Author Topic: Lowrance Elite 5 HDI for Ice (Read 19360 times)

Douger · « **on:** Dec 15, 2013, 10:25 AM »

I just finished packaging my Lowrance Elite 5 HDI, which I use on my boat, in the Lowrance PPP-18I Ice Pack. The PPP-18I Ice Pack equipment is not directly configured for the Elite 5 HDI but all the parts are available to package the sonar unit in the ice pack in a clean installation. I will be putting together and posting a guide for this, hopefully in the next week.

Townie · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 15, 2013, 06:09 PM »

I've wondered if this unit could be used on ice; keep us updated...

frogmaster · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 15, 2013, 07:03 PM »

Quote from: Douger on Dec 15, 2013, 10:25 AM

I just finished packaging my Lowrance Elite 5 HDI, which I use on my boat, in the Lowrance PPP-18I Ice Pack. The PPP-18I Ice Pack equipment is not directly configured for the Elite 5 HDI but all the parts are available to package the sonar unit in the ice pack in a clean installation. I will be putting together and posting a guide for this, hopefully in the next week.

Did this last year w/ my E-5 minus HDI. I LUV the GPS and MAP-SD-Card. Rolloing across lake on ATV just like in my boat it is AWESOME!!! Now I KNOW what structure I am on and what it looks like and how I want to set up on it.

Bless

Douger · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 17, 2013, 02:47 PM »

Packaging the Lowrance Elite 5 HDI to the Lowrance PPP-18I Ice Pack

If you have a Lowrance Elite 5 HDI and would like to use it for ice fishing with the Lowrance PPP-18I Ice Pack you will need to purchase some additional Lowrance standard parts/items that are not included in the ice pack kit.

The items that are included in the ice pack kit are the ice pack carrying bag, 2 tackle boxes (Plano # 3449), rechargeable gel cell battery (NP7-12), battery strap, battery charger, ice fishing transducer (PTI-WSU with a 3 amp fuse and holder), ice transducer float and depth adjustment cord, base plate, display unit mount, 2 sonar unit mounting brackets (one is a QRB-5 used for the Elite 5 HDI), plastic mounting nuts and bolts, accessory holders, and a plastic wing nut and stainless washer which is now not used.

The items not included that I ordered to package the HDI unit with the ice pack kit were an Elite 5 HDI power cable with 3 amp fuse and holder (PC-30-RS422) which is the same cable that comes with an Elite 5 HDI and in my case is connected in my boat, and a PTI-WBL ice transducer with the blue plug. I also used 2 female electrical spade terminals to connect the power cables/fuse to the battery and I replaced the four plastic mounting screws and nuts with stainless steel screws and self locking nuts.

The power cable comes with the fuse holder and fuse and two crimp wire connectors. I used one of the crimp connectors to connect one of the fuse wires to the red power input wire on the power cable. I put female spade/push crimp connectors on the other red fuse wire and the black power wire. The yellow wire is not used. The NMEA wires on the power cable are not used and I just folded a piece of electrical tape over them to cover and protect them. I connected the power cable black wire to the negative battery terminal and the red fuse wire to the positive battery terminal. I put the battery into the bag and strapped it down per the instructions. The power cable is now ready to be connected to the sonar unit power socket.
Note: Charging the battery while laying on its side in the bag is pretty much a non-starter, it really either needs to be removed (pita) and charged or a charging adapter plug needs to be wired into the system. I am going to wire a plug into the power wires that connect to the battery to make charging easier and connect the mating plug to the charging wires from the charger.

I opted to purchase the PTI-WBL ice transducer which has a blue plug which is what the sonar unit uses. You just plug the transducer into the sonar. According to Lowrance you can use the PTI-WSU ice transducer that comes with the ice pack kit but it has a uniplug on it so you have to purchase the TA-UQ2BL-T uni to blue plug adapter cable. And you do not connect the battery connections that come on the PTI-WSU transducer, you use the PC-30-RS422 power cable mentioned above. Purchasing and using the PTI-WBL ice transducer makes a nice clean installation.
Note: I have not tried the PTI-WSU as I did not order the adapter cable.

