Humminbird 153.143 Owner's Manual

PiranhaMAX 143, 153, and 180

PiranhaMAX 143,153, and 180

Installation and Operations Manual

Installation and Operations Manual

532044-1_B

Thank You!

Thank you for choosing Humminbird®, the #1 name in fishfinders. Humminbird®
has built its reputation by designing and manufacturing top-quality, thoroughly
reliable marine equipment. Your Humminbird® is designed for trouble-free use
in even the harshest marine environment. In the unlikely event that your
Humminbird® does require repairs, we offer an exclusive Service Policy-free of
charge during the first year after purchase,and available at a reasonable rate
after the one-year period. For complete details, see the Warranty section of this
manual. We encourage you to read this installation and operations manual
carefully in orderto get full benefitfrom all the features and applications of your
Humminbird® product.

Contactour Customer Resource Center at 1-800-633-1468or visit our Web site
at humminbird.com. The following models are covered in this manual:

• PiranhaMAX 143 - Single Beam, 160 V x 128 H Monochrome Display

• PiranhaMAX 153 - Dual Beam, 160 V x 128 H Monochrome Display

• PiranhaMAX 180 - Tri Beam, 240 V x 160 H Monochrome Display

WARNING! This device should not be used as a navigational aid to prevent collision,
grounding, boatdamage,or personal injury. When the boat is moving, water depth may
change too quickly to allow time for you to react. Always operate the boat at very slow
speeds if you suspect shallow water or submerged objects.

WARNING! Disassembly and repair of this electronic unit should only be performed by
authorized service personnel. Any modification of the serial numberor attempt to repair
the original equipment or accessories by unauthorized individuals will void thewarranty.

WARNING! Do not travel at high speed with the unit cover installed. Remove the unit
cover before traveling at speeds above 20 mph.

WARNING! This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer and/or reproductive harm.

NOTE: Some features discussed in this manual require a separate purchase, and
some features are onlyavailable on international models.Every effort has been made
to clearly identify those features. Please read the manual carefully in order to
understand the full capabilities of your model.

NOTE: To purchase accessories for your fishfinder, visit our Web site at
humminbird.com or contact our Customer Resource Center at 1-800-633-1468.

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NOTE: The procedures and features described in this manual are subject to change
without notice. This manual was written in English and may have been translated to
another language. Humminbird® is not responsible for incorrect translations or
discrepancies between documents.

NOTE: Illustrations in this manual may not look the same as your product, but your
unit will function in the same way.

ATTENTION INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS: Products sold in the U.S. are not
intended for use in the international market. Humminbird® international units
provide international features and are designed to meet country and regional
regulations. Languages, maps, time zones, units of measurement, and warranty
are examples of features that are customized for Humminbird®international units
purchased through our authorized international distributors.

To obtain a list of authorized international distributors, please visit our Web site at

humminbird.com or contact our Customer Resource Center at [phone].

Humminbird®, Fish ID+™, Structure ID®, and WhiteLine™ are trademarked by or
registered trademarks of Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics, Inc.

Baekmuk Batang, Baekmuk Dotum, Baekmuk Gulim, and Baekmuk Headline are
registered trademarks owned by Kim Jeong-Hwan.

© 2012 Johnson OutdoorsMarine Electronics, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Table of Contents

Installation Overview 1

Control Head Installation 2

Determine Where to Mount ........................................................................ 2

Connect the Power Cable to the Boat ...................................................... 2

Assembling the Control Head Base ............................................................ 4

Routing the Control Head Cables Under the Deck .................................... 5

Attaching the Control Head to the Base .................................................... 6

Attaching the Cables to the Control Head.................................................. 7

Transducer Installation Overview 8

Transom Transducer Installation 8

Locating the Transducer Mounting Position .............................................. 8

Preparing the Mounting Location ............................................................ 10

Assembling the Transducer and Initial Mounting .................................... 12

Routing the Cable...................................................................................... 16

Test and Finish the Installation ................................................................ 18

Inside the Hull Transducer Installation 20

Determine the Transducer Mounting Location ........................................ 21

Trial Installation ........................................................................................ 22

Route the Cable ........................................................................................ 23

