My first Humminbird Gripe!

Got my 797 back today from getting worked on at Humminbird customer service (they said it was something wrong with the "board"), put it in the cradle and it will not get past the loading screen. I tried both cradles that I have in the boat and same result. Cost me nearly $200 bucks and doesn't appear they even checked it before they left the service dept. Took the battery out thinking it might be something with the battery and replaced it with another. Same thing!!!!

Here is the real . Let me preface this by saying that both are my units have a 1 amp inline fuse between it and the battery, so this shouldn't be related to anything that I have done regarding wiring. Put the 777 on the cradle and it is doing the same thing as as the 797 was. "Blurred" screen, and everything is shadowed. Must be the board on this as well. I am going to send them both back. I ran both of these units exactly the same way the last 2 years and had no problems. I can't believe both these units decided to crap out at exactly the same time!

There goes another weekend without being able to fish!!!!!!!

I would contact Customer Service first thing Monday morning and see what they will do for you. The number is 800-633-1468.

have you added any electrical gear?... new/different TM, etc?...

Try a diff trancducer?....

Transducer now on TM?

Anything new?

same transducer, new trolling motor. Put a Terrova 24v and am running the units off of one battery in the series. Which should not create any kind of problem, especially since I'm running 1 amp inline fuses on both units. I'm really not happy about this at all! If they charge me another $180 to fix a $300 unit now I'm going to be disappointed. Especially since I have purchased a Terrova, 797, 777, interlink etc... from this company. At this point I wish I would have went the Lowrance route.

Also everything is out of warranty!!!!!!!!!!!!! Glad I have ponied up the money for a 1000 series or a 900 series like I wanted to. If a new unit only lasts a few years, right now I'm thinking they ain't worth it!!!!!!!

Thinking out loud here, but a couple HDS units with Structure scan work pretty good in Missouri. Ask Beagleman about it if you have that kind of money to spend. 2 yr warranty.

Seems usual that you are getting the same symptoms with 2 different units. Before sending them back, I'd suggest trying to power the unit directly off a battery that has a minimum of twelve volts, with a fuse inline obviously. I know you said you switched batteries, but that doesn't eliminate faults in the wiring. I had problems with one of my units which I had wired off the fuse panel. Somewhere along the line there must have been a corroded connector or something, because when I wired it direct to the battery it was fine! If you can, try to go straight to the battery with a fuse right from the Humminbird powercord, eliminate any other connections or wiring. No need to connect a transducer, as the unit should power up in the simulator mode. Dampness in a boat plays havoc with wiring connections! If your units start working, I'd replace the wiring for each unit, solder the connections, and run them direct to the battery with a fuse. Let us know what happens.

I had a humminbird 777 and it would in no way work with the terrova trolling motor, called humminbird, no help, called back no help, ask on here got help, (good site) called humminbird, we can help they said, we will send you a packet that will fix your problem, they didn't, called them no help, sold the unit to a man told him my problems he said no problem I dont have a terrova, it works fine for him . had a 797 I liked it, then I didn't then I sold It and now I am happy. just saying some people have good luck with getting customer service and some dont, be sure you get a response you don't have to pay no matter what, it's pretty easy to say, we found a new problem not related to the first problem. so you have to pay, don't let that happen, I your going to spend your hard earned money on a product don't waste it on double repair cost, us the money to up grade to a better product.

I agree with Shellback, It's strange that they both quit at the same time with the same problem. I would look at what ever is common to both of those units before I sent them off. If it is something wrong with the boards on both of those units, probably something external to those units caused the problem. I would check the wiring very carefully because even when the units get repaired, if the source of the problem is not corrected, they will fail again. Do you by any chance have a power converter to plug those into AC power without being in the cradle at all?

Any by the way, just go on fishing. I fished for 49 years without a depth finder and still had fun:D

Good luck with the problem and let us know how it turns out.

I just sent my 737 in last week got it back today. Fixed I wasnt happy bout paying the 105.00 to get it fixed but it seems they did a good job and i got it back fast.

Those units should be wired to the starting battery not to the trolling motor batteries if at all possible. IMO The problems you are describing sound like interference issues as both units are doing the same thing and might have been the reason the "board" went out last time on that unit.

I agree with FroggerZ. Its the trolling motor causing the problem.

If they both worked good, then they both didn't, and the only difference is the tm and/or associated wiring...Or did they work for a while using the new tm?

Big-doggin don't come cheap. :D

I Agree With Froggerz! I Have Always Run All Asc. Off Cranking Batteries. If The Wires Even Overlap The Trolling Wires May Cause Interfernce. Something On That Boat Messed Up Those Units. I Would Try Them On Another Boat Before Putting Them On There Again. May Want To Also Check All Wiring For Corrosion, Especially If Been In Saltwater. If Running Batts. In A Series Need To Use A Switch. Keep In Mind The Terrova And Side-imaging Unit Pull Alot Of Power. The Terrova Is Steering And Turning The Prop At The Same Time Also Powering Any Autopilot Or I-pilot Features. Good Luck I Bet That Unit Was Fixed Until You Put It Back On The Same Boat. I Wouldn`t Fault The Company Yet.

