X-4 Pro Fish-Finding Sonar Installation and Operation Instructions
Copyright © 2010 Navico All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be copied, reproduced, republished, transmitted or distributed for any purpose, without prior written consent of Navico. Any unauthorized commercial distribution of this manual is strictly prohibited. Lowrance® is a registered trademark of Navico. Navico may find it necessary to change or end our policies, regulations, and special offers at any time. We reserve the right to do so without notice.
Table of Contents Capabilities and Specifications: X-4 Pro .................................... 1 Preparations ......................................................................................... 2 Installation ........................................................................................... 2 Recommended Tools and supplies ................................................... 3 Selecting a Transducer Location ..................................................... 3 How low should you go? ......
Noise Rejection and ASP™ ................................................................ 37 Depth Display ..................................................................................... 39 Temperature Display ......................................................................... 39 Voltage ................................................................................................ 40 Backlight .............................................................................................
Capabilities and Specifications: X-4 Pro General Case size: ......................... 5.8" H x 4.3" W x 2.5" D (14.7 cm H x 10.8 cm W x 6.6 cm D) sealed, waterproof; suitable for saltwater use. Display: ............................ High-contrast Film SuperTwist LCD. Diagonal viewing area: 4" (10.16 cm). Resolution: ...................... 240 pixels (vert.) x 160 pixels (horiz.) resolution; 38,400 total pixels Backlighting: .................. incandescent backlit screen Input power: ...................
NOTICE! The storage temperature for your unit is from -4 degrees to +167 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees to +75 degrees Celsius). Extended storage in temperatures 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's Customer Service Department; phone numbers are inside the manual's back cover.
Depending on your sonar unit's connectors, your transducer cable may also have the sonar unit's power cable attached to it. If that is the case, be sure to install the transducer first, before connecting the power cable to a power source. See the instructions later in this manual for connecting the power cable to a battery or other power supply. Read these instructions carefully before attempting the installation. Determine which of the mounting positions is right for your boat.
NOTE: Some aluminum boats with strakes or ribs on the outside of the hull create large amounts of turbulence at high speed. These boats typically have large outboard motors capable of propelling the boat at speeds faster than 35 mph. Typically, a good transom location on aluminum boats is between the ribs closest to the engine. 3. The transducer should be installed with its face pointing straight down, if possible.
How low should you go? For most situations, you should install your Skimmer transducer so that its centerline is level with the bottom of the boat hull. This will usually give you the best combination of smooth water flow and protection from bangs and bumps. Transducer centerline Transom Hull bottom Align transducer centerline with hull bottom. There, however, are times when you may need to adjust the transducer slightly higher or lower.
varies from hull to hull, even from different installations on the same hull. This is caused by differences in hull lay-up and construction. Second, the transducer angle cannot be adjusted for the best fish arches. This can be a problem on hulls that sit with the bow high when at rest or at slow trolling speeds. Third, a transducer CAN NOT shoot through wood and metal hulls. Those hulls require either a transom mount or a thru-hull installation.
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 alignment letter. Ratchets Insert bolt and check transducer position on transom. 3. Assembling the transducer. Once you determine the correct position for the ratchets, assemble the transducer as shown in the following figure. Don't tighten the lock nut at this time.
Transom Transom 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 figures. Route cable over bolt and through bracket. Side view shown (left) and seen from above (right). Attach the transducer to the transom.
Bottom of hull Deep-"vee" hull Flat-bottom hull 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 engine's wiring, bilge pumps, VHF radio wires, cables and aerators can be picked up by the sonar. Use caution when routing the transducer cable around these wires.
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.) Internal tooth washer Bolt TMB-S bracket Nut Flat washer Attach motor mounting bracket to transducer. 2. Slide the adjustable strap supplied with the TMB-S through the slot in the transducer bracket and wrap it around the trolling motor.
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. Partial fish arches Transducer aimed too far forward Transducer aimed too far back Full fish arch Proper transducer angle Transducer angles and their effects on fish arches.
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 remove any material from your inner hull unless you know the hull's composition. Careless grinding or cutting on your hull can result in damage that could sink your boat.
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 the boat. Plug the transducer into the sonar unit, turn it on, then hold the transducer over the side of the boat in the water.
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 this step is optional. If you want to make an extra effort to be absolutely sure that your selected location will work under all conditions, make a test run with the boat on plane and observe the bottom signal. You'll need to figure some way to prop the transducer into position while you make your test run.
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 mixing, you have 20 minutes to complete the installation before the epoxy becomes unworkable. Spread a thin layer of epoxy (about 1/16" or 1.5 mm thick) on the face of the transducer as shown in the previous figure.
power cable when the unit is not in use. When you are not using the unit, you should always shut off power to the power cable, especially when the power cable is disconnected from the unit. Red wire with 3 amp fuse To unit Black wire 12 volt battery Power connections for the X-4 Pro sonar units (direct battery connection shown). If possible, keep the power cable away from other boat wiring, especially the engine's wires. This will provide the best isolation from electrical noise.
