vex colors

[ironman]

I've had my vex for 8 yrs now and honestly would rather not go fishing than to go fishing without it. Lately I've noticed how pale the colors are...yes, on a full battery. I look at mine and than at someone else's and it a huge contrast. It still tells me everything I need to know just would be nice if the colors were brighter and crisper. Do you know of any fixes? Can you replace the brushes? If there are such things. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[DTro]

You can clean the brushes. It is detailed on their HSOforum. From what I hear it's pretty easy.

[Rope]

Ironman,I was in the same fix,and went to their HSOforum,and found out that you can do a tune-up yourself.I followed the instructions and mine works fine.Yes,changing brushes will help if it ne

eds it.You can find all kinds of info there.http://www.vexilar.com/pages/support/instructions/instructions_brush-cleaning.html

[Ed Carlson]

A cleaning and tune up is going to make a huge difference. As the brush's wear ultra tiny copper/brass particles coat the inside of the dial assembly much like a film on sunglasses, cutting back light transference...gets dull. The brush's are wearing too over time and this can also weaken electrical connections and dims things down dramatically.

If the unit has a lot of miles on it and is getting a bit noisier than it once was, could be a combo of worn brush's and worn dial assembly. If this is the case, send it in, let the Vex Techs refurbish it as good, or likely better than, new. Average cost for this is about $60 with shipping extra. Be back on your step in 4 days or less.

If you have not caught word on the new "Cool Blue" LED conversion offered, well it is Kewl and this is the perfect time to do it if you so wish. The "Cool Blue" Conversion is designed to help out folks with color blindness issues, like myself, or just plain poor eyes...again like myself. But the new color palet is very appealing and functional and non-CB guys love it as much if not more than CB guys.

The costs will run the same and you will have a fresh high color display and a whole new look to tease you buds with.

I just converted my FL-20's to the "Cool Blue"...and man I love it!!! Super crisp and thin targets, dead on accurate target seperation..just plain Sweet!

Food for thought, rehab or "Cool Blue"...both will help dramatically at the same relative costs.

[smeese]

How do I switch my FL 20 to the Cool Blue?

[Finlander]

Might be your transducer! Mine had similar low brightness. So I bought a new transducer and it was bright as new!

Try someone else's transducer first before you buy!

The transducer is basically a crystal that is somewhat fragile and doesn't take much banging around for them to get weak.

So, take care of them and try to be gentle so they will last a long time. Nine times out of ten, the transducer will be the only thing that will go wrong with these units!

Good Luck!

[jigglestick]

How do I switch my FL 20 to the Cool Blue?

go to vexilar's web site and look for a link for the update to the new colors.

you send to them the hook you up and send it right back. I wanted to say I thought it was like 50 bucks, but ed would know, he had his done.

[Scott K]

Has anyone had the True Blue conversion done, if so do you have pictures, or a video of how the screen looks? I only found one picture on their HSOforum, and I want to see a better picture.

[McGurk]

If I were you I'd try the mentioned brush-treatment home remedy first. If that isn't satisfactory, then you can look into Vexilar service, and possibly the "Cool Blue" conversion.

[Ed Carlson]

Quote:

I just converted my FL-20's to the "Cool Blue"...and man I love it!!! Super crisp and thin targets, dead on accurate target separation..just plain Sweet!

While what you say is true of the FL20, doing this conversion on an FL8 will not make the target separation any crisper. It will be colored differently and brighter than what he had before, But so would just having the brushes cleaned with the original the red/green/yellow. If I were you I'd try the mentioned brush-treatment home remedy first. If that isn't satisfactory, then you can look into Vexilar service, and possibly the "Cool Blue" conversion.

I have it on my Fl-20's, and yes it does make the target separation much crisper. I seen a significant difference in on this unit from before and then after the conversion.

Have you see a "Cool Blue" conversion unit yet, or used one?

I have a "Cool Blue" conversion on a New FL-20, and in my experience it now has significantly crisper separation with the "Cool Blue" conversion, even with a 12 Deg ducer, a 9 deg would be even sharper target ID and separation.

Granted if his ducer is in poor shape this would effect target ID and clarity dramatically. If you send it in to the Vex Tech's they check everything, from one end to the other and Tweak it to work at optimum performance as part of the conversion process. A damaged ducer in need of replacement would be extra costs of course, and they would contact you on any extras needed before going ahead.

(I will try to get some pics of the unit in action, or a clip of it in action, and post it, If I am allowed to do so.)

[McGurk]

Well, Ed, I may be wrong, and you do have more Vex use under your belt than I do. I find it hard to believe swapping LED's would make it crisper, but if you say so. No I haven't seen the cool blue, but if it is so much better (crisper) than why wouldn't they also offer it new-in_box on store shelves instead of only as a service? Just curious, not arguing.

[Scott K]

[

(I will try to get some pics of the unit in action, or a clip of it in action, and post it, If I am allowed to do so.)

As long as it isnt a comercial link you should be fine!

[Ed Carlson]

Quick answer, it is tradition and market demand.

Vex was first with the colors most commonly used and guys traditionally are used to it. Once it gets more widely seen I think it will be a 60/40 to 50/50 split on what is preferred. Who knows, maybe it will be added as a either or color option with a flick of a switch in time? I like that plan myself.

Primarily the "Cool Blue" is in response to folks with color blindness issues. So until the demand is as such as it is worth adding to inventory stocks by retailers, it will remain a special order deal, or an upgrade option on new packages and reconditioned units.

Vendors have not seen it in use much either. I expect it will be included next season in most store sets so it is available in-house.

Visual acuity is highly selective to the individual, so the benefit to me may not be as obviously beneficial to you because we do not share the same color pallet limitations. So that is most certainly a factor to consider too.

[anyfishaldo]

I have a FL18 and was reading about the bushings getting coated. When I opened it ip they were covered in a kind of black soot. I went to the VEX site and followed the directions from the FAQ page. I can hardly change a lightbulb but this was a snap. Cleared up the fog a bit. I would like to try the cool blue as I am colorblind as a bat but will have to wait as I am off to the lakes this weekend!

[Bullwinkled]

I sent mine in for the Blue modification a month ago. I am color blind green so for me it is more distinctive. To a non CB person I am sure the normal green red is just fine. If you want to know if it will help take the CB tests at any number of sites and if you are primarily green it will help, if you are red CB not much help, so test first.

[ironman]

thanks guys..great info...I will try cleaning it first before sending it off..however it is also making quite a bit of noise too so maybe I'll send it in...after the ice fishing season of course.