899 SI 800 kh transducer upgrade

Just purchased an 899 SI and sent the transducer off for the upgrade. Been reading about the unit and the transducer and noticed a lot of talk about the 800kh not working correctly without sending the entire unit in for a fix. Am I gonna have to send the 899 in for a fix or has this issue been settled and will the hdsi transducer work correctly on the fishfinder as is?

Also read a few things about people needing to purchase another transducer for high speed sonar because the hdsi didn't work in this capacity. Is this correct? Thanks for any help.

You won't really know if your specific unit needs the 800kHz fix until you try it on the water to see if the SI is washed out even at low Sensitivity settings ...
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Owners of high performace boat hulls that ride up on pad at high speed sometimes opt for the XP 9 20 and the AS SIDB Y cable to garner high speed depth readings ...

What boat hull design is your boat ... ??
Will you need high speed depth readings ... ??

Rickie

Rickie, thanks for the reply. I have an old starcraft that doesn't go all that fast so maybe the depth readings won't be an issue. I definitely need some kind of depth readings at speed (only 25 mph) since I run around in very shallow bays in Maryland.

Will the the transducer still work on the 455kh and the 200/83kh frequency? That way I could just go ahead and hook up the transducer and send the unit in sometime this summer for the fix when I'm away on vacation.

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Originally Posted by Zippy

Rickie, thanks for the reply. I have an old starcraft that doesn't go all that fast so maybe the depth readings won't be an issue. I definitely need some kind of depth readings at speed (only 25 mph) since I run around in very shallow bays in Maryland.

Will the the transducer still work on the 455kh and the 200/83kh frequency? That way I could just go ahead and hook up the transducer and send the unit in sometime this summer for the fix when I'm away on vacation this summer.

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I would first try the HDSI mounted to a transducer mounting board on the transom such as Starboard (or a cutting board from Walmart) ...

This might save drilling multiple holes in your transom while tweaking the HDSI for optimum placement ...

You may find a suitable spot without the need for a separate Dual Beam for high speed depth readings ...

If you find its just too difficult to get high speed depth readings ... Then come back here and we will get you set up ...
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Yes the 455kHz SI and the 83kHz/200kHz will work fine even if your unit has the washout 800kHz issue ...

Rickie

Thanks Rickie for all the information. I never had an issue with deph readings at speed with any other transducer. Is this a shortcoming with the hdsi transducer or is it a general issue that I just happened to read about in a thread discussing the hdsi and assumed it was a weakness of this particular transducer? The reason I ask this is because when weighing the benefits of the 800kh against the need for speed depth readings I think I would opt for the compact transducer and the depth readings over the 800kh side imaging. Wish I had asked these questions before going through the trouble of sending it in for the swap.

The issue with the HDSI has more to do with water flow dynamics than being a shortcoming ...

The SI piezoes are long rectangular bars ...so designing a housing to encompass these long piezoes and still get good water flow dynamics from the housing is difficult ...
http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/r...pse783befa.png

It's easy to see the difference in the square HDSI vs the Dual Beam (and even the CSI on the right) for possible water flow dynamics ...(below pic)...

Skimmer xducers are pointed at the nose for a reason ... Good water flow dynamics for high speed use ...
http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/r...psy2rn0dnn.jpg

Not all users of SI need high speed depth readings ... So the added 2d piezo in the same stock XHS 9 HDSI 180 T makes installation for those users much simpler ...

As SI an unit's main function is SI scanning (at idle speeds) ... I would guess HB decided possible scenarios of SI users also wanting high speed depth readings would be willing to add the Dual Beam and the AS SIDB Y cable ...

Rickie

Hmm thanks for all of that info. I'm gonna have to think about this a bit. I wonde if the transducer I have from an old piranmax170 would work for this?

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Originally Posted by Zippy

Hmm thanks for all of that info. I'm gonna have to think about this a bit. I wonder if the transducer I have from an old piranmax170 would work for this?

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That is the XNT 9 20 T, the same exact XDCR that's used for the split transducer setup if you are not shooting thru fiberglass.
I would think with the HDSI XDCR you can get readings @ 25MPH as I can run about 27 and have no issue most of the time.
Try it on an adjustable mounting board like Rickie said & you'll get the sweet spot for it to run.....

Thanks, after doing a little more reading I think that's what I will do.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zippy

Thanks, after doing a little more reading I think that's what I will do.

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:ThumbsUp

If it's safe to do so in your boat ...have someone drive the boat while you peep over the transom at the water flow coming out from under your transom ...

If you see white streaks ...this is bubbles ... No good spot there ...

Look for clean water the same color as your lake's water color ...these areas are potential good mounting spots for the SI xducer ...

Rickie

Thanks Rickie I'll do that