Bracket Installation Recommended tools for this job include: drill, 1" (25.4 mm) drill bit, screwdriver. Required supplies for this job include: high quality, marine grade above- or below-waterline caulking compound, three #10 stainless steel screws. Screw length and type should be suitable for the material on which you intend to mount the bracket. Mount the unit in any convenient location, provided there is clearance when it’s tilted for the best viewing angle.
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 units use a quick release mounting bracket. When you run the cables through the bracket's cable slots, make sure you allow enough slack for tilting the unit and attaching the connector.
Bracket front Mount the sonar: slide the unit onto the bracket from above. Depress ratchets to release Adjust viewing angle: use one hand to press and release the springloaded ratchets while you move the unit with the other hand. Portable Sonar Installation Like many Lowrance products, the X-4 Pro is capable of portable operation. It uses the optional PPP-12 portable power pack. The power pack and portable transducers expand the uses for your sonar.
Plug in the power/transducer cable and you're ready to fish. The PPP12 has a quick-release mounting bracket built into the case. Installing the Batteries Open the case and lay it flat. (The latch is located below the handle.) Insert eight "AA" size batteries into the battery adapter and place it in the battery compartment. Slip the battery cover tabs into the slots in the case wall, then close the battery cover with the thumb screw.
Ratchet To mount the sonar, slide the unit onto the bracket from above (left). To adjust the view, press and release spring-loaded ratchets while tilting 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. Release the ratchets and the unit locks into the new position. To remove the unit from the PPP-12, press the ratchets and lift the unit off the bracket. Turn the sonar unit on.
Make sure there is one washer on each side of the transducer, inside the bracket. Slide the other washer over the end of the bolt and screw on the nut. Screw the suction cup onto the bracket using the supplied screw and flat washer. Tie the nylon cord through the hole in the top of the bracket. When using the transducer, tie the other end of the nylon cord to the boat. This will help prevent losing the transducer if it comes off.
Hull 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 compartment socket. Wrap the transducer cable around the suction cup, then stow the transducer on top of the battery compartment cover. Close the case and your equipment is ready for transport.
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 explanations below. PWR/CLEAR In this manual, the Power/Clear key is referred to as PWR. Press this key to turn the unit on and off. It also clears menus and menu selections from the screen. To clear a menu from the screen, press PWR. NOTE: Hold the PWR key down for five seconds to turn off the unit.
The MENU keys access these features, allowing you to customize unit settings. To switch menus, press MENU repeatedly. Press PWR to clear menus from the screen. The Backlight menu with backlight turned on. Display The lights will flash for about 10 seconds when the unit is turned on. The backlight menu will appear on the screen. Use the ARROW keys to turn the backlight on or off. Press PWR to clear the menu from the screen. The unit will show the Full Chart Page or mode. The Fish I.D.
Full Chart The unit's default page, Full Chart shows all echoes scrolling across the full screen. The bottom signal scrolls across the screen from right to left. The line at the top of the screen represents the surface. The bottom depth — determined by the digital sonar — shows in the upper left corner. If the transducer with a built-in temperature sensor is connected, a digital display for water temperature also will be shown. This temperature display can be turned on and off.
Depth Range menu with Manual setting selected (left). Range Size menu with 0-80 ft highlighted (right). 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 display, repeatedly press MENU until the ZOOM menu appears.
To turn off the zoom feature, repeatedly press MENU until the ZOOM menu appears. Press ↑ to select OFF, then press PWR to clear the menu. The top of the depth range scale returns to zero. NOTE: Using the Zoom command while in auto Zoom mode will always enlarge the echoes near the bottom, because auto Range always keeps the bottom displayed in the lower portion of the screen. When you choose to use the zoom feature while the unit is in manual Depth Range mode, you can select one of 17 pre-set Zoom Ranges.
Sensitivity set to manual mode (left). Sensitivity scroll bar (right). You can change the sensitivity level whether you are in Auto Sensitivity mode or Manual Sensitivity mode. The adjustment method works the same in both modes, but gives you slightly different results. To adjust sensitivity in Auto Mode: Repeatedly press MENU until the SENSITIVITY menu appears. Make sure sensitivity is set to Auto, then press MENU UP to access the sensitivity scroll bar.
