Lowrance Elite 4X Ice Machine

[otter300]

Does anyone have this unit yet? Looking for opinions on it. Thanks

[delta9]

I bought the 4X for my boat, am in the process of getting it on ice. Really enjoyed the unit on open water, no compaints.

[bmxrider11976]

worked well all open water season for me, now im just waiting on ice.

[delta9]

While researching the elite 4X and how to use it on ice I seen where I could use my hummingbird piranha max 170 also. Its new unopened came with the boat when I bought it. Will be able to experiment with it using the skimmer ducer. I wonder if I can use my vex's battery for power, really want to check out the graph on ice. If it is to my liking I'll switch over to the 4X, the vex may become just a back up unit.

I didn't think a open water unit could be used well like this. I know a couple of decades ago my brother and I tried a hummingbird open water unit. drug a full size deep cell with us, used a broken arrow to hold the ducer, was an utter failure. Mostly lack of experience and knowledge of unit.

[Woodsman]

I have used a Humminbird 170 on the ice with good results.
Your Elite 4x has more power & a color screen making it a better option though.
If you have a Vex i suspect you'll be disappointed by the flasher screen on the Elite, but if you use the sonar screen you may like it better.
The Vex battery will work with either the Bird or Elite.

[bmxrider11976]

the vex battery should work. i picked up a wildgame innovation battery used for powering deer feeders or trail cams that is 12 volt 7.5(maybe 7) amp hour and it runs my elite 4x great. i havent charged it once since i got it (a few months ago, fishing once a week, 5 hours a shot give or take) and it sitll shows a good bit of battery life left. should work fine in the cold, seeing the battery is used for outdoors equiptment anyways. i picked it up my local tractor supply on sale for a decent price. the flasher mode on the elite 4x is nothing compared to the vex, so i wouldnt buy it for that mode specifically, as said earlier. but if you are going to use it in graph mode, it is great. i had the PMAX 160 h-bird for my first starter unit on ice/open water. i had the combo pack that came in the case. the elite 4x is worlds better. now sure how the 170 is, but it sometimes had a hard time getting my 160 dialed in on my jig and stuff. althoguh it worked, it doesnt even compare to the lowrance.

[Woodsman]

The Humminbird 170 is far better than the 160.
Twice the power, twice the pixels and twice the levels of greyscale.
Still no where the unit that the Elite 4x is.

[delta9]

Watched some youtube vids, the flasher mode on the elite 4x is not very appealing. Experimenting with the graph is going to be sweet. I cut my teeth on the vex everytime I watched a vid on it felt like home. The Lowrance is my first experience on open water and was just learning how to read it effectively at the end of the season.

Hey sorry otter not trying to hijack thread. Thanks for starting it.

[strike1st]

It's sitting on my dinning room table...but have no ice. I had the x67c which the elite 4x replaced and I loved that.

[s10xr]

I have the 67c and im not impressed with the flasher but I dont like spin dial flasher set ups anyways.  I love my showdown troller but the Lowrance shine in graph mode.  Once you use it you will never go back to a dial flasher.  Although the elite 4 has a screen where you can have the flasher and graph split screen witch is pretty slick the x67 doesnt do that. 

[NYSporty]

the vex battery should work. i picked up a wildgame innovation battery used for powering deer feeders or trail cams that is 12 volt 7.5(maybe 7) amp hour and it runs my elite 4x great. i havent charged it once since i got it (a few months ago, fishing once a week, 5 hours a shot give or take) and it sitll shows a good bit of battery life left.

bmxrider you want to charge that battery after every use if you have it on 5 hours you should be charging it 2 or 3 hours at the least. You need to keep these battery's fully charged or it will be dead in a year or 2.
I made the same mistake with my aqua view my battery. After ordering a new one I heard some one on here say keep them charged even if you don't use it for a month charge it an hour or so.
I have had that battery for 7 years now the on I neglected lasted 8 months.
If I was to get a new unit it would be a 4x with gps hands down I asked Mrs. clause but she said No more ice toys this year So my 67c and handheld gps will have to do, FOR NOW

[delta9]

bmxrider you want to charge that battery after every use if you have it on 5 hours you should be charging it 2 or 3 hours at the least. You need to keep these battery's fully charged or it will be dead in a year or 2.
I made the same mistake with my aqua view my battery. After ordering a new one I heard some one on here say keep them charged even if you don't use it for a month charge it an hour or so.
I have had that battery for 7 years now the on I neglected lasted 8 months.
If I was to get a new unit it would be a 4x with gps hands down I asked Mrs. clause but she said No more ice toys this year So my 67c and handheld gps will have to do, FOR NOW

X2

[otter300]

What is the difference between doing the set up wizard versus not going through with this option. I know you have the option of restoring the factory defaults and doing it later. Just wondering how much of a difference it makes. Haven't had the chance to use the unit yet, still waiting for safe ice.

[delta9]

The set up wizard? Haven't tried it yet have allways  did my own. And factory default is great cause I have messed the set up a few times experimenting.

[BudMan]

I have the elite 5 ice package they sell. Uses the same battery as my lx-5. Bought the trolling ducer and used it on the front of the boat this summer  and really liked it. Been jigging with it all fall out the canoe and small boat using the ice package. I really like the graph mode and the side bar thing that's like a color showdown. The flasher mode is nothing compared to the lx5 though. Just need a chip for the gps and I'm good to go this ice season.

[slushbucket5-0]

So as is it has no gps, but if i use my card in my elite 5dsi4DSI I would ne good yo go with a graph and gps??  Really interested in the unit but the no gps was holding me back.

Thx all.

[chumster]

I have the M68C. The gps in the unit is over rated unless the unit is mounted on a snowmobile. Who watches their locator when they're pulling their sled out by hand, to the fishing spot? Really like the graph mode on it but still use my handheld to lead me out to my spots. Anybody else have an opinion on this?

[gil_lunkage]

i agree chumster, only problem for me isnthe battery in my handheld garmin leaked between last season and this and it is shot now...