Transducers

[Sea Bitt]

Can you mix and or swap transducers from one MFG to another? And if you can how do you tell compatibilty? Have permanently mounted transducer in the hull for a Humminbird Matrix 12 which is a single beam 200 kHz 20 degree span and would like to use with a Garmin 546S. Will it work or will I damage the unit if I try?

Bruce

 

[Sandy]

Maybe. Do you know if it works very well now to make that worthwhile?

There is a good chance it could work if you splice the wires correctly to the new Garmin connector and pigtail.

Contact Airmar support with the model of your transducer and see if they can give you the cross-reference wiring details.( http://www.airmartechnology.com/2009/about/contact.php , or you could try this: http://www.airmartechnology.com/2009/cross-reference.php ) If you don't know what T/D you have , often there will be an ID/part# tag taped to the cable very near the the T/D. You would already know whether it add'ly supplies temp and/or speed, and can see if it has an insert for those. Airmar's distributor, Gemeco, has splashproof transducer cable junction boxes # 33-035 to make the splicing simple and they also sell connector [plugs to fit most mfgr's F/F's jacks.

The manual for the Matrix 12 only lists the Humminbird part # XHS-9-20-T transom mount transducer , so if you have a thru-hull, there is a likelihood it was made by Airmar. Your phrasing sounded a little ambiguous as to whether the T/D is actually a thru-hull installed thru a hole drilled in the hull, or just possibly an epoxied-in shoot-thru T/D mounted inside the hull.

 

[rapscallion]

Look for National Marine Electronics Association ("NMEA") compatibility. The Garmin 546S is NMEA 0183 compatible and NMEA 2000 certified. If the transducer produces NMEA sentences in either 0183 or 2000 formats, you should be good to go. Find out from Humminbird if it does. Also find out if the transducer cable plug and Garmin jack are compatible.