“GPS Module Not Responding” 5200C GPS

Well my Lowrance is at it again….
Earlier on this year i had my LGC-3000 GPS Puck go bad. Gander Mt. was nice enough to let me try a new one to make sure it wasn’t my wiring. It wasn’t my wiring and the puck had magically just gone bad after 20 hrs or so of use.

I got a replacement from Lowrance and all was good until this last weekend.

I am running a X510C and 5200C on my Tyee. Both are hooked up to the main battery. My X510C gives me the Volts reading of around 12.9 or 11.5 somewhere in there depending on if we have the big motor on or not.

I was trolling using my little 9.9 kicker which also charges the battery, and all of a sudden the “GPS not responding” message appears on my screen. I had my H20 with so i started using it. I then motored with the big motor back to shore and tried the 5200C again. Now it works. Kicked on the kicker to start trolling and it quits again after 15 mins or so. Run the big motor and the 5200c starts working again?? The whole time i am watching the volts on the battery be no lower than 10.5V.

Anyone have any ideas?? Hopefully this makes sense and someone can figure out what is going on???

I do have the all of them fused before they go to the battery. And i have checked connections….

Help.

Thanks,

Tony

10.5 is really low, I do think you have a voltage issue, which is causing you problems, maybe it’s time for a new bigger better battery, maybe you should have that one checked…. I know I’ve seen in the 10.5 v range on my units, they shut themselvs off shortly afterwards, and I didn’t have enough to crank over my big motor….

You displayed voltage will change too with the light settings on you lowrance, the brighter the back light the lower the voltage, I think that’s pretty inaccurate.

I suspect you fix you battery issue, your problems will be gone.

That was my first impresson too. This summer, when running my main locator/GPS (X25C), my bow locator, my running lights, and often a radio and a livewell pump, I can’t remember a time that my voltage dropped below 11.5 volts. I have that number displayed constantly on my bow locator, so I’m always looking at it.

I’d start with a new cranking battery (or dedicated electronics battery if you’ve gone that route) and see if that solves the problem.

Another indication that there may be a battery issue is that you said that you never went over 12.5 volts with the main motor running. It has always been my observation that my cranking battery will read over 14 V with the main motor running, and then drop smoothly down into the low 12s with the main motor off.

same as what Jason said!

Good Luck!

Thanks for responses. I will try a new battery. Need to get everything perfect before this fall.

Thanks again.

I should mention that I had batteries plus check my batteries on my boat they said they checked out fine, but

I really think something is up… In part I just think I need a bigger battery, runing a livewell, maybe a radio at times and two fishfinders, I can’t believe I can kill (completely dead) a prefectly good battery in a day’s time. I never seem to have that issue with my last boat, but I did have a little less draw on the bats.

Eitherway I plan to upgrade them eventually to the biggest I can fit in there, maybe add in a permenant switch to tie the main battery with my trolling motor battery so I have a good backup for a dead battery (other than jumper cables)

Update…

Went and bought a new battery. Dual Purpose Die Hard Marine battery. Everything worked great.

Then about 6hrs into trolling. “GPS module not responding”

Voltage reading on the lowrance was 14.2.

I then drove as fast as the boat would go in towards shore tried it again and it was working again? Any more thoughts??

Here is a list of electronics i have on the battery.

– Lowrance 5200c
– Lowrance X102c
– TrollMaster

Engines:

115 Hp Yamaha 2 cycle
9.9 Hp Yamaha 4 cycle

The trollmaster ”might” be drawing alot of juice throughout the day. I don’t know how much they draw but it could possibly be the problem. I too had the same problem with my front trolling motor GPS yesterday but it said GPS Module Not Responding all day. Haven’t had a chance to monkey with it yet. This is the first time I’ve had that problem. The other two GPSs in the boat worked fine.
Thanks, Bill

I would take a look at the wiring to the GPS puck (NMEA 2000 Power Cable). The puck requires its own power: red, black, and shield.

Maybe the puck has a poor connection causing your problem?

And it only seems to happen when your trolling…with the kicker motor, right? Your kicker motor also charges your battery?

Connections are all good. Lowrance was professionaly installed and i have double checked that it has its own power.

The kicker motor must be charging the system because when am running the kicker the Volts on the battery jump up to the 14.2-14.6 range. I am puzzled. I have replaced the Puck 1 time already and am guessing they sent me a refurb puck to replace it. I am going to try a new puck from Gander and see how that works. Thanks for all of your replies.

If you received black connectors for your NMEA Backbone, you will want to spray those connectors with CRC Electrical Connector Spray or some type of electrical spray to clean the moisture off and give you a good connection. Make sure whatever spray you use, it does not leave any residue…. Lowrance had a problem with the black connectors. – Red ones are new ones now. This spray is also a good preventive for condensation and keeping this clean and moisture free. It may not solve your problem, but this has helped with this problem. Also make sure your LGC3000 puck is powered – with good connections there too.