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| Anyone ever have the back lighting for this unit go bad? I just bought this unit used but it worked fine when I first hooked it up and now it powers up but being a color screen I can hardley see anything because the color screen in gone. I don't know what else to look for or try and not sure if anyone else has had this happen to them. |
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Member
Posts: 1040
Location: Stevens Point, WI | I would definitely say get a hold of Lowrance on that issue. That's something I'd call Lowrance on at this number.
Customer Service line at 1-800-324-1356 |
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Member
Posts: 56
| Do you have your backlighting set to high? With the unit powered up, quick press the on button a few times to see if the screen gets brighter. If not, you'll need to talk to Lowrance.
Jim Carroll NPAA #13 |
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| The lights on the key pad will light up and change setting when I push the power button but the screen itself is just dead, if I'm in the shade I can see the screen like it was a mono screen (with no light background) but that's it. I wonder if it's something that can be fixed local?
I've been trying to contact Lowrance all day but just sit on hold listening to that music. I sure hope someone picks up soon because after only getting to use this unit in demo mode (finally put it on the boat and go fishing Friday) I have zero sonar with 2 tournaments coming up this weekend (One is a Cabela's Quilifier) and I don't know what to do for electronics and we are on a bouncer and board bite which means I'll be blind as a bat. |
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Member
Posts: 1040
Location: Stevens Point, WI | Just have to keep after them at Lowrance. I'd suggest trying to call early in the morning or later in the afternoon. However, I'd definitely wouldn't have anyone else attempt to look at the unit. That unit is already close to five years old, they might not even be able to help you anymore on that old of a unit. |
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Member
Posts: 650
| I agree might be too old for them or anybody to help... monday is a bad day to call...
Saw that event on Oneida this weekend... was gonna give it a whirl but got to think about it some more...
bought it used... not good... I'd say buy a new one ASAP... yes that hurt but had to say it...
make sure in the screen selection menu you have a Color selected... |
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Member
Posts: 56
| Check all your screen display settings, your saying the screen looks washed out? Could be that something was changed in contrast or opacity.
Also try a soft reset. With the unit off, push and hold the "pages" and "power" buttons in at the same time until the USA map appears, then release. This will return all the settings to the factory default settings but shouldn't do anything to your stored GPS data. I have a feeling this might work for you, I've never heard of the problem you are describing.
Also, check on Lowrance's site to make sure you have the latest software version loaded. http://www.lowrance.com/en/Downloads/
Jim Carroll NPAA #13 |
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| Well I did the soft and hard resets along with redoing the update with no luck. I just don't know what else it could be. I can see the screen (mono chrome) in the shade but there is no light to light the screen up and make it color. I'm figuring it's just a back light tube that is bad and hate to pay $211 flat right fee for a $30 tube. The only reason I now that is because we do it at my work with all the Panasonic registers you see at the fast food rest... LOL |
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Member
Posts: 1040
Location: Stevens Point, WI | Yup, the best thing you can do is to get a hold of Lowrance and see what they can do. I'm guessing you'll be out of luck seeing that unit is close to five years old I think. |
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| Well I decided since it's so old I decided to pop the back off and see what's going on and behold the first thing I see is a coil that broke free from it's sodering not attached to anything. I had our techs put it back on and we'll see what happens when I get home. Wish me luck!!!!!!!!
Funny how a unit is ONLY 5 years old and it's considered outdate or non-repairable, if it works I'm going to use it for the rest of the season and buy a new HD unit over the winter. Hopefully the pricing will come down a little on them, maybe Lowrance will have some kind of deal with a unit and a card again? HHHMMMM could just be what makes me pull the trigger if that happens. |
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Member
Posts: 3899
| I doubt Lorance will offer to repair this unit, no matter what is wrong. You're likely to get an offer of a discounted unit in exchange for your 520.
These sonars are sealed, and I believe filled with an inert gas, or possibly nitrogen. Keeps them from fogging up, and keeps the insides dry. When you popped it open, that seal was broken, and you may have some issues with it, if you were able to get it going again.
Good luck. As mentioned, they will probably offer you a decent discount on a current unit. |
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Member
Posts: 650
| Sonars don't get repaired, they get replaced... they just send you a new one... when it is still available... sometimes you'll see refurbished ones around... Since I said this, I can tell you from experience, always save your points in some manner...
I bought a HDS-8 from 3 rivers marine in march even before my boat showed up... was a 3 day sale... saved $$$.$$
went with the basemap model, saved some money there... I don't think you'll see prices come down much... look for deals... Cabelas, free shipping... etc...
oh yeah, the sonar is amazing...
now the siruis module... where and when?.... |
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| The repair job worked awsome, the unit fired right up with a nice bright color display. I'm not sure on the sealing of it as mentioned in an earlier post so I'll be taking it inside every night so it's not sitting in the elements. Now I get to fish the tournaments and actually see the fish suspended... LOL Now that it worked I'm still going to be looking at a new HD unit for the console and move the LMS-334 to the bow.
Thanks for all the input, I've been on this sight for a long time mostley reading and enjoying the knowledge that's here.
