what is the best place to install a transducer in the 98 challenger 1800 hull?

[Guest_User]

Thought I`d post this question before I epoxy soon...

ok, I know it is always best to have the transducer more aft than forward. The area should be free from turbulence and away from strakes and chines, and not near the intake grates.
Now under the 98 challenger 1800, the area that is totally flat and free from turbulence would be under the ski locker area.
between just ahead thru just behind the helm seat, as the chines/strakes are offset from that point aft.

option 1 - install the Hummingbird XAP 9 20 "angled" transducer just under and ahead of the ski locker on the hull deadrise.

option 2, cut a 4" round hole in the ski locker to move the transducer location about 1-2 feet back making sure there is no stringer or cross support in the way...

option 1 could have a high speed loss of signal bc it is close to where the bow rides out of the water.
option 2 moves the transducer back more possibly making the reading more stable, but also needs a huge access hole to mount the transducer...

comments are appreciated...

 

[RFoster130]

Most guys on here that have added depth gauges have just mounted the transducer to the floor in the engine compartment. there are several good threads about it.

 

[Guest_User]

Most guys on here that have added depth gauges have just mounted the transducer to the floor in the engine compartment. there are several good threads about it.

I know and have read some of those. :cheers:

 

[ellenor]

Just installed my Humminbird 160 in the ski locker. Not an angled transducer, but I got good results. I did NOT use epoxy though. I used a silicone. My neighbor, who basicly invented boating, stated he always used silcone on his shoot thru the hull installs. I took his advice and it works great. I lose readings at around 50mph. It turns into just lines.

 

[Guest_User]

Just installed my Humminbird 160 in the ski locker. Not an angled transducer, but I got good results. I did NOT use epoxy though. I used a silicone. My neighbor, who basicly invented boating, stated he always used silcone on his shoot thru the hull installs. I took his advice and it works great. I lose readings at around 50mph. It turns into just lines.

is the ski locker in the same location as the challenger boats? (middle of the floor) did you install the puck just ahead of the ski locker? Thanks...

 

[ellenor]

yep...middle door that opens. I put my trasducer around 4 to 6 inches ahead of the drain hole. So for my boat, as your sitting in the drivers seat. If you were to open the ski locker, the transducer would be slightly behind you. Id take a picture but for some reason the camera is MIA.

 

[Guest_User]

yep...middle door that opens. I put my trasducer around 4 to 6 inches ahead of the drain hole. So for my boat, as your sitting in the drivers seat. If you were to open the ski locker, the transducer would be slightly behind you. Id take a picture but for some reason the camera is MIA.

thanks, I`m not able to do that without cutting a large hole in the ski locker to get that far back. about a foot towards the rear from the screening/opening is a structural support going across the boat hull and there is another one further back yet. I know this bc water was trapped in the hull and not draining bc the drain holes were plugged... a long fiberglass whip took good care to clear those drains...
the area I could reach without cutting would be near your left knee when sitting.

 

[Guest_User]

The older/original depth gauge with XAP 9 20 shoot thru angled puck transducer works perfectly in this location.
On the dead rise just ahead of the ski locker.

I used rope caulk to act as a dam for the 2 part epoxy, formed it in a circle (after prepping and cleaning the hull) applied epoxy to the hull and transducer, secured with tape until it set up. 24 hours later done!
tested it out and with works up to max speed just fine.

note* and Doc Honda is correct, I contacted Hummingbird and I can get a new bezel and face plate for this gauge...
this is just a temporary bezel shown...

 

[Dr Honda]

Welll........ Dang it. I was hoping to buy it from you cheap for my Islandia. (lol)

But... I'm glad it worked out.

 

[Guest_User]

Welll........ Dang it. I was hoping to buy it from you cheap for my Islandia. (lol)

But... I'm glad it worked out.

That would have been possible if the other one worked out. Now I was faced with using it or staring at that 2" hole in the dash...lol...
that`s why I was undecided Doc...

 

[gekitch111]

I just purchased a factory depth gauge. Does anyone know where seadoo puts the transducer?

