Speed wheel question!

[jimbo2]

I recently mounted the speed and temp unit for my H-bird TX300. I did it according to the instructions (I think). I mounted it flush to the bottom of the boat, with the wheel portion hanging below. I have a lund which is V shaped at the transom so the wheel is not level when in the water, but a slight angle.
When I am idling in gear with my big motor, I get a reading of 2.5 to 3, but when I slow down using my electric I get a 0.0. Once in a while it will show a 1.5 or 1.6. Do I have this mounted improperly? Should it be level? It really frustrated me.
Thanks for any advice.

[whitetips]

Do you have a GPS to compare to SOG speed, If so ,see the difference between sog and the wheel speed and adjust the tolerance + or - to bring it as close as you can. Check at a range of different speeds, 10 to 30 5 - 15 see how accurate is is then slow down to a troll, If the large engine trolls fast in gear (over 2.5 pushing 3.5 to me is fast) because plugs like rapalas and other floaters will turn over and come to the top on a flat line. Your electric isnt enough horsepower to turn that wheel unless its on a high setting. Dont worry about that. Go by feel or angle of the line . 45 degree on bouncers , and feel some action on the cranks.I dont troll at night with an electric so I cant answer the speed question completely, I use a 4stroke at night with boards.

Good luck and use your GPS over the wheel.

[jimbo2]

I think you missed my point. I don't think the wheel is turning, its more of a mounting problem I'm guessing. Secondly, if I had a GPS I wouldn't worry about the speed wheel. Thirdly(?) I have caught some of my biggest walleyes at 2.5 to 3MPH, you should try it.
Thanks for replying.

[Pitts]

You may be right about whether the wheel is turning at slow speeds freely because it is mounted at an angle. You could have an issue of the side of the wheel rubbing enough to stop it from reading at very slow speeds.
I would take the boat out on a fairly clear lake and hang over the transom to see if it stops at slower speeds or exactly what's going on.
I know once you get it to read at all speeds you will have better repeatability for trolling patterns using the sonar paddlewheel instead of the SOG on a GPS and it will not matter if it is perfectly accurate as long as it is consistant from your slowest trolling speed to the fastest that you troll all the time.
I know that mine is mounted level and works pretty consistantly all the way down to .5 mph which is good for me.

Hope this helps

Pitts

[jimbo2]

Pitts,
Is your boat a v hull or is it flat at the transom?
thanks for your advice.

[Pitts]

Its a V hull but the lowrance paddlewheel is mounted level.

Pitts

[whitetips]

Does it spin when it is out of the water on your trailer?

If it does no problem, I have a paddlewheel mounted at an angle on my warrior, It works fine in that location and slant. Most units do not record speed below .5 miles per hr. Do not get defensive on the reply to your question, Is it far enough below the bottom of the hull to catch water. High speed running will tell you this.

[Pitts]

Hey I'm home now and went and looked and I had forgoten I have 2 wheels one for the X-85 on the bow and one on the 350A on the console. The reason I forgot is that the 85 never reads at the slow speeds for rigging and jigging that I do with the bow mount troller and it is mounted at an angle with the hull. The wheel for the 350A is mounted level and reads down to .5 mph all the time. I spun both of then just now and the one at an angle is no where near as loose and free wheeling as the level one.

Hope this helps

Pitts

[T-Mac]

Most wheels (like lowance ST-TBK, etc.) won't read at low, low speeds...and neither will gps. (sporatically, yes...steadily, no)
However, there are spendy units for very accurate trolling speeds that use a much larger wheel. They are actual trolling speed meters.
I do have to admit that the Pinpoint wheels seem to work pretty good even really slow, however.

;-) But...

But...2 - 3 mph, ....yeah you should be getting a decent reading with that unit you just installed. Put it down a hair more same angle as your hull..it should be working.
Sometimes you have to try the height up and down a bit to get the right reaction.

Sorry to get so windy!