Using stainless steel machine screws and self locking nuts I secured the sonar mounting bracket to the display unit mounting plate. Now you just connect the power and transducer plugs to the sonar unit and set the display unit mount in either the high or low mounting position and you are ready to go.

There are separate instructions for the ice float installation and Lowrance recommends fully charging the battery before using.

Douger · « **Reply #4 on:** Jan 25, 2014, 10:01 AM »

Well, as I noted in my packaging narrative I added a quick connect charging plug. I went to Radio Shack and bought a SATA extension cable which is about 8-10 inches long and has a male and female plug and four conductors. I cut the conductors in the center, removed two conductors and the male and female connectors from the plugs and connected one end to the charger and the other to the battery. Now I just plug in the connectors and plug in the charger to charge the battery, super easy.

Douger · « **Reply #5 on:** Jan 25, 2014, 10:26 AM »

I took my Elite 5 HDI Ice Package to Lake Champlain a couple of weeks ago, worked great, highlight was when fishing in 25 FOW, I was putting a jigging rap one of my jigging rods, saw a large fish signature come across at about 15 feet, quickly dropped the jigging rap down to 15 feet, quick twitch and bang a nice northern was on. Lost it at the hole but would have never known it was coming by if I hadn't had the electronics. Other than the pike all of the fish had to be drawn off the bottom, fun to watch them come up after the jigs. I learned a whole lot about fish size, fish in the cone area, signature coloration in different areas of the cone, and adjusting settings for the best response for different depths and jig sizes. At one location we were fishing a fairly strong current, jigged from one hole and put sonar in a hole about 8 foot down current to watch the jig. Great fun, going back in Feb for another week.

Travisvt82 · « **Reply #6 on:** Jan 10, 2015, 06:45 PM »

Can you get the flasher function with the elite 5?

walkndude · « **Reply #7 on:** Jan 10, 2015, 08:21 PM »

Quote from: Travisvt82 on Jan 10, 2015, 06:45 PM

Can you get the flasher function with the elite 5?

Yes. You can check it out by downloading the emulator from lowrance and running it right on your pc.

Kevin23 · « **Reply #8 on:** Jan 10, 2015, 08:24 PM »

I think I'm going to have to do this with my elite for next year... or maybe this year even if I can find a good deal on the ducer. Love my marcum, but would like to see how well the elite does on ice.. I was, in a sense, ice fishing with it on open water.. watching a bluegill jig under the boat and catching bluegills... and it did very well!

walkndude · « **Reply #9 on:** Jan 10, 2015, 08:45 PM »

Reeds sells them on ebay for between $66-$70. I used a 10% coupon to get it for an even 60 all in, couldn't see the logic in buying an ice pack that doesn't come with the adapter cable needed for blue plug head units(which tacks on another $30 on top of $150).

Kevin23 · « **Reply #10 on:** Jan 10, 2015, 08:51 PM »

Quote from: walkndude on Jan 10, 2015, 08:45 PM

Reeds sells them on ebay for between $66-$70. I used a 10% coupon to get it for an even 60 all in, couldn't see the logic in buying an ice pack that come doesn't come with the adapter cable needed for blue plug head units(which tacks on another $30 on top of $150).

For sure! Sort of a rip-off, preying on the people who want to have a double-duty unit for sure.

I priced it out a couple months ago and it wasn't too bad. $70 for the ducer, $30 for a genz box, and $30 for a new power cable (don't want to re-wire mine from the fuse box every time) So $130 complete and ready to go on the ice. not too bad really.

Travisvt82 · « **Reply #11 on:** Jan 11, 2015, 07:29 AM »

Thanks a lot, I actually just have the basic lowrance elite 5 unit . Would it still work with that?