 

[TVKing]

Pale Rider,
I have the same boat and picked up the same gauge, hope to put the gauge face where your volt meter is on your dash. Mine has a rubber plug there. How did you prep the hull? I am assuming you had to remove the netting in the front of the ski locker. I have not looked at that yet, how is it fastened? I am a newbie with my first jet boat, so many questions and things I would like to do to make it gooder :thumbsup:

 

[Guest_User]

Pale Rider,
I have the same boat and picked up the same gauge, hope to put the gauge face where your volt meter is on your dash. Mine has a rubber plug there. How did you prep the hull? I am assuming you had to remove the netting in the front of the ski locker. I have not looked at that yet, how is it fastened? I am a newbie with my first jet boat, so many questions and things I would like to do to make it gooder :thumbsup:

yes, remove the netting in front of the ski locker. it basically unbuttons like a shirt, there are slots in the netting and tabs glued to the hull, a bit of a PITA to slip over the tab...
after cleaning the mold under there, wow,,, I used 50 or 60 grit 3M rolock disc in my small cordless, you can also use course sandpaper to knock any fiberglass hairs down and make the area you want to glue the transducer down to smooth/flat.
I wiped it down with acetone afterwards. made the Dam with rope caulk, mixed up the epoxy, applied to both surfaces and taped into position until it cured...

the gauge was in the rubber surround in the dash when I got the boat, so all`s I had to do was release the bracket at the end of the gauge housing and push out thru the front. you`ll see that rubber surround is direction and has a drain or bottom to it that fits like a key in a keyhole... install it the same way it came out, work it over the gauge and push it back in the dash...

hope this helps...

 

[TVKing]

Pale Rider
Thanks for the info, I hope to install this weekend. Did you leave it powered all the time or did you power it from a circuit that was hot while the motors were running?

 

[Guest_User]

Pale Rider
Thanks for the info, I hope to install this weekend. Did you leave it powered all the time or did you power it from a circuit that was hot while the motors were running?

there is an thick orange wire/black wire plug behind the dash used for accessories in the 98 challenger that is live all the time and fused at the MPEM. I tapped into that orange and black wire for 12v supply and negative - ground. if you see the pic, that silver push/pull switch activates the gauge when I want it on. I also have a secondary fuse inline with the gauge as well...

I used this power supply block that has individual contacts and not bridged. so I split it up for + and - connections to keep it simple (bc that`s what I had in the bin) I attached the orange and black wires to this block after extending them a bit, and use the block to distribute + and - for the 2 gauges that I have...

 

[TVKing]

Again, thanks for good info. Your install looks clean. I figured to put a switch inline to power the gauge but was wondering if there was a better way. I am also adding a USB power socket to the dash to provide power for a phone charger or maybe a GPS in the future
Terry

 

[Guest_User]

Again, thanks for good info. Your install looks clean. I figured to put a switch inline to power the gauge but was wondering if there was a better way. I am also adding a USB power socket to the dash to provide power for a phone charger or maybe a GPS in the future
Terry

your welcome and thanks!:cheers:

 

[TVKing]

Pale Rider,
put the Gauge and transponder in yesterday, took the boat out today. The depth finder works great even at full speed. Thanks for the tips
I likes it.

Terry

 

[Guest_User]

Pale Rider,
put the Gauge and transponder in yesterday, took the boat out today. The depth finder works great even at full speed. Thanks for the tips
I likes it.

Terry

awesome! Glad it worked out!:cheers:

I found one instance on Friday where the gauge momentarily lost the depth but recovered after a second or 2, was when we hit a good boat wake and the hull bounced out of the water... But for the most part it showed steady reading in smooth, mild chop, and chop at speed... I`d imagine it would fluctuate if it were really rough and bouncing around...
This was the best placement before deciding on cutting a huge hole to move it back...

 

[Guest_User]

I need to update this thread:
well the Hummingbird 610 pooped out, don`t know why, it just stopped working correctly.
I had this new Hawkeye unit sitting here on the shelf.
I kept the angled transducer glued in the hull as a back up in case that part was still good, and glued the Hawkeye transducer in the hull opposite of the Hummingbird puck.

I used the same method with creating a Dam with rope caulk (from hardware store) and mixing up some 2 part epoxy. I`m pretty sure it was Loctite Marine epoxy. it mixes up white...

It works flawlessly, I do think this unit is more sensitive to soft bottoms as it does flat line momentarily thru some no wake areas. but it does work smoothly at any speed. Today we found a deep hole of 58 feet near the GSP bridge.lol...

here is a few pics. plus there is info in the build thread.