Permanently Mount the Transducer ........................................................ 23

Trolling Motor Transducer Installation 24

Powering ON and OFF 25

What You See On the Display 26

PiranhaMAX Sonar Technology 28

Single Beam Sonar .................................................................................... 29

Dual Beam Sonar ...................................................................................... 29

Tri Beam Sonar .......................................................................................... 29

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Table of Contents

The Menu System 30

Light (Setting Not Saved in Memory) ........................................................ 30

Sensitivity (Setting Saved in Memory) ...................................................... 30

Depth Range (Setting Not Saved in Memory) .......................................... 31

Zoom (Setting Not Saved in Memory)........................................................ 31

Chart Speed (Setting Saved in Memory) .................................................. 32

Fish Alarm (Setting Saved in Memory) ...................................................... 32

Depth Alarm (Setting Saved in Memory) .................................................. 32

Filter (Setting Saved in Memory) .............................................................. 33

Setup Menu (Setting Not Saved in Memory) ............................................ 33

Contrast (Setting Saved in Memory) .................................................... 33

Fish ID+™ (Setting Saved in Memory) ................................................ 34

Bottom View (Setting Saved in Memory).............................................. 34

Battery Alarm (Setting Saved in Memory) ............................................ 36

Language (Setting Saved in Memory, International Only).................... 36

Units (Setting Saved in Memory, International Only) .......................... 36

Maintenance 37

Troubleshooting 38

International Purchases 41

1-Year Limited Warranty 42

Humminbird® Service Policy 43

Returning Your Unit for Service 44

Specifications 45

Contact Humminbird® 47

NOTE: Entries inthis Table of Contentswhich list(International Only)are only available
on products sold outside of the U.S. by our authorized International Distributors. It is
important to note that products sold in the U.S. are not intended for resale in the
international market. To obtain a list of authorized International Distributors, please
visit our Web site at humminbird.com or contact our Customer Resource Center at
1-800-633-1468 to locate the distributor nearest you.

iv

Installation Overview

Installation Overview

Before you start installation, we encourage you to read these instructions
carefully in order to get the full benefit from your PiranhaMAX.

There are three basic installation tasks that you must perform for the
PiranhaMAX:

• Installing the control head

• Installing the transducer

• Testing the complete installation and locking the transducer position.

1

Control Head Installation

Control Head Installation

Determine Where to Mount

Begin the installation by determining where to mount the control head.
Consider the following to determine the best location:

• To check the location planned for the control
head, test run the cables for the power and
transducer. See the installation section for
your transducer type in order to plan the
location of the transducer.

• The mounting surface should be stable

Figure 1

Figure 2

Connect the Power Cable to the Boat

A 6' long power cable is included to supply power to the control head. You
may shorten or lengthen the cable using 18 gauge multi-stranded copper wire.

CAUTION! Some boats have 24 or 36 Volt electric systems, but the control head
MUST be connected to a 12 VDC power supply.

enough to protect the control head from
excessive wave shock and vibration, and
should provide visibility while in operation.

• Your PiranhaMAX may have one of two
different types of mountingbases,eithera tilt
mounting base or a tilt and swivel mounting
base. The mounting area should allow
sufficient room for the unit to pivot freely, to
swivel if capable, and for easy removal and
installation (Figures 1 and 2).

The control head power cable can be connected to the electrical system of the
boat at two places: a fuse panel usually located near the console, or directly
to the battery.

NOTE: Make sure that the power cable is not connected to the control head at the
beginning of this procedure.

2

GROUNDGROUND

POSITIVEPOSITIVE

Control Head Installation

NOTE: Humminbird® is not responsible for over-voltage or over-current failures. The
control head must have adequate protection through the proper selection and
installation of a 1 amp fuse.

1a. If a fuse terminal is available, use

crimp-on type electrical connectors
(not included) that match the terminal
on the fuse panel. Attach the black
wire to ground (-), and the red wire to
positive (+) 12 VDC power (Figure 3).
Install a 1 amp fuse (not included) for
protection of the unit. Humminbird® is

Figure 3

not responsible for over-voltage or
over-current failures.

or...

