HB 1199 problems

Guys I have had problems with my 1199 since I bought it in January. On my first trip out I fished about 30 min and it did fine. When I got ready to make a move I noticed after I had cranked the big motor that the screen was black. HB said it had a blown circuit board. When I got it back the first time I used it there was a software issue. When I got it back again and again first time I used it and first time I got ready to make a move, the screen was black. I suppose another circuit board.
I bought the finder online but the place where I bought the boat installed it. It is hooked to the cranking battery. Is there anything that you can think of that could have been done incorrectly which could cause this?

Sounds like you just got a yukky one...

Keep after HB...they will take care of it...

(I would write the serial number down and see if they send you back the same unit)...

Rickie

smart man there

I convinced them to send me one before they get this one back. I should get it around Wednesday or Thursday. But to be on the safe side, I'm getting the serial num

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Originally Posted by free bird

I convinced them to send me one before they get this one back. I should get it around Wednesday or Thursday. But to be on the safe side, I'm getting the serial num

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free bird, If your unit is connected to the starting battery and the screen goes black. It could be for insufficent power. Your battery may be getting weak. Sounds fishy that you had the same problem with different units...... Hope you get to the bottom of problem.............crappie1133

Same unit, with two circuit boards. Not saying its not the battery but almost brand new battery and it cranks the motor with no problem at all. Once it goes black it don't come back.

I had a 997 do that when starting outboard. I ran wires directly to bat. When it did turn off I was able to pull the fuse to disconnect power and then it would go back on after I put fuse back in. Its easy enough to try.

With it failing when you crank the motor, that could indicate low voltage to the unit. Low voltage is a killer for electronics. If your unit is wired to a power source under the dash on a circuit board of some thing like it, I highly recommend changing the power source. I would run power wires directly to the battery with an inline fuse. Your unit is under warranty now, but if you continue to use a power source that doesn't provide proper voltage, you might have failures later when it will cost you! I'd also take your battery to an auto parts store who can load test it for you. It might read 12v with no load on it, but drop considerably under a load like when cranking the big motor. Electronics are too expensive for guess work.

It's wired directly to the cranking battery. Both finders are. Isn't that's what is recommended? Nevertheless, I'll have it checked.

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Originally Posted by free bird

It's wired directly to the cranking battery. Both finders are. Isn't that's what is recommended? Nevertheless, I'll have it checked.

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You are correct...it is recommended to wire electronics directly to the cranking battery...

But this reasoning is only to eliminate the possible RF influence when electronics are wired to TM batteries...

The optimum setup would be a dedicated battery just for electronics...(but not everyone has room for this many batteries)..

Still...as Shellback noted...the big motor cranking "steals" a LOT of the voltage over the short cranking time of the big motor...and it may be stealing enough of the voltage to not leave enough to power the electronics...

Load testing a battery is the only sure fire test to see if the battery has enough extra voltage during motor cranking to also run the electronics during the cranking sequence...

Rickie

I have it set up for my battery to be tested in the morning.

Not trying to step on anyones toes here. But the best way to test is to wire the FF to its own battery. Most power problems on a DC circuit will turn out to be a faulty connection of some sort. Slightly corroded fuses , loose wire terminals etc etc.

My old 997 used to go black when I started with cranking battery. Finally got tired of living with and wired to its own battery. Problem vanished. I realize it is suggested to use cranking battery as your power source. But I suspect it is an electrical engineer making this suggestion. When I was working as an electronic tech we used to have a saying. Engineers design it but they leave it to us tech s to actually make it work.

To simplify you have three actual possible failures.

1. Bad Unit
2. Bad Battery
3. Bad connection related to terminals , fuses etc etc.

To fix problem you must determine the root cause. The easiest and fastest is to eliminate the battery as the prime suspect. I have a spare 12 volt tractor battery that I use as a trouble shooter for friend and relatives boat/fishfinder woes. Starters for outboards pull a lot of amps. If the pull is hard enough it might trigger a low voltage protection circuit on the circuit board of the Humminbird.

If this happens every time you start the motor and the Humminbird runs fine the rest of the time. I can almost assure you that wiring it to its own battery will solve problem.

Thanks hays. I did find before this last incident loose connections. Hoped that was the fix. I looked last night and I do have room for a forth battery. Going to have my cranking battery checked. If this low voltage protection circuit were to have been triggered, would it not reset? Just seems odd that a DC device would be so sensative that it could not take a battery going low. Might be tho. I do appreciate everyone's insight. Got to get to the bottom of this.

