MW and HW) for drifting and trolling for pelagics and the first pair (B175L and M) for bottom fishing between 150-450'. The only problem I see is that the B175M and B175MW will interfere with each other if they are switched on at the same time, so I'm wondering if I can switch off just one transducer (e.g. B175M) and leave the other (B175L) on? In this specific case I would have the B175L on the first fish finder, and the B175MW and B175HW on the second Fish finder switched on, and on the other side B175M switched off.
Thanks again for all the answers, I really appreciate it.
