Marine Sonar and Echosounder — When It Fails, the Vessel Loses Its Eyes
Sonar and echosounder systems are critical infrastructure on every marine vessel — from fishing trawlers to container ships and hydrographic survey vessels. Manufacturers such as Kongsberg Maritime, Furuno, Simrad/Navico, JRC, Reson (Teledyne) and EdgeTech produce equipment worth EUR 50,000–2,500,000 per system. A new transducer for a multibeam echosounder costs EUR 80,000–400,000 with 6–18 months delivery. Regeneration is the only economically viable alternative.
Damaged sonar transducer, MBES electronics or echosounder? Call us — free quote, send-in service from anywhere in Europe.
Manufacturers and Models — Most Frequently Serviced
| Manufacturer | System / Model | Type | New price (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kongsberg Maritime | EM 712 / EM 2040 / EM 302 | Multibeam echosounder (MBES) | 350,000–900,000 |
| Furuno | FCV-1900 / FCV-628 / FCV-295 | Fish finder / echosounder | 2,000–18,000 |
| Furuno | CH-300 / CH-500 | Spherical fishing sonar | 35,000–85,000 |
| Simrad / Navico | EK80 / EK60 / ES70 | Scientific echosounder | 40,000–180,000 |
| Simrad | SH90 / SX90 | Active fishing sonar | 90,000–250,000 |
| JRC (Japan Radio) | JFV-200 / JFE-680 | Echosounder / fish finder | 3,000–25,000 |
| Reson (Teledyne) | SeaBat T50 / T51 / 8125 | MBES for hydrography | 150,000–450,000 |
| EdgeTech | 4600 / 2200-M / 6205 | Side scan sonar / sub-bottom | 80,000–300,000 |
| Atlas Elektronik | DESO 25 / DESO 30 | Hydrographic echosounder | 15,000–60,000 |
Most Common Failures — Symptoms and Causes
| Symptom | Root cause | Repair scope |
|---|---|---|
| No echo or one-sided echo only | Cracked PZT element in transducer | PZT ceramic replacement, repoling, resealing |
| Weak echo, range reduced by 50% | UHMWPE housing delamination or PZT degradation | Ceramic repoling, hydrophone housing replacement |
| EMI interference, noise on image | Damaged cable shielding, filter capacitor failure | Coaxial cable replacement, shield repair |
| Black screen, display failure | Failed DC-DC power supply or display processor | PSU repair, LCD/TFT module replacement |
| Depth calibration error ±5–15% | Water temperature sensor drift or ADC error | PT100 sensor replacement, 24-bit ADC calibration |
| TX electronics short circuit | Lightning strike overvoltage | MOSFET H-bridge, TVS diode, capacitor replacement |
| Loss of Ethernet/RS-422 comms | Failed PHY chip or RS-422 transceiver | DP83867 PHY, MAX3491 transceiver replacement |
Pricing
| Service | Price (EUR) |
|---|---|
| Transducer diagnostics (no repair) | 150–400 |
| PZT element repoling (up to 12 elements) | 800–2,500 |
| PZT ceramic replacement + resealing | 2,000–8,000 |
| Underwater cable repair (Subconn) | 400–1,200 |
| TX/RX electronics PCB repair | 600–3,500 |
| FPGA module replacement / firmware reflash | 800–2,500 |
| Full transducer + electronics regeneration | 3,000–12,000 |
Repair time: 5–15 working days. Warranty: 12 months. Service Mon–Fri 08:00–16:00. No-fix no-fee.