Pub. 988-0151-431 www.lowrance.
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.
Table of Contents Introduction.......................................................................................1 Capabilities and Specifications: X50 DS ............................................1 How Sonar Works.................................................................................2 Preparations .........................................................................................3 Installation ...........................................................................................
Deep Alarm.........................................................................................40 Battery Alarm.....................................................................................40 Noise Rejection and ASP ................................................................41 Depth Display.....................................................................................43 Temperature Display .........................................................................43 Voltage ............
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 section.
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 depends on transducer configuration and installation, bottom composition and water conditions. 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: .......
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.
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 hull.
Single-frequency transom installations Tools include: two adjustable wrenches, drill, #29 (0.136") drill bit, flathead 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.
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 transducer cable to transom near the transducer. This will help prevent the transducer from entering the boat if it is knocked off at high speed.
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.
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 transducer assembly and hold it against the transom.
3. Assembling the transducer. Once you determine the correct position for the ratchets, assemble the transducer as shown in the following figure. Don't tighten the lock nut at this time. Nut Metal washer Rubber washers Metal washer Bolt Assemble transducer and bracket. 4. Drilling mounting holes. Hold the transducer and bracket assembly against the transom. The transducer should be roughly parallel to the ground. The transducer's centerline should be in line with the bottom of the hull.
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 transom.
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 these wires.
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.) Internal tooth washer Bolt TMB-S bracket 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.
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 too far forward Transducer aimed too far back Full fish arch Proper transducer angle Transducer angles and their effects on fish arches.
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.
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.
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.
2. The epoxy consists of the epoxy itself and a hardener. Remove the two compounds from the package and place them on the paper plate. Thoroughly stir the two compounds together until the mixture has a uniform color and consistency. Do not mix too fast or bubbles will form in the epoxy. After mixing, you have 20 minutes to complete the installation before the epoxy becomes unworkable. Spread a thin layer of epoxy (about 1/16" or 1.5 mm thick) on the face of the transducer as shown in the previous figure.
power cable when the unit is not in use. When you are not using the unit, you should always shut off power to the power cable, especially when the power cable is disconnected from the unit. Red wire with 3 amp fuse To unit Black wire 12 volt battery Power connections for the X50 DS sonar unit (direct battery connection shown). If possible, keep the power cable away from other boat wiring, especially the engine's wires. This will provide the best isolation from electrical noise.
Bracket Installation Recommended tools for this job include: drill, 1" (25.4 mm) drill bit, screwdriver. Required supplies for this job include: high quality, marine grade above- or below-waterline caulking compound, three #10 stainless steel screws. Screw length and type should be suitable for the material on which you intend to mount the bracket. Mount the unit in any convenient location, provided there is clearance when it’s tilted for the best viewing angle.
After drilling the hole, pass the connectors up through the hole from under the dash. If you wish, you can fill in the hole around the cable with a good marine caulking compound. (Some marine dealers stock cable hole covers to conceal the opening.) Using the Quick Release Mounting Bracket These units use a quick release mounting bracket. When you run the cables through the bracket's cable slots, make sure you allow enough slack for tilting the unit and attaching the connector.
Bracket front Mount the sonar: slide the unit onto the bracket from above. Depress ratchets to release Adjust viewing angle: use one hand to press and release the springloaded ratchets while you move the unit with the other hand. Portable Sonar Installation Like many Lowrance products, the X50 DS sonar is capable of portable operation. It uses the optional PPP-12 portable power pack. The power pack and portable transducers expand the uses for your sonar.
To use a portable power pack, you install the batteries and then attach the sonar unit to the power pack's bracket. Plug in the power/transducer cable and you're ready to fish. The PPP-12 has a quick-release mounting bracket built into the case. Installing the Batteries Open the case and lay it flat. (The latch is located below the handle.) Insert eight "AA" size batteries into the battery adapter and place it in the battery compartment.
Ratchet To mount the sonar, slide the unit onto the bracket from above (left). To adjust the view, press and release spring-loaded ratchets while tilting the unit (right). To adjust the viewing angle, pinch the quick-release mount's ratchets with one hand, then tilt the unit with your other hand. Release the ratchets and the unit locks into the new position. To remove the unit from the PPP-12, press the ratchets and lift the unit off the bracket. Turn the sonar unit on.
Make sure there is one washer on each side of the transducer, inside the bracket. Slide the other washer over the end of the bolt and screw on the nut. Screw the suction cup onto the bracket using the supplied screw and flat washer. Tie the nylon cord through the hole in the top of the bracket. When using the transducer, tie the other end of the nylon cord to the boat. This will help prevent losing the transducer if it comes off.
Hull Portable transducer installed on boat transom. Portable Transducer Storage There is room inside the power pack for the portable transducer. When you're finished fishing, tilt the sonar down to the storage position. Open the case and lay it flat. Unplug the power connector from the battery compartment socket. Wrap the transducer cable around the suction cup, then stow the transducer on top of the battery compartment cover. Close the case and your equipment is ready for transport.
