Vexilar FL-8SE User Manual

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FL-8SE Operation Manual

CONTENTS
General Description		2
Specifications		3
Unit Installation		4
Power Connection		4
Transducer Installation		5 - 8
Operation	9	- 10
Typical Indications	11	- 14
Maintenance		15
Operational Questions & Answers	16	- 20
Transducer Beam Angle Chart		21
Trouble Shooting Chart		22
Accessories and Other Products	23	- 25
Transducers	26	- 27
Service and Support		28

Founded in 1960, Vexilar, Inc. has a long his-

tory of bringing revolutionary technology to the sport fishing industry. Just some of the Vexilar firsts include: the first liquid crystal display, the first fish alarm, the first three color display, and the first CRT and straight line paper graphs, for

the sport fisherman. The FL-8SLT was the first true interference Rejection unit. And now with the FL-8SE we bring you the next generation.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

"sound" pulses radiate from back up to the transducer signals. The FL-8SE then

by attaching an LED (Light spun at a high speed in the extremely high speed update. be displayed as red, orange, or

green to indicate strong, medium and weak signals respectively. The FL-8SE also has patented Interference Rejection (IR) Technology. This lets the user "filter out" unwanted interference from another nearby depth sounder. With two models available, deep and shallow, and a wide variety of accessories to choose from, the Vexilar FL-8SE is a powerful tool for today’s angler.

SPECIFICATIONS

Voltage:	10.5 - 15 Volts (12 Volts Nominal)
	275 mA
	400 Watts (Peak to Peak)
	200 kHz
	525 Segments
	2.65" Min.
	3 - Red, Orange, and Green
	4.4"H x 6"W x 2.5"D
	1.1 Lbs.

-30', 0-40', 0-60', 0-80', and 0-120' - Shallow Model

0-20', 0-30', 0-40', 0-60', 0-80', and 0-240' - Deep Model

Beam Angle:

If your transducer is not marked, you can determine the beam angle by the dimensions of the transducer face. Measure the shortest distance across the face of the transducer. 19˚ puck and Ice-Ducer transducers measure about 1 1/2”. 9º and dual beam transducers will be about 2 1/2” across the face.

Features and Specifications Subject to Change Without Notice

Figure E

INSTALLATION

To make the FL-8SE work, you must provide the unit with power and mount the transducer in an appropriate location.

UNIT INSTALLATION

Find a convenient place to mount the unit. This may include a boat seat, deck, dash, or a portable case. Make sure that there is plenty of room for the unit to tilt and/or swivel freely without the cables binding behind the unit. Once you have found a spot, remove the unit from the gimbal bracket. Securely attach the bracket to the mounting surface.

POWER CONNECTION

Plug the flat 3 pin connector into the back of the unit. Find the closest source of 12 volts and run the cord to it. Keep the cord away from sharp metal edges and avoid tight places where the cord may get crushed. Connect the red wire to positive and the black wire to negative or ground. If the cord provided is not long enough, more can be added. Use 18 gauge wire minimum. It is recommended that a 1 amp in-line fuse be placed in the positive line as close to the power source as possible to protect against any shorts in the wiring.

TRANSDUCER INSTALLATION

There are three basic types of transducers to consider: High Speed, Puck Style, and the Ice-Ducer System.

HIGH SPEED TRANSDUCERS

When choosing an area to mount the transducer, keep in mind that you need clear water flow across the face of the transducer to insure a clear reading at all speeds. Try to stay away from rivets, ribs, or strakes that would be just in front of the transducer. They can disturb the water