Kenyon depth sounder blinks 199

[bensolomon]

I have an old Kenyon depth sounder that works well-ish under sail but if I start the engine it blinks 199. The manual says this is due to insufficient power, but that is not the case. My battery monitor shows 12.9 v or so, and I have solar. Is the alternator somehow causing this?

Is it possible that corrosion after 30 years on the terminals could cause this too?

Thank you,
Ben

[Rumrace]

Corrosion in a connector drawing power. The plug connector is probably the hardest to clean. There is a spray. A depth sounder fluctuates on amp demand.
I connected a 1Amp circuit board to the house batteries to test a dissolved oxygen sensor we made. Worked great but with the sensor recycled to fire every 30 seconds it drew 2amps off a battery bank with 400amps on tap. Poof bread board circuit had a brief fire. No ox grease is wonderful if you haven’t already discovered it.

[bensolomon]

Rumrace,

Thanks for the reply! I'm going to get a small file and try and reduce some of the corrosion on the connection points on the back of the depth sounder. The depth sounder itself used to work great and nothing has happened so I was figuring a loose wire or corrosion.

I'll take the suggestion about the grease too. Thank you so much!

[AKA-None]

Originally Posted by bensolomon

Rumrace,

Thanks for the reply! I'm going to get a small file and try and reduce some of the corrosion on the connection points on the back of the depth sounder. The depth sounder itself used to work great and nothing has happened so I was figuring a loose wire or corrosion.

I'll take the suggestion about the grease too. Thank you so much!

Try an eraser or something softer before you go at it with a file

[bensolomon]

Good call!!! Thank you!