Lowrance HDS Live 12 - dim screen

[n8cas]

My top mounted bow HDS 12 live had issues today. First the power button stopped working, but now it’s just a very dim screen. I did a restore defaults, a hard reset holding down the zoom buttons and a touch screen recalibration holding the waypoint and the power button. I use the factory supplied gimbal mount and notice that it shakes a ton on my boat logix dual mount. The factory supply gimbal is a little more flimsy than the BBS shortie gimbal I bought for the lower mounted HDS 12 live at the bow ( so I can have room for my TM pedal. That could have caused some of the dimming / power issues I am having at the moment. Has anyone one else experienced this ? What else can I try to fix the dimming / power issue ? Thanks.

[kennybryan]

Note: PRESS the POWER button several times and that starts a DIMMING process.

[n8cas]

Note: PRESS the POWER button several times and that starts a DIMMING process.

yes - I noticed that. That is a feature I do not understand. I have to memorize where the brightness setting bar slides and it’s annoying.

[Sleepy111]

I have a Boatlogix dual mount as well and I don’t have any shaking that would be a problem like that. Do you just have it mounted with self tapping screws into the floor or thru bolted with lock nuts on the bottom side? I even use the factory gimbal with the Boatlogix stiffening bracket, they don’t make those anymore though.

[Basshopper]

yes - I noticed that. That is a feature I do not understand. I have to memorize where the brightness setting bar slides and it’s annoying.

Does this mean you don't go here to turn of your unit just hold down the power button, If so you may want to stop that right away. and power down on the menu where the light dim is. Holding the power button down is like pulling the plug out of the wall to shut off your putor. it will not end will down the road from corrupt software.

[n8cas]

The touch screen is the problem. While off water I got it to update and nearly return to normal. The left side of the display screen is slightly dimmer than the right side. I get on the water and it starts acting up again. I have that unit for my active target 2 forward display and out of nowhere the crosshair comes on screen as if I pressed somewhere on the active target screen. Then it does it again and again. It won’t stop beeping ( I have my beep sound turned on for whenever I touch a button or screen) as if I’m constantly touching the screen. I tried a recalibration of the touch screen and this problem still continued. Now what ?

[Basshopper]

If you put a voltage overlay on your HDS what is the supply voltage reading? do you have a map card in the slot? take it out. When you see the crosshair on and off that can be a gound issue. Start with the power cord and make sure its solid Have you done a factory reset? I would do that un check the waypoints. If all that does not fix it then Call Lowrance customer service it just might be a dieing LCD screen Is it more than 2 yrs old then out of warranty. if its still has warranty get off here and call directly get it fixed or replaced.

[n8cas]

12.6 v (as seen in video below). No map cards in this unit's slots. Power is solid (seems to be) as the seaclear harness supplies power to both of my 2 HDS lives at the bow. Hard reset and factory reset have been applied. It is less than two years, but I wanted to check with BBC first. I do NOT have the ground wire (it was not supplied) running from the top of the module to one of my batteries. That could be the issue. I have to go out and buy 12 gauge awg wire and test this out.

Quick video link:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sPqtBCYOT7s?si=ch33zYZZ4ktW9mCg" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Moloch16]

yes - I noticed that. That is a feature I do not understand. I have to memorize where the brightness setting bar slides and it’s annoying.

This might be confusing until you try to use the unit at night so you dim the screen, then you try to use it in the daytime and can't see anything because it's too dim, and since you can't see the screen you can't make it brighter. You can probably figure out how I know this :)

[n8cas]

If you put a voltage overlay on your HDS what is the supply voltage reading? do you have a map card in the slot? take it out. When you see the crosshair on and off that can be a gound issue. Start with the power cord and make sure its solid Have you done a factory reset? I would do that un check the waypoints. If all that does not fix it then Call Lowrance customer service it just might be a dieing LCD screen Is it more than 2 yrs old then out of warranty. if its still has warranty get off here and call directly get it fixed or replaced.

Can I run 12 gauge wire from the top of each of the modules to a spare ground connector on my terminal board under my console instead of ALL the way back to my batteries negative? I have so many damn wires from old electronics and NEW electronics running back there. Now I just gotta figure out which connector is a spare. My wiring schematic shows my 15 pin connectors have spare grounds, but I'm not sure how to connect to those.

[Basshopper]

Yes this is not an electrical circuit issue. is to prevent distruction to the case around saltwater.

[booter]

I had a similar issue with mine and I sent mine to Clearcast marine and they fixed it for $400. I believe the unit had a bad process. It was a cheaper option vice paying $1500 for a new HDS Pro 12.

[n8cas]

I had a similar issue with mine and I sent mine to Clearcast marine and they fixed it for $400. I believe the unit had a bad process. It was a cheaper option vice paying $1500 for a new HDS Pro 12.

Aren't the units under 2 year warranty? If this ground issue doesn't work, I'm calling Lowrance.

[justinp61]

Can I run 12 gauge wire from the top of each of the modules to a spare ground connector on my terminal board under my console instead of ALL the way back to my batteries negative? I have so many damn wires from old electronics and NEW electronics running back there. Now I just gotta figure out which connector is a spare. My wiring schematic shows my 15 pin connectors have spare grounds, but I'm not sure how to connect to those.

I'd start by verifying the wiring, then removing old, unused wiring.

[booter]

Aren't the units under 2 year warranty? If this ground issue doesn't work, I'm calling Lowrance.

They have a 2 or 3 year warranty, but it's such a pain in the ass anymore with Lowrance and you better register your units right away and keep the receipt of the day you purchased it since they will ask for it on a warranty claim. I had one unit with a screen that was going crazy and before shipping it to San Diego, you basically pay for an upgrade to a Pro unit. Once it arrived in San Diego, Lowrance sent me a new unit that day.

[n8cas]

They have a 2 or 3 year warranty, but it's such a pain in the ass anymore with Lowrance and you better register your units right away and keep the receipt of the day you purchased it since they will ask for it on a warranty claim. I had one unit with a screen that was going crazy and before shipping it to San Diego, you basically pay for an upgrade to a Pro unit. Once it arrived in San Diego, Lowrance sent me a new unit that day.

It's still under warranty. I'm mailing it tomorrow. We'll see what happens, but they offered me a HDS pro for $837 that I turned down.

[n8cas]

They sent me a new HDS Pro 12 to replace my faulty HDS live 12 unit under warranty. Received on 9/11/24. Over an hour waiting on the phone to initially call it in, but I'm very pleased with them sending the upgraded (even if the pro ain't that much of an upgrade) unit.

Called it in on 8/19. Mailed out on 8/21. Mailed back to me on 9/3. Received new unit on 9/11 via Fedex.