I bought 2 HDS 5 units last fall/winter. I had Cabelas install the one at the console. Before I put my boat up for storage last winter I checked to make sure they worked. They worked fine.

About 4 weeks ago I went and got it out of storage and started prepping it for the season. When I went to power on my unit at the console, it powered up and then shut down. It would not turn back on. I tried my other unit and it would not turn on either. My battery connections look perfect. Frustrated I called my dad and started working on other things while I waited for him. When he got there and I went to show him how the unit would not turn on ..... what do you know it turned on. Put on my other unit and it would not turn on. Back to the original and now it would not turn on. Kept on disconnecting and reconnecting it and it finally turned on. Tried both units at the bow and it was same thing. Each location is attached to different batteries by the way.

I installed the latest updates on each unit and everything seemed to be working perfectly and was able to power on and off normally. I thought the problem somehow resolved itself.

So now today I go get the boat out of storage and it is doing the same type of thing, except this time I have not got it to turn on?

Any ideas?

Don't know if this of any use, but there is a faint chirping sound when I press the power button and my gauges kind of go wild (gas tank gauge goes up and temp flashes and goes up and down). If I turn the key to the on position there is no chirp.

I was hoping to take my first trip out tomorrow, but that is looking slim now.

***** Warning ****** I am an electrical idiot

Did you charge the batteries before storage, and have you charged the batteries recently?

Do you use the glass fuses on the unit power cords?

Did you clean and tighten the connections at the batteries?

I charged the batteries before storage and have charged them since getting it out of storage. I am not sure about the fuses. Is there something that comes with the units? I assume that's what Cabela's used.

I have not cleaned the connections because they did not look like they needed to be.

The batteries have started the motor and run the trolling motor. If the batteries or connections were an issue wouldn't those things have more issues than a sonar unit?

Well I went out this morning for one last ditch look through to see if I was missing something. All I did was pull the fuse to double check it ..... and voila it turned on?!?!?!?!

I am puzzled, but it is working and I went fishing today.

I've been thinking about this for the last couple of days. If your connections to the battery are pristine, then I would check the fuses. their contacts my be corroded.

If your problem reappears (which I bet it will), you or a dealer will need to trace your unit power wires thoroughly. You say each unit is powered by a different battery, but this would be very unusual. Typically, both units are powered from your cranking battery. Also, given both units are having trouble powering up, this suggests a wiring problem common to both units.