LCD Graph issues

[TAzGa]

I've had problems with my depth finders as long as I've had my boat.... I've got a Low x-51 indash, and a Low LMS320 mounted on the gunwale next to the driver seat. They both operate at 200MGhz, so I can't use them at the same time, I usually just use the 320 for the GPS. When using the sonar, on either of the units.... they work intermittently. They nearly always work well, without the number flashing indicating no reading, while I'm on plane... but, when I try to idle around and look for structure... sometimes I'll get a correct reading, others will be showing me in 800 ft of water on a flat bottom. I've reset the units, unplugged and cleaned the connections, ran wire straight from my unit (through a 3 amp inline fuse) to the battery, bought a new battery... everything looks right. the 320 is showing that it's getting 12.7 volts without motor running, and gets around 14 while my motor is running... operating range for these depth finders is 11-15 volts... I'm well within that. I also have an x-51 on the trolling motor... it's working fine. Yesterday I noticed a couple of things. when I had my console X-51 turned on and working.... it would do ok until I went into water deeper than 18 ft... then it would start flashing and wouldn't read. I turned this one off, and turned on the 320... it did the exact same thing... shuts off around 18+ ft. I knew these things didn't work well in some places, but I've always fished shallower than 18' so it didn't bother me... now, it's bothering me... lol... I want to go deeper, but I don't have eyes under the water unless I'm using my trolling motor. While on the water yesterday, I pulled the 51 out of my dash and hooked it up in place of the 51 on the trolling motor... it worked fine there, even in deeper water.... so, this leads me to believe that something is up with my shoot-through the hull transducers for my console units. When powered on, they make the clicking noise they should.... they appear to be installed ok with epoxy... I didn't install them, Andy Buck did this when I bought the boat from him. I had taken it back to him 3 times to check out when the boat was under warranty and never got any resolution.... the only thing I can think of trying now is to replace or remount the transducer... is it possible to get the existing transducers out, clean them up and remount them?... or will I need to get new ones to try?

thx,
TAz

 

[beetlespin]

Not a cheap fix but I'm guessing your problems will continue as long as you have these units. If you want to stay with Lowrance look for some 520c's as they seem fairly dependable. I believe your transducers are probably installed correctly. Lowrance had a spell a couple of years back where they just put out a bunch of junk.

 

[inthebox30lbs]

My old X15mt gps/sonar burned up three 50/200 transducers before I got one that was right. Kept sending em back. I bought the dual freq unit and had to settle for a 200khz tranducer becasue it kept burning up the 50/200 Trans. Mine would do the same thing, the flashing thing as you described.
scott

 

[TAzGa]

Did it work intermittently and only in water shallower than 18ish ft ?
My 320 is a DF, and it's got a single freq 200 on it. It's hard for me to understand how 2 transducers would/could go out at once.... I think I may order a new transducer and see if that works... that'll cost me around 70 bucks... if this doesn't do the trick, I'm going to have to bite the bullet and go for a 520 emoBang emoBang

 

[Bee21]

I assume you have run your sensitivity up. If not then try it. If you get a reading then it is the hull. Nothing you can do but keep sensitivity turned up. The interference could be caused if the power cable is not run directly to the battery. If it is run through an accessory switch, anything could interfere.

 

[TAzGa]

I've worked with the sensitivity ... when I switch it from 'auto' to manual... it's always set to 100% by default. Both DF's were wired into the fuse box at the console. I rewired the 320, going straight to the battery with 16 gauge wiring and place a 3 amp in-line fuse close to the battery like Lowrance suggests. I've worked with every setting on these DF's , done soft resets, hard resets, cleaned the connections, reseated all plugs, bought new battery...etc... These DF's have both worked occaisionally, and about 1 out of 20 times, I can get readings out past 18' for a few minutes... until I come up to something I'd like to see ... then, it's like someone is watching, realizing I'm about to see something useful and pulls the plug emoEek . I think i'm going to order a transducer from ebay just to see if it will work and prove to myself if it's the transducer, or location that their mounted. I can't think of anything else to try other than buy a new sonar/GPS ... the gps functionality on the 320 works ok. The lack of functionality really hadn't bothered me too much since I wasn't very adventurous and fished places I already knew and in other places less than 18' ... but, I'm wanting to try other things and now I'm at a major disadvantage... I should have pushed harder in the beginning when these things were acting up but I didn't.

TAz

 

[Bee21]

Sounds like the transducer is the only answer. I will say from experience that you get far better reading with external mounts, so you may want to do that with the next one. The only disadvantage is loss of reading when on plane. I have a spare trans. you can try to see if that is the problem. Shoot me a p.m. if you want borrow it.

 

[Davo]

Don't know if I read correctly but I have an x51 on the dash with a LMS332 right beside it. They will not work together, they have way too much interference. I haven't used the x51 since I had the GPS installed and will be replacing it with a plate cover.

 

[TAzGa]

Bee .. thanks for the offer to borrow a transducer... I may take you up on this... I've sent an email to Lowrance and hope to be in contact with them soon and I'll see what they say. Today, I'm going to try to hook my 320 up on my trolling motor transducer to see if it works there. That should prove to me if the hull mounted transducer is bad.

TAz