LCx Series Losing Bottom

Well its happened again. My Lowrance LCX-27C is losing bottom. I changed the transducer out last year when I was having what I remember to be the same problem and it worked good throught the remainder of the season with the newest version (2.5.0) of the software. Now it is working intermittently. The unit displays good bottom returns when I adjust the depth range manually, but the unit displays 1.8 ft or some such number much of the time. The replacement transducer I am currently using came off my LMS-522 which is on the front of the boat and hooked to the Universal Transducer in my Minn Kota. I’ve never had an issue with it. Box the LCX and the LMS were purchased new in 2008 so it could be that both of these transducers were from the “bad batch” that we’ve all heard rumors of.

After typing this I realize it would be easy enough to validate that this is again a trasducer issue by putting the LCX on the bow with the troller and demonstrating that it will work fine.

Following that, where can I buy an aftermarket replacement for the Lowrance HST-WSBL? I’m tired of spending $$$ on Lowrance products that don’t stand up.

Its a long shot but I did experience same problems when I had a battery that was a bit low on volts hooked to the system. Lowrance is really voltage sensitive. You can monitor voltage by making it a screen option. I think anything below 12.4v was causing the problem if I remember correctly.
Maybe check all connections and or battery. -Mark

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Its a long shot but I did experience same problems when I had a battery that was a bit low on volts hooked to the system. Lowrance is really voltage sensitive. You can monitor voltage by making it a screen option. I think anything below 12.4v was causing the problem if I remember correctly.
Maybe check all connections and or battery. -Mark

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X2

It do it with all depths or just shallow?

If shallow there is a shallow water setting you can try, mine did it in shallow weedy water under about 6-8 foot and changing settings helped, there’s a note on this in the Lowrance website.

Al

Thanks for the tips. I had trouble at all depths from 5 to 50 feet. I didn’t check the voltage but will do that next time out.

Bob, I assume you have made sure the transducer is mounted properly on your boat. If it is not mounted quite right that could cause the issue. But it could easily be a bad transducer or a voltage issue as others noted.

If you end up needing a new HST-WSBL, we have them at Jolly Ann for $69 shipped. See Lowrance parts.

I’ve had the exact same problems with the same setup! I replaced my transducer last year also, and it was good thru the year. Now its repeating the same issue! Mine started out just when I was in plane and just got worse and is doing the identical thing. I too am done with lowrance! Out of the three models on my boat all have had multiple issues!

I stopped at Cabela’s in Rogers this afternoon and talked to the guys there. One of them indicated he had seen similar problems with his Lowrance and that he had replaced the transducer with one of the new ones. He indiated that the new ones are manufactured by somebody different than the previous and that they have a white sticker on the cord in addition to the previous silver HST-WSBL one. I picked one of these up just to see. Hit the lake and everything was working fine so I thought my problem was the voltage issue discussed earlierin this thread (battery brand new and freshly charged). After about 5 minutes I started losing bottom again. Went back to the landing and pulled the boat out, swapped the transducer and launched to find everything working fine. Messed around on the water for a couple of hours and everything seems to be working fine, on plane as well as while trolling. Looks like it was another bad ‘ducer. Hope this is the final answer.