Notes 26
Operation Keyboard Basics The unit sounds a tone when you press any key. This tells you the unit has accepted a command. Numbers in the figure correspond to key explanations below: 3 2 1 Lowrance X50 DS. 1. PWR/CLEAR In this manual, the Power/Clear key is referred to as PWR. Press this key to turn the unit on and off. It also clears menus and menu selections from the screen. To clear a menu from the screen, press PWR. NOTE: Hold the PWR key down for five seconds to turn off the unit. 2.
cases, the text uses the word MENU. Usually, when the instructions say MENU, you can press the MENU UP key for consistency. The MENU UP key cycles forward through the menus. The MENU DOWN key moves backward through the menus. To check out the menus, repeatedly press a MENU key to scroll through them. 3. UP & DOWN ARROWS (↑ ↓) These Up and Down arrow keys are referred to as ↓ (DOWN) or ↑ (UP) in this manual. You will use these keys to adjust most features and functions on the X50 DS.
Display The lights will flash for about 10 seconds when the unit is turned on. The backlight menu will appear on the screen. Use the ARROW keys to turn the backlight on or off. Press PWR to clear the menu from the screen. The unit will show the Full Chart Page or mode. The Fish I.D. fish symbol feature is on by default. The depth range is displayed as the upper and lower limit on the left side of the screen.
Digital depth Surface clutter Water Temp Bait fish Structure or cover Bottom signal Fish arches Depth range at bottom of depth scale Grayline Full Chart page, showing digital depth (above) and temp (below). The Fish I.D. feature is turned off. Depth Range When turned on, the unit automatically adjusts the depth range according to water conditions. When in auto range mode, it always keeps the bottom displayed in the lower portion of the screen.
Zoom The zoom feature enlarges all images on the screen by doubling the size of the echoes (a 2X zoom). For example, if the current auto depth range is 0 to 60 feet, Zoom will show an enlarged view of the water column from 30 feet to 60 feet, always keeping the bottom in view. To zoom in the display, repeatedly press MENU until the ZOOM menu appears. Press ↓ to select ON, then press PWR to clear the menu. Zoom feature turned off (left). Zoom turned on (right).
Enlarged fish arches Zoom Range menu with the 40-80 foot zoom selected. You can select from these zoom size ranges: 0-10, 5-15, 10-20, 15-30, 2040, 30-60, 40-80, 50-100, 75-150, 100-200, 150-300, 200-400, 300-600, 400-800, 500-1000, 750-1500 and 1000-2000. Sensitivity Sensitivity adjusts the way echoes will be displayed on the screen. If you want to see more detail, try increasing the sensitivity, a little at a time. There are situations when too much clutter appears on the screen.
To adjust sensitivity in Auto Mode: Repeatedly press MENU until the SENSITIVITY menu appears. Make sure sensitivity is set to Auto, then press MENU UP to access the sensitivity scroll bar. Press ↑ to increase the sensitivity, ↓ to decrease it. When it is set at the desired level, press PWR to clear the menu. If you reach the maximum or minimum sensitivity level, a tone sounds alerting you to the limits.
Grayline® Grayline lets you distinguish between strong and weak echoes. It allows you to tell the difference between a hard and soft bottom. For example, a soft, muddy or weedy bottom returns a weaker signal which is shown with a narrow line or no gray line at all. A hard bottom returns a strong signal, which will be displayed as a wide gray line. Grayline scroll bar. If you have two signals of equal size, one with gray and the other without, then the target with gray is the stronger signal.
Wider Grayline Thin or no Grayline A small amount of Grayline indicates a soft bottom (left), probably sand or mud. More Grayline indicates a harder, rocky bottom (right). Press ↑ to increase Grayline, ↓ to decrease it. Echoes scrolling on the screen will show the effects of the Grayline adjustment. If you reach the maximum or minimum level, a tone sounds alerting you to the limits. Press PWR to clear the menu. Chart Speed The speed at which echoes scroll across the screen is called the chart speed.
sonar signal cone, the image appears on the screen as a long line instead of a fish arch. Reducing the chart speed may result in a shorter line that more closely resembles a regular fish return. To adjust Chart Speed, repeatedly press MENU until the CHART SPEED scroll bar appears. Press ↑ to increase the speed of the chart. Press ↓ to decrease it. Press PWR to clear the menu. To return to the original setting, repeat the steps above, but use the arrow keys to set the speed to 100% before clearing the menu.
The Fish I.D. feature displays symbols on the screen in place of the actual fish echoes. There are three symbol sizes: small, medium and large. These show the relative size between targets. In other words, it displays a small fish symbol when it thinks a target is a small fish, a medium fish symbol on a larger target and so forth. Fish I.D. is an easier way for a sonar novice to recognize a fish signal return when he sees it. But, locating fish by symbol only does have some limitations.
Fish I.D. can also be useful when you want to screen out some of the sonar detail gathered by your unit. For example, it can help cut through the clutter of suspended bubbles caused by wave action or boat wakes. To turn Fish I.D. off, repeatedly press MENU until the FISH ID menu appears. Press ↓ to select OFF, then press PWR. To turn it back on, repeat the above steps, but press ↑ to select ON. FishTrack™ The FishTrack feature shows the depth of a fish symbol when it appears on the display.
