Page 2 - Copyright © 2006 Lowrance Electronics, Inc.; No part of this manual may be copied, reproduced, republished,; Any unauthorized commercial; Lowrance; For free owner's manuals and other information,; Lowrance Electronics Inc.
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 writtenconsent of Lowrance Electronics. Any unauthorized commercial distribution of this manual is strictly prohib...
Page 3 - Table of Contents
i Table of Contents Introduction .......................................................................................1 Capabilities and Specifications: X50 DS ............................................ 1 How Sonar Works...............................................................................
Page 4 - ii
ii Deep Alarm .........................................................................................40 Battery Alarm.....................................................................................40Noise Rejection and ASP ................................................................41 D...
Page 5 - Introduction; PWR; Capabilities and Specifications: X50 DS; General
1 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 d...
Page 6 - How Sonar Works
2 Transmitter: .................... 1,500 watts peak-to-peak power (typical); 188 watts RMS power (typical). Sonar soundingdepth capability: ............ 1,000 feet (305 meters). Actual capability de- pends on transducer configuration and in- stallation, bottom composition and water con- ditions. Al...
Page 7 - Dual Search Transducer; Preparations
3 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...
Page 8 - Installation; These instructions will help you install your Skimmer; Recommended Tools and supplies; high
4 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 tran...
Page 9 - Selecting a Transducer Location; smooth flow; here, but the principle is the same for Skimmers inside a hull.
5 Single-frequency transom installations Tools include: two adjustable wrenches, drill, #29 (0.136") drill bit, flat- head screwdriver (for mounting screws and their pilot holes). Supplies: none. Single-frequency trolling motor installations Tools: two adjustable wrenches, flat-head screwdriver....
Page 10 - Good and poor transducer locations.; How low should you go?; Align transducer centerline with hull bottom.
6 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. Good and poor transducer locations. How low should ...
Page 11 - Transom Transducer Assembly and Mounting
7 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...
Page 12 - transom. Most outboard and stern-drive transoms have a 14; Align plastic ratchets in bracket.; Aligning the transducer on the transom.; Slide the transducer; Insert bolt and check transducer position on transom.
8 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. Align plastic ratchets in bracket. 2. Aligni...
Page 13 - Once you determine the correct posi-; Assemble transducer and bracket.; Hold the transducer and bracket assem-; Nut
9 3. Assembling the transducer. Once you determine the correct posi- tion for the ratchets, assemble the transducer as shown in the following figure. Don't tighten the lock nut at this time. Assemble transducer and bracket. 4. Drilling mounting holes. Hold the transducer and bracket assem- bly again...
Page 14 - Remove the transducer from; Route cable over bolt and through bracket.; preceding and following figures. Tighten the bracket's mounting; Transom
10 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 figu...
Page 15 - Route the transducer cable through or over the transom to; Bottom
11 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...
Page 16 - Trolling Motor Bracket Installation; Attach motor mounting bracket to transducer.
12 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.) Attach motor mounting bracket to transducer. 2. Slide the adj...
Page 17 - Transducer Orientation and Fish Arches; Transducer angles and their effects on fish arches.
13 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. Transducer angles and their effects on fish arches. If the arch slopes up...
Page 18 - Epoxy the transducer to a solid portion of the hull.; solid; high speed or trolling speed operation.
14 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 re...
Page 19 - Testing Determines Best Location; Example of a second bottom signal. Unit is in 30 feet of water, with; the sump of the boat, face down. (The transducer face is shown in the; Second bottom
15 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...
Page 20 - Epoxy transducer to hull.; Use; only; the epoxy available from LEI. It has been for-; Spread epoxy here
16 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 thisstep is optional . If you want to make an extra effort to be absolutely sure that your selected location will work ...
Page 21 - Make sure there are no air pockets in the epoxy layer!
17 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 mixi...
Page 22 - Power connections for the X50 DS sonar unit; as close to the power source as possible.; battery
18 power cable when the unit is not in use. When you are not usingthe unit, you should always shut off power to the power cable, es-pecially when the power cable is disconnected from the unit. Power connections for the X50 DS sonar unit (direct battery connection shown). If possible, keep the power ...
Page 23 - Bracket Installation; rine grade; of the X50 DS when mounted on quick release bracket.; side of the cable hole — it's a matter of personal preference.; Millimeter
19 Bracket Installation Recommended tools for this job include: drill, 1" (25.4 mm) drill bit,screwdriver. Required supplies for this job include: high quality, ma- rine grade above- or below-waterline caulking compound, three #10 stainless steel screws. Screw length and type should be suitable ...
