Lowrance Chart Plotter Depth 0.0 is a Common Problem

[Frugal Floater]

Just spoke to my buddy at Boaters World and he said that Lowrance transducers are prone to making the unit display a flashing 0.0 depth and not showing or intermittently showing the lake/ocean ground. He runs one of the busiest stores and he claims a dozen a year come in with this exact problem and it is not corrosion, voltage issues, or transducer angle/cleanliness. He is a fan of their software, but said their transducers are not as good as the competition. Anyway, I stayed on hold with Lowrance for 50 minutes today and eventually gave up and left a message. I am 99% sure it is the transducer so will just replace it and hope it lasts longer than the 2 years the first one did. I like the unit when it works and was the best bang for under $350 I could find at the time (m-68).

 

[Boatist]

Re: Lowrance Chart Plotter Depth 0.0 is a Common Problem

I had my Lowrance depth finder for 27 years and Had the first transducer go bad after about 15 years. Last I herd the transducer for all the major brands are made by the same manufactor and only the plug is different.

I know my transducers sometimes take a beeting in the spring in out local lakes. As the water rises have lots of small floating sticks. Try not to hit any of it but sometimes the very small one I to hit. Still I am happy with my unit life, has lasted far longer than I expected. It is a 1981 unit and it works perfect.


Bodega Bay Weather May 7 2008
Winds NW 320 degrees true at 27.2 knots with gusts to 33 Knots, Sea Temperature 48.4 Degrees F
Seas 13.5 feet every 10 Seconds, Chop 6.7 SEC, Swell steepness = steep
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=46013

 

[JohnQ-FWB]

Re: Lowrance Chart Plotter Depth 0.0 is a Common Problem

I have had an X-70 3D since 1995 and it hasn't skipped a beat. Liked it so well that I went on eBay and bought a spare display head. I hardly ever loose bottom, even in deep salt water, with the 2D transducer. One little trick a buddy told me about that seems to work like a charm with transducers is to squirt about 3 tablespoons worth of Joy dish washing soap in the palm of your hand and rub it on the transducer. I do that to the 3D & 2D cones about 4 times a year. It helped a lot solving the problem of loosing bottom in salt water and high speed runs.

 

[Frugal Floater]

Re: Lowrance Chart Plotter Depth 0.0 is a Common Problem

I ordered a new transducer and Lowrance told me to use a single frequency model. I installed it in my driveway and it is still flashing 0.0, but I am assuming it needs to be in water? I tried a cooler full of water with no luck so will hope it works when I go on vacation this weekend.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Lowrance Chart Plotter Depth 0.0 is a Common Problem

Last I herd the transducer for all the major brands are made by the same manufactor and only the plug is different.

Airmar makes transducers for quite a few but not all. They don't make transducers for Hummingbird nor do they make the Lowrance 192Khz transducers.