Garmin GT15M-TH Installation manual

GT15M-TH Transducer

Installation Instructions

Important Safety Information

WARNING

See the Important Safety and Product Information guide in the chartplotter or fishfinder product box for product warnings and other important information.

The device must be installed with at least one of the included anti-rotation bolts. Failure to do so could result in the device rotating while the boat is moving and could cause damage to your vessel.

You are responsible for the safe and prudent operation of your vessel. Sonar is a tool that enhances your awareness of the water beneath your boat. It does not relieve you of the responsibility of observing the water around your boat as you navigate.

CAUTION

Failure to install and maintain this equipment in accordance with these instructions could result in damage or injury.

Always wear safety goggles, ear protection, and a dust mask when drilling, cutting, or sanding.

NOTICE

When drilling or cutting, always check what is on the opposite side of the surface.

To obtain the best performance and to avoid damage to your boat, you must install the Garmin® device according to these instructions.

Read all installation instructions before proceeding with the installation. If you experience difficulty during the installation, contact Garmin Product Support.

Registering Your Device

Help us better support you by completing our online registration today.

• Go to my.garmin.com/registration.

• Keep the original sales receipt, or a photocopy, in a safe place.

Software Update

You may need to update the device software when you install the device or add an accessory to the device.

This device supports up to a 32 GB memory card, formatted to FAT32.

Loading the New Software on a Memory Card

You must copy the software update to a memory card using a computer that is running Windows® software.

NOTE: You can contact Garmin customer support to order a preloaded software update card if you do not have a computer with Windows software.

Insert a memory card into the card slot on the computer.

Go to garmin.com/support/software/marine.html.

Select Download next to the software bundle that

corresponds with your chartplotter. NOTE: The software download includes updates for all

devices connected to the chartplotter. Select the correct bundle that corresponds to the chartplotter to be updated. You can select See All Devices in this Bundle to confirm the devices included in your download.

Read and agree to the terms.

Select Download.

If necessary, select Run.

If necessary, select the drive associated with the memory

card, and select Next > Finish. Extract the files to the memory card.

NOTE: The software update can take several minutes to load

onto the memory card.

Updating the Device Software

Before you can update the software, you must obtain a software-update memory card or load the latest software onto a memory card.

Turn on the chartplotter.

After the home screen appears, insert the memory card into

the card slot. NOTE: In order for the software update instructions to

appear, the device must be fully booted before the card is inserted.

Follow the on-screen instructions.

Wait several minutes while the software update process

completes. When prompted, leave the memory card in place and restart

the chartplotter manually. Remove the memory card.

NOTE: If the memory card is removed before the device

restarts fully, the software update is not complete.

Mounting Considerations

• On a boat with more than a 5° deadrise angle, a fairing block will need to be fabricated (not available for sale).

• On a boat with a 12° deadrise angle, the transducer with a fairing block can accommodate a hull up to 29 mm (1.15 in.) thick.

• On a boat with a 20° deadrise angle, the transducer with a fairing block can accommodate a hull up to 19 mm (3/4 in.) thick.

• On displacement hull vessels, the transducer should be mounted near the centerline.

• On planing hull vessels, the transducer should be mounted aft, on or near the centerline, inboard of the first set of lifting strakes.

• On displacement hull and planing hull vessels, the transducer should be mounted on the starboard side of the hull where the propeller blades are moving downward.

• On stepped hull vessels, the transducer should be mounted directly in front of the first step.

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• On fin-keel vessels, the transducer should be mounted more than 300 mm (12 in.) and less than 600 mm (24 in.) in front of the keel and on or near the centerline.

• 25 mm (1 in.) hole saw (fiberglass hull)

• 32 mm (1 1/4 in.) hole saw (metal hulls)

• Sandpaper

• Masking tape

• Marine sealant

• Slip-joint pliers (metal hulls)

• Metal file (metal hulls)

• Epoxy or exposed core sealant (cored fiberglass hulls)

• Fiberglass cloth and resin (option for sealing a coredfiberglass hull)

• Cable ties

Cored Fiberglass Boat Hull Installation Instructions

• On full-keel vessels, the transducer should be mounted in the center of the ship, away from the keel at the point of minimum deadrise.

• On single-drive vessels, the transducer must not be mounted in the path of the propeller.

• On twin-drive vessels, the transducer should be mounted between the drives, if possible.

• The transducer must be mounted on a flat location at less than 6° of deadrise angle.

• The transducer should be mounted well ahead of the propellers and shafts.

• The transducer should be mounted in a location where it is vertical when the boat is underway. If the transducer leans forward, the marine bottom can appear to slope upward. If the transducer leans aft, some surface clutter may appear.

• The transducer should be mounted more than 600 mm (24 in.) from other transducers.

• The transducer should be mounted in a location that is unobstructed by the keel or propeller shafts.

• The transducer must be mounted in a location where it is continuously immersed in water.

• The transducer should be mounted in a location that allows accessibility to the transducer from the inside of the vessel.

• The transducer should not be mounted behind strakes, struts, fittings, water intake or discharge ports, or anything that creates air bubbles or causes the water to become turbulent.

• The transducer should not be mounted in a location where it might be jarred when launching, hauling, or storing.

• The transducer can cause cavitation that can degrade the performance of the boat and damage the propeller.

• The transducer must be in clean (non-turbulent) water for optimal performance.

• If you have a question about the location of the thru-hull transducer, contact your vessel builder or other owners of similar vessels for advice.

Tools Needed

• Drill and 3 mm (1/8 in.) bit

Drilling a Hole in a Cored-Fiberglass Hull

From inside the boat, drill a 3 mm (1/8 in.) pilot hole

completely through the hull. Examine the pilot hole on the outside of the boat, and select

an option:

• If the pilot hole is not in the correct location, seal the hole with epoxy and repeat step 1.

• If the pilot hole is in the correct location, use a 25 mm (1 in.) hole saw to cut a hole from the outside of the boat through the outer fiberglass skin only. Do not cut completely through the hull.

On the inside of the boat, at the pilot hole location, use a hole

saw to cut a hole 9 to 12 mm (3/8 to 1/2 in.) larger than the hole you cut in the outside of the boat in step 2.

Cut through the inner fiberglass skin and most of the core, without cutting the outer skin.

NOTE: When cutting the inner fiberglass skin and core, be careful to not cut the outer fiberglass skin, or you will not be able to correctly seal the hull.

Remove the inner fiberglass skin and core you cut in step 3.

You should be able to see the inside of the outer fiberglass skin.

Sand the inside of the hole and the areas immediately around

both the inside and outside fiberglass skin. Clean the area using a mild detergent or weak solvent, such

as isopropyl alcohol, to remove any dust and dirt.

Preparing a Cored-Fiberglass Hull

NOTICE

If the core of a cored-fiberglass hull is not sealed properly, water may seep into the core and severely damage the boat.

Fiberglass or casting epoxy (not included)

Cylinder spacer (included bushing)

Inner fiberglass skin

Core

Outer fiberglass skin

Drill the hole through the hull.

Seal the core inside the hull using either fiberglass (Sealing

the Core with Fiberglass, page 3) or casting epoxy

(Sealing the Core with Casting Epoxy, page 3).

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