Page 24 - up; Using the Quick Release Mounting Bracket
20 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 u...
Page 25 - Portable Sonar Installation; on a float tube, on an ice fishing trip or use it as a second sonar in a; Bracket front
21 Mount the sonar: slide the unit onto the bracket from above. Adjust viewing angle: use one hand to press and release the spring- loaded 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....
Page 26 - Installing the Batteries; Mounting the Unit
22 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 f...
Page 27 - Portable Transducer Assembly; Ratchet
23 To mount the sonar, slide the unit onto the bracket from above (left). To adjust the view, press and release spring-loaded ratchets while tilt- ing 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. Relea...
Page 29 - Portable transducer installed on boat transom.; Portable Transducer Storage; Wrap the transducer cable around the suction cup, then stow the; Stow transducer on top of battery cover.
25 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 compartm...
Page 30 - Notes
Page 31 - Operation; Keyboard Basics
27 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 ex- planations below: Lowrance X50 DS. 1. PWR/CLEAR In this manual, the Power/Clear key is referred to as PWR . Press this key to turn t...
Page 32 - The Backlight menu with backlight turned on.
28 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, re- peatedly press a MENU key to scroll throu...
Page 34 - Depth Range; Depth Range menu with Manual setting selected (left). Range Size
30 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 ac- cording to water conditions. When in auto range mode, it always keeps the bottom displayed in the lower portion of t...
Page 35 - Zoom; auto
31 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 displ...
Page 36 - Zoom Range menu with the 40-80 foot zoom selected.; Sensitivity; time. There are situations when too much clutter appears on the
32 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, 20- 40, 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 disp...
Page 37 - To adjust sensitivity in Auto Mode:; To adjust sensitivity in Manual Mode:
33 To adjust sensitivity in Auto Mode: Repeatedly press MENU until the S ENSITIVITY menu appears. Make sure sen- sitivity 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 ...
Page 38 - Grayline; MENU
34 Grayline ® Grayline lets you distinguish between strong and weak echoes. It al- lows you to tell the difference between a hard and soft bottom. For ex- ample, 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 ...
Page 39 - Chart Speed; Chart Speed scroll bar.
35 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 mini...
Page 40 - Frequency; Frequency menu with 200 kHz selected.
36 sonar signal cone, the image appears on the screen as a long line in- stead 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 C HART S PEED scroll bar appears. Press ↑ to i...
Page 42 - FishTrack; Fish ID menu and symbol with FishTrack on. The fish is 44 feet deep.; Alarms
38 Fish I.D. can also be useful when you want to screen out some of the so- nar 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 F ISH ID menu ap- pears. Pres...
Page 45 - MENU DOWN; Noise Rejection and ASP
41 Battery Alarm menu (left). Low Battery Alarm Value (right). Press the ↓ to S ET V ALUE . 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. ...
Page 46 - Noise Rejection menu.; try using the high ASP setting. If, however, you are having trouble; until the; to select the desired setting, then press
42 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 sensi- tivity or other controls.The ASP feature has three settings — Off, Low and High. When first turned on, noise rejection is set on l...
Page 47 - Depth Display; Temperature Display; To display Temperature:
43 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 D EPTH menu appears. Use ↑ ↓ to select the size of the depth display. Press PWR to clear the menu. Temperature Display Temperature...
Page 48 - Voltage; To display battery voltage:; Backlight; Contrast; Simulator
44 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 V OLTAGE menu appears. Use ↑ ↓ to se- lect the size of the voltage display. Press PWR to clear the me...
Page 49 - Set Language; To select a language:; Software Information; Reset Options
45 Simulator menu (left). Languages menu (right). To use the simulator, repeatedly press MENU until the S IMULATOR 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. S...
Page 50 - Troubleshooting; Unit turns on only in simulator mode:
46 Troubleshooting If your unit is not working, or if you need technical help, please use the following troubleshooting section before contacting the factory cus- tomer service department. It may save you the trouble of returning your unit for repair. For contact information, refer to the last page,...
Page 51 - NOISE
47 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 th...
Page 54 - How to Obtain Service...; and genuine Lowrance replacement parts. If you're in the United; ...outside Canada and the USA:
50 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 con- tact the Factory Customer Service Department. Before an...
Page 55 - Dealer Locator; Shipping Information
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 abl...
