X-29, X-39
and
X-49
INSTALLATION AND OPERATION
INSTRUCTIONS
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for purchasing a Lowrance sonar. Your sonar unit is a high
quality unit designed for both professional and novice fishermen. All of our
sonars have an automatic feature that finds and displays the bottom, fish,
structure, and more! All you have to do is press the on key. However, if
youwishtofinetunetheunit, allyouhavetodoispressthemenukey. This
series of sonar products has powerful features available through easy-to-
use menus.
To get started with your Lowrance unit, first read the installation section.
This is where it all begins. Improper installation can cause problems down
the road. After you’ve read the instructions, install the unit, then read the
rest of the manual. The more you know about your unit, the better it will
perform for you.
SPECIFICATIONS - All Units
Dimensions ....................... 5.9" W x 5.35" H x 3.4" D
Input Voltage .................... 10 - 15 vDC
Current Drain .................... 350 ma (lights off)
........................... 500 ma (lights on)
Transmitter
Frequency .......... 192 kHz
Output Power ..... 600 watts (peak-to-peak) (typical)
........................... 75 watts (RMS)
Display ........................... 128 pixels (H) x 65 pixels (W)
........................... Film Supertwist Liquid Crystal Display
5.9"
3.4"
NOTICE!
The storage temperature for your unit is from -4 degrees to +167 degrees
Fahrenheit (-20 degrees to +75 degrees Celcius). Extended storage in tempera-
tures 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 customer service department or your local service center.
1
Transducer Installation
Some of the models covered by this manual have a transom-mount
transducer included. The following are installation instructions for this
transducer.
The “kick-up” mounting bracket helps prevent damage if the transducer
strikes an object while the boat is moving. If the transducer does “kick-
up”, the bracket can easily be pushed back in place without tools.
Read this manual carefully before attempting the installation. Determine
which of the mounting positions is right for your boat. Use extreme care
if mounting the transducer inside the hull, since once it is epoxied into
position, the transducer usually cannot be removed. Remember, the
transducer location is the most critical part of a sonar installation.
Location - General
1. The transducer must be placed in a location that has a smooth flow of
water at all times. If the transducer is to be mounted inside the hull,
then the chosen location must be in the water at all times. If the
transducer is not placed in a smooth flow of water, interference will
show on the sonar’s display in the form of random lines or dots
whenever the boat is moving.
2. The transducer should be installed with it’s face pointing straight
down, if possible.
3. If the transducer is mounted on the transom, make certain it doesn’t
interfere with the trailer or hauling of the boat. Also, don’t mount it
closer than approximately one foot from the engine’s lower unit. This
will prevent cavitation interference with the propeller. Typically, the
transducer should be mounted as deep in the water as possible. This
increases the chance that it will be in the water in high speed and
reduces the possiblity of air bubble interference.
4. If possible, route the transducer cable away from other wiring on the
boat. Electrical noise from engine wiring, bilge pumps, and areators
can be displayed on the sonar’s screen. Use caution when routing
the transducer cable around these wires.
2
Shoot-thru-hull v.s. Transom Mounting
Typically, shoot-thru-hull installations give excellent high speed opera-
tion and good to excellent depth capability. There is no possibility of
damage from floating objects. It can't be knocked off when docking or
loading on the trailer.
However, the shoot-thru-hull installation does have its drawbacks. One,
some loss of sensitivity does occur, even on the best hulls. This varies
from hull to hull, even from different installations on the same hull. This
is caused by differences in hull layup and construction. Two, the angle
of the transducer cannot be adjusted for the best fish arches. This can
be a problem on some hulls that sit with the bow high when at rest or at
slow trolling speeds. Follow the procedure listed in the shoot-thru-hull
installation section in this manual to determine if you can satisfactorily
shoot through the hull.
Transducer Assembly and Mounting - All Units
The best way to install this transducer is to loosely assemble all of the
parts first, place the transducer’s bracket against the transom and see if
you can move the transducer so that it’s parallel with the ground.
1. Press the two small plastic ratchets into the sides of the metal bracket
as shown below. Notice there are letters molded into each ratchet.
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 fourteen (14) degree transom. Most
outboard and stern-drive transoms have a fourteen degree angle.