1b. If you need to wire the control head

directly to a battery, obtain and install
an inline fuse holder and a 1 amp
fuse (not included) for the protection
of the unit (Figure 4). Humminbird® is
not responsible for over-voltage or

Inline Fuse Holder

Figure 4

over-current failures.

NOTE: In order tominimizethe potentialfor interference with other marine electronics,
a separate power source (such as a second battery) may be necessary.

3

Control Head Installation

Assembling the Control Head Base

Your control head base will either have a tilt mount or a tilt and swivel mount.
Refer to procedures A or B below to assemble and mount the control head
base.

A. If you have a tilt mount, follow these steps:

1. Set the tilt mount control head base in place on the mounting surface.
Mark the four mounting screw locations with a pencil or punch.

2. Set the base aside, and drill the four mounting screw holes using a
9/64" bit.

3. Proceed to Routing the Control Head Cables Under the Deck.

Tilt and Swivel Mount

Control Head Base Assembly

Mount Arms

B. If you have a tilt and swivel mount, follow

these steps:

1. Insert the mount arms into the base.
Then, hold the mount arms in place as
you turn the base upside down.

2. Insert the swivel ring into the base, with

Base

the countersink holes for the arm screws
facing out.

3. Secure the mount arms with the four #6

Swivel

Ring

screws provided (Figure 5). Hand tighten
only!

Countersink

Side Out

Arm Screws,

4 #6 x7/16"

Figure 5

4. Set the assembled control head base in
place on the mounting surface. Mark the
four mounting screw locations with a
pencil or punch.

5. Set the base aside, and drill the four
mounting screw holes using a 9/64" bit.

6. Proceed to Routing the Control Head
Cables Under the Deck.

4

3

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4

”

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m

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Control Head Installation

Routing the Control Head Cables Under the Deck

Use the following steps to route the control head cables under the deck.

NOTE: Under the deck cable routing is not always possible. If this is not an option,
the cables should be routed and secured above deck.

NOTE: See the installation section for your transducer type in order to plan the
location of the transducer and cable route.

Tilt Mount or Tilt and Swivel Mount

Control Head Base

Figure 6

Tilt Mount or Tilt and Swivel Mount:

1a. Mark and drill a 3/4" hole as shown in

Figure 6. Route the cables through the
hole. The cables will exit through the
center hole on the control head base.

1b. If the cables cannot be routed directly

beneath the control head base, mark
and drill a 3/4" hole that will allow you
to run the cables close to the control
head base.

5

Control Head Installation

Attaching the Control Head to the Base

Follow these steps to attach the control head to the already-assembled base:

NOTE: The transducer cable and power cable should be routed prior to securing the
mounting bracket to the deck.

1. Apply marine-grade silicone sealant to the drilled holes for the
mounting bracket.

2. Place the mounting bracket on the mounting surface, aligning with the
drilled holes.

3. Insert the four #8 Phillips countersink wood screws into the mounting
holes and hand tighten only!

Pivot Knuckle

Gimbal Knob

Figure 7

Thumbknob Bolt

Mounting Holes

4. Insert the thumbknob bolt through the pivot knuckle on the control head
(Figure 7).

5. Align the pivot knuckle with the mount base arms and slide into place,
twisting slightly if necessary, until the unit is firmly seated.

6. Rotate the control head to the desired angle and hand tighten the
thumbknob bolt.

7. Thread the gimbal knob onto the pivot bolt and tighten.

6

Control Head Installation

Attaching the Cables to the Control Head

Follow these stepsto attach the power andtransducercablesto the control head:

1. Matching the cable plugs to the shape
and orientation of the sockets, insert the
transducer and power cables into the
correct sockets on the control head
(Figure 8).

Power Serial Transducer

Figure 8

You are now ready to install the transducer. See Transducer Installation
Overview and then find the section that refers to your transducer type.

NOTE: The serial port is for authorized service

personnel use only. Do not connect a cable to
this port. The serial port does not require a port
cover.

2. With the control head in place, tilt
and/or swivel the unit through its full
range to make sure there is enough
cable slack for the unit to move freely.
Hand tighten the thumbknob bolt when
you achieve the desired position for the
control head.

