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Need help with motorguide xi 5 and lowarance transducer

Posted By: BDURHAM78

Need help with motorguide xi 5 and lowarance transducer - 01/12/20 03:36 AM

Ever since i installed the motorguide xi5 trolling motor i tried using the factory transducer and the image was terrible . So i ran a lowrance hdi transducer down the shaft to the bottom of the head and the image was better but still terrible, after seeing some images on here i need help . Anyone from the east texas area that can help will be greatly appreciated. Iam starting over from scratch .Iam here in the Hawkins area and boat is in the my shop so weather is not a problem
Posted By: JAlfred

Re: Need help with motorguide xi 5 and lowarance transducer - 01/12/20 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by BDURHAM78
Ever since i installed the motorguide xi5 trolling motor i tried using the factory transducer and the image was terrible . So i ran a lowrance hdi transducer down the shaft to the bottom of the head and the image was better but still terrible, after seeing some images on here i need help . Anyone from the east texas area that can help will be greatly appreciated. Iam starting over from scratch .Iam here in the Hawkins area and boat is in the my shop so weather is not a problem

I can't help, but I can commiserate. I have been through a similar experience. I have xi3 with built in transducer and Humminbird display unit. I purchased adapter and connected transducer to display. Interference was so strong, I could not get a usable image. Consulted with both companies. They each blamed the other. Installed my Humminbird transducer on bottom of xi3. Still lots of interference, but could get usable image with high frequency setting (450 khZ?). Tried other various ways to reduce noise, but have decided to live with it since I can at least see a reasonable image of bottom structure. I hope you continue to post on your progress in case you turn up something that will help mitigate this issue.
Posted By: ETxRT

Re: Need help with motorguide xi 5 and lowarance transducer - 01/12/20 11:27 PM

Does it have a bad pic all the time or only when the trolling motor is running?
Posted By: BDURHAM78

Re: Need help with motorguide xi 5 and lowarance transducer - 01/13/20 04:43 PM

With the built in transducer its all the time but worse when motor is running which is almost all the time
With the Lowrance transducer it is random times and sometimes it seems like the transducer is not even hooked up
I just see how everyone has all these great images and I look at mine and think what the [censored]
Posted By: ETxRT

Re: Need help with motorguide xi 5 and lowarance transducer - 01/13/20 07:26 PM

It could possibly be a grounding issue. I’ve seen where some people have to run a dedicated ground wire to the fin on the trolling motor itself. Before you do that, maybe try checking your existing ground connection to the graph or running a new ground to the boat. I don’t and wouldn’t wanna drill a hole in the fin but you may have to. I’m no expert, I have just read up on that issue with the ground. Otherwise maybe someone else with more knowledge will chime in.
Posted By: BDURHAM78

Re: Need help with motorguide xi 5 and lowarance transducer - 01/14/20 02:02 AM

Thanks everyone for chiming in so far
Posted By: tmd11111

Re: Need help with motorguide xi 5 and lowarance transducer - 01/14/20 02:06 AM

Biggest problem I've always seen with Lowrance transducers and trolling motor interference is the wiring. Make sure the power and ground wires for the graph and not too close to the trolling motor power cables.
Posted By: BDURHAM78

Re: Need help with motorguide xi 5 and lowarance transducer - 01/20/20 06:21 PM

Ok thanks everyone
Posted By: ETxRT

Re: Need help with motorguide xi 5 and lowarance transducer - 01/21/20 07:33 PM

Let us know if you get it figured out...
Posted By: BDURHAM78

Re: Need help with motorguide xi 5 and lowarance transducer - 01/28/20 01:49 PM

Ok update
I installed a new transducer this weekend, installed a new ground going to the front graph. Went to the lake sunday and the image is still the same . Poor quality image no matter how much you adjust the sensitivity or clarity the image will not get clear
Help....I need a graph guru to figure this out ...LOL
Posted By: fagin007

Re: Need help with motorguide xi 5 and lowarance transducer - 01/28/20 08:29 PM

I have the same setup and dont have a problem with my images. I have an XI5 with Lowrance HDS 7 Gen 3 connected to it with the HDI transducer and it looks fine. I did wrap my cable three times around the top of the head of the motor and the rest is tucked below my HDS but everything seems fine with no ground. I have seen people ground it to the trolling motor to stop interference but I havent had that issue.
Posted By: BDURHAM78

Re: Need help with motorguide xi 5 and lowarance transducer - 01/28/20 09:37 PM

Come over and look at mine see what you think.
I need to take a pic of it and let everyone see it
Posted By: BDURHAM78

Re: Need help with motorguide xi 5 and lowarance transducer - 02/10/20 01:39 PM

Ok update on my graph
Took my console hds12 and moved it up front bow and hooked it up and everything worked great, other than when on the trolling motor is get some frequency lines but 2d sonar is working normally
Hooked the hds9 on the console and and 2d did not work
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