To me it sounds like you might need to adjust the settings on the unit. I always thought the transducer breaking free will not give a reading, kind of like the unit on the trailer and out of the water. Try putting in a depth limit that is several feet over the deepest water you fish in the manual settings and see if this helps. I thought the sensitivity wasnt as good as it could (couldnt see my dropshot) be so I added a trolling motor transducer to mine. Hope this helps. I though BBC glassed in the transducer so I cant imagine it breaking free.