7

Transducer Installation Overview

Transducer Installation Overview

The transducer can be installed on the transom of the boat, inside the hull, or
onto a trolling motor, depending on your transducer type. The type of
transducer you have will also determine how the cable will be routed. Go to
the section that describes your transducer, and follow the steps to position
and mount the transducer on your boat.

NOTE: Due to the wide variety of hulls, only general instructions are presented
in this installation guide. Each boat hull represents a unique set of requirements
that should be evaluated prior to installation. It is important to read the
instructions completely and understand the mounting guidelines before
beginning installation.

NOTE: If the included transducer will not work for your application, you may
exchange it, NEW and UNASSEMBLED, with mounting hardware included, for a
transducer appropriate for your application - often at very little or no charge
depending on the transducer. Call the Humminbird® Customer Resource Center at

1-800-633-1468 for details and pricing, or visit humminbird.com.

NOTE: In addition to the hardware supplied with your transducer, you will need a

powered hand drill and various drill bits, various hand tools, including a ruler or
straightedge,a level, a 12" plumb line (weighted string or monofilament line), marker
or pencil, safety glasses and dust mask, and marine-grade silicone sealant.

NOTE: Whendrillingholesin fiberglass hulls, it is best tostartwitha smaller bit and use
progressively largerdrill bitsto reducethe chance of chippingor flaking theoutercoating.

Transom Transducer Installation

Locating the Transducer Mounting Position

Turbulence: You must first determine the best location on the transom to
install the transducer. It is very important to locate the transducer in an area
that is relatively free of turbulent water. Consider the following to find the best
location with the least amount of turbulence:

8

Transom Transducer Installation

NOTE: Traveling over 65 mph with the transducer in the water is not recommended for
theTriBeamtransom mount transducer,as damagemightoccur. Ifspeedabove65 mph
is critical, you may want to consider mounting it inside the hull. See Inside the Hull
Transducer Installation for details.

Areas of Possible Turbulence

Rivets Strakes

Transom Hull

Figure 9

Stepped Hull

Step

Figure 10

• As the boat moves through the water,
turbulence is generated by the weight of the
boat and the thrust of the propeller(s) - either
clockwise or counter-clockwise. This turbulent
water is normally confined to areas
immediately aftof ribs,strakesor rows of rivets
on the bottom of the boat, and in the
immediate area of the propeller(s). Clockwise
propellers create more turbulence on the port
side. On outboard or inboard/outboard boats,
it is best to locate the transducer at least 15"
to the side of the propeller(s) (Figure 11).

•

The best way to locate turbulence-free wateris
to view the transom while the boat is moving.
Thismethod is recommended if maximum high­speed operation is a high priority. If this is not
possible, select a location on the transom where
the hull forward of this location is smooth, flat
and free of protrusions or ribs (Figure 9).

Rib

• On boatswith stepped hulls, it maybe possible
to mount the transducer on the step. Do not
mount the transducer on the transom behinda
step to avoid popping the transducer out of the
water at higher speeds. The transducer must
remain in the water for the control head to
maintain the sonar signal (Figure 10).

9

15”

Transom Transducer Installation

• If the transom is behind the propeller(s), it may be impossible to find an
area clear from turbulence, and a different mounting technique or
transducer type should be considered, such as an Inside the Hull
Transducer.

• If you plan to trailer your boat, do not mount the transducer too close to
trailer bunks or rollers to avoid moving or damaging the transducer
during loading and unloading of the boat.

• If high speed operation is critical, you may want to consider using an
In-Hull transducer instead of this Transom Mount transducer.

Level

Deadrise Angle

Find a turbulence-free location at least 15” from the propeller(s)

and not in line with trailer bunks or rollers. (Figure 11).

NOTE: The hydrodynamic shape of your transducer allows it to point straight down
without deadriseadjustment (Figure 12).

NOTE: If you cannot find a transom mount location that will work for your high-speed
application,find an In-Hull Transducer by contacting our CustomerResource Center at
either 1-800-633-1468 or by visiting our Web site at humminbird.com.

Figure 12

Preparing the Mounting Location

After determining themounting location for thetransducer, followthe stepsbelow
to position and mount the transducer bracket.

10