Lowrance GPS Seminar, October 22 @ 6:30pm @ Kayak Connection, S.C.

Love to have you join us

I don't know if this is a stupid question but... is there anywhere on the lowrance FF that tells you how much battery you have left? 

You can see voltage and make an educated "guess" at best.

You can see voltage and make an educated "guess" at best.

Thanks Bill. For the amount of money we pay you would think you'd be able to get a battery percentage[emoji16]

Luckily nobody else has it either.  The technology is actually fairly costly to do this with any accuracy (digitally).

       I got the Elite 5 DSI.    Found out it has a pretty high consumption after about 3 or 4 hours of use it drains my lithium.   They just crap out.    Too bad there isn't a way to turn off the GPS to save power.  It does have a way to turn off the sonar... but Sonar is what I want most..

     I gotta say this.  After all the time and expense of mounting that unit on my kayak, I'm very disappointed with the Lowrance  I've only been able to use it two times.  Two other times it would not power on.   That's a 50% reliability rate...         Once a Ling tail slapped it and the thing powered off , would not restart.
   Was fishing with NicksYak yesterday, he is experiencing the same problem as well as a friend of his. so obviously this isn't an isolated incidence.   
  I will be returning this to West Marine, from now on sticking with Hummingbird. 
   
   

Sorry to hear your bad experience.  I can tell you that the power consumption is quite low.  At full operation it is ~1amp.  Most of the time it is in the mA draw range.  Not sure that there is a unit, of the same size, that is any (significant) lower consumption.  By all means, fish with what you have the greatest confidence in.  I, myself, would not fish with equipment that I did not have confidence in, such as a particular brand/model of lifejacket, vhf, gps, etc.

I'm always available to troubleshoot with any of these questions.  I came aboard with Lowrance, as a Pro-Staff, about the time the Elite 5 DSI was being phased out & replaced so I don't have a great history of the unit.  If they have concerns, they can always reach out.  The Lowrance service number is prompt and provides exchanges on units.  Last I heard, their turn around time was about a week.

In any case .... this thread is about an upcoming seminar on operation of Lowrance GPS functions in the Elite/HDS units.  I'll update the attendee list shortly.  Those who wish to attend, please chime in so we can plan accordingly.  It was a full house last time!

       I got the Elite 5 DSI.    Found out it has a pretty high consumption after about 3 or 4 hours of use it drains my lithium.   They just crap out.    Too bad there isn't a way to turn off the GPS to save power.  It does have a way to turn off the sonar... but Sonar is what I want most..

     I gotta say this.  After all the time and expense of mounting that unit on my kayak, I'm very disappointed with the Lowrance  I've only been able to use it two times.  Two other times it would not power on.   That's a 50% reliability rate...         Once a Ling tail slapped it and the thing powered off , would not restart.
   Was fishing with NicksYak yesterday, he is experiencing the same problem as well as a friend of his. so obviously this isn't an isolated incidence.   
  I will be returning this to West Marine, from now on sticking with Hummingbird. 
   
 

My close fishing buddy uses a Lowrance Elite 7 CHIRP and I have a Raymarine Dragonfly 5.  We both use a 12v 9ah Deep Cycle battery and it lasts the whole day. 

Baitman, I was having trouble with a Lowrance powering up.  I measured my battery at 12.6 volts up to the plug into the the unit.  Finally I measured the voltage at the battery while I was pressing the on/off button.  Turned out the battery voltage would drop from 12.6 volts down to below 11 volts, the cut-off for the Lowrance FF.  The battery 'looked' good until the load was actually applied.  I suspect you have a battery that has lost much of it's capacity.  Just because it measures 12+ volts doesn't mean it's got the capacity to run the FF.  Just my opinion...

I was using a non Deep Cycle Battery and after about 5 hours my unit FF would give a blank blue screen.  The GPS would still run.

I changed to a new 12v 9ah deep cycle and the problem went away.  Got one on eBay.

Just confirmed a location for the SacTown crew seminar.  Mike and I are trying to lock in the date.  As soon as we lock it it, we will start a thread for the sac event.

The Santa Cruz event for the 22nd is coming along.  If you have something specific you would like to discuss, ask now & I'll try to work it in.  This event is for YOU, not me so your input & interaction is welcomed.

Bill

   Well it's not the battery,,,  it's a new Lithium.  Tested, and zero voltage drop.   I think it may be the idiot at the end of the terminal       I tried several more times connecting and disconnecting.  It seems it will still plug in when the connector plug is turned 180 degrees. 

    Mystery solved as to why it would not turn on.   But still don't understand why the tail slap knocked power out.  Battery was showing 13.6 volts at the end.       I guess I need a "Seminar" !   Hope this topic gets some discussion.   

   

I didn't think that it could be plugged in 180° off.  Interesting....  I'll have to check that out this evening.  Thanks for the update Jim.  Did it end up being because the plug could/was put in 180° off kilter?

No idea why a tail slap would have shut it off 

Don't forget .... GPS seminar just over a week away!

ad the date & time (and location,  if there is room -abrv. ?)....to the original TITLE  of this thread..

i can only remember my name and phone number...in case I get lost