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Originally Posted by free bird

Thanks hays. I did find before this last incident loose connections. Hoped that was the fix. I looked last night and I do have room for a forth battery. Going to have my cranking battery checked. If this low voltage protection circuit were to have been triggered, would it not reset? Just seems odd that a DC device would be so sensative that it could not take a battery going low. Might be tho. I do appreciate everyone's insight. Got to get to the bottom of this.

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free bird , If your unit cuts off for low voltage, It will not reset. It has to be turned back on due to low voltage........crappie1133

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Originally Posted by crappie1133

free bird , If your unit cuts off for low voltage, It will not reset. It has to be turned back on due to low voltage........crappie1133

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How?

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Originally Posted by free bird

How?

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freebird, Oush the power button again. This is because your unit has been cut off due to low voltage...... Hope it works for you....crappie1133

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Originally Posted by free bird

How?

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freebird, Push the power button again. This is because your unit has been cut off due to low voltage...... Hope it works for you....crappie1133

Been my experience when the screen goes blank while cranking the big engine, you must disconnect the unit from it's power source, then reconnect. On your 1100 series, that would be having to take the cable collector off the back of the unit then reinstall it. Pushing the power button did nothing until I did the disconnect and install.

I had a 997 that i had wired directly to battery and had no issues then i decided i wanted to get rid of so maney wires on my battery and had a guy that installs them regurly put some things on my boat and ask him to wire it in under the dash so i could loose some wires and from that day on if i had it on and started my boat it would freeze up then i had to unplug it. so after doing this a while i decided to take it back to the bat. again and then no more problems.So i would say if you have it directly to your bat it could have a bad connection where they are conected at the end of the power cable that is on the unit it is only about 2 ft long therefore it has to be spliced into to get to your battery.

I've push that power button many times...nothing. I've disconnected the power several times....overnight....nothing. Once it goes black it doesn't come back. Humminbird says they have to replace the circuit board.

They are air-mailing me a new unit. I'm buying a new battery that will be dedicated to this unit.

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Originally Posted by free bird

I've push that power button many times...nothing. I've disconnected the power several times....overnight....nothing. Once it goes black it doesn't come back. Humminbird says they have to replace the circuit board.

They are air-mailing me a new unit. I'm buying a new battery that will be dedicated to this unit.

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These HB units have a low voltage protection shutoff feature...

I don't recall ever hearing of issue where this low voltage protection actually damaged internal unit parts..

Something has changed in the new units or freebird just got unlucky more than once...

The x99's are still in their infancy...if a trend of certain issues start popping up for any new model...I'm sure HB will recognise and hopefully find a remedy...

Rickie

Did you have a fuse between the battery and the unit? Maybe when the battery was cranked it was actually sending more power through the battery and into your unit?? May sound crazy but electricity is crazy to me. I always like to make sure it is fused.

Hate to say it but idk. I didn't install it. There's not one close to the battery.

Wow I was going to buy an 1199 this week. I think I will hold off on it for now.

Freebird...Is the new replacement HB in hand yet...??

Rickie

If it's frying the board....sounds like too much voltage, not a lack of it. Check that fuse and make sure it's not too high a rating for the unit, then figure out if you've got voltage surges. Also, make sure you don't have a wiring connection some where that's getting wet. Combined with a bad or overrated fuse, that could fry a board.

Course, with the separate battery and new direct wiring, you should be fine. Also, I'd think HB would tell if you're frying the board and would tell you on the returns.

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Originally Posted by free bird

Hate to say it but idk. I didn't install it. There's not one close to the battery.

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You need the proper fuse installed right at the battery. I use a blade type holder in rubber with sealing cap. Soldered and heat shrink over it. Ring eye for battery crimped to one end of the fuse holder.

I agree with Hays49 in his earlier post. To add to that a possible reason for this is too small of gauge wire running to the length of the boat to the unit.
Reason being you can get a voltage drop at the end of the run on small gauge wire.your
If the problem resists I would recommend using at 14 guage to run to the unit with a 15 amp at the battery and then install the small fuse at the unit. Small fuse being the one supplied or recommended by manufacturer.

The reason for the 2 fuse set up is The 15 amp is to protect the main wire and keep the small one from blowing unnecessarily.

I have ran into this issue before. Hope this helps.