Display Problems
There are several main conditions or sources of possible interference that may cause problems with
the quality of the information displayed on the control head. Look in the following table for some
symptoms of display problems and possible solutions:
Problem
Possible Cause
The control head loses power at
high speeds.
When the boat moves at higher
speeds, the bottom disappears
or suddenly weakens, or the
display contains gaps.
There are no fish detected, even
when you know they are in the
water under the boat, or sonar
readings seem weak or faulty.
If the power output of your boat’s engine is unregulated,
the control head may be protecting itself using its over-
voltage protection feature. Make sure the input voltage
does not exceed 20 Volts.
The transducer position may need to be adjusted. A mix
of air and water flowing around the transducer
(cavitation) may be interfering with the inter-pretation
of sonar data. See your Installation Guide for
suggestions on adjusting the transducer position.
Electrical noise from the boat’s engine may be
interfering with sonar reception. See
Finding the Cause
of Noise
for more information.
Sonar readings may be affected if the transducer is not
positioned correctly (i.e. mounted at an angle, not
straight down), or there is some kind of mechanical
interference, either because it is mounted inside a hull
that is too thick for proper sonar transmission, the bond
between the transducer and the hull is not airtight, or
because the transducer is dirty. Check with your
Installation Guide for guidance on re-positioning the
transducer, and make sure the transducer is clean.
Low battery voltage may be affecting the power of
signal transmission.
Electrical noise from the boat’s engine may be
interfering with sonar reception. See
Finding the Cause
of Noise
for more information.
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Troubleshooting
Before contacting the Humminbird® Customer Resource Center, please read the following section.
Taking the time to review these troubleshooting guidelines may allow you to solve a performance
problem yourself, and therefore avoid sending your unit back for repair.
Fishing System Doesn’t Power Up
If your Matrix Fishing System doesn’t power up, use the Installation Guide that also comes with it
for specific confirmation details, making sure that:
• the power cable is properly connected to the Matrix Fishing System control head,
• the power cable is wired correctly, with red to positive battery terminal and black to
negative terminal or ground
• the fuse is operational
• the battery voltage of the power connector is at least 10 Volts.
Correct any known problems, including removing corrosion from the battery terminals or wiring, or
actually replacing the battery if necessary.
Fishing System Defaults to Simulator with a Transducer Attached
A connected and functioning transducer will cause the newly-started Matrix Fishing System to go
into Normal operating mode automatically. If, when you power up the Matrix Fishing System, it goes
into Simulator mode automatically, even though a transducer is already connected, this means that
the control head is not detecting the transducer. Perform the following troubleshooting tasks:
• Using the Installation Guide that also comes with your Matrix Fishing System, check to
make sure that the transducer cable is securely connected to the Matrix Fishing System.
Reconnect if necessary, and power up the Matrix Fishing System again to see if this fixes
the problem.
• Replace the non-functioning transducer with a known good transducer if available and
power up the control head again.
• Check the transducer cable. Replace the transducer if the cable is damaged or corroded.
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