Humminbird crap

[Knoodles]

Well I was out today and an hour into my trip the powerhead on my Humminbird failed.  The screen jumped around a few times and than poof out went the screen.  The ducer still read the digital depth but the color was gone and you could hear the unit was not spinning.  I have owned this unit since the first year they were produced.  I returned 3 powerheads before finally getting one that performed properly right out of the shoot and guess what it performed well for about 4 ice seasons.  I have also blown throw a ducer in this short period of time.  I cannot express how frustrated I am with the quality and reliability of this unit.  I did email Humminbird but the unit is far outside the warranty.  I simply emailed to express my frustration.  I was with the buddy today that bought my vexilar when I purchased this unit.  Guess what, my old Lar is running top notch with zero issues.  I baby my stuff like you wouldn't believe.  The buddy that bought my vex is one of those guys that throws and bangs things around but he still has a working vexilar.  I continue to get laughed at on the ice due to all the trouble this unit has had.  I got the old "hey how is that humminbird running" again today when it took a crap.  Vent complete...

[dabluz]

Since the first Humminbird 3004 came out in the 1980's, I have owned over a dozen humminbirds and all of them crapped out.  Sure, I bought most of them "used" but not one ever gave me any satisfaction.  I still have two 3-D models sitting around in the basement....will go in the garbage soon.  Eagles were about the same....I threw a bunch in the garbage a few years ago.  I still have a few of them in the basement.

The only reliable sonars I have are two very very old flasher units made by Lowrance.

[Sportsman44]

Thanks for sharing. 
Information only makes sense when there are two sides - Pros and cons -

[NoMe]

I can't help but notice you have a humminbird ice 55 pictured in your signature. It couldn't have been too bad or you would've never been promoting it with every post you've made throughout the years. You're probably just being dramatic and jumping to conclusions. Probably something small like the battery is cashed or maybe the connections on the back are not fully pressed in. Once you get it going again it will be the best flasher and all the vex's will be junk.

[Knoodles]

I can't help but notice you have a humminbird ice 55 pictured in your signature. It couldn't have been too bad or you would've never been promoting it with every post you've made throughout the years. You're probably just being dramatic and jumping to conclusions. Probably something small like the battery is cashed or maybe the connections on the back are not fully pressed in. Once you get it going again it will be the best flasher and all the vex's will be junk.

I always get a kick out of experts like you and challenging people's knowledge of flashers.  Dude I know how flashers work and my powerhead is done. Thanks for you expertise and accusing me of overreacting.  I am sure you know more than most people about everything.  And by the way, a buddy I don't fish with has a Bird.  I hooked his power head to my cables etc this a.m. and guess what,  no issues.  But I thank you again for knowing more than I do. 

And by the way I really don't care to update pictures on my profile.  I haven't used a shapel shack in over 4 years but I still have that picture as well.

[NoMe]

You are welcome, anytime  .

[Woodsman]

Although I have no experience with Humminbird flashers I have owned many Humminbird sonars.
None have ever crapped out on me.
Only problem I've ever had was one unit was shipped with the wrong transducer. One phone call had the correct one mailed out promptly.

[Knoodles]

Another disappointment with Humminbird (update).  I emailed the company last Saturday expressing my frustration and asked for a response.  The auto response said expect an email in 2 days.  It has now been 5 business days and nothing from Humminbird customer service. Not even and email saying we are sorry your unit crapped out and this is what it will cost for us to fix it.  No response at all.  With all the problems I have had with this unit I most likely would have never bought a Humminbird again, but this seals the deal.  After only getting about 1 full seasons, with NO issues, out of this unit and now no response from customer service after 5 business days, I have had enough of Humminbird.  Before some smart guy challenges the 1 year thing...Yes I have fished with the unit for about 4 years but only 1 of these was issue free.  Year 1 = almost 2 months and 3 powerheads to get it right.  Year 2 = an issue free year.  Year 3 = blown transducer and now year 4 equal another blown powerhead.  I will either have a Marcum or Vex on the ice next year.  The silver lining, I get the fun of choosing and having a new toy for next year.  My lesson learned from all of this...never buy a companies first go at a product.  Let them work through the kinks before I throw my money at it.   

[MJA]

I have used a hummingbird 385ci for three seasons and it works like a charm.... I am very pleased with mine. Sorry for your failures, is it a lemon.

