# Problem with Lowrance x51



## arrowdog (Jul 10, 2002)

I have a Lowrance x51, it came factory installed on the boat with the shoot thru hull transducer. It is 3 years old. It worked fine until this year, now it sometimes works, and sometimes not. When it won't work, the numbers just flash like it is not gettingh a reading. Is it possible that it is the transducer or the unit itself. I tried to stand on my head and get a look at the transducer undre the engine, I didn't see anything visually wrong with it.


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## DangerDan (Mar 10, 2005)

I was having the same problems with my 320 DF I will be spending som time before the fall to address some maint. issues. I'm thinking possibly it could be a ground connection. Have you done any wring that would cause any changes in the electrical supply or ground to the unit?


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## Gone Fishing (Jul 31, 2001)

Is the transducer siliconed to the hull? Maybe it loosened a bit and is no longer in full contact with the silicone.


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## wecker20 (Mar 10, 2004)

Not sure what kind of boat you have but w/ mine I do this. To test if the transducer isn't shooting thru correctly, fill the bilge area w/ enough water to submerge the transducer. Go run around and see what happens. If it starts reading like it did last year, your epoxy or silicone has come apart and there's air under the transducer. I have a thru-hull X-85 and it didn't work for the 1st couple of weeks that I had it out. Then all of a sudden it mysteriously started working. I believe my unit is going bad.


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## arrowdog (Jul 10, 2002)

I have a Glastron fiberglass boat, I assume that the transducer is glued/epoxy to the floor somehow. I will try the water in the bilge trick this weekend and see if it starts working.
Thanks for the tip


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## arrowdog (Jul 10, 2002)

Went out this weekend, didn't get to fish. I didn't have anything in the boat to sccop up water with to dump in the bilge. I did notice though that the depth finder is working in less than 20 FOW, at any speed. When I get over about 20 feet deep, it stops reading. Any thoights?


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## DynoMoHum (Jun 26, 2005)

Sounds to me like it could very well be a the transducer is not attached very well to the hull... It sounds like it's working to some extent, but at greatly reduced effceincy. I'd take a bucket with me the next time... the water in the bottom of the boat test sounds like it would be the best way to test...


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## wecker20 (Mar 10, 2004)

Is it on manual or auto? Sounds like it might be in manual and it's set at 20ft max.


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## arrowdog (Jul 10, 2002)

I took the boat out tonight on Cass Lake. I tried filling the bilge with water. The fish finder still didn't work right. Sometimes when I was going real slow it would work at all depths, as soon as I picked up the speed, it stopped reading. Now I am not sure if it is the unit or the transducer. I think my bro in law uses Lowrance equipment, so I might try to plug his in and see what happens. If his does the same thing then I would know that the problem is the transducer or wiring. If his works, then I know its my unit. Does this sound reasonable?


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