DOT
3
2. Slide the transducer between the two ratchets. Temporally slide the
bolt though the transducer assembly and hold it against the transom.
Looking at the transducer from the side, check to see if it will adjust so
that its face is parallel to the ground. If it does, then the “A” position is
correct for your hull. If the transducer’s face isn’t parallel with the ground,
remove the transducer and ratchets from the bracket. Place the ratch-
ets into the holes in the bracket with the letter “B” aligned with the dot
stamped in the bracket. Reassemble the transducer and bracket and
place them against the transom. Again, check to see if you can move
the transducer so it’s parallel with the ground. If you can, then go to
step 3. If it doesn’t, repeat step 2, but use a different letter until you can
place the transducer on the transom correctly.
RATCHETS
3. Once you determine the correct position for the ratchets, assemble
the transducer as shown at left. Don't tighten the lock nut at this time.
METAL
WASHER
NUT
RUBBER
WASHERS
METAL
WASHER
BOLT
4
CAUTION!
CLAMP THE TRANSDUCER CABLE TO
TRANSOM NEAR THE TRANSDUCER. THIS
WILL HELP PREVENT THE TRANSDUCER
FROM ENTERING THE BOAT IF IT IS
KNOCKED OFF AT HIGH SPEED.
GOOD LOCATION
POOR LOCATION
POOR ANGLE
GOOD LOCATION
4. Hold the transducer and bracket assembly against the transom. The
transducer should be roughly parallel to the ground. The bottom of the
transducer bracket should be in line with the bottom of the hull. Don't
let the bracket extend below the hull! Mark the center of the slots for
the mounting holes. Drill two 5/32" holes in the marked locations for
the #10 screws supplied with the transducer.
TRANSOM
SIDE VIEW
5
5. Remove the transducer from the bracket and re-assemble it with the
cable passing through the bracket over the bolt as shown above. At-
tach the transducer to the transom. Slide the transducer up or down
until it’s aligned properly on the transom as shown above. Tighten the
bracket’s mounting screws. Adjust the transducer so that it’s parallel to
the ground and tighten the lock nut until it touches the flat washer, then
add 1/4 turn. Don’t over tighten the lock nut! If you do, the transducer
won’t “kick-up” if it strikes an object in the water.
6. Route the transducer cable to the sonar unit. Make certain to leave
some slack inthe cable at the transducer as shown above. If possible,
route the transducer cable away from other wiring on the boat. Electri-
cal noise from the engine’s wiring, bilge pumps, VHF radio wires and
cables, and aerators can be picked up by the sonar. Use caution when
routing the transducer cable around these wires.
IMPORTANT!
Clamp the transducer cable to the transom close to the transducer. This
can prevent the transducer from entering the boat if it is knocked off at
high speed.
7. Make a test run to determine the results. If the bottom is lost at high
speed, or if noise appears on the display, try sliding the transducer
bracket down. This puts the transducer deeper into the water, hope-
fully below the turbulence causing the noise. Don't allow the trans-
ducer bracket to go below the bottom of the hull!
6
SHOOT-THRU-HULL
The transducer installation inside a fiberglass hull must be in an area
that does not have air bubbles in the resin or separated fiberglass
layers. The sonar signal must pass through solid fiberglass. A success-
ful 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. For example, some
manufacturers use a layer of fiberglass, then a core of balsa wood,
finishing with an outer layer of fiberglass. Removing the inner layer of
fiberglass and the balsa wood core exposes the outer layer of fiberglass.
The transducer can then be epoxied directly to the outer layer of fiber-
glass. After the epoxy cures, the hull is watertight and structurally sound.
Remember, the sonar signal must pass through solid fiberglass. Any air
bubbles in the fiberglass or the epoxy will reduce or eliminate the sonar
signals.
To choose the proper location for thru-hull mounting, anchor the boat in
60 feet of water. Add a little water to the sump of the boat. Plug the
FILL WITH EPOXY
INNER HULL
EPOXY TO HULL FIRST
OUTER HULL
transducer into the sonar unit, turn it on, then hold the transducer over
the side of the boat. Adjust the sensitivity and range controls until a
second bottom echo is seen on the display. (you will need to turn both
automatic and ASP off.) Don’t touch the controls once they’ve been set.