I agree with BOTH Froggerz and Shellback! I had almost the exact same issue as Shellback, however I'm not running a Terrova. My problem seems to be not enough amperage at the fuse buss box. Voltage seems ok, but amps aren't sufficient to start my unit on the additional mount I installed. I had to wire it direct to battery with an inline fuse. I just dont think you would have two units crap out at the same time, and not just crap out, but do it in the same manner!! I think the issue is one of interference from the Terrova, and not enough volt/amps. Check it well with a volt/amp meter! I almost didn't figure mine out, and wouldn't have without a meter. Humminbird customer was very helpful with me in figuring out a solution, btw!

Just to clear things up a little bit, when I received the 797 back from Humminbird service on Friday, I had planned on doing some fishing Sat. morning, so I ran out and put it on the boat on the front cradle (which is wired direct with a 3 amp inline fuse). The 797 wouldn't get passed the loading screen. So this was not fixed. I was mad as heck, took it off of the cradle and went to the back of the boat to check the voltage and amps with a volt meter. Everything looked good. Put the 797 back on the cradle and checked it again. Still wouldn't get passed the loading screen. Went to the garage, pulled a 12volt battery out that I had, unhooked the power cable from the front of the boat and checked the 797 again, still wouldn't get passed the loading screen. Then I go get my 777 from the house, use the same battery that I had wired from the garage and power cord (inline fuse on the power cord, 3 amp) and place it on the 777 and I get the fuzzy screen. So it cannot be anything relating to trolling motor interference. The 797 just doesn't appear to have been fixed, and the 777 just decided to crap out on me the same way. I will go put it on the cradle and show you guys how it is coming up.

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/vbpgi...5&d=1264370586

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/vbpgi...6&d=1264370597

This is exactly the same thing that happened to my 797

Any possibility it could be the transducer? If you power up with the tranducer disconnected, it should start in the simulator mode.

Try hooking it up to a transom mount transducer and away from the TM and interlink... I suspect the interlink.

If that doesn't do it, I'm stumped! There is always the possibility all of your batteries aren't quite up to snuff? As a last resort, I'd check my volts and amps, but you say you did that.... and if that's not a problem, and your sure there is no intereference from the new TM, then I'd definitely be back in touch with HB customer support.
Sunspot? Solar flares? I swear this is pretty similar to my issues, minus the new Trolling motor! Nothing worse than electrical issues you can't resolve!! ....when you figure it out, PLEASE post your results!

I know this kinda sucks, but disconnect everything except power, then power unit up. This eliminates all but pwr and head units.

If it don't come up, jiggle the power at head unit and at the fuse. No results here, you in trouble.

Check HB faq page under common checks also.

These common checks apply to any unit and is a good guideline for troubleshooting any system.

good luck

Tom

It looks like there must have been some over voltage or current of some sort,
I had the same problem and sent mine back to HB they took good care of me, on the paper it said replace pcb comp, so i am assuming some kinda parts had gone bad they sent me a note to check wiring and i did redid it all actually got unit back in a few days and worked like a charm since, so thats what im pretty sure your problem is.

Not to doubt you, but you said you checked voltage, but what was the result?

Odds of both having the same failure at the same time are pretty slim. Try CP's suggestion with power only connected. Also, did you try the 777 in it's original cradle where it last worked properly before you pulled it from the boat?

Trouble shooting 12V flat out stinks. When I'm king, 12V will be outlawed and will replaced by 15v. That's like 25% better.

Wannabe...

Mike what did you find out? Iff anything?

Nothing yet, hopefully I will have them both back and working by the weekend. Going to rerun both sets up wires for front and back trolling mtoros tomorrow night maybe. I'm going fishign somewhere this weekend! Probably will chase the sauger in the channel by the house if the wind is howling.

I think the 777 has something wrong inside i dont think re runnin power will fix it, i have seen this before and had to be sent back to HB.

Both units are already at Humminbird (797 for the second time) for service. Hopefully will get them back tomorrow.

Well, Humminbird came through. Got an email that my two birds are on their way back to me fixed. They fixed the 777c for free. Got the boat rewired with the problem cradle through the rocker panel and with an inline fuse. Hopefully I don't have any problems from this point. Although I complained about the 797 going out, they made up for my issues by fixing the 777 for free when they could have dumped on me and told me to buy a new one.

Now if this weather will break next week it time to start catching some fish with all this new electronics.

That''s a good deal. What did you find to be the problem, specifically?

didn't find a problem, just reran the new wiring from the cradle in question from direct to through the rocker panel fuse swith with an inline fuse as well. Humminbird says something about the boards going out. If something similar happens again I think I will just go sink the dang boat and start over.

Good luck!