Humminbird 957C, 917C manual Test and Finish the Installation

6. Test and Finish the Installation

Once you have installed both the control head and the transom transducer, and have routed all the cables, you must perform a final test before locking the transducer in place. Testing should be performed with the boat in the water, although you can initially confirm basic operation with the boat out of the water.

1.Press POWER once to turn the control head on. If the unit does not power up, make sure that the connector holder is fully seated in the receptacle and that power is available.

2.If all connections are correct and power is available, the Humminbird® control head will enter Normal operation.

3.If the bottom is visible on-screen with a digital depth readout, the unit is working properly. Make sure that the boat is in water greater than 2' but less than the depth capability of the unit, and that the transducer is fully submerged, since the sonar signal cannot pass through air.

NOTE: The transducer must be submerged in water for reliable transducer detection.

4.If the unit is working properly, gradually increase the boat speed to test high-speed performance. If the unit functions well at low speeds, but begins to skip or miss the bottom at higher speeds, the transducer requires adjustment.

5.If you have the correct angle set on the transducer, yet lose a bottom reading at high speed, adjust the height and the running angle in small increments to give you the ideal transducer position for your boat. First, adjust the height in small increment.

NOTE: The deeper the transducer is in the water, the more likely that a rooster tail of spray will be generated at high speeds, so make sure that the transducer is as high as it can be and still be submerged in the water.

If you are still not getting good high speed readings, you may need to disassemble the transducer mounting assembly and re-position the ratchets.

If you do change the transducer position, re-trace the position of the mounting bracket before proceeding.

NOTE: It is often necessary to make several incremental transducer adjustments before optimum high speed performance is achieved. Due to the wide variety of boat hulls, however, it is not always possible to obtain high speed depth readings.

6.Once you have reached a consistently good sonar signal at the desired speeds, you are ready to lock down the transducer settings. Force the pivot to the Up position to gain access to the mounting screws, then re-align the mounting bracket against the transom of the boat to match the traced silhouette. Check the bracket position with the level again to make sure it is still level, then mark the third mounting hole using a pencil or marker. Unscrew and remove the mounting screws and the transducer assembly and set aside.

7.Drill the third mounting hole, using a 5/32” drill bit. Use a marine- grade silicone sealant to fill all three drilled mounting holes, especially if the holes penetrated the transom wall.

NOTE: On fiberglass hulls, it is best to use progressively larger drill bits to reduce the chance of chipping or flaking the outer coating.

20