Marcum LX-3 problems

[Iowabucks]

Hey everybody,

I have a Marcum LX-3 that has worked for me for about 4 years. I just put in a new Interstate Battery 12v 7Mah battery. It worked today for about 3 hours then had problems. One second it was working fine, the next, nothing but a red bar at 12 o clock position. I can barely hear any sound coming from the transducer. I was hoping it was just a bad battery but it still had over 12v when i got it home. The battery meter was showing as low as 50% but i don't trust that meter anyway. It can read 0% and just be below 12v.

All cables are tight to the back of the unit. Wires are tight to the battery too. Unit is spinning. Doesn't help to turn the sensitivity up to max.

Could this be a bad transducer? Has anyone ever had anything similar happen to their Marcum?

I plan on calling Marcum customer service monday, i hear they are very good to deal with. Just looking to get some idea on this before i call them.

[Deitz Dittrich]

call CS, could be the ducer is not making a good connection.. Could need the bushing cleaned.. but MarCum will help you and make you happy!

[Northlander]

I would try another battery if you had problems after changing to a new battery.

[Iowabucks]

I would try another battery if you had problems after changing to a new battery.

I changed the battery out because the last one had some use in other projects and would charge to 12v, but the next day it would drop to 11v and stay there (even being unhooked). 11v was enough to run the flasher but i got a new one anyway and it seems to hold a very good charge, but i will give it a try. Thanks.

[Ed Carlson]

Check the pins and connections for corrosion on the ducer cable and head unit. It sounds to me to be a connection issue, or a bad ducer.

[Iowabucks]

Must be something inside the head unit. I swapped transducers with a friend and my transducer worked with his LX-3. His transducer wouldn't work on mine.

It will show a thin yellow line for a 4 foot deep bottom. But no extra junk thats usually there past the bottom reading. Transducer sounds pretty quiet compared to usual. Wonder if the power was compromised somehow? Battery is new and fully charged. (reading 100%).

[Ed Carlson]

Yup..Bummer...sounds as if it needs to see the Dr.

I recommend speaking with the tech at Marcum and see what a tune up will run.

[snoozebutton]

I plan on calling Marcum customer service monday, i hear they are very good to deal with. Just looking to get some idea on this before i call them.

Did you ever get a hold of them? I sent them an email and left a message on their answering machine and haven't heard a thing. Who ever heard of customer service where you leave a message on an answering machine and then wait up to 48 hours (that's what the message says) for a response? Why can't they at least answer their emails? My next unit (if I can get rid of this one) will be a Vexilar!!!

[tsande00]

I had that same problem one day. The flasher was spinning but the 'ducer wasn't emmiting any sound, and I had the red bar on the top. I charged the battery up (had been using it all weekend) and now it works fine again. My meter was reading 0% though. I suspect it's something to do with the new battery, possibly a bad connection to the new batteries terminals.

FYI I also called their customer service a few months back when I suspected a different problem (turned out to be bad connections to my battery). I called at 5:30PM after they were closed, and they returned my call the next morning around 11 or so.

Good luck to you.

[snoozebutton]

I called this morning at 9:00 so it's been 5 hours now but who wants to sit around the house all day waiting for a call that might or might not come?. I sent the email on Friday.

[Iowabucks]

I called and left a message. 24 hrs later i called again and got right through. They said they were calling down the list right then.

I tried another 2 batteries so i don't think that is the problem.

I was told $90 max to fix whatever it may be. Hopefully less if thats the case, but i forgot to ask that. I may just pay $160 and get a new head unit with the TC upgrade which i did not have before.

You may want to keep calling back and hopefully get to talk to someone. It worked for me.

[cementhead21]

I have had two issues with my Lx-3 this past season. I think that i use mine a little more than most thou since i use it year round...I Am TOTALY HAPPY WITH marcums customer service...Since I had the 1st year run LX-3 I never expected what they have done for me. So that when gave alittle tip so that the gent that helped me could get a few beers or whatever..

[snoozebutton]

An update on my call to Marcum. They called me today and the guy I talked to was super nice and took care of my problem. He told me they've been really swamped lately and they also had a 2 day ice fishing show they were at. If you're still waiting to hear from them, hang in there, they should be getting caught up now.

[koonie]

Was the guy that called Rocky? If so you will get taken care of in short order.

[sweept]

Koonie you have connections everywhere :)

[snoozebutton]

Was the guy that called Rocky? If so you will get taken care of in short order.

No, his name was Steve.