Fish Alarm menu. Depth Alarms The depth alarms are triggered only by the bottom signal. No other echoes will activate these alarms. The depth alarms consist of a shallow and a deep alarm. The shallow alarm sounds an alarm tone when the bottom goes shallower than the alarm's setting. The deep alarm sounds a tone when the bottom goes deeper than its setting. Both alarms adjust the same way, although through different menus.
any of the previously entered numbers, press MENU UP. Press PWR to return to the Shallow Alarm menu. Use ↑ to select ON, which will turn on the alarm, then press PWR to clear the menu. When the bottom depth becomes more shallow than the alarm’s setting, an alarm will sound and a message will appear on the screen. Press PWR to silence the alarm. It will remain silent until it is triggered again. To turn off the alarm, repeatedly press MENU until the SHALLOW ALARM menu appears.
Battery Alarm menu (left). Low Battery Alarm Value (right). Press the ↓ to SET VALUE. The Low Battery Alarm Value dialog box will appear. Input a voltage value between 7 and 18 volts. Use the ↑ ↓ keys to enter the first number in the dialog box, then press MENU DOWN to move to the next digit. Repeat those steps until the desired value has been entered in the dialog box. To move the cursor back to any of the previously entered numbers, press MENU UP. Press PWR to return to the Battery Alarm menu.
Noise Rejection menu. The ASP noise rejection feature is especially useful because, typically, it lets you operate the boat at all speeds without adjusting the sensitivity or other controls. The ASP feature has three settings — Off, Low and High. When first turned on, noise rejection is set on low. If you have high noise levels, try using the high ASP setting.
Depth Display Depth may be displayed on the screen in a small, medium or large size or can be turned off completely. To display Depth: Repeatedly press MENU until the DEPTH menu appears. Use ↑ ↓ to select the size of the depth display. Press PWR to clear the menu. Temperature Display Temperature may be displayed on the screen in a small or medium size or can be turned off completely. Temperature menu (left). Temperature display set to small size (right).
Voltage The Voltage menu allows you to display battery voltage on the screen in a small or medium size or can be turned off completely. To display battery voltage: Repeatedly press MENU until the VOLTAGE menu appears. Use ↑ ↓ to select the size of the voltage display. Press PWR to clear the menu. Backlight turned on (left). Contrast scroll bar (right). Backlight The display's backlight allows the unit to be used at night.
Simulator menu (left). Languages menu (right). To use the simulator, repeatedly press MENU until the SIMULATOR menu appears. Press ↑ to turn it on and press PWR to clear the menu. Repeat the steps above to turn it off. The simulator automatically will be turned off when you power off the unit. Set Language This unit's menus are available in 11 languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Danish, Swedish, Russian, Czech, Dutch and Finnish. To select a language: 1.
Troubleshooting If your unit is not working, or if you need technical help, please use the following troubleshooting section before contacting the factory customer service department. It may save you the trouble of returning your unit for repair. For contact information, refer to the last page, just inside the back cover of this manual. Unit won't turn on: 1. Check the power cable's connection at the unit. Also check the wiring. 2. Make certain the power cable is wired properly.
3. The water may be deeper than the sonar's ability to find the bottom. If the sonar can't find the bottom signal while it's in the automatic mode, the digital sonar display will flash continuously. It may change the range to limits far greater than the water you are in. If this happens, place the unit in the manual mode, then change the range to a realistic one, (for example, 0-100 feet) and increase the sensitivity. As you move into shallower water, a bottom signal should appear. 4.
vere cases, it can completely cover the screen with black dots, or cause the unit operate erratically, or not at all. To eliminate or minimize the effects of electrical noise, first try to determine the cause. With the boat at rest in the water, the first thing you should do is turn all electrical equipment on the boat off. Make sure the engine is also off. Turn your sonar on, then turn off Noise Reject [also known as the ASP feature (Advanced Signal Processing)]. Sensitivity should be set at 90-95 percent.
LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS FULL ONE-YEAR WARRANTY "We," "our," or "us" refers to LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS, a division of LEI, the manufacturer of this product. "You" or "your" refers to the first person who purchases this product as a consumer item for personal, family, or household use. We warrant this product against defects or malfunctions in materials and workmanship, and against failure to conform to this product's written specifications, all for one (1) year from the date of original purchase by you.
How to Obtain Service… …in the USA: We back your investment in quality products with quick, expert service and genuine Lowrance replacement parts. If you're in the United States and you have technical, return or repair questions, please contact the Factory Customer Service Department. Before any product can be returned, you must call customer service to determine if a return is necessary. Many times, customer service can resolve your problem over the phone without sending your product to the factory.
Accessory Ordering Information for all countries To order Lowrance GPS accessories such as computer cables or MMC cards, please contact: 1) Your local marine dealer or consumer electronics store. Most quality dealers that handle marine electronic equipment or other consumer electronics should be able to assist you with these items. To locate a Lowrance dealer near you, visit our web site, www.lowrance.com and look for the Dealer Locator. Or, you can consult your telephone directory for listings. 2) U.S.
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