Lowance 332C for ice fishing

[DonC]

Getting ready to set up my Lowrance 332C for ice fishing anything new to add to these 3 yr old posts ? Any advice, suggestions or user experiences are appreciated. Thanks in advance

[jigginjim]

Don, welcome to the site. I'm running a 520 this this year. I have the unit in pages flasher, menu-ice machine, it cuts power in half saving on the battery. Menu- flasher option you can split the screen, it works the same as a FL-18, 6ft bottom lock.

[Chode2235]

Be sure to put it on ice machine mode, and be ready to play with the sensitivity a bit too. Also, if you are fishing with a buddy you will likely give him interference and need to adjust yours a bit too. Play with the surface clarity a bit before cranking the noise rejection all the way up.

I love my 334 and you will enjoy the 332. Good luck and tight lines.

[Chode2235]

Don, welcome to the site. I'm running a 520 this this year. I have the unit in pages flasher, menu-ice machine, it cuts power in half saving on the battery. Menu- flasher option you can split the screen, it works the same as a FL-18, 6ft bottom lock.

I actually like the single screen instead, but then use the arrows to move the screen back and forth in the water column. But that raises a good point if you really want some great zoom on the bottom set your range to the bottom (ex. 30 ft) and only 5 or 6 feet above that for the top of the range. You can use the 2x and 4x with great success if you refine your range a bit too.

I typically get rid of the top 10 feet most of the time, and then if I want a little more zoom I dial my range in to the spot I am fishing.

[MuskieJunkie]

Alright I'm not the only one using a 332c on the ice.

I ran the x67c for years and just switched to this one. I use it in the standard sonar mode with the 2x zoom split screen.

It barely fits int he lowrance soft pack and the ice ducer cords are expensive. There is no ice mode on this model (unless I just couldn't find it) which means no battery indicator. It's nice to have the bigger screen but not being able to use the GPS that unit is capable of is a real let down.

The battery life is MUCH shorter than an x67c in ice mode. I use to be able to go a long time with out charging the battery, after my first use with the 332c a fully charged battery died after about 10 hours of use, however that battery is about 3 or 4 years old.

[MuskieJunkie]

... anything new to add to these 3 yr old posts ?

Oh and where are those 3 year old posts you're talking about? I'd like to read up on the subject. Thanks.

[quijibo]

I have been using my lcx-25 for ice fishing for a few years now. While it does use up batteries quickly, it is kind of fun to have your jig show up as actual size. I will be switching to an lms unit as soon as I find a good deal on one. The seven inch monitor is very bulky and definitely doesn't fit in the Lowrance shell.

Brian, why can't you use the GPS functions, mine seems to work fine? It does use up a lot of battery though.

Adam

[DonC]

Here are the old post with some good pics on setup. thanks for the new info..

http://www.hotspotoutdoors.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/852288/1

Originally Posted By: DonC

... anything new to add to these 3 yr old posts ?

Oh and where are those 3 year old posts you're talking about? I'd like to read up on the subject. Thanks.

[walleyewild]

On my 337 I found that if you turn off the GPS once you get to your spot it'll last for several hours on a charge, the 337 uses 550 mamps and about 350 when gps is off. dim the backlight down and it is even less.

I also put a 9 ah battery in the Genz box, and use a 1 amp cig plug charger when I am using it on the road in the truck.

I also use it in graph mode, if I want to use the flasher I use my Vex instead.

I like the idea of having a little history on the display.

WW

[MuskieJunkie]

Brian, why can't you use the GPS functions, mine seems to work fine? It does use up a lot of battery though.

Adam

The 332c has the external antenna that I would have to rip out of my boat.

[DonC]

I bought a spare puck for on the road use. Don't have to mess with boat puck. spendy tho..........

Originally Posted By: quijibo

Brian, why can't you use the GPS functions, mine seems to work fine? It does use up a lot of battery though.

Adam

The 332c has the external antenna that I would have to rip out of my boat.

[DonC]

Muskie Junkie how do connect the power cord to your battery ? My extra power cord has a cigarett lighter male end on it for use in truck.

[DonC]

My plan is get a blue box, ice ducer from LEI, and the 2 battery and charger deal from Cabelas. Hope to be able to use power cord I have already if I can adapdt it to batteries. Don't need GPS for fishing but do have extra puck for truck use.........any thing I am missing ?? Do I need a ducer float or just throw it down the hole ??

[walleyewild]

DonC,

I use a vex float and stopper, works great, also pick up some female spade connectors, 12-14 gage they are either red or blue, they will slide right onto the terminals of the battery.

I made an extension cord for my wiring out of 12 gage speaker wire, male spade on one end female on the other, to hook up to a spare battery if I run the one in the blue box down.

WW

[pljllo]

I use the same set up as WW. The float is a must.

[DonC]

Well got all the parts on order. Going to go with a cigarett lighter adapter to battery and plug the power cord cigarett end into adapter.

Will I need anything like in line fuse or anything in the line somwhere ? Don't want to fry my 332C.........

[PierBridge]

There should be one in the Cig Lighter adapter. If not I'd add one.

[DonC]

Well got it done today. see if I can send pics.........

[DonC]

guess that worked... I put a cigarette lighter male end on the power cord. Then a cig liter female end wired to the battery with a fuse in the hot line(red) I used a motorcycle battery 12 amp hour, hoping it it will last all day instead of the smaller 7 and 8 amp hour batteries. Had to cut off the battery hold down arms in the blue box to accommodate the bigger battery. Had room on the side of the battery to stuff extra cord for cig liter. Zip tied the the female cig liter end to handle pointing up for easy access. Power cord and and male end of cig liter fit down in the bottom of blue box when not using without unplugging from fish finder. Tranducer and cord fits in the bottom of blue box as well and float lays behind the LMS 332C unit.

If anyone sees anything wrong with this set up please let me know before I blow it up

My ele experience is non existant so I used the wifes auto gps to test it out didn't want to blow up my fish finder. It worked fine so I tested it and it worked !! Havent tried it in the water yet...........need a battery charger now.

[walleyewild]

Great Job DonC,

All you need now is to find a used GPS puck and you'll have a nice portable unit for when ever the need arises.

I use my 337 in the boat in the summer and on the ice in the winter, I love mine come ice time.

WW

[DonC]

I have a spare puck and wire harness in the truck :-)Just didn't wanat all those wires hanging around

Great Job DonC,

All you need now is to find a used GPS puck and you'll have a nice portable unit for when ever the need arises.

I use my 337 in the boat in the summer and on the ice in the winter, I love mine come ice time.

WW