Pub. 988-0151-211 www.lowrance.com X52 and X59DF Fish-Finding & Depth-Sounding Sonars Installation and Operation Instructions Copyright © 2004 Lowrance Electronics, Inc. All rights reserved. Lowrance® is a registered trademark of Lowrance Electronics, Inc. No part of this manual may be copied, reproduced, republished, transmitted or distributed for any purpose, without prior written consent of Lowrance. Any unauthorized commercial distribution of this manual is strictly prohibited. Lowrance Electronics may find it necessary to change or end our policies, regulations, and special offers at any time. We reserve the right to do so without notice. All features and specifications subject to change without notice. All screens in this manual are simulated. For free owner's manuals and the most current information on this product, its operation and accessories, visit our web site: www.lowrance.com Lowrance Electronics Inc. 12000 E. Skelly Dr. Tulsa, OK USA 74128-2486 Printed in USA. Table of Contents Introduction ...................................................................................... i Capabilities and Specifications: X52 and X59DF.............................. 1 Installation & Accessories............................................................. 3 Preparations........................................................................................ 3 Transducer Installation...................................................................... 3 Recommended Tools and supplies.................................................. 4 Selecting a Transducer Location .................................................... 4 How low should you go? .................................................................. 5 Shoot-Thru-Hull vs. Transom Mounting ....................................... 6 Transom Transducer Assembly and Mounting ............................. 7 Trolling Motor Bracket Installation................................................. 13 Transducer Orientation and Fish Arches .................................... 14 Shoot-Thru-Hull Preparation ....................................................... 15 Testing Determines Best Location ............................................... 16 Shoot-Thru-Hull Installation ....................................................... 17 Speed/Temperature Sensors............................................................. 19 Optional Temperature Sensor...................................................... 19 Optional Speed Sensor Installation ............................................. 19 Power Connections............................................................................ 20 Powering a NMEA 2000 Buss (NMEA 2000 Power cable).......... 21 Powering Your Unit ...................................................................... 21 NMEA 2000 Cable Connections ....................................................... 24 NMEA 0183 Cable Connections ....................................................... 24 Mounting the Unit: Bracket, In-Dash or Portable .......................... 25 Other Accessories.............................................................................. 29 Basic Sonar Operation ................................................................. 31 KEYBOARD BASICS ....................................................................... 31 Memory.............................................................................................. 32 Menus ................................................................................................ 32 Main Menu .................................................................................... 32 Sonar Menu ................................................................................... 34 Pages ................................................................................................. 35 Basic Sonar Quick Reference ........................................................... 38 Sonar Operations .............................................................................. 39 Fish Symbols vs. Full Sonar Chart .............................................. 41 Other Free Training Aids ............................................................. 42 Advanced Sonar Options & Other Features............................ 43 ASP (Advanced Signal Processing) ............................................... 43 Alarms ............................................................................................... 44 Depth Alarms ................................................................................ 44 Fish Alarm..................................................................................... 45 i Backlight Level ................................................................................. 46 Calibrate Speed................................................................................. 46 Chart Speed....................................................................................... 46 Grayline ........................................................................................... 47 Contrast............................................................................................. 48 Depth Cursor..................................................................................... 49 Depth Range - Automatic ................................................................. 50 Depth Range - Manual ..................................................................... 50 Depth Range - Upper and Lower Limits ......................................... 51 To change the upper and lower limits:......................................... 51 To turn off upper and lower limits: .............................................. 52 FasTrack ........................................................................................ 52 Fish I.D. (Fish Symbols & Depths) ............................................... 52 FishTrack ....................................................................................... 53 Overlay Data ..................................................................................... 54 Ping Speed & HyperScroll............................................................. 