Appendix B - Troubleshooting - NorthStar EXPLORER 443S Installation And Operation Manual

Appendix B - Troubleshooting

This troubleshooting guide is written with
the assumption that the user has read and
understood the relevant sections in this manual.
It is possible in many cases to solve difficulties
without having to send the display unit back to
the manufacturer for repair. Please follow this
trouble-shooting section before contacting the
nearest Northstar dealer.
There are no user serviceable parts. Specialised
methods and testing equipment are required
to ensure that the display unit is reassembled
correctly and is waterproof. Users who service
a Northstar fishfinder themselves will void the
warranty.
Repairs to the Explorer 443s/443sp may only
be carried out by a service centre approved by
Northstar. If the display unit must be sent into a
service centre for repair, it is essential to send in
the transducer(s) at the same time.
More information can be found on our Website:
www.northstarnav.com
1. The fishfinder won't turn on:
a) Northstar fishfinders are designed to operate
on 12 volt battery systems, where the voltage
may vary from 10 to 16.5 volts. If an excessive
voltage is supplied to the unit, a resettable
fuse will be tripped, turning the display unit
off.
b) Check that the power cable LT connector
at the back of the display unit is securely
plugged in and the collar is locked in place.
The collar must be secure for watertight
connection.
c) Measure the battery voltage while the battery
is under load - turn on some lights, radio, or
other electrical equipment connected to the
battery. If the voltage is less than 10 volts:
- The battery terminals or wiring on the
terminals may be corroded.
- The battery may not be charging correctly or
may need replacing.
d) Inspect the power cable from end to end for
damage such as cuts, breaks or squashed
sections.
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Northstar Explorer 443s/443sp Installation and Operation Manual
e) Ensure that the red wire is connected to the
positive battery terminal and the black wire
to the negative battery terminal. If wired for
the Auto Power option, ensure the yellow
wires are connected to ignition circuit. Also
check the boat's main switch circuit (see
section 5-4).
f) Check for corrosion on the power cable LT
connector and clean or replace if required.
g) Check fuses that are placed in line with the
power cable. A fuse can be blown despite
appearing to be good, or the fuse may be
corroded. Test the fuse or replace it with a
fuse known to be good.
2. The fishfinder won't turn off:
The fishfinder may have been wired with the
Engine Hours feature enabled. In this case,
the fishfinder cannot be turned off while the
ignition power is on. (See Auto Power Wiring
in section 5-4).
3. The fishfinder operates erratically:
a) Check that the transducer does not have
debris (e.g. weed, plastic bag) caught around
it.
b) The transducer may have been damaged
during launching, running aground, or
running underway with debris etc. If the
transducer has been impacted, it may
have been kicked up on the bracket. If
it is not physically damaged, reset the
transducer back to its original postion. (See
the Transducer Installation Guide for more
information).
c) When in water less than 2 feet (0.6 m) the
bottom and depth readings may become
inconsistent and erratic. This depth is
measured from the transducer and does not
allow for any keel offset setting.
d) Manual Gain may be set too low, which may
cause weak bottom echo, or no fish signals. If
Auto Gain is disabled try increasing the gain.
e) Ensure the back of the bottom surface of the
transducer is slightly lower than the front and
the front is as deep in the water as possible in
order to minimise the generation of bubbles
through cavitation. (See the Transducer
Installation Guide for more information).