Fish arches These figures show results of different sensitivity levels on the same location. Fig. 1: Sensitivity at 98 percent, determined by Auto Sensitivity. Typical of full auto mode. Fig. 2: Sensitivity set at 71 percent. Fig. 3: Sensitivity set at 47 percent. Fig. 4: Sensitivity set at 100 percent. Grayline® Grayline® lets you distinguish between strong and weak echoes. It allows you to tell the difference between a hard and soft bottom.
is usually adequate for most conditions. Experiment with your unit to find the Grayline setting that's best for you. To change the Grayline level, repeatedly press MENU until the GRAYLINE scroll bar appears. Wider Grayline® Thin or no Grayline® 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.
better images as you decrease the chart speed to match the speed of your boat. If you are at anchor, ice fishing or fishing from a dock, experiment with a chart speed of 25 percent. If you are drifting slowly, try a chart speed of 50 percent. When you are stationary and a fish swims through the sonar signal cone, the image appears on the screen as a long line instead of a fish arch. Reducing the chart speed may result in a shorter line that more closely resembles a regular fish return.
Fish I.D.™ The Fish I.D.™ feature displays — as fish — targets that meet certain conditions. The microcomputer analyzes all echoes and eliminates surface clutter, thermoclines and other undesirable signals. The Fish I.D. feature displays symbols on the screen in place of the actual fish echoes. There are three symbol sizes: small, medium and large. These show the relative size between targets.
Fish I.D. mode and without to become more familiar with the feature. This unit's default Fish I.D. setting is on. Fish I.D. is most handy when you are in another part of the boat or performing some task that prevents you from watching the sonar screen. Then, you can turn on Fish I.D. and the audible fish alarm. When that lunker swims under your boat, you will hear it! Fish I.D. can also be useful when you want to screen out some of the sonar detail gathered by your unit.
To turn on Fish I.D., repeatedly press MENU until the FISH ID menu appears. Press ↓ to select ON, then press PWR. Repeatedly press MENU until the FISH ALARM menu appears. Press ↑ to select ON, then press PWR. To turn off fish alarm repeatedly press MENU until the FISH ALARM menu appears. Press ↓ to select OFF, then press PWR to clear the menu. Fish Alarm menu. Depth Alarms The depth alarms are triggered only by the bottom signal. No other echoes will activate these alarms.
Press ↓ to SET VALUE. The Shallow Alarm Value dialog box will appear. Use ↑ ↓ to enter the first number in the dialog box, then press MENU DOWN to move to the next digit. Repeat those steps until the desired depth has been entered in the dialog box. To move the cursor back to any of the previously entered numbers, press MENU UP. Press PWR to return to the Shallow Alarm menu. Use ↑ to select ON, which will turn on the alarm, then press PWR to clear the menu.
Battery Alarm To set the battery alarm depth, repeatedly press MENU until BATTERY ALARM appears. Battery Alarm menu (left). Low Battery Alarm Value (right). Press the ↓ to SET VALUE. 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. Repeat those steps until the desired value has been entered in the dialog box.
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 sensitivity or other controls. The ASP feature has three settings — Off, Low and High. When first turned on, noise rejection is set on low. If you have high noise levels, try using the high ASP setting.
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 DEPTH menu appears. Use ↑ ↓ to select the size of the depth display. Press PWR to clear the menu. Temperature Display Temperature may be displayed on the screen in a small or medium size or can be turned off completely. Temperature menu (left). Temperature display set to small size (right).
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 VOLTAGE menu appears. Use ↑ ↓ to select the size of the voltage display. Press PWR to clear the menu. Backlight turned on (left). Contrast scroll bar (right). Backlight The display's backlight allows the unit to be used at night.
Simulator menu (left). Languages menu (right). To use the simulator, repeatedly press MENU until the SIMULATOR 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. Set Language This unit's menus are available in 11 languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Danish, Swedish, Russian, Czech, Dutch and Finnish. To select a language: 1.
Troubleshooting If your unit is not working, or if you need technical help, please use the following troubleshooting section before contacting the factory customer service department. It may save you the trouble of returning your unit for repair. For contact information, refer to the last page, just inside the back cover of this manual. Unit won't turn on: 1. Check the power cable's connection at the unit. Also check the wiring. 2. Make certain the power cable is wired properly.
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 the unit in the manual mode, then change the range to a realistic one, (for example, 0-100 feet) and increase the sensitivity. As you move into shallower water, a bottom signal should appear. 4.
vere cases, it can completely cover the screen with black dots, or cause the unit operate erratically, or not at all. To eliminate or minimize the effects of electrical noise, first try to determine the cause. With the boat at rest in the water, the first thing you should do is turn all electrical equipment on the boat off. Make sure the engine is also off. Turn your sonar on, then turn off Noise Reject [also known as the ASP feature (Advanced Signal Processing)]. Sensitivity should be set at 90-95 percent.
Notes 45
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 contact the Factory Customer Service Department. Before any product can be returned, you must call customer service to determine if a return is necessary. Many times, customer service can resolve your problem over the phone without sending your product to the factory.
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 able to assist you with these items. To locate a Lowrance dealer near you, visit our web site, www.lowrance.com and look for the Dealer Locator. Or, you can consult your telephone directory for listings. 2) U.S.
Visit our web site: www.lowrance.
