lowrance elite 5 ice pack help

[PanFisher85]

I have an elite 5 on my boat that i was thinking about using for ice fishing instead of dropping the coin on a flasher. My father has a HB 55 we take turns using i like using it but feel guilty when I am cause he isn't If i buy this ice pack would it be plug and play i don't want to take any thing of my boat to hook it up. Does it include every thing like a bracket and cords to hook my unit up or do i need adapter or cords to plug my elite 5 in? Figured i would ask before ordering as I'm sure some one on here has been there done it? Thanks for any replies. oh i was looking at this kit http://www.hodgesmarine.com/Lowrance-Ice-Fishing-Pack-Transducer-Power-Cor-p/low000-12539-001.htm?gclid=CMyXm6zKydECFViewAodxy0F7g&ppcstrkid=1565162769&click=19&ppcsclkid=EDRHNrEZHYeu&ppcsu=xhg7f5djqeniramsegdoh

[jbird68]

I just did this a couple months ago. The ice pack came with everything except the adapter cable needed to connect to the Elite-5. The Elite-5 has the power and transducer input on one plug. If you get the ice pack and it does not come with the needed cable you just have to contact Lowrance. Send them a copy of your receipt for the ice pack and they will send you the adapter cable for no charge. I scanned my receipt from Reeds and emailed it to them. In a matter of days they responded and had the adapter cable in the mail. I watched a few youtube videos that stated you have to select the correct transducer. But the Elite-5 did not have a way to select the transducer. I just plugged it in and it worked. I also connected my Elite-5 connected to the built-in transducer in my Minn-Kota trolling motor. I had to get an adapter cable from Minn-Kota to make that work. But it worked great. Good luck with the ice pack. Mine has worked great so far.

[PanFisher85]

jbird thanks i was very confused on the plug issue as i noticed i didn't "have a blue plug" like you stated it has one plug in the back of the unit which supplies power and transducer hook up into the one plug. Did you have to buy a power cord or bracket? i don't want to unhook anything from my boat..... Thanks for your help.

[DaveSS1]

I would contact lowrance and find out exactly what ice kit you need as there are 2 of them on the market.  The newer version has the blue connectors.  You should be able to unsrew the transducer and power chord on your boat and pull the unit out and simply put it into the ice pack.   The only thing that was missing was the terminal connections to the battery.  For some reason lowrance doesn't supply it.  I just wend to the parts store and picked up a pack of blue connectors that you crimp on and can shrink wrap the ends as well.  Connect the inline fuse (provided in kit) on the red (positive) and but on a connector to the battery and a connector on the black to the negative side of the battery.  The yellow wire you will not need so its best to wrap it with some electrical tape over the end.  Shouldn't be harder than that.  I have been very pleased and the fact that you can remove from your boat and put into the ice pack within minutes between seasons. 

[jbird68]

The ice pack came with the same gimble bracket I had mounted on my boat. The adapter cable you get from lowrance is also the power cable. The only thing I had to do was add the in-line fuse holder on the red wire and then add the terminals that slide onto the battery terminals. The fuse holder comes with the ice pack along with a 3 amp and a 5 amp fuse. Lowrance said to use the 3 Amp fuse.

[PanFisher85]

All good information here thanks again jbird. Im going to contact lowrance just to see if they have  different product #s or if i have to do what jbird said about contacting them to get the adapter . Hopefully they will respond.

[PanFisher85]

Wow they responded to my email extremely fast. here is the response from lowrance.
The current Ice Pack, PPP-18I , 000-12539-001, would work for uniplug connection and blue connection unit's. It comes with blue connectors as well as a adapter to plug in uniplug units.
Guess i will order then. Do you guys like to use your fish finder better compared to a flasher? Just curious not many people I've seen are using them i usually see just flashers... I'm going to order the ice kit I'm just curious if there is any advantage or disadvantage

[jbird68]

After using it for a while I prefer to use the Flasher. I wish I could show just the flasher and not the sonar.

[ErnieLearns]

I have the Lowrance ice pack and like it because I was already familiar with my unit.  I  just makes things easy without breaking budget getting new electronics.  My only advice is to turn off the fish I.D.  it allows you to really see your jig dropping.