Also I am a bit confused by reading through what I would actually need it make this possible. What is the quality compared to a unit actually made for the ice?

Thanks for all the help

bee · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 11, 2015, 11:22 AM »

Quote from: Travisvt82 on Jan 11, 2015, 07:29 AM

Thanks a lot, I actually just have the basic lowrance elite 5 unit . Would it still work with that?

Also I am a bit confused by reading through what I would actually need it make this possible. What is the quality compared to a unit actually made for the ice?

Thanks for all the help

I also have the Elite 5x. I got the performance pack. It is a very nice ice unit. I use the side scope to fish from myself.

Travisvt82 · « **Reply #13 on:** Jan 11, 2015, 11:37 AM »

Where can you buy full set up? I have the transducer mounted to my boat. so I would be looking for complete kit to make an ice machine. Can't seem to find it

hamms · « **Reply #14 on:** Jan 11, 2015, 02:10 PM »

Cabelas, Kevin you will love the Lowrance on the ice. I don't even use the flasher mode anymore the split screen option in graph mode is great or zoom your whole screen in on bottom.

Travisvt82 · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 11, 2015, 02:34 PM »

Quote from: hamms on Jan 11, 2015, 02:10 PM

Cabelas, Kevin you will love the Lowrance on the ice. I don't even use the flasher mode anymore the split screen option in graph mode is great or zoom your whole screen in on bottom.

Thanks a lot, when you say split option which two functions are you looking at? Also by zooming into bottom what is that when looking at graph?

bowhtr · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 11, 2015, 02:53 PM »

Quote from: hamms on Jan 11, 2015, 02:10 PM

Cabelas, Kevin you will love the Lowrance on the ice. I don't even use the flasher mode anymore the split screen option in graph mode is great or zoom your whole screen in on bottom.

Ebay

Travisvt82 · « **Reply #17 on:** Jan 11, 2015, 10:39 PM »

THank you all I ordered the kit. One more question, how do you actually get the flasher dial to come up on the elite 5? I've never seen that option when using the device in boat.

Thanks

bee · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 12, 2015, 05:40 AM »

Quote from: Travisvt82 on Jan 11, 2015, 10:39 PM

THank you all I ordered the kit. One more question, how do you actually get the flasher dial to come up on the elite 5? I've never seen that option when using the device in boat.

Thanks

Hit menu go to sonar options enter split flasher. You can not get just a full screen of flasher.

Douger · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 12, 2015, 09:32 AM »

Headed for Lake Champlain, VT for my second season with my Elite 5 HDI on ice. Took it off the boat this weekend, updated the software, popped it into the ice pack, and am ready to go. I use mine with the amplitude scope "On" which is vertical on the right side of the screen and that allows me to see almost a full screen sonar. The scope gives me the real time flasher type picture and the sonar gives me the elapsed time picture which is more important than you might think. For you new guys to sonar sitting still on ice the stronger/more brilliant/thicker the fish signal the closer the fish is to the center of the cone as it is passing by you as opposed to you passing by it on the boat. You can actually watch a fish come into the sonar cone area pass right below you and out the other side as the signal gets stronger and weaker. And you can watch fish move up and down in the cone area. And when a fish comes in at 15 feet and your bait is at 25 feet, bring it up to 15 feet and there is a good bet your pole will get that happy bend in it, "Fish On". Fun Stuff.

Travisvt82 · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 12, 2015, 11:00 AM »

Douger

Thanks a lot, I can use all the advice I can get since this wi be my first time using through the ice. Not even sure what the amplitude scope is haha.

WHere you going on Champlain? I'm from vermont and am going up in two weekends to fiah Champlain.

Thanks

hamms · « **Reply #21 on:** Jan 12, 2015, 01:38 PM »

look in your sonar settings you can turn on amplitude scope which is real time on the right side of your screen. It is like the vertical mode on an lx7 same as a showdown, You get a lot of info from the graph mode.

