Author Topic: Brand new humminbird ICE-55 PROBLEMS!!!!  (Read 13424 times)

Offline littlesturgeonguy

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,202
Re: Brand new humminbird ICE-55 PROBLEMS!!!!
« Reply #30 on: Feb 19, 2009, 03:14 PM »
chickenfoot, what store gave you the hassle?

Offline CHICKENFOOT

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 408
Re: Brand new humminbird ICE-55 PROBLEMS!!!!
« Reply #31 on: Feb 19, 2009, 04:23 PM »
chickenfoot, what store gave you the hassle?
RED ROCK WILDERNESS STORE

Offline dml78

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 214
Re: Brand new humminbird ICE-55 PROBLEMS!!!!
« Reply #32 on: Feb 19, 2009, 04:26 PM »
Great news guys. I just got off the phone with customer service at humminbird and they said that most likely it is a problem with the control head. They are over nighting me a new head unit and I have to send the old one back at no cost. I think that my problem is solved. I give the humminbird company an A+ for customer service. I am glad this has all worked out because I feel that the ICE-55 has alot more going for it than the competition. Thanks to all that responded to this post.

Offline CHICKENFOOT

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 408
Re: Brand new humminbird ICE-55 PROBLEMS!!!!
« Reply #33 on: Feb 19, 2009, 04:38 PM »
Great news guys. I just got off the phone with customer service at humminbird and they said that most likely it is a problem with the control head. They are over nighting me a new head unit and I have to send the old one back at no cost. I think that my problem is solved. I give the humminbird company an A+ for customer service. I am glad this has all worked out because I feel that the ICE-55 has alot more going for it than the competition. Thanks to all that responded to this post.
they did the same with me please let me if your second head was better and yes there customer service is great at HB good luck

Offline dml78

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 214
Re: Brand new humminbird ICE-55 PROBLEMS!!!!
« Reply #34 on: Feb 19, 2009, 05:03 PM »
Hey chicken, as recommended I ditched that support cable and used the cable clamps right on the transducer cable. I put one above and one below the float and used the smaller hole on the cable clamp. This allows the transducer to hang level in the hole. Also make sure that the transducer is below the hole or you will not get a good picture and you won't be able to see your bait.

Offline chuck25

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 4
Re: Brand new humminbird ICE-55 PROBLEMS!!!!
« Reply #35 on: Feb 24, 2009, 10:23 AM »
I started 9 years ago with an fl8, 4 yrs ago upgraded to an 18.  love the 18, the zoom is great for the bottom huggers.  this year upgraded to the ice 55.  I've only used it for about two weeks, but so far I really like it.  I did read the manual about 3 times because of all the features.  I guess the only reason someone may have trouble with it is because they might not totally understand it.  I fished vex for years and i actually had no problem with the transition to the 55.  the only reason i decided to try the 55 was the price, i got it for 425, the fl20 was 529, can't remember the price of the lx5, i wanted the higher end flasher and i think i got it.  love the screen(my wife thinks it's too bright), the zooms, backlight, and the different colors!!!  so far so good, and i guess i haven't had the battery drain some other people have had. good luck

Offline augergas

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 351
Re: Brand new humminbird ICE-55 PROBLEMS!!!!
« Reply #36 on: Feb 24, 2009, 11:55 AM »
If people fish with the HBirds and learn how the work they end up liking them. If I had to use just one, I'd probably leave the FL20 at home and take the 35. I have used a 55 too and it has nice features, the digital depth is great. Really though, you aren't missing out on a thing if you go with the cheap one and learn how to use it. We were fishing suspended crappies this weekend and that ajustable zoom is great for that, super easy and quick to use. I couldn't live without the dual beam tranducer either, but I fish in 40 to 70 FOW quite a bit of the time.

Offline chuck25

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 4
Re: Brand new humminbird ICE-55 PROBLEMS!!!!
« Reply #37 on: Feb 24, 2009, 01:49 PM »
i totally agree!  we have been fishing in 26 fow using a size 12 gillpill,with small crappie minnows-and there is no problem seeing the jig and minnow!  i have my gain set at either 4 or 5-fishing next to an fl18-----things are good!!!  I've seen where people are saying they have their gain at over half just to see their bait!!  I like to have mine set to where i see my jig as green, then if anything comes it ultimately turns to red---maybe other people do it different, but that's the way i like to fish it-same with my fl18!!   this is the only h bird i've used, but i like it a lot, and if the 35, and 45 are even close which i believe they are--i feel it's a great product, and i like the digital readout so you know exactly how deep you are!!  If this product holds up as well as my original fl8 has---there will be zero complaints from me!!!   