Next, take the transducer out of the water and place it in the water in the
sump of the boat. Observe the sonar signal to see if there is a notice-
able decrease in sensitivity. The second bottom signal may disappear
and the bottom signal may decrease in intensity. Move the transducer
around to find the best location. If the sensitivity control has to be
increased greatly to compensate, then the transducer should be
mounted on the outside of the hull. If not, then mark the location that
shot through the hull the best and follow the instructions on the next
pages for a shoot-thru-hull mounting.
7
TRANSDUCER LOCATION
(HIGH SPEED)
TRANSDUCER LOCATION
(TROLLING SPEED)
Shoot-thru-hull Installation
1. Make certain the area is clean, dry, and free of oil or grease, then
sand both the inside surface of the hull and the face of the transducer
with 100 grit sandpaper. The surface of the hull must be flat so the entire
transducer face is in contact with the hull prior to bonding.
SPREAD EPOXY HERE
SAND THIS SURFACE
2. Follow the instructions on the epoxy package and mix it thoroughly.
Do not mix it too fast, as it will cause bubbles to form in the epoxy.
(NOTE! Use only the epoxies specified on the inside front cover of this
manual! Failure to use one of these epoxies may result in poor sonar
performance!) Apply a small amount on the face of the transducer as
shown above, then spread a small amount onto the sanded area on the
8
hull. Place the transducer into the epoxy, twisting and turning it to force
any air bubbles out from under the transducer face. The face of the
transducer should be parallel with the hull, with a minimum amount of
epoxy between the hull and transducer. After the epoxy dries, route the
cable to the sonar unit.
Fish Arches
If you do not get good fish arches on your display, it could be the
transducer is not parallel with the ground when the boat is at rest in the
water, or at slow trolling speeds. If the arch slopes up, but not back
down, then the front of the transducer is too high and needs to be
lowered. If only the back half the the arch is printed, then the nose of the
transducer is angled too far down and needs to be raised.
TRANSDUCER AIMED TOO
FAR FORWARD
TRANSDUCER AIMED TOO FAR
BACK
PROPER TRANSDUCER ANGLE
9
POWER CONNECTIONS - All units
This unit works from a 12 volt DC system only. For the best results, run the
power cable directly to the boat’s battery. Keep the power cable away from
other boat wiring, especially the engine’s wires. This will give the best
isolation from electrical noise. If the supplied cable is not long enough to
reach the battery, splice #18 gauge insulated wire to it. You can attach the
power cable to an accessory or power buss, however, you may have
problemswithelectricalinterference.Makecertaintoattachthein-linefuse
holder to the positive lead as close to the battery or terminal strip as
possible. This will protect both the unit and the power cable in the event of
a short. Use a 3-amp fuse.
WARNING!
Do not use this product without a 3-amp fuse wired into the power cable!
Failure to use a 3-amp fuse will void your warranty!
This unit has reverse polarity protection. No damage will occur if the power
wires are reversed. However, the unit will not work until the wires are
attached correctly.
TO SONAR UNIT
TO SPEED/TEMP
SENSOR
(X-39 and X-49 ONLY)
RED
WIRE
BLACK
WIRE
3 amp
FUSE
12 VOLT
BATTERY
10
Bracket Installation
You can install the sonar unit on the top of a dash or from an overhead with
the supplied bracket. It can also be installed in the dash with an optional
IDA-3 mounting kit. If you use the supplied bracket, you may be interested
in the optional GBSA-1 swivel bracket kit. This converts the unit's gimbal
bracket to a swivel mount which can be used on the dash or overhead
mounting positions. Installation instructions for the in-dash and swivel
mounting kits are supplied with the adapter kits.
Mount the unit in any convenient location, provided there is clearance
when it’s tilted for the best viewing angle. Holes in the bracket’s base allow
wood screw or through bolt mounting. It may be necessary to place a piece
of plywood on the back side of thin panels to reinforce the panel. Make
certain there is enough room behind the unit to attach the power and
transducer cables.
