Erratic Depth Gauge PROBLEM FOUND!
 

While installing a marine radio in the boat today I pulled off an interior panel to run some wire and noticed a screw that holds the panel on was screwed into the coax cable that goes to the transducer. I mean you couldnt have drilled through the center of the cable more perfectly if you tried. This would explain why sometimes the gauge doesnt work. At first I thought this punctured wire was just a wire to the small bilge pump in the front. When I went to splice the wire to eliminate the chewed up portion I noticed it was a small coax cable. I traced it and it went to the transducer.

Now, does anyone if you can splice this small coax cable? It looks to be between 1/8" and 3/16" in diameter. If I cant splice the cable I will have to replace the transducer. The cable looks to be potted in the transducer with epoxy.

Ron

I beleive my old Lorance said you can splice the coax cable if you use a foil or other shielding material in the splice.

But my question is; does you depth gage work under 5 feet? Mine does not work. The Gaffrig instruction manual for the Teleflex gage says to call Hummingbird for info.

They don't understand why it works good above 5 feet but not at all below 5.0.


Good Luck!

RJ
You can splice coax cable. Go to an electronics store like Radio Shack or even Home Depot, they will have what you need. I would tape the splice with some good tape or a gel filled cover to keep moisture out. If you use vinyl tape remember to stretch it about 1/3 more than it's static length to get a good seal, most people don't do that and get a bad seal.

Thanks Mate,

I have spliced coax before but never any as small as this. The diameter of the cable is less than 3/16". I will go to Radio Shack today and ask them. The last few times I went to the Shack the people there were friendly but totaly useless. These people should be working at convience stores. Maybe I should try some industrial electric supplier.

There is probably a tool to do it with that cost about $80 with my luck.

Ron