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 Depth Finder Display Puzzler		  New Topic  Topic Locked
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little effort
Deckhand

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18 Posts
Initially Posted - 01/24/2014 :  17:15:12  Show Profile
Here is a puzzler for us: Our depth finder is probably the original on our 1983 Catalina 25. A couple of years ago the digital numbers became harder to read. The we noticed that sometimes we got no no read at all UNLESS we put on some magic sunglasses ( usually ones that had polarized lens, I think) and BINGO, digital readings were there. Take off the glasses and you cannot see anything. So what has happened? We have always kept a uv cover on the face of the instrument for protection. Nevertheless, has there been some breakdown of the protective lens coating causing invisibility unless we where polarized glasses? Has anyone ever seen this happen? Suggestions for a remedy?
Mary
Little Effort, Chesapeake Bay
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jduck00
Captain

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USA
313 Posts
Response Posted - 01/24/2014 :  19:04:48  Show Profile
If memory serves from my EE classes (its been a while) LCDs have a polarizing layer on top of the actual display. Chances are it may have been damaged by UV and your glasses are now acting as that layer. No polarization = no display.

Same principal when you can't see a gas pump display with polarized glasses. Polarize it twice and you cant see a thing.
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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts
Response Posted - 01/24/2014 :  20:18:02  Show Profile  Visit delliottg's Homepage
Mary,
It may be possible to adjust the LCD display to compensate for the change. I seem to remember in my Raymarine display (I40 Bidata?) that you could manipulate the LCD in a diagnostic mode. Unfortunately I'm not down at the boat, so I can't look in the manual for mine (which quite likely isn't the same as yours anyway, we have a '97 boat). However, take a look through your manual to see if it can be done on yours.

If it's a Raymarine, I think they'll give you a pretty good trade in on your old display to replace it with a new one. I think I remember someone on here telling that story not that long ago.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.
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little effort
Deckhand

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18 Posts
Response Posted - 01/24/2014 :  20:40:43  Show Profile
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by jduck00</i>
<br />If memory serves from my EE classes (its been a while) LCDs have a polarizing layer on top of the actual display. Chances are it may have been damaged by UV and your glasses are now acting as that layer. No polarization = no display.

Same principal when you can't see a gas pump display with polarized glasses. Polarize it twice and you cant see a thing.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
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little effort
Deckhand

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18 Posts
Response Posted - 01/24/2014 :  20:43:57  Show Profile
Thanks Lucky Duck this is my thinking, but. I was wondering if we could just replace the glass cover in the instrument with a newer one and that would fix it. Guess I will have to contact the company. I think. It is a Datamarine.
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britinusa
Web Editor

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5404 Posts
Response Posted - 01/25/2014 :  04:44:23  Show Profile  Visit britinusa's Homepage
FYI, the glass front of the display crazed so much that we could barely see the digital display on our Ramarine ST40 Wind Meter.
I contacted Ray Marine, mailed it back to them (it was 6 years old) and they replaced the screen, came back like new (but was the original unit). Cost was a fraction of a new unit.

Paul
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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts
Response Posted - 01/25/2014 :  05:29:43  Show Profile
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by little effort</i>
<br />Thanks Lucky Duck this is my thinking, but. I was wondering if we could just replace the glass cover in the instrument with a newer one and that would fix it. Guess I will have to contact the company. I think. It is a Datamarine.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I believe Datamarine is out of business, but the last I heard, this company is repairing them. http://www.dmimarine.com/
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little effort
Deckhand

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Response Posted - 01/25/2014 :  07:11:06  Show Profile
This so much. I will check it put.
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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5377 Posts
Response Posted - 01/25/2014 :  07:23:16  Show Profile
If you can still find a photography or theater shop somewhere (brick&mortar or online), you can buy a piece of polarized filter medium that's like a sheet of plastic that you can cut with a pair of scissors. It's inexpensive and you can get way more than you need for &lt; $20.
The easy way is to cut out a 4" disc and stick it on the face of the display with strategically placed dabs of glue. Or you can take it apart and sandwich the media in behind the glass.
My speed indicator had that problem - needed X-RAY specs to see it, so the filter media worked.
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little effort
Deckhand

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18 Posts
Response Posted - 01/25/2014 :  07:56:43  Show Profile
Thank you Benjamin Franklin! My kind of repair. Along that same line, is there any place I could get a solid piece of polarized material. Auto body shop maybe?
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islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4024 Posts
Response Posted - 01/25/2014 :  11:20:06  Show Profile
Just Google "polarized plastic film" or"polarized plastic sheet" Lots there. Or you could try a photography store.
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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5377 Posts
Response Posted - 01/26/2014 :  07:55:53  Show Profile
Don't want to get too OT but old Ben is one of my heroes. His "Advice to a Young Man" is priceless and my fav quote "we must all hang together or surely we will all hang separately" is classic.
As Scott says neutral density polarized filters are plentiful and cheap. Not sure if auto store tint kits are the same however.
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