Trouble Shooting; Electrical Interference - VEXILAR FL Series Owner's Manual

TR O U B LE SHOOT ING
S
ymptom
Unit is turned on, but no display and motor is
not running.
Unit is turned on and the motor is running, but
there is no display.
Unit runs well for a short time, then lights flash
randomly or unit quits.
Unit runs and shows display light, but does not
read depth.
Unit works, but needs high gain to see bottom
or targets.
Unit works, but has too many lines on the
display. Can't tell what is what.
Unit works well when sitting still or at when
slow trolling, but loses reading at higher
speeds.
Unit shows noise when engine or electric
motor is turned on.
I.R. does not work. Can't eliminate interference
from other depth finder.
Storage Prevention
&
● Store in cool dry area. Do not store in a sealed container, like a bucket or Soft Pack,
containing moisture.
● Be sure the battery is fully charged before storage.
● Clean the flasher body and screen with a soft cloth and a mild detergent. Do not
submerge in water or other liquids.
●
Do not expose the body or display to chemicals, such as fish attractant or insect
repellent. Damage to the surfaces can occur.
●
Do not submerge the body in water or subject it to heavy wave splashing. The
flasher housing is weather-proof for most conditions, but is not waterproof. Water
damage is not covered under the warranty.
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p c
oSSible auSe
Check for bad connections, proper hook up
polarity, and make sure you have a good, fully
charged, battery.
Battery voltage too low. The unit will show no
display if the voltage is below 8 volts. Check
voltage while unit is running.
Bad battery or connection. Voltage may be
good when checked, but will fall as unit runs.
Transducer is not plugged in or not in contact
with the water.
Transducer is not aimed correctly or needs to
be cleaned. 19° transducers will have trouble
seeing small targets deep.
Improper transducer adjustment. Also, gain
may be set too high or, if gain is set to
minimum, switch to the LP Mode.
Improper transducer type, installation, or
adjustment causing a loss of clear water flow
across the transducer when the boat reaches a
certain speed.
Defective engine or electric motor. Also can
be improper grounding or missing ground in
electrical system.
Gain may be set too high or the transducer
is weak. Also, check for ice or debris buildup
under the gain control.
ELECTR ICA L I NTE RF ERE NCE
TR OUBLE S HOOT ING
There may be situations where you experience interference from other electrical devices,
not just another nearby depth sounder. This interference will show on your display as
random signals which can appear anywhere. They will interfere with your ability to see
the normal display signals. The most common sources of interference are electric trolling
motors and engine ignitions systems. The Interference Rejection feature will not have
much effect on these types of interference, as this feature is designed to only deal with
signals from another sonar device. Here are some things to be aware of when it comes to

electrical interference.

S
ourcES
Interference can be introduced into your sonar system through the power supply,
transducer line, or both. To identify the source, unplug the transducer and run the trolling
motor or the engine. If the interference disappears, you know the noise is coming in
through the transducer line. If not, it's coming through the power line, or both.
w
IrIng
Power line interference can generally be solved by improvements in the wiring positions,
connections, and grounding. You want to be sure the sonar wiring is as far away as
possible from the trolling motor wiring, and the wiring is neat. Make cable runs as short
as possible and neatly coil extra wire and tie it off so it stays put in rough water or
while pulling the boat. All electrical connections should be in very good condition. Push-
on terminals should be tight. Wire crimp connections should not come free when pulled
firmly. Conductors should be shiny, not dull or corroded.
g
roundIng
The boat's electrical system should have a common "Earth" ground to the water. Most
boats electrical systems are grounded through the outboard to the water. Many times a
electric trolling motor interference problem can be solved by a "ground" wire from the
negative trolling motor power source to the negative of the starting battery.
E
quIpmEnt
Electric trolling motors and gas engines can have technical problems that can cause
interference. If common wiring improvements do not solve the problem, be sure to check
with the manufacturer to see if there are any recommendations or updates available
regarding interference with depth sounders.
For more information regarding interference issues, check the Support section of the
Vexilar web site or contact our service department.
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