FL-8 Owner’s Manual CONTENTS General Description Specifications Unit Installation Power Connection Transducer Installation Operation Typical Indications Maintenance Operational Questions & Answers Trouble Shooting Chart Transducer Beam Angle Chart Transducers Service and Support 2 3 4 4 5-8 9 - 10 10 - 14 15 16 - 20 21 22 23-25 26 Founded in 1965, Vexilar, Inc. has a long history of bringing revolutionary technology to the sport fishing industry.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION The FL-8 is a compact and lightweight depth sounder designed for serious anglers. Besides indicating depth, the unit also shows changes in bottom content and conditions. It can also discriminate between large underwater targets, such as fish, and smaller targets such as bait fish and plankton. The unit transmits bursts of high frequency pulses, which are converted from electrical to mechanical energy by the transducer.
SPECIFICATIONS * Operating Voltage * Current Draw: * Power Output: * Frequency: * Resolution: * Target Separation: * Display Colors: * Dimensions: * Weight: 10.5 - 15 Volts (12 Volts Nominal) 250mA 400 Watts (Peak to Peak) 200 Khz 530 Segments 2.65" Min. 3 - Red, Orange, and Green 4.4"H x 6"W x 2.5"D 1.1 Lbs.
UNIT INSTALLATION To make the FL-8 work, you must provide the unit with power and mount the transducer in an appropriate location. UNIT INSTALLATION Find a convenient place to mount the unit. This may include a boat seat, deck, dash, or a portable case. Make sure that there is plenty of room for the unit to tilt and/or swivel freely without the cables binding behind the unit. Once you have found a spot, remove the unit from the gimbal bracket. Securely attach the bracket to the mounting surface.
TRANSDUCER INSTALLATION There are three basic types of transducers to consider: High Speed, Puck Style and the Ice-Ducer System. HIGH SPEED TRANSDUCERS High Speed transducers are designed to be mounted on the transom of a boat. The wedged shape will cut the water and give a clear depth reading at any boat speed. Locate a spot similar to the one in figure E. Keep in mind that you need clear water flow across the face of the transducer to insure a clear reading at all speeds.
PUCK STYLE TRANSDUCERS There are three ways in which a Puck Style transducer can be mounted. It can be mounted InHull, on an electric trolling motor, or portable (with a suction cup or on an arm of some type). IN-HULL MOUNTING This method, gluing the transducer to the hull, gets the same results as if you were using the High Speed transducer only there are no holes to drill in the boat and there is no transducer on the transom to get damaged by impact.
PUCK STYLE TRANSDUCERS There are three ways in which a Puck Style transducer can be mounted. It can be mounted In-Hull, on an electric trolling motor, or portable (with a suction cup or on an arm of some type). IN-HULL MOUNTING This method, gluing the transducer to the hull, gets the same results as if you were using the High Speed transducer only there are no holes to drill in the boat and there is no transducer on the transom to get damaged by impact.
THE ICE-DUCERTM SYSTEM* The Ice-Ducer system provides a quick and easy way to set up the transducer for ice fishing. All of the adjustment needed to find the true perpendicular point is done automatically. To use the Ice-Ducer, simply adjust the transducer to the desired depth and drop the assembly in the ice hole. *Patent # 5,546,362 There are three main components to the Ice-Ducer system. They include the transducer, float, and the stop. The transducer comes assembled with the connector already installed.
OPERATION Figure I shows the three main controls of the FL-8. They include Power and Range control, Gain, and Alarm Calibration. POWER AND RANGE CONTROL The knob located at the bottom of the control panel turns the unit on and selects which range is to be used. The center position is the Off position. There are four depth ranges to choose from. S1 - 0-30' S2 - 0-60' D1 - 0-120' D2 - 0-240' To activate the unit and select the appropriate range turn the knob to the left or right.
setting of zero will display a minimum amount of signal while a gain setting of ten will show the maximum amount. Different conditions will require different gain settings. Deeper water will require higher gain than shallow water. A weedy bottom will demand a lower gain setting than a clean bottom. Keep the gain level low. Too much gain can "wash out" the targets that you want to see. Generally, it is a good idea to set the gain at an appropriate level and leave it there.
HARD BOTTOM Under these conditions the bottom will be almost all red, although you will always see some orange and green at the trailing edge, as in figure J. A sharp red leading edge tells you that the bottom is very clean. If you were to move from a hard bottom to a softer -bottom you would see a change in color to more orange and green. Try not to change the Gain setting as you move around. WEEDY BOTTOM In weedy conditions the bottom can be harder to determine.
SEEING FISH The FL-8 sees a fish as a target, much like the bottom. It has a leading edge, a width, and color content. Refer, again, to figure J. If the range setting is S x2 then the fish is just over 22 feet above the bottom. It is a fairly wide target and is made up of all three colors. This should be recognized as a significant fish, something you may want to catch. The targets that appear just above this fish are smaller and there is no red. Here is where target identification gets a bit more tricky.
