Lowrance HDS 5 gen2 depth malfunction - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

45user · 10-12-2016, 08:54 AM

Hello all,
So my ff has been acting weird lately. It would work (or seems to be working) correctly for the first 2-3hrs then it will give me false depth reading (usually very deep) Does anyone experience similar issue with HDS 5 gen 2? If so was there a remedy to fix the problem? I'm using factory 50/200mhz transducer.
Thank you for your help in advance!
45

kirkdavis · 10-12-2016, 09:01 AM

I had the same problem at LJ. Headed back to the beach my FF was suddenly reading deep. tried reboot...nothing. Finally figured out I was going over LJ canyon!!

ful-rac · 10-12-2016, 09:18 AM

If everything else is good I'd suspect a bad transducer.... It happends

45user · 10-12-2016, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ful-rac

If everything else is good I'd suspect a bad transducer.... It happends

Any specific brand you recommend that fits hobie outback transducer ready mold? It needs to work in LJ and freshwater.
Thank you!
45

45user · 10-12-2016, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirkdavis

I had the same problem at LJ. Headed back to the beach my FF was suddenly reading deep. tried reboot...nothing. Finally figured out I was going over LJ canyon!!

I suspected that and it happened to me before but unfortunately it wasn't the canyon this time.

Btw how deep is the canyon?
Thank you!
45

YakDout · 10-12-2016, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 45user

I suspected that and it happened to me before but unfortunately it wasn't the canyon this time.

Btw how deep is the canyon?

Thank you!

45

Ive had depths over the canyon deeper than 1000 feet. Were you fishing over it when this was happening? If your gain isnt high enough, it wont mark bottom at the depth. Try turning up your gain til you get a depth.

45user · 10-12-2016, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YakDout

Ive had depths over the canyon deeper than 1000 feet. Were you fishing over it when this was happening? If your gain isnt high enough, it wont mark bottom at the depth. Try turning up your gain til you get a depth.

Hmmmm
I just looked up La Jolla canyon and I may have went over that. Yes it gave me over 1000' reading but I was pretty close to the shore I thought my ff was going crazy..
45

ful-rac · 10-12-2016, 10:41 AM

Try it again in a known depth.

rossman · 10-12-2016, 11:03 AM

I had the exact same symptoms on a sonar unit many years ago and what threw me was it would only act up at La Jolla. Like you, I was amazed how close that deep water canyon was to shore and it was right on a line from the launch to the first waypoint that I headed to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 45user

Hmmmm
I just looked up La Jolla canyon and I may have went over that. Yes it gave me over 1000' reading but I was pretty close to the shore I thought my ff was going crazy..
45

YakDout · 10-12-2016, 10:13 AM

Call lowrance, they will send you a new transducer if its bad. I didnt even have to send my bad one in, and it started working again so now I have an extra.

45user · 10-12-2016, 11:04 AM

Thank you all for your help!!!
I will try it again and see what happens.
45

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45user · 10-12-2016, 11:09 AM

Now on a different note, my stock transducer is 50/200, is this transducer adequate to use in freshwater?
Thanks again!
45

YakDout · 10-12-2016, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 45user

Now on a different note, my stock transducer is 50/200, is this transducer adequate to use in freshwater?

Thanks again!

45

Yep it will work great.

45user · 10-12-2016, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YakDout

Yep it will work great.

Thank you!
45

45user · 10-13-2016, 04:55 AM

Thank you!

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Bruntoj · 10-13-2016, 01:24 PM

I'm confused. Should I be lubing it up with dielectric grease or using this contact cleaner?

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makobob · 10-13-2016, 01:29 PM

Cleaner THEN lube.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruntoj

I'm confused. Should I be lubing it up with dielectric grease or using this contact cleaner?

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Sheephead · 10-15-2016, 09:04 AM

I've had multiple problems with lowrance FF, specifically HDS models, and have figured out the primary trouble shootings. I've had the battery cutting out after 2-3 hours many times and depth inaccuracy once but never both at the same time. From my experience, depth inaccuracy can be caused by moving over water deeper than your current sonar setting (freshwater, deep water, shallow water, ect.) NOT 10ft, 30ft, 200ft, 1000ft, DISPLAYS for short durations. Also, spending longer than 30min in that zone and then coming over a ledge into shallow water might make it "stick" and keep reading inaccurately. 2nd reason for depth inaccuracy i've noticed is that sometimes it just goes wack. If it does just go wack change from sonar/ downscan to the full screen map display then change it back, it should reset it.

For the battery cutting out there's 1 of 2 possible reasons i've encountered. First reason, your battery is over 6-8 months old and you did not store it properly or you just use it a lot. Use an electric current reader to check your charging cable to see if that's the problem or its your battery. Second reason, and definitely the most dreaded, your sd card slot is starting to corrode. Even if you babied the sd card hatch to protect it, water WILL GET INSIDE! This has been my problem 3/4 times. The beginning stages are power shortages, 1-3hr battery life decreasing to 1-4 minutes over a week or two. Also, when your battery starts shortening to 1-4min your screen might look like a broken tv when you try to turn it on. Now lets say you put dialectric greaser inside your sd card slot? Remove all of it with a pin/ toothpick then brush out the rest. It's possible your grease might have crystalized. Then test FF? battery life again. If it still doesn't work, get a sd card of 2-8GB and put it inside your FF sd card reader. If your FF cannot read/ pick up your card you FF is shot! You'll have to send it in to get it replaced but before you do copy all your waypoints! Hope any of this helps! Let me know what problem it turns out to be, im curious!

