Thread: Discussion on Lowrance Elite 5 DSI/Chartplotter ....

Bob, while you're waiting ... what "mode" is your unit set in ?? Manual/advanced or Auto ?? Whichever one it is, you might try and switch it over to the other and see if that works.

Do you have the latest update downloaded into the unit ?? If you can split the screen horizontal (top/bottom) rather than vertical (side/side) .... then you do. Or you can press the following - Menu - Menu - System - About .... and the software version will be displayed under the model name. It should be the 3.6 version.

... cp

Pappy:

Thanks will check on both of things you mention.

Bob is your transducer ticking/clicking when powered up?

Pappy mine has version 2.1 is it worth installing 3.6?
I have this unit on my small 14' boat with a HDS8 gen2 on my bigger boat.

The E5dsi has been a fine unit so far and shows good images. GPS is good except for the low speed updates but I had to install a point 1 antenna on my HDS8/5200c global map units to have updates the way everyone wants them to work. I also have a Garmin 62s that is not a cheap unit and the gps updates are no more sensitive or better than the E5 except for the 3 axis mag compass on the 62s.

Originally Posted by Flint

Pappy mine has version 2.1 is it worth installing 3.6?


The E5dsi has been a fine unit so far and shows good images. GPS is good except for the low speed updates but I had to install a point 1 antenna on my HDS8/5200c global map units to have updates the way everyone wants them to work. I also have a Garmin 62s that is not a cheap unit and the gps updates are no more sensitive or better than the E5 except for the 3 axis mag compass on the 62s.

I'm only aware of one update before the unit was discontinued. I don't remember the update number, but .... I did the update and the biggest "change" that was noticeable to me was the ability to split the screen horizontally, rather than just vertically. The horizontal split (top/bottom) shows a longer history than the vertical split (side/side), and I liked it so much that I've kept it that way.

I did use the added "max speed" function a couple of times, just to verify what my speedo was saying. Found out that the max speed of my boat was closer to 48mph (GPS) than what the speedo was saying (53mph). As for the other "bells/whistles" that were added in the update ... I either didn't use them, or didn't notice any major functional changes.

IMHO ... it won't hurt to do the update : Elite 3.6 - LOWRANCE | Marine Electronics .... and there may well be some added functions that you'll find useful.

... cp

Thanks Pappy I wll check it and decide.

I too own a Lowrance Elite-5 DSI and it has not been working properly for sometime. The depth flashes "60 ft" and returns no images. Occasionally it will recover and shown an updated depth, but only for a split second. Temp and GPS seem to work fine though. I have soft reset, hard reset, re-installed software, replaced the transducer/cables, et al. Called Lowrance today for an RMA and was informed they cannot repair this item but they can replace it, at cost, for $175.

This is after spending $400+ on the unit in November 2012. It stopped working approximately 12-18 months after purchase. Replacing the unit will push total cost of ownership over $600.

I'm a little frustrated.

Originally Posted by Jclay132

I too own a Lowrance Elite-5 DSI and it has not been working properly for sometime. The depth flashes "60 ft" and returns no images. Occasionally it will recover and shown an updated depth, but only for a split second. Temp and GPS seem to work fine though. I have soft reset, hard reset, re-installed software, replaced the transducer/cables, et al. Called Lowrance today for an RMA and was informed they cannot repair this item but they can replace it, at cost, for $175.

This is after spending $400+ on the unit in November 2012. It stopped working approximately 12-18 months after purchase. Replacing the unit will push total cost of ownership over $600.

I'm a little frustrated.

I can understand your frustration. Have you tried to set the depth setting well past whatever depth the water really is ... then see if the depth flashes or reads erroneously ??

One other thing that I can think of to try .... is to look at the male end of your power cord. There should ONLY be the holes for the female receptor pins to go into. If there are any "other" holes in the black plastic ... check your pins in the power cord receptor and make sure they are all STRAIGHT and will line up exactly with the holes in the male end of the power cord.

What happens is - you may bend some of the pins when removing the power cord, &/or when you're putting the power cord into the back of the unit. A pin gets bent a little and the next time you put the power cord back in, it seems a little bit harder than normal ... but, you force it in. That errant pin gets punched into the plastic end of the power cord, and not into the designated connector hole ... so the unit can't read the info transferred by that pin.
(yeah, go ahead & laugh .... I admit it ... that's exactly what I did )

I'm hoping one of these two things will fix your problem.

... luck2ya JC !!

... cp