Thanks
Lee |
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Member
Posts: 650
| Glad it worked out...lucky you got guys that can pull that off... I would not recommend trying this with a newer unit, but great info for somebody with an older sonar... I once had a handheld gps that the internal battery went... couldn't get that baby open for nothing... my buddy ended up sawing it open... 1/4" too far... end of unit...
lets here some Oneida results... |
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| Fished The Old Boat House tournament on Saturday and took 2nd with 14 boats (good fishermen though), we wanted to fish the New Eastern Walleye Circuit on Sunday but just couldn't come up with enough cash. We were on a good shallow bite (13') and found a great school of fish feeding on 5" perch, the key was to find those perch and you were into fish. The walleyes were moving those perch around pretty good and as soon as you started catching pickeral it was time to find the walleye's again, after about 3 times finding them and looking at the GPS we found how they were moving on the top of the flat next to a steep drop into the channel. We caught what we though was needed and went to some of our other spots and ended up finding the same patterns on other flats, we also zeroed down the best spots that where holding the big patches of cabbage weeds and at times you could see the walleyes laying in them or under them.
I went to the weigh-in for the N.E.W.C. on Sunday and some nice baskets came in, if we could have produced the same amount of fish we did on Saturday we would have been in the top 5. There is another Boat House tournament next month and it's only a $30 per team entry fee and you should look into it. This was our first tournament and we are really excited about 2nd but at first we got intimidated with the $30,000 plus Lund boats when I pulled up with my 16' Alumacraft... LOL When we pulled up to our first spot I looked at my partner and said "Lets fish our tournament and let the cards fall in place whether we do good or bad". Funny how guys can be, we pulled in and it was like we got snubbed because we didn't have all the top gear but even funnier how they start talking to you when you bring in a good basket of fish. I've iced fish many good tournaments and I've always said that I'm more interested and concerned with the low key guys that don't seem like a threat. But I've always been the type of person who will introduce myself and shake everyone's hand before and after. It was fun and I have the walleye tournament bug now. |
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| CNY Lee - 6/12/2009 8:56 AM
The repair job worked awsome, the unit fired right up with a nice bright color display. I'm not sure on the sealing of it as mentioned in an earlier post so I'll be taking it inside every night so it's not sitting in the elements. Now I get to fish the tournaments and actually see the fish suspended... LOL Now that it worked I'm still going to be looking at a new HD unit for the console and move the LMS-334 to the bow.
Thanks for all the input, I've been on this sight for a long time mostley reading and enjoying the knowledge that's here.
Thanks
Lee
Well, looks like you got some extra bonus time out of your unit. Now that it's back up and working, I wonder if it might be a good idea to use some marine RTV and try to seal the unit up so no water can get in. It won't be sealed like the factory does, but anything to keep actual water out will help. |
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Member
Posts: 650
| I agree with shep, do everything you can to keep that baby dry, do not leave it in the boat under a cover etc... I wouldn't leave it in a hot truck either... high humidity will be just as bad as rain... Shep, any sort of case, cover or rain shield he can get? one more thing, save all your way points somehow... cards etc, do something, cause when that baby is gone, so are they... I personally don't do the card thing, I sit down and right them all in a log...
thanks for the tournament report, I just couldn't pull it off sunday... you get any info on any walleye events in central NY please send me an email or PM...
Don't let the big boats scare you off, you pay the same entry as them... Sounds like you were on them... the entry was a bit high for me too... especially finding out about it last minute... |
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Posts: 650
| seen the results from the sunday tourney... not that great for Oneida... |
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Member
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| Not bad for Oneida, I try to go to most of the tourney's weigh-in's that I can find and mostly the winning bag is about 13-16 lbs. Everyone likes to say they caught Qty 5 walleye's with the average weight being 4-5 lber's but they usually end up a lot smaller on the official scale. It's been my personal opinion that it's that one 4-5 lbs kicker fish that wins a tourney on Oneida.
I weighed my bag on the boat and came up with 13.9 and it only ended up 11.7 on the official scale. I weighed my big fish on the boat at 3.2 lbs and it was only 2.78 lbs, anyone else ever see that much difference in there weights compared to boat and official scale? I'm using a good digital scale.
Are you going to do the July touney at The Old Boat House?
We really lack a lot of the good equipment and about everything else in the CNY area (compared to the mid-west) when it comes to walleye fishing.
We have Oneida Lake (One of the best in-land lake for walleye's) and all they got was 27 people to sign up for the NEWC, it's just sad to see because our state spends so much money on the walleye hatchery and all the studies that Cornell does makes you want to throw your arms up in the air. I would love to see 100 true hardcore walleye fishermen in a tourney on Oneida. Heck, I would just love to see all the boats and equipment so I know what to start buying instead of see it all in magazines. LOL
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Posts: 3899
| Lee, sign up for either the FLW Tour Event on Bago in August, or the AIM event on Green Bay in July. A relatively inexpensive way to get on the water wwith some great Walleye pro's. Come for the week, and you'd probably get to prefish, too. I would say that the FLW tourney on Bago might have more diverse presetations, vs the Green Bay event, which would be primarily trolling spinners or cranks. But you could get some jigging in if you get the right guy.
Either way, you'll see first hand all the latest and greatest boats, motors, geat, tackle, and electronics. |
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Member
Posts: 650
| Lee, I'm about 90 minutes east of Oneida shores... have no idea about anything going on Walleye wise out there...
Please PM me with any dates... |
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Lowrance LMS 334c IGPS Issue