45user · 10-13-2016, 01:53 PM

Yes what makobob said
I clean with the cleaner then lube it with dielectric grease
I usually do that after couple of outings
I don't remember if I did that before my ff acted up
I should have given that a try before asking

A lot of good help and wealth of information on this forum!
45

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kaya_one · 10-14-2016, 08:06 PM

I sent you a pm.
I have a transducer you can borrow to test.

10-12-2016, 08:54 AM	#1
45user Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 576	Lowrance HDS 5 gen2 depth malfunction Hello all, So my ff has been acting weird lately. It would work (or seems to be working) correctly for the first 2-3hrs then it will give me false depth reading (usually very deep) Does anyone experience similar issue with HDS 5 gen 2? If so was there a remedy to fix the problem? I'm using factory 50/200mhz transducer. Thank you for your help in advance! 45

10-12-2016, 09:18 AM	#3
ful-rac Emperor Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buena Park Posts: 3,649	If everything else is good I'd suspect a bad transducer.... It happends __________________ There's nothing colder than yesterday's hotdog.

10-12-2016, 10:41 AM	#8
ful-rac Emperor Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buena Park Posts: 3,649	Try it again in a known depth. __________________ There's nothing colder than yesterday's hotdog.

10-12-2016, 11:04 AM	#11
45user Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 576	Lowrance HDS 5 gen2 depth malfunction Thank you all for your help!!! I will try it again and see what happens. 45 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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10-12-2016, 09:01 AM	#2
kirkdavis Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: SD County Posts: 360	I had the same problem at LJ. Headed back to the beach my FF was suddenly reading deep. tried reboot...nothing. Finally figured out I was going over LJ canyon!!

10-12-2016, 10:13 AM	#10
YakDout Brandon Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,345	Call lowrance, they will send you a new transducer if its bad. I didnt even have to send my bad one in, and it started working again so now I have an extra.

10-12-2016, 11:09 AM	#12
45user Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 576	Now on a different note, my stock transducer is 50/200, is this transducer adequate to use in freshwater? Thanks again! 45

10-13-2016, 04:55 AM	#15
45user Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 576	Thank you! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

10-13-2016, 01:24 PM	#16
Bruntoj Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: San Diego County Posts: 168	I'm confused. Should I be lubing it up with dielectric grease or using this contact cleaner? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

10-15-2016, 09:04 AM	#18
Sheephead Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: San Diego Posts: 115	I've had multiple problems with lowrance FF, specifically HDS models, and have figured out the primary trouble shootings. I've had the battery cutting out after 2-3 hours many times and depth inaccuracy once but never both at the same time. From my experience, depth inaccuracy can be caused by moving over water deeper than your current sonar setting (freshwater, deep water, shallow water, ect.) NOT 10ft, 30ft, 200ft, 1000ft, DISPLAYS for short durations. Also, spending longer than 30min in that zone and then coming over a ledge into shallow water might make it "stick" and keep reading inaccurately. 2nd reason for depth inaccuracy i've noticed is that sometimes it just goes wack. If it does just go wack change from sonar/ downscan to the full screen map display then change it back, it should reset it. For the battery cutting out there's 1 of 2 possible reasons i've encountered. First reason, your battery is over 6-8 months old and you did not store it properly or you just use it a lot. Use an electric current reader to check your charging cable to see if that's the problem or its your battery. Second reason, and definitely the most dreaded, your sd card slot is starting to corrode. Even if you babied the sd card hatch to protect it, water WILL GET INSIDE! This has been my problem 3/4 times. The beginning stages are power shortages, 1-3hr battery life decreasing to 1-4 minutes over a week or two. Also, when your battery starts shortening to 1-4min your screen might look like a broken tv when you try to turn it on. Now lets say you put dialectric greaser inside your sd card slot? Remove all of it with a pin/ toothpick then brush out the rest. It's possible your grease might have crystalized. Then test FF? battery life again. If it still doesn't work, get a sd card of 2-8GB and put it inside your FF sd card reader. If your FF cannot read/ pick up your card you FF is shot! You'll have to send it in to get it replaced but before you do copy all your waypoints! Hope any of this helps! Let me know what problem it turns out to be, im curious!

10-13-2016, 01:53 PM	#19
45user Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 576	Yes what makobob said I clean with the cleaner then lube it with dielectric grease I usually do that after couple of outings I don't remember if I did that before my ff acted up I should have given that a try before asking A lot of good help and wealth of information on this forum! 45 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

10-14-2016, 08:06 PM	#20
kaya_one Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Encinitas Posts: 257	I sent you a pm. I have a transducer you can borrow to test.