[Iceballs204]

I have the Lowrance ice pack and like it because I was already familiar with my unit.  I  just makes things easy without breaking budget getting new electronics.  My only advice is to turn off the fish I.D.  it allows you to really see your jig dropping.

That's a very good tip that doesn't get mentioned all that much

[PanFisher85]

I ordered the kit hopefully we get cold weather soon so i can try it out. I was looking into the marcum units but if i can use the one on the boat with good results seems like a good way to save a few dollars. Just hope it works well enough to tell me there is a fish heading towards my jig thats all i could ask for..

[jbird68]

The color setting I like best it the "White FishReveal". Hard returns show up as red. The closer a fish comes to your jig the indicator gets bigger and turns a dark red. I like my Marcum Showdown but the color on the Elite-5 is much more appealing. 


White FishReveal




Not sure what the 2 black dots with the line between them means. I did not see anything in the manual for an explanation.

[PanFisher85]

Can you pick up smaller size jigs? I'm talking like the real small ones for bluegill or perch? Does the flasher have a delay i heard there was i little lag or delay but wasn't sure if thats true or not. I notice some people comment on devices they don't even own or have used for any length of time. Just curious as seems like you guys have been playing around a bit figuring things out on the sonar. Cant wait to try the sonar and settings you've shared thanks jbird

[esox_xtm]

I run a Lowrance M68c both on the ice and open water. It is a very similar unit and actually the precursor to that whole Elite/Hook line.

I do plenty of vertical jigging, obviously on the ice but open water as well. If there is a "lag" it is infinitesimal. I love watching muskies move on my Bondy in 35 FOW as much as I love watching slab perch race to a spoon. I like the flasher but more and more I'm liking the graph in shallow water with heavy weeds. Even a tiny jig shows up well and is easily distinguished from the salad. A fish is even easier.

Again, I have no experience with the Elite but my unit is so similar I've got to think it's close. Heck, it even takes the same "uni-plug" transducer/power deal. I just bought one from a guy on here a few weeks ago for $50. I had made a poor man's Genz box from a castoff Rubbermaid container and used that for years. Bought a generic flasher bag from Glenn's ($10) and paired the whole works up.

[jbird68]

I haven't noticed any lag while using mine on the ice this year. The first time I had it out I would seem to lose my jig at about 8 feet. But I've used it a few more times now and didn't lose the jig on the screen. It's been pretty responsive.

[markinohio]

I’m not sure which power cable comes with the ice pack, but it is a nice pack. I don’t use it on the ice (I have the unit mounted to my flip-over), but I do use it in my kayaks. It is very convenient for transport, and a quality case. You can also fit a lot of tackle in that little bag.

I rely heavily on the amplitude meter for vertical jigging (ice & kayak), and cannot distinguish any delay. But, I’ve never used it in depths over 40 FOW, and have never even tried the flasher view. No problem finding tiny jigs, but I do need to crank-up the sensitivity when using a 1/16oz slender spoon.

My best advice is to get very familiar with the different settings. Messing with the emulator really helped me get to know the unit:

 http://www.lowrance.com/en-US/Support/Product-Emulators/

I don’t think there are any magic settings, and each situation (water depth, structure, lure) has optimal settings. However, last time out, I was so excited to have ice I forgot to change any settings from kayak fishing. In the kayak I use auto depth/ sensitivity. It actually worked pretty good on the ice without changing any setting (including the transducer type).

I really like the unit, and the only issue that I have had is the sonar freezing. It just randomly stops, and requires a reboot. Not temperature related (happened at both 90 F & -10 F). It has happened 10 minutes after I start the unit, and after the unit has been running for 6 hours. It doesn’t happen a lot, but it was very concerning the first time it happened to me.

[PanFisher85]

I received the ice pack today but it didnt have the uniplug or adapter like lowrance said it would. Thinking must be old stock not sure but i contacted them as jbird said to try to do just waiting for a response from lowrance. Think i might return it if i have to buy an adapter and just buy a decent used flasher, but i will see what lowrance does first as i was hoping to save a few dollars and try the lowrance graph/sonar.