OneShotOneKill · « **Reply #22 on:** Jan 15, 2015, 06:02 PM »

Ok, I've read this a few times over and I think i am missing something. (I plan on using my Elite 5 HDI in the exact same way...PPP-18I)

"I opted to purchase the PTI-WBL ice transducer which has a blue plug which is what the sonar unit uses. You just plug the transducer into the sonar. According to Lowrance you can use the PTI-WSU ice transducer that comes with the ice pack kit but it has a uniplug on it so you have to purchase the TA-UQ2BL-T uni to blue plug adapter cable. And you do not connect the battery connections that come on the PTI-WSU transducer, you use the PC-30-RS422 power cable mentioned above. Purchasing and using the PTI-WBL ice transducer makes a nice clean installation.
Note: I have not tried the PTI-WSU as I did not order the adapter cable."

Now i'm trying to understand what made you decide to get the WBL. was it just to avoid the added length of cord with the adapter? in my mind I'd rather spend the $30 on an adapter than $70 on a whole new transducer.

I know no matter what i have to spend the $30 on a new power cord since the original is wired to my boat...i was thinking i can get the PPP-18I off of ebay for $134 + power cable and adapter for about $70.

Am i going in the right direction or am i missing something?

thanks in advance for the help

Travisvt82 · « **Reply #23 on:** Jan 15, 2015, 06:08 PM »

Oneshotonekill I just ordered and received this Description
PPP-18I Travelling Kit 000-10209-001 Travelling Kit. It and with everything I needed and also
Included the blue plug connector (even though I didn't need it) works great and that's all I needed.

OneShotOneKill · « **Reply #24 on:** Jan 15, 2015, 06:19 PM »

Quote from: Travisvt82 on Jan 15, 2015, 06:08 PM

Oneshotonekill I just ordered and received this Description
PPP-18I Travelling Kit 000-10209-001 Travelling Kit. It and with everything I needed and also
Included the blue plug connector (even though I didn't need it) works great and that's all I needed.

That product number is for the regular PPP-18I listed on Lowrance's website that says HDI models need the uniplug adapter right below it.

http://store.navico.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductName=000-10209-001

Travisvt82 · « **Reply #25 on:** Jan 15, 2015, 06:46 PM »

Oneshotonekill you are correct but the uni plug adapter was in mine and also was in my buddy's that ordered the same kit. He actually ordered the Uni plug adapter at the same time as ordering it and sent it back because it came with the unit.

OneShotOneKill · « **Reply #26 on:** Jan 15, 2015, 07:32 PM »

Quote from: Travisvt82 on Jan 15, 2015, 06:46 PM

Oneshotonekill you are correct but the uni plug adapter was in mine and also was in my buddy's that ordered the same kit. He actually ordered the Uni plug adapter at the same time as ordering it and sent it back because it came with the unit.

Well thank you for that bit of info!! Ill have to look into that tomorrow.

I'm guessing you ordered direct from lowrance?

Travisvt82 · « **Reply #27 on:** Jan 15, 2015, 08:04 PM »

I actually ordered it from Amazon since I get free two day shipping and the unit was $139 but I saw it on another site for $120 was going to buy it there but wanted to get it quickly so much for the Amazon .

Douger · « **Reply #28 on:** Jan 15, 2015, 09:50 PM »

Oneshot, on the WBL, I just wanted one connection to the sonar rather than a patch/adapter cable. I have since purchased the adapter cable and now have a second transducer as a spare.

OneShotOneKill · « **Reply #29 on:** Jan 16, 2015, 03:36 PM »

Thank you guys for the information. I ordered my PPP off of ebay for about $130. I also emailed Lowrance yesterday and they said i would need to purchase the adapter cable...I guess I'll wait and see what comes in the mail. I would be pretty pumped if the unit already came with the cable i needed.

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Author Topic: Lowrance Elite 5 HDI for Ice (Read 19360 times)