Lowrance!!!!!!!!!

[Greg Duggan]

Hey all,

Does anyone here work for or with Lowrance?

I have been servely disapointed with the performeance of my LMS520 and 510X since pretty much the day they were installed. I have been batteling with the GPS on 520 for the past 3 seasons. I have changed the Puck module and the power cable to the puck from the head in an effort to resolve a GPS Module Not Responding error. Both were replaced at my cost and at the request of technical at Lowrance. This summer i found that there was a deffinate corolation with the sun and this error. I started covering the LMS520 with a wet towell during blue bird days. I found that if the head unit is in direct sun light and its hot out the GPS dropps out and i get this error. On cool over cast days or with the wet towell trick the unit operates as designed. As you can imagine i am extremley agrivated and disapointed with the hole issue not to mention the $300.00 i blew trying to fix these issues.

I have also had many issues with my bow mounted 510X, this unit is always loosing the transducer. Ussualy i can reboot and it finds the bottom and contineus to work for a couple of hours at a time. I have replaced the transducer and still this issue continues to haunt me.

So, is there any one to turn to for help at lowrance or am i stuck with the cost having to ship and pay for my 520 to be repaired? Do i have a leg to stand on if i call Lowrance and whine and complain about there product?



I really don't want to drop another $1000.00 to replace these units.



Thanks for your input.

GregD

 

[Jim B]

Greg,

You are feeling the same pain i did with those 500 series units. Mine did the same gps drop out deal as yours, the sonar performance was terrible and every third rainstorm they were flooded. I spent countless hours on the phone with them, sent the units in countless times and never got it resolved...... that is until i removed everything that was branded lowrance off my boat, chucked it in the trash(seriously, i chucked 2 520c's and sold one 332c that i had as a much needed backup)and replaced them.



To answer your question no i dont think you have a leg to stand on per se. Personally i never got satisfaction from them when they were in warranty, out of warranty id say your going to be out of luck. Its worth the call for sure but when i tried to get mine resolved the interaction with customer service was almost as frustrating as the units themselves. They truly didnt care and seemed uninterested in supporting them.



Sorry to be Capt. negative but i'm still a little bitter about the situation.:angry:



On a happier note i am very pleased with the Humminbird units that i replaced them with.



BTW, how did you make on on Sat at webster? L Sunapee was good from about 9-10:30. It was like someone turned on the feeding switch at 9am and it was crazy until 10:30 when it just tirned off and i didnt get another bite the rest of the day. When they were on it was crazy, like every cast crazy and two fish on one top water crazy.

 

[Mad Kayaker]

Hey Greg - one crazy idea. Are the power cables daisy-chained together or do both cables for power run to the battery? The reason I ask is because I was having an issue with my Humminbird front unit flaking out and found out that the unit was not getting enough power because of how I had the units daisy-chained. Just a thought. Also, you might want to think of bringing your boat to Jim Barry to look at - he is very good with electronics, trolling motors, etc...



Jim B - are you getting much use out of the weather sensor?



Bill, the MadKayaker

 

[Greg Duggan]

Jim,

I know you had a bad experience with your Lowrance equip as well. I was hoping to be on the other side of the fence with my experience.....................

I was hoping to find someone like GregMeyer with Hummingbird on this site.

So far Lowramce has really let me down. I like the 520 for what it is. If i didn't drop 300.00 on components/replacement parts i didn't need. I might not be so cranky.



Fishing on Saturday was tough to say the least. I could'nt manage a fish no matter what I did. I had a couple of real nice wacks at early on top water (flukes and Zara Spook) but no hook ups? Beat the shallows and weeds for a couple of hours with no luck. Moved off and tried a transition area from 12/6' with a nice weed line worked a shaky head with a couple of pick ups but again no hook ups.

Went deep and then my 510X decided to stop reading the bottom. Kicked it off the bow and broke the Johnny Ray mount!!!!!!!!!!!!!! listened to the 520 countlessly drop and find the GPS signle.. Damn near had a frustration melt down on the deck when a huge Bald Eagle flew over head. I took a deep breath and decided to chill and eat lunch. My buddy dropped a senko off the side of the boat in 30' while eating and landed a 1.5lb smallie.

He then beraded me and said that this would be the first time he ever out fished me.

That changed evrything. I started to attatck the water with everthing i could think of. I finally managed a 3.0lb largemouth with a BlueGill spider jig in 6'.

That was it I out fished him, put my toys away and went home.

Man, fishing is so relaxing!



GregD

 

[Greg Duggan]

Bill,

Both are powered seperatly. Both have individual power wirring and fuses. I think I have tried verything to this point.

The weather issue is proven with the 520. hard to belive a wet rag can keep the unit operating all day. There must be some resistor/capacitor that heats up in the direct sun light and kills the GPS signle. I'm sure that can be fixed if they can reproduce it at the factory (at what cost).

The 510x is probaly going to be replaced next spring. What do you expect for 350.00, a finder that works for more than 2yrs, don't be rediculous....



GregD

 

[Jim B]

Greg, you sound just like i did a year ago. I got flustered to the point that the 520 i had on the front came off and i smashed it into a million pieces with an 8# sledge. Then i called 3 rivers marine and got my new stuff and have not looked back.



