Transducer Problems

Tug · Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 9:19 pm Post subject: Transducer Problems

I have a Lowrance X510c Fishfinder with a 200kHz Skimmer transom mount transducer. Just bought it in the Spring of 2010..it worked great for the first month......than i started to lose bottom/unit froze at times . It didn't matter if i was running 18 mph or stationary...today it kinda went crazy on me. blank screen...no bottom...and at the dock the bottom depth went from 2 feet to 12 feet and everywhere it between.Bottom returned after some time.Last week i had the boat out of the water and checked the transducers' installation...everything looked great..even cleaned the transducer. Today i checked the wiring/connections and transducer cable extension..looked okay..everything is new.Taking it back to the dealer here in town is not an option... i would be lucky to hear back from them next summer.Was thinking on ordering an Airman P66 transducer and trying it to see if the original transducer was the problem. Other than that i not sure what to do....any suggestions would help. Thanks Tug

BrentB · Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 10:13 pm Post subject:

Is there a reset option to the default?
Is it connected to the motor?

Tug · Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 10:29 pm Post subject:

B2........i have the transducer cable routed on the Port side away from the main cable run on the Starboard side. The Fishfinder is wired directly to the batteries......i have tried/used the factory default settings but that didn't seem to help. I will check the battery connections again. Thanks Tug

BrentB · Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 10:40 pm Post subject:

is the transducer frequency set to 200?

Tug · Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 8:58 am Post subject:

B2....i assume it is.....as it is only a single frequency transducer @ 200kHz.....i am heading out fishing now......woke up late........and will try to pin-point the problem...Thanks Tug

BrentB · Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 9:43 am Post subject:

I understand and have not seen the configuration setup. My thought the user could select the incorrect setting

Tug · Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 3:28 pm Post subject:

I didn't end up going fishing/woke up too late.Went and bought two new batteries and installed them on the boat, i will go for a ride tonite and see if my fishfinder works any better. The other batteries were 2006, i will keep them charged and place them in the back of my truck..may come in handy for myself or some-one else.Tug

BrentB · Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 4:31 pm Post subject:

You might contact Lowrance Tech Support by email or phone
http://www.lowrance.com/Support/
I expect they can troubleshoot it or replace it since it is new

Tug · Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 8:55 pm Post subject:

B2....just got back from a boat ride...the Lowrance Fishfinder still loses bottom and has erratic readouts. Thanks for the link..i will call them tommorrow and see what they suggest . Tug

Tug · Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2010 10:10 pm Post subject:

Brought the boat home around 6:00 PM and lowered the transducer. Washed the slime off the boat and transducer and brought it back to the marina.Tried the fishfinder from the launch ramp to my slip...all seemed to work perfectly..i was getting a very clear/colorful picture with an actual bottom reading. Hope this solves the problem...will see when i go fishing tomorrow.Tug

Chris Bulovsky · Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2010 10:52 pm Post subject:

On occasion mine freaks out as well. When underway I'll get a vague reading of the bottom(faster than 12MPH). It may need to be adjusted a little lower. Also when I have really warm surface water it sometimes shows just the first six feet of water even when i know I'm in 100 to 130 Ft. of water. That lasts a couple of irritating minutes then reverts back to normal. I just chalked it up to an old tired transducer. I could be wrong. I understand they do wear out. I will say it was much more sensitive when new.

I never had a blank screen however. That would suggest a bad wire / connection to the transducer IMO.
I'd do what B2 says and call Lowrance. Mornings are the best time to get through to them. I do just hate waiting on the phone for tech. support. But like the Duke says "A mans gotta do what mans gotta do."
A new one will likely solve your troubles.
Good luck TUG!

Chris Bulovsky

BrentB · Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 7:55 am Post subject:

Maybe the transducer is not located properly?

C spot swim · Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 8:34 am Post subject:

Hi Tug,

My wife recently discovered that a cell phone (turned on) and placed near (within 2 feet) our sounder's display panel appears to disable the depth reading. Only the depth is affected, not the plotter or other displays. I'm open to others' opinions for that matter.

I've experimented with phone placement a few times and I'm drawing that conclusion though I can't say for sure if it's placing the phone near the display, cables, or roof puck. I am also not sure which phone it is or the physical process of how interference might occur with these particular electronic signals.

Just a thought in your troubleshooting.

I am picking up a backup hand held sounder in the near future and considering a through-hull sounder to be placed in the bilge. Gift

Good luck,

Mike

C-Pup16 in Los Angeles · Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 10:43 am Post subject: Lowrance

I have an old LX-16 Lowrance unit. What I am about to tell started a few months ago after a few years use and is true, not joking. When powering on, it starts its display upside down and with letters reversed and words spelled backwards. It still displays fish, but I have had no luck casting upward to catch them. Lowrance staff said I'm out of luck and time to buy a new unit. Since the disturbed unit seems to fix itself after 30 minutes or so, I've kept using it for this summer. I'll be asking Santa for a new one this Christmas.

I have two Lowrance units side by side and two transducers on the transom. That lets me run one at 50 and the other at 200 at the same time. There is a speed limit after which they fail to function underway, about 16 knts or faster depending on depth. When you loose the bottom and it blinks or shows incorrect data like 1 ft depth, first, stop the boat and look down in the water. Then if the bottom is not staring back at you, either reboot the unit or give it time to restart sonar signals on its own when the boat stops or slows.

I sometimes have to check the depth range feature on the menu and be sure it is appropriate. It sometimes falles on its own into a setting for 1,500 ft depth. When I'm over just 75 feet of water, that's means it's not working. I often tweak the display by using the menu, and I get generally good performance. Lowrance is not perfect in quality or endurance, but it is a good product fot the price. I love the color details on Lowrance!

Does anyone get the feeling these fish finder makers program their units to show a non-existing fish now and then, just to keep us from giving up?

Keith
C-Pup16

Tug · Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 2:20 pm Post subject:

Well the transducer is still acting up...called Lowrance Support today.They suggested that it may be a problem with the transducer...i may of hit something and damaged the crystal in the transducer thus causing the weird readings. They said i should try another transducer and if that didn't fix the problem i could ship the unit back to them for repair. I ordered a Airmar P66 today and will try that...hope it does the trick because i still want to go on my planned cruise...will need a reliable sounder for that. Tug