Lowrance X51 Depthfinder

[WIMUSKY]

I believe it came new with the boat, 2003. It's perfect for my needs, but I'm having issues with it. It shows the surface at 4'. The deeper you go, only 20 -30', it starts losing the bottom display(I've cranked up the sensitivity/Grayline). It will also lose the depth. Depth dispaly will start flashing. Sometimes the depth will be flashing but it will show the bottom, say 10' just fine. Sometimes it will display 200 -500' depth in 20' of water. The temperature displays fine. I've replaced the transducer and ran the wire away from the boats harnesses so there should be any electrical interference. All this happens even if the boat and all switches are turned off. Could there still be a transducer problem or is the problem with the unit itself? The transducer is also set as level as can be. It's not a spendy unit, but I'd still hate to junk it if something could be fixed. I see Lowrance discontinued this model. They carry a X50/X52. The X52 "looks" identical to the X51.
Thanks for any advice....

 

[ronatim]

Re: Lowrance X51 Depthfinder

My 2009 Lund came with the same model with the same problem. broken vertical lines half the time, flashing depth sometimes. Never mark a fish arch with maybe 100 hours of use even when i was catching right under the boat. completely useless when you travel faster then 5 mph.

I've seen fishing show on tv done with the same boat that i had with the same finder, the detail on the finder on the show was 100 times better than mine and they were travel in a fast pace too.

makes me think lowracnce gave out lemons for package deal so people will not B*tch about it as bad.

my 2 cents

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Lowrance X51 Depthfinder

My 2009 Lund came with the same model with the same problem. broken vertical lines half the time, flashing depth sometimes. Never mark a fish arch with maybe 100 hours of use even when i was catching right under the boat. completely useless when you travel faster then 5 mph.

I've seen fishing show on tv done with the same boat that i had with the same finder, the detail on the finder on the show was 100 times better than mine and they were travel in a fast pace too.

makes me think lowracnce gave out lemons for package deal so people will not B*tch about it as bad.

my 2 cents

Even tho they discontinued that model, I see they're still putting them on new boats. I suppose until the run out. I have marked fish just recently in an area where fish have been seen. Muskies on an edge of a rock pile next to a drop off. Still hoping something can be done to fix the problem. Did you ever call Lowrance or the place where you bought the boat? Yours still should be under warranty....

 

[ronatim]

Re: Lowrance X51 Depthfinder

i bought my boat 2.5 hour away from my home town. and lowrance only do repair through dealers. it will cost me more to drive 2.5 there and back twice (to pick it up) for a fish finder cost less then $150.

Talked to many owners with the same problem. will not buy a lowrance again.

you can try to phone Lowrance customer service, maybe you will have better luck then me.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Lowrance X51 Depthfinder

Funny you mention not buying Lowrance again. I just bought a Lowrance Endura series handheld GPS unit(new for '09). Ordered it in April, they didn't release it until August. It takes a micro-sd card. They don't make mciros for those units yet. Even if they did, I guess there is no software in the unit to read software like LakeMaps(who wont produce the micro card until Lowrance gets their act together). So I'm waiting for the unit's software upgrade and micro-sd cards. May not be ready until 1/1/10. I guess I can throw it in the corner until next year. Garmin has micro-sd cards, but will only work in Garmin units.. Back to depthfinders. I read where someone on one of these threads raves about the Lowrance X96.