[jbird68]

Lowrance was easy to deal with and I got my adapter cable fairly quick. I paid $118 for my ice pack. A lot cheaper than buying another sonar just for ice fishing.

[chilly-willy]

I received the ice pack today but it didnt have the uniplug or adapter like lowrance said it would. Thinking must be old stock not sure but i contacted them as jbird said to try to do just waiting for a response from lowrance. Think i might return it if i have to buy an adapter and just buy a decent used flasher, but i will see what lowrance does first as i was hoping to save a few dollars and try the lowrance graph/sonar.

Was looking at the elite 5 too the uni plugs work you got to buy the adaptor for it I think they sell for $20 to $40 but skipped it and kept my elite 4x instead of buying a new flasher.. the adaptor is about a 4 inch long with two ends one the blue clip end the other uni plug end .. hell lowrace may send you it free cause of the flasher and pack you bought so inquire about it like siad..


Here is link to adaptor cable I am sure if you use the model number in Google you will find it cheaper yet..  this is what they may send you.. or you have to buy it one or the other..

http://lr.factoryoutletstore.com/details/114735/lowrance-ta-uq2bl-t.html?category_id=20502&catalogitemid=99421

[esox_xtm]

$50 for an adapter? That's ridiculous... I just buy the proper transducer, just under $70.

https://www.amazon.com/Eagle-PTI-WSU-Transducer-20-Degree-Portable/dp/B002IV6T9U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484903476&sr=8-1&keywords=pti-wsu

[motocross269]

I bought an Ice kit 2 years ago and it was plug and play for my Elite 5.......Didn't need an adapter it came with the blue connections...
I really like it and throw it in my small aluminum boat when I am small lake, open water fishing...I also use it in my Kayak...

[chilly-willy]

$50 for an adapter? That's ridiculous... I just buy the proper transducer, just under $70.

https://www.amazon.com/Eagle-PTI-WSU-Transducer-20-Degree-Portable/dp/B002IV6T9U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484903476&sr=8-1&keywords=pti-wsu

That's a 6 pin uni plug you got a link to their...  the newer elite 5  units have 7 pin's connectors and are a blue plug .. the uni plugs don't just plug into the the newer elite fives you need a adaptor.. would be ashame to waste another 70 and not even be able to adapt it.. this was for units like  the elite 5 hdi with high Def  image like down scan and side Scan in high def.. etc.. but if you bought the elite 5 with out structure scan or hdi or side image etc.. you can use the uni plug.. the elite five  had down scan and reg sonar and gps wich was why you could adapt it to ice...  if it has down scan only can't adapt it!  Lots of if and's along with  buts to be able to use it instead of buying a whole new unit price less.. also trying to fit the down scan sonar transducer down a 5 inch hole is a lititle tight .. that's why I liked the hdi elite five.. cause it has reg sonar and hdi sonar..  like your saying it is rediculous at $50  to make it work but an sure you can find it cheaper ..

[PanFisher85]

I'm in the process of getting an adapter free from lowrance. I had to email them my receipt sounds like they are going to mail me one... If that is the case I might have to admit I'm very Impressed with lowrances customer service. If the unit works well I might just never buy I sonar from any other brand im not afraid to give them my hard earned money when they treat me as well as they have been on this deal.

[jbird68]

It's not the transducer. The transducer that comes with the ice pack works but for an Elite-5 with the uni-plug you will need the adapter. Like I said, I got mine for free from Lowrance with proof of purchase.

[PanFisher85]

Lowrance did send me the adapter which made the connection to the battery and uniplug to my head then blue plug end to tranducer works on my table top. Just have to wait till we get ice again to try it out. I read some of the setup advice set it to ice mode white fish reveal etc.  @)Thanks Jbird with out your advice on contacting lowrance about the adapter i would have probably sent the kit back. Now I got the adapter free of charge and unit is all setup. HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY

[jbird68]

Good to hear. Hope you get to use it now. Took my showdown out today for a few hours. Could have taken the lowrance. But I like to alternate which one I use. Did you get some wire terminals for the leads that connect to the battery?