Drill a hole in the dash for the power and transducer cables. The best
location for this hole is immediately under the gimbal bracket. This way,
the bracket covers the hole. The smallest hole the power and transducer
cable connectors can pass through is 5/8". After drilling the hole, pass the
transducer connector up through the hole from under the dash. Pass the
power cable down though the hole from the top. Slide the bracket over the
hole, then route the cables out the slot in the back of the bracket. Finally,
fasten the bracket to the dash.
SONAR UNIT
GIMBAL BRACKET
RUBBER WASHER
GIMBAL KNOB
Attach the unit to the gimbal bracket using the supplied gimbal knobs and
washers as shown above.
11
SPEED/TEMPERATURE SENSORS
TheX-39andX-49canuseuptothreeoptionaltemperaturesensorswhich
can monitor surface water, live well, air, and virtually any other tempera-
ture. You do need to be careful when purchasing the temperature sensors,
however. Each temperature sensor has its own "address". The sensors
are labeled "Water", "T-2" (or Temp-2), and "T-3" (or Temp-3). If you want
two (or more) temperature readings, you'll need to use the proper sensors.
For example, you can't use two T-3 sensors. The sensors that will fit these
units are:
TS-1BK
TS-2BK
TS-3BK
TS-12BK
ST-TBK
One sensor for "Water" temperature display.
One sensor for "T-2" temperature display.
One sensor for "T-3" temperature display.
Two sensors for "Water" and "T-2" temperature displays.
One speed sensor and one temperature sensor for
"Speed" and "Water" displays.
You can combine these sensors in many combinations. See the list on the
following pages for temperature and speed sensor combinations.
12
Sensor Chart
(Note: Do not use these sensors in any other combination.)
ST-TBK = 1 speed sensor and 1 temperature display
ST-T BK + TS-2BK = 2 temp sensors and one speed sensor
ST-TBK + TS-2BK + TS-3BK = 3 temp sensors and one speed sensor
TS-1BK = 1 temperature sensor
TS-12BK = 2 temperature sensors
or
TS-1BK + TS-2BK = 2 temperature sensors
TS-12BK + TS-3BK = 3 temperature sensors
or
TS-1BK + TS-2BK +TS-3BK = 3 temperature sensors
Here's some sample wiring diagrams:
TS-12 BK
Two Temperature Sensors
(Water and T-2)
X-39 or X-49 POWER CABLE
13
TS-12 BK
Sensor Chart
(Note: Do not use these
sensors in any other combina-
tion.)
TS-3 BK
Three Temperature Sensors
(Water, T-2, and T-3)
X-39 or X-49
POWER CABLE
ST-TBK
TS-2 BK
TS-3 BK
Three Temperature Sensors
plus Speed
(Water, T-2, T-3, and Speed)
X-39 or X-49
POWER CABLE
14
KEYBOARD BASICS
The unit sounds a tone when you press any
key. This tells you the unit has accepted a
command.
PWR/CLEAR
Usethiskeytoturntheuniton. Italsoclears
menu selections and the menus from the
screen. This key also turns the unit off.
NOTE: YoumustholdtheOFFkeydownfor
a few seconds in order to turn the unit OFF.
MENU FWD / MENU REV
These sonar units have many features that are accessed with the menu
keys. The MENU FWD key moves forward through the menus, the MENU
REV key moves backward. To see the first menu, simply press either
MENU key. To see the other menus, press a MENU key repeatedly.
UP and DOWN ARROWS
Use these keys to adjust virtually every feature and function on the unit.
NOTE: The up arrow key also stops the chart when no menus are
displayed. In other words, anytime you wish to stop the chart, first make
certain no menu is on the screen. Now press the up arrow key. The chart
freezes and the word “STOP” appears at the top of the screen. To start the
chart, press the up arrow key again.
DISPLAY - General
The lights flash for about ten seconds when the unit is turned on. Two
menus appear, one after the other. The menus are the lights (BACK
LIGHT) and a feet-meter selection (FEET/METER). To turn the lights on,
press the up arrow key. To switch from feet to meters, press the down
arrow key when the proper menu appears. The menus disappear after a
few seconds. If you don’t want to wait, press the
PWR key to clear the menus from the screen.
Whenthesonarunitisfirstturnedon,thedisplay
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