HIGH SPEED OPERATION The FL-8 can accurately read depths at almost any boat speed. Here high speed is defined as any speed at or above the planning speed of the boat. Once the boat starts to plane out, turbulence will develop behind the transom. If you have the wrong type of transducer, or it is poorly mounted, the unit will lose the bottom at a certain boat speed. This is due to all of the air bubbles in the turbulent water. ICE FISHING Ice fishing brings out the best in the FL-8.
MAINTENANCE PERMANENT MOUNT With permanent mount applications, the power cord is left connected to the source, the transducer is not easily removed, and the gimbal bracket is screwed to the seat, deck, or dash. Under these conditions maintenance is very simple because nothing changes once the unit is installed. Because of this though, problems can sneak up on you if you're not careful. The unit should be removed from the bracket whenever the boat is parked to guard against theft.
OPERATIONAL QUESTIONS & ANSWERS Where Should The Gain Control Be Set? For ice fishing - the gain control should be set so the bait you are fishing with is shown in green color on the dial. This color should be set while the lure or bait is at the normal fishing depth. As the bait is raised toward the surface the colors will turn to orange and possibly red, just below the surface.
Why Do Some Lures Show Up Better Than Others? The amount of Reflective Surface Area on the lure is the main reason. A thin vertical lure is not as easy to see as a horizontal fat lure.
as soon as possible after each use or, if it's cold, as soon as it reaches room temperature. Do not overcharge or under charge the battery. Use a battery charger that has an automatic shut-off feature. A battery should be stored, fully charged, in a cool place. Charge it once a month or so when in storage to make sure it's full. How Far Down The Ice Hole Does The Ice-Ducer- Have To Be? You need water contact only to get a depth reading.
shop service. Another kind of interference comes from another depth finder operating on the same frequency nearby. The two factors that determine if this happens are: a) the depth of the water and, b) how far apart the two sounders are placed. If this interference is happening, each of the sounders will have a non stop rotating light moving around the dial. One moving light rotates around the dial clockwise and on the other sounder the light will rotate in the counter clockwise direction.
your hand. While squeezing, if the zero gets smaller you need to work on the transducer attachment. To solve the problem, especially with a metal transducer arm, remove the transducer from the metal arm. Then tape three layers of black electrical tape around the arm in the flat section of the arm, then lay the transducer against the tape and continue to tape it onto the flat section on the metal arm. The tape creates an insulation layer between the metal arm and the plastic housing of the transducer.
Trouble Shooting Chart 21
Transducer Beam Angle Verses Diameter of Coverage 22
Transducers and Accessories TB0044 19 Degree Transom Mount High Speed Transducer. Comes with the Mounting Bracket and 25 Feet of Cable. TK144 Complete Mounting Kit. Comes with TB0044 Transducer, FL-8 Power Cord, Unit Mounting Bracket, and all the Hardware You Need to do the Job Right. TB0030 9 Degree Transom Mount High Speed Transducer. Comes with the Mounting Bracket and 25 Feet of Cable. TB0045 Dual Beam 9/19 Degree Transom Mount High Speed Transducer.
TB0023 19 Degree Puck Transducer. For Mounting on a Electric Trolling Motor, In-Hull Mounting, Portable Use, or Ice Fishing. Comes with 12 Feet of Cable. TK123 Complete Mounting Kit. Comes with TB0023 Transducer, FL-8 Power Cord, Unit Mounting Bracket, and all the Hardware You Need to do the Job Right. BK0023 Optional Suction Cup Mount for TB0023. TB0027 9 Degree Puck Transducer. For Mounting on a Electric Trolling Motor, In-Hull Mounting, Portable Use, or Ice Fishing. Comes with 25 Feet of Cable.
TB0050 19 Degree Ice-Ducer. Self Leveling and Floats in the Ice Hole. Comes with Float, Stopper, and 7 Feet of Specially Designed Cable. TB0051 9 Degree Ice-Ducer. Self Leveling and Floats in the Ice Hole. Comes with Float, Stopper, and 7 Feet of Specially Designed Cable. TB0052 Dual Beam Ice-Ducer. Self Leveling and Floats in the Ice Hole. Comes with Float, Stopper, and 7 Feet of Specially Designed Cable. Built-In Switch Box must be Mounted within 3 Feet of the Depth Finder.
Service and Support If you find that you need help feel free to contact us. Please have ready the model number and, if possible, the serial number of your product. Be sure to read the Question and Answer and Trouble Shooting sections first. * Address Vexilar, Inc. 200 W. 88th St. Minneapolis, MN, 55420-2752 * Telephone (952) 884-5291 (8 am to 5 pm M-F Central) * Fax (952) 884-5292 * Email service@vexilar.com * You can also find information on our Web Site www.vexilar.