Offline augergas

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 351
Re: Brand new humminbird ICE-55 PROBLEMS!!!!
« Reply #38 on: Feb 24, 2009, 06:12 PM »
People get hung up about how high they have to set the gain. What difference does it make if you set it 3/4 the way around the dial as long as you can see the jig clearly? I hear things like, I can just run mine at #3 gain in 60 fow, that Bird you have to set at #7. Uhhhh, so what?  As long as you don't run out of adjustment, it means nothing.

Offline BigDynamite

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 494
  • There's one!
Re: Brand new humminbird ICE-55 PROBLEMS!!!!
« Reply #39 on: Feb 24, 2009, 07:38 PM »
Here is this newbie's experience with my brand new ICE 55.  Bought it on E-bay for $328 door-to-door (I like to throw that in cause it was a great deal).  Unit came from a guy who got it at a good price because he works at a Gander Mtn. store.  Unit had a small "dead spot" in the LCD and I had no receipt so figured I was screwed on warrenty coverage.  Spoke to H-bird on the phone and no questions asked they shipped me a new head unit and pre-paid label for return of old unit.

Now to my using the 55.  Used for 3 days on annual trip to Canada and totally loved it.  Did I mention this is my first flasher?  So I have nothing to compare to.  Unit ran great and could see small jigs in 30 FOW with either beam (just needed to adjust gain).  Gain never went higher than11/25 and that would have been on wide beam in 30 FOW and only sometimes did I need to go that high.  Typically gain on 4 - 6/25 under same conditions with a #12 Rat Finkee on dropper spoon.

Quickly figured out what I was seeing and could ID when bottom hugging perch were there and when they were absent.  Loved the 6-color pallette as it gave me more "feel" for what was going on - subtle changes really noticable.

Well now for the test of time and more time on the water.  This may be my only outing this year as I have two 11 month old twin boys and a four year old son as well at home so I was just glad my wife was super enough to let me go on the annual trip for a few days.

Love my 'bird.  Tight lines.  ;D

Offline chuck25

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 4
Re: Brand new humminbird ICE-55 PROBLEMS!!!!
« Reply #40 on: Feb 25, 2009, 11:31 AM »
that's pretty sweet they sent a new head!! test of time is exactly right-for as much as i like it-i hope it lasts for years, i'm taking a weeks vacation starting the 1st, going to lake of the woods for 6 days of fishin, and the h bird is going to be by my side(the wife too)!!!!!

Offline dml78

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 214
Re: Brand new humminbird ICE-55 PROBLEMS!!!!
« Reply #41 on: Feb 25, 2009, 05:47 PM »
Hi All,
I tested the new head unit last night on bottom hugging crappies. The screen still jumped in wide beam mode. I guess that this is how the hbirds run. I am so use to my old LX-3 and this doesn't happen. I can get by with the issue because in the six color mode I could see fish that would have been hard to see on the LX-3.

Offline muskie_huntre

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 156
Re: Brand new humminbird ICE-55 PROBLEMS!!!!
« Reply #42 on: Feb 25, 2009, 07:45 PM »
I had the LX-5 for one year, sold it soon after, bought the FL-20, liked that so much, sold both my old FL-8's and bought another one.  Have fished through Michigan, and went to Wisconsin and Illinois to fish this year, and the MarCum issue seems to be a new one, but had lots of reports from people I know of transducer problems.  Not sure if this is a result of Nature Vision purchasing the brand this year or not.  The Hummingbirds seem to be having a lot of issues, many of them mentioned here already, signal jumps, transducer problems and that support cable breaking off.

Other than that, its a Ford/Chevy thing and wont get into it.
MASON

Offline NYSLABBER

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 7
Re: Brand new humminbird ICE-55 PROBLEMS!!!!
« Reply #43 on: Feb 27, 2009, 12:01 AM »
getting serious about ice fishing this season i did the research and for the money i bought the showdown from www.productsthatsave.c om for $239.00 plus shipping (cheapest place i could find). I have been nothing but happy with the performance and the battery life is great even when using the heated screen mode. Unit has great separation and noise elimination feature works great. Back glow LCD screen works great for night fishing as well. I have fished with my more experienced ice fishing friends with marcum and vex flashers and they are amazed with the overall performance and separation of the showdown. I would recommend this unit for any level of fishermen, vertical screen is easy to understand and small footprint allows transporting unit in five gallon bucket with snap on lid no problem. Carry bag is of high quality and transducer swing out arm is a great feature. A+ rating, showdown has put me on the fish every time out with no performance issues.

 



Iceshanty | MyFishFinder | MyHuntingForum
Contact | Disclaimer | Privacypolicy | Sponsor
© 1996- Iceshanty.com
All Rights Reserved.