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Pub. 988-0151-431
www.lowrance.com
Fish-Finding Sonar
Installation and Operation
Instructions
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Copyright © 2006 Lowrance Electronics, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be copied, reproduced, republished, transmitted or distributed for any purpose, without prior written consent of Lowrance Electronics. Any unauthorized commercial distribution of this manual is strictly prohibited. ® Lowrance is a registered trademark of Lowrance Electronics, Inc. Lowrance Electronics may find it necessary to change or end our policies, regulations, and special offers at any time. We rese
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Table of Contents Introduction.......................................................................................1 Capabilities and Specifications: X50 DS ............................................1 How Sonar Works.................................................................................2 Preparations .........................................................................................3 Installation ................................................................................
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Deep Alarm.........................................................................................40 Battery Alarm.....................................................................................40 Noise Rejection and ASP ................................................................41 Depth Display.....................................................................................43 Temperature Display .........................................................................43 Voltage
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Introduction Thank you for buying an Lowrance sonar! Your unit is a high-quality sonar designed for both professional and novice fishermen. All Lowrance sonars have an automatic mode that finds and displays the bottom, fish, underwater structure and more – right out of the box. All you have to do is press the on (PWR) key. To get started with your Lowrance sonar, first read the installation sec- tion. It contains instructions for mounting the sonar unit, the trans- ducer and any optional acces
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Transmitter:....................1,500 watts peak-to-peak power (typical); 188 watts RMS power (typical). Sonar sounding depth capability:............1,000 feet (305 meters). Actual capability de- pends on transducer configuration and in- stallation, bottom composition and water con- ditions. All sonar units typically read deeper in fresh water than in salt water. Depth display: ................Continuous digital readout. Audible alarms:..............Deep/shallow/fish. Automatic ranging: .......Y
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The receiver amplifies this return signal, or echo, and sends it to the display, where an image of the object appears on the scrolling sonar chart. The sonar's microprocessor calculates the time lapse between the transmitted signal and echo return to determine the distance to the object. The whole process repeats itself several times each second. Dual Search Transducer Your unit is packed with a Dual Search Skimmer Transducer that can transmit at 83 kHz and 200 kHz. A new innovation, the 83 kHz
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3. Determine the location of your battery or other power connection, along with the power cable route. 4. Install the transducer and route the transducer cable to the sonar unit. 5. Route the power cable from the unit's location to an appropriate power source and connect it there. 6. Connect the transducer/power cable to the unit and mount the sonar unit on the bracket. Installation These instructions will help you install your Skimmer transducer on a transom, on a trolling motor or inside a
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Single-frequency transom installations Tools include: two adjustable wrenches, drill, #29 (0.136") drill bit, flat- head screwdriver (for mounting screws and their pilot holes). Supplies: none. Single-frequency trolling motor installations Tools: two adjustable wrenches, flat-head screwdriver. Supplies: plastic cable ties. Shoot-through hull installations Tools: these will vary depending on your hull's composition. Consult your boat dealer or manufacturer. Supplies: 100 grit sandpaper, specially
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5. If possible, route the transducer cable away from other wiring on the boat. Electrical noise from engine wiring, bilge pumps and aerators can be displayed on the sonar's screen. Use caution when routing the transducer cable around these wires. CAUTION: Clamp the trans- ducer cable to transom near the transducer. This will help prevent the transducer from entering the boat if it is knocked off at high speed. Good location Poor location Good location Good location Poor angle Good and poor trans
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If you cruise or fish around lots of structure and cover, your transducer may be frequently kicking up from object strikes. If you wish, you may move the transducer a little higher for more protection. There are two extremes you should avoid. Never let the edge of the mounting bracket extend below the bottom of the hull. Never let the bottom – the face – of the transducer rise above the bottom of the hull. Shoot-Thru-Hull vs. Transom Mounting In a shoot-thru-hull installation, the transducer is
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Place each ratchet into the bracket with the letter "A" aligned with the dot stamped into the metal bracket. This position sets the transducer's coarse angle adjustment for a 14 ° transom. Most outboard and stern-drive transoms have a 14 ° angle. Dot Align plastic ratchets in bracket. 2. Aligning the transducer on the transom. Slide the transducer between the two ratchets. Temporarily slide the bolt though the trans- ducer assembly and hold it against the transom. Looking at the trans- ducer fro
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3. Assembling the transducer. Once you determine the correct posi- tion for the ratchets, assemble the transducer as shown in the following figure. Don't tighten the lock nut at this time. Metal Nut washer Rubber washers Metal washer Bolt Assemble transducer and bracket. 4. Drilling mounting holes. Hold the transducer and bracket assem- bly against the transom. The transducer should be roughly parallel to the ground. The transducer's centerline should be in line with the bot- tom of the hull. Do
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Transom Transom Position transducer mount on transom and mark mounting holes. Side view shown at left and seen from above at right. 5. Attaching transducer to transom. Remove the transducer from the bracket and re-assemble it with the cable passing through the bracket over the bolt as shown in the following figures. Route cable over bolt and through bracket. Side view shown (left) and seen from above (right). Attach the transducer to the tra
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Bottom of hull Deep-"vee" hull Flat-bottom hull Align transducer centerline with hull bottom and attach to transom. 6. Route the transducer cable through or over the transom to the sonar unit. Make sure you leave some slack in the cable at the transducer. If possible, route the transducer cable away from other wiring. Electrical noise from the engine's wiring, bilge pumps, VHF radio wires, cables and aerators can be picked up by the sonar. Use caution when routing the transducer cable around
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Trolling Motor Bracket Installation 1. Attach the optional TMB-S bracket to the transducer as shown in the following figure, using the hardware supplied with the transducer. (Note: The internal tooth washer is supplied with the TMB-S.) TMB-S bracket Internal tooth washer Bolt Nut Flat washer Attach motor mounting bracket to transducer. 2. Slide the adjustable strap supplied with the TMB-S through the slot in the transducer bracket and wrap it around the trolling motor. Position the transducer to
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Transducer Orientation and Fish Arches If you do not get good fish arches on your display, it could be because the transducer is not parallel with the ground when the boat is at rest in the water or at slow trolling speeds. Partial fish arches Transducer aimed Transducer aimed too far forward too far back Full fish arch Proper transducer angle Transducer angles and their effects on fish arches. If the arch slopes up – but not back down – then the front of the trans- ducer is t
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ers. The sonar signal must pass through solid fiberglass. A successful transducer installation can be made on hulls with flotation materials (such as plywood, balsa wood or foam) between layers of fiberglass if the material is removed from the chosen area. See the figure below. WARNING: Do not remove any material from your inner hull unless you know the hull's composition. Careless grinding or cutting on your hull can result in damage that could sink your boat. Contact your boat dealer or manufa
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Testing Determines Best Location Ideally, the shoot-thru transducer should be installed as close to the transom as possible, close to the centerline. This will give you the best performance during high speed maneuvers. 1. Anchor the boat in about 30 feet of water. Add a little water to the sump of the boat. Plug the transducer into the sonar unit, turn it on, then hold the transducer over the side of the boat in the water. Adjust the sensitiv- ity and range controls until a second bottom echo is
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hull. This is especially true if you have to turn sensitivity all the way up to get a decent bottom signal. 4. Most people can get good results by following steps 1 through 3, so this step is optional. If you want to make an extra effort to be absolutely sure that your selected location will work under all conditions, make a test run with the boat on plane and observe the bottom signal. You'll need to figure some way to prop the transducer into position while you make your test run. (A brick or