Dont be shocked if they cand "duplicate" the problem in the shop. I sent both of mine back countless times for that exact issue and never once could they duplicate it. I could with consistancy and thier answer was to always blame the boat. I went as far as to remove everything from the boat and set it all up on a bench and it still did it. Mine wasnt heat related you could set your watch to it, every 30 min on the dot the gps would drop. I sent the entire deal to them including the puck and all the wires, power cords etc and thier answer was everything was normal. I had a 332c that worked perfect using the same puck and wires but the 520's were a constant headache. The biggest mistake i made last year was putting all that stuff back in the boat when i took it out of storage. I wish i had made the switch then. I have a Humminbord 788c on the bow now ans a 798c in the console and they are just super, i also have a network that works properly.



I equate it to a discussion we had earlier this year with Lowrance taking the place of a pc with its constant headaches and humminbird taking the place of the mac that just works with no hassles.





Bill,

I have been playing with that weather module a good bit. Its pretty neat, i still have to learn what its telling me exactly but it did warn me of a inpending thunderstorm once this year when the pressure dropped rather quick. I decided to get out of dodge and once i was laoded up and ready to go a fast moving storm rolled thru.

 

[Jim in VA]

Greg - sorry to hear. All I can add is that I had problems with the "simple" Lowrance that came with my used G3. Could read the bottom at all. Linda Colt is the customer rep at Lowrance and while was nice enough, none of her suggestions helped (clean the contacts, try a new transducer, etc.). When I went back to her, she said since the unit was out of warranty (five years old), I was out of luck. I don't expect stuff to last forever (okay, yes, I do!), but regardless, I found five years for solid-state electronics to be pretty poor longevity. I went with Humminbird (565) and have not had a problem since. Heck, I STILL have the original Humminbird unit (128) from Bill in VA's boat when I bought the unit off him in 2004 (or 2005?) and its still working fine (not to mention the one that came with my 2002 PT175 that was sent off with the new owner still working as well).

 

[Greg Meyer]

Lots of discussions about disappointed Lowrance users on several forums/boards. There was a big dust-up and lots of conversations all over the net over Linda Colt leaving Lowrance and the belief in a low quality of customer service provided. Lowrance made lots of "promises" about improved customer service and commitment to quality. Bottom line in my opinion is that once it was "acquired" a corporate mentality was installed that left a "compromise" between, unit sales, quality control and customer service in favor of the bottom line. In other words, in my opinion, the individual customer was not all that important as long as sales numbers were profitable. So, I have resolved to move on... When my Last Lowrance is too "uncool" or whatever, I will be moving to "Bird" units...

 

[Greg Duggan]

Jim

I was thinking of the hole PC/MAC issues while typing my last reply. It angers me to think that the customer service at Lowrance is as poor as it is. Other than the whole Ford/Chevy debate we are very closely opinionated.

Ford still rules LOL!

I really don't want to dump another grand plus on new electronics. I was pumped to get the 520 and have the GPS option, i could have stuck with the Last black and white unit i purchased from you and kept using my Garmin E trex with know additional expense!!!!!!AHHHH the ANGER continues to rage inside me. All right, I'll just say I HATE LOWRANCE! I am going to call them Wednesday when i am in a more stable mind frame.



Greg, I miss typed when i typed your name as a Hummingbird rep. I thought it was you, but it is apparently someone else on this board who is always answering questions regarding the H-bird units.

 

[fatrap]

I have a 522 and a 510 they have preformed flawlessly for three years. I must be the luckiest person alive.

fatrap

 

[Greg Duggan]

Congrats Fatrap!

So there is hope yet.



GregD

 

[JEFF DARWAY]

TRy going to http://www.bassboatcentral.com/ and contact the following memeber



http://www.bbcboards.net/zerouser?cmd=viewprofile&id=20023



He works for Lowrance and has helped alot of people. It's worth a shot

 

[ND Bass]

I have a LMS520C and I probably wouldn't buy another one. That said, make sure you have downloaded and installed the latest firmware. There are 'fixes' that make things a bit better for the sonoar.



I have been fortunate not to have any problems with the GPS.

 

[Jim B]

Yep greg we do share a lot of the same opinions for sure. The truck thing and football being the exception



BTW did you get the heated tailgate option on that Ford?

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Just to set the record straight, although Greg Meyer is an all-around stand up guy (untill you get him po'd) the master of all things Humminbird is Greg Walters and I still like him even though he wouldn't give me free finders!!:lol::lol::lol:



TOXIC

 

[Jimmy Easterling]

I have a 522 and a 510 they have preformed flawlessly for three years. I must be the luckiest person alive.

fatrap

I've had 2-520's and a HDS-7 and have had no problems. I have a X96 in dash that came with the boat and the HDS7 mounted on the side of the dash, both ducers are thru hull sitting side by side. The X96 will not work work when the HDS7 is powered up. Never a problem with the GPS signal. I too must be one of the lucky ones. I did have a problem with the 520 filling up with water some time ago but Lowrance replaced it without swapping words. Sorry for your troubles.

 

[Bryan McDonough]

I am also lucky, I did have a problem after spending 2 days dunking my 520 underwater trying to fish main lake structures on Toledo Bend and in High wind. They replaced it in a matter of 2 weeks. I also had issues with loosing the bottom, in grass and shallow water, the latest update fixed those issues. Never had a GPS problem and my antennae is mounted under my deck. Got no reason to change yet.

 

[David Heine]

You think that's bad - I have a 28cHD in which the fish finder is the only working part about the unit. I burned through 3 pucks and lowrance telling me to take a walk. So I went out and bought another unit just for my GPS. So I have a $1500 fish finder and a seperate gps unit. Works awesome like this, not having all my eggs in one basket too. I will never ever, ever buy another lowrance product. I am done with them. The absolute worst customer service ever.