56 To change Ping Speed: .................................................................. 57 To adjust Sensitivity: .................................................................... 57 To turn off HyperScroll:................................................................ 57 Pop-up Help....................................................................................... 58 Reset Options .................................................................................... 58 Reset Water Distance ....................................................................... 59 Sensitivity & Auto Sensitivity.......................................................... 59 To turn Auto Sensitivity back on: ................................................ 61 Set Keel Offset .................................................................................. 61 Set Language .................................................................................... 62 Software Version Information.......................................................... 62 Sonar Chart Mode............................................................................. 63 Sonar Page & Sonar Chart Display Options ................................... 63 Full Sonar Chart ........................................................................... 63 Split Zoom Sonar Chart ................................................................ 64 Digital Data/Chart ........................................................................ 65 Flasher........................................................................................... 66 Sonar Simulator................................................................................ 66 Stop Chart ......................................................................................... 66 Surface Clarity .................................................................................. 67 Units of Measure............................................................................... 68 Zoom Pan........................................................................................... 70 Troubleshooting ............................................................................ 71 Index................................................................................................. 75 ii Introduction Thank you for buying a 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. However, if you want to fine-tune your unit, press the MENU key. The X52 and X59DF have several powerful features you can control by scrolling through easy-to-use menus with the arrow and menu keys. To get started with your Lowrance sonar, first read the installation section. It contains instructions for mounting the sonar unit, the transducer and any optional accessories, such as a speed sensor. Following recommended installation practices will pay off in optimum performance of your Lowrance sonar. Improper installation can cause problems down the road, especially if the transducer is badly mounted. After you've read the installation instructions, install the unit and accessories. Then, read the rest of the manual. The more you know about your sonar, the better it will work for you. Take advantage of the Simulator feature. It allows you to practice operating your sonar before you get it in the water. And when you finally head for your favorite fishing hole, take this manual along for reference. Capabilities and Specifications: X52 and X59DF General Case size:......................... 5.2" H x 5.4" W x 2.6" D (13.2 cm H x 13.6 cm W x 6.6 cm D) sealed, waterproof; suitable for saltwater use. Display:............................ High-contrast Film SuperTwist LCD; 4.0" (10.2 cm) diagonal viewing area. Resolution:...................... 240 pixels (vert.) x 160 pixel (horiz.) resolution; 38,400 total pixels Backlighting:.................. White LED backlit screen and keypad for night use. Input power:................... 10 to 17 volts DC. Current drain: ............... 300 ma lights off; 400 ma lights on. Back-up memory: .......... Built-in memory stores sonar settings when unit is turned off. 1 Sonar Frequency:...................... 200 kHz (or 50/200 kHz ­ X59DF only). Transducers: .................. A dual-frequency Skimmer transducer comes packed with the X59DF. It has 35°/12° cone angles. Single frequency models for X52 with a 20° cone angle are sold separately. Both models offer a wide fish detection area of up to 60º with high sensitivity settings. Transmitter: ................... 1500 watts peak-to-peak power (typical); 188 watts RMS power (typical). Sonar sounding depth capability: ........... 800 feet (244 meters) at 200 kHz; 1500 feet (450 meters) at 50 kHz (X59DF only). 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:....... Yes, with instant screen updates. Zoom bottom track: ...... Yes. Split-screen zoom:......... Yes. Surface water temp: ..... Yes, with optional external temperature sensor, combo speed/temp sensor or transducer with built-in temp. Speed/distance log: ....... Yes, with optional speed sensor or combo speed/temp sensor. NOTICE! The storage temperature for your unit is from -4 degrees to +167 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees to +75 degrees Celsius). Extended storage in temperatures higher or lower than specified will damage the liquid crystal display in your unit. This type of damage is not covered by the warranty. For more information, contact the factory's Customer Service Department; phone numbers are inside the manual's back cover. 2 Installation & Accessories Preparations You can install the sonar system in some other order if you prefer, but we recommend this installation sequence: CAUTION: You should read over this entire installation section before drilling any holes in your vehicle or vessel! 1. Determine the approximate location for the sonar unit, so you can plan how and where to route the cables for the transducer and power. This will help you make sure you have enough cable length for the desired configuration. 2. Determine the approximate location for the transducer and its cable route. 3. Determine the location of your battery or other power connection, along with the power cable route. 4. Install the transducer and route the tra ...