[eyedoktr]

Another disappointment with Humminbird (update).  I emailed the company last Saturday expressing my frustration and asked for a response.  The auto response said expect an email in 2 days.  It has now been 5 business days and nothing from Humminbird customer service. Not even and email saying we are sorry your unit crapped out and this is what it will cost for us to fix it.  No response at all.  With all the problems I have had with this unit I most likely would have never bought a Humminbird again, but this seals the deal.  After only getting about 1 full seasons, with NO issues, out of this unit and now no response from customer service after 5 business days, I have had enough of Humminbird.  Before some smart guy challenges the 1 year thing...Yes I have fished with the unit for about 4 years but only 1 of these was issue free.  Year 1 = almost 2 months and 3 powerheads to get it right.  Year 2 = an issue free year.  Year 3 = blown transducer and now year 4 equal another blown powerhead.  I will either have a Marcum or Vex on the ice next year.  The silver lining, I get the fun of choosing and having a new toy for next year.  My lesson learned from all of this...never buy a companies first go at a product.  Let them work through the kinks before I throw my money at it.   

What did they say when you called them on the phone?

[NoMe]

   Year 1 = almost 2 months and 3 powerheads to get it right.  Year 2 = an issue free year.  Year 3 = blown transducer and now year 4 equal another blown powerhead.   

Sounds like you're really rough with your equipment.

[Glowjigger]

I hate when companies can't answer a simple email. If I were you I would get a Vexilar. I have had nothing but problems trying to get in touch with Marcum. They are currently working on my showdown for the 3rd time this winter.  I just got a vex so that I could finish off the season with sonar and stop having to borrow a buddies because the of the showdown disaster.  If they ever get it fixed I will be putting it up for sale and getting another vex as backup/for my flasherless buddies to use.

[Knoodles]

I am really shocked Humminbird did not respond.  When I struggled with this unit right out of the gate their customer service was excellent.  Maybe they are so sick of fixing these units they quit responding to emails .

I hear you on getting a vexilar.  The only problem with that and why I switched in the first place is all my buddies have vexilars.  We fish 4 guys in a permanent shack and 4 vexilars turns into an IR war.  3 vex seem to play real nice together but add the 4th unit and we have had issues.  You can still fish but interference simply annoys the hell out of me. As mentioned above, I catch quite a bit of grief for the Humminbird and its issues.  My buddies vexilars have been issue free for years.   

[Nor Easter]

Humminbird is a southern based company (Alabama) and basically are too inexperienced in building products that withstand the cold. Me and a buddy have known for several years now that their Summer products such as boating fish finders do not fare well if left on the boat over-winter. The transducers stop marking fish as well as new after just one season so we now take the head AND 'ducer inside, out of freezing temps and have not had any problems since (several years now).

I have no experience with their ice line of flasher/finders, maybe they have improved at least on that line of products. I like their products but have learned to handle them with 'kid gloves'...

[ASATMillerbluegill]

I. 

  I haven't used a shapel shack in over 4 years but I still have that picture as well.

lol:)

[Knoodles]

Update:  Humminbird finally got back to me and they want 176 bucks to service the unit and guess what...I get to pay for shipping.  Are you kidding me?  They want nearly 200 dollars to service this toilet.  I will be spending my hard earned money on a new brand of flasher for the next ice season.  But dont worry, i will not start another vex vs marcum thread to help me choose  .

[Knoodles]

Oh and to the joker that was concerned about my profile picture of the Ice 55 unit...I removed it for you.  You can now rest easy.   

[Svengalli]

If you're concerned about interference in the perm with other Vexs than don't get a Marcum either as they all work on the same frequency and don't play nice.

[Knoodles]

I have heard this about Marcum. Do you have experience with this?  in the past couple of years we picked up a fishing buddy who just bought an lx-6.  we know have a group with 4 vexs, my junk bird and a Marcum.  So far the Marcum has not thrown interference with a vex but we have only run 1 vex and 1 Marcum side by side. 

[princecraft]

One word.  Lowrance.  Over 10 years and hasn't failed me yet..

[Svengalli]

I have heard this about Marcum. Do you have experience with this?  in the past couple of years we picked up a fishing buddy who just bought an lx-6.  we know have a group with 4 vexs, my junk bird and a Marcum.  So far the Marcum has not thrown interference with a vex but we have only run 1 vex and 1 Marcum side by side.

You bet.  Most often than not the Marcum pushes the Vexs more than it gets pushed.  Lx-5, maybe Lx-3 but pretty sure it's a 5. 

[3300]

my humminbird ice-55 circuit board fried this 5th ice season.
called them. they said no matter what is wrong, the price is always the same cost @ 128$.
they always pick up the phone right away and never had any problem with them or their service.
you pay for it to get there and 16$ of that 128$ is for them to ship it back to you. its only 111$ to fix every thing thats wrong with it and they give you 90 days warranty and ask you to let them know if the tech missed any thing because thats covered too

you get new hardware bag
new parts bag
new transducer (that alone almost pays for itself)
90 day warranty
replaced what ever parts were broken
shipped back to you

i am glad for the service i got. sucked to not have it tho while fishing and considered an additional sonar.
it took two days to get there, one day for repairs, two days to get back to me
it cost me 10.56 w/tracking/insurance to ship

grand total of 138$ ish. paid 500$ for it new. replacement sonar would have been 700$ lx-7 and i would have had 1200$ into sonar, so 138$ is a better choice for me anyway

you do not send the battery

[Knoodles]

my humminbird ice-55 circuit board fried this 5th ice season.
called them. they said no matter what is wrong, the price is always the same cost @ 128$.
they always pick up the phone right away and never had any problem with them or their service.
you pay for it to get there and 16$ of that 128$ is for them to ship it back to you. its only 111$ to fix every thing thats wrong with it and they give you 90 days warranty and ask you to let them know if the tech missed any thing because thats covered too

you get new hardware bag
new parts bag
new transducer (that alone almost pays for itself)
90 day warranty
replaced what ever parts were broken
shipped back to you

i am glad for the service i got. sucked to not have it tho while fishing and considered an additional sonar.
it took two days to get there, one day for repairs, two days to get back to me
it cost me 10.56 w/tracking/insurance to ship

grand total of 138$ ish. paid 500$ for it new. replacement sonar would have been 700$ lx-7 and i would have had 1200$ into sonar, so 138$ is a better choice for me anyway

you do not send the battery

Couple of thoughts here.  Why are they charging me 176 if it is always 128?  And I agree a repair is a lot less than an new unit but I expect a flasher to last more than 5 years.  Am I crazy to think this?   Have all products become such junk now a days that i should expect to pay 500 bucks for something and only get 4 years of use out of it.  I guess I am used to the reliability of a vexilar.  I have been witness to 5 of these units running 7 or 8 years now issue free.  I sure hope the new vexilar units have not taken a step backwards because the old ones are bullet proof. 

[3300]

sounds weird that all of a sudden two prices. i called several times in the season. once because of the vibration and last time the main board cooked

after having it apart, i could see they don't try to balance the hub that has the fiber optics and that is whats vibrating so much

i can show you my receipt, but it won't help you if they up'ed the refurbishing costs
think i'll call them again so i know if they did, but each time it was the same woman and quoting the same price and said no matter what it is, they fix it at that price. she never asked whats wrong to get a certain quote out either. just wanted my name to get it entered

i don't remember where they are made. most likely not in the usa. like shappell is michigan based, but products are all made in china and they have no control over what goes on

i have heard the same thing about vex's. bullet proof and some retails only sell them because of that reason

[perchslappinmy]

Prices must have gone up...their website says $176.45

My 55 is from the first year they were available and has never needed to be sent in but if it ever needs repair I'll probably do it. Love that thing...couldn't imagine being with out it 

[3300]

bummer!

makes sense tho, because just the transducer would run about 100$ for dual beam and they gave me that and the main board w/motor/optics hub and hardware bag and parts bag and a warranty
for 111$. they gave their time and parts to me is how i see it.
was a great, deal at that time.
if you send yours in now, i think its still a good deal, looking at the what you get for it factor. having to pay twice for any thing does suck tho. the way the knobs stick out so far is a problem and the carry handle should have offered some protection against falls and bumps. it sort of does, but not well. the soft side bag offers a little more

as for lasting forever, we think things should/could, but i repair electronics and comunications (not so much anymore, disposable designs) and build and modify and repair computers and can tell you many boards fail because of using cheap capacitors instead of industrial versions. they leak like an old AA battery does and then its no good any more. any company using them (cheap cost factor, might cost you a few cents more) i think knows it too and i see they mix them even now in many electronic boards. on the other end of that is the miniaturization of electronic parts (modernized total size of package) and they carry a different set of problems such as capacities and identifications. one of my S.M.D. ( smd, surface mount device is the name of miniaturization parts) transistors blew out of my humminbird board that i could have replaced, if i knew what it was. they are I.D.'ed on the face of them and when the blow up/explode the value/I.D. is lost unless you have the schematics for them. i speculate the motor caused it to over heat. being mounted flat to the main board, it had no  aluminized heat sink and was probably too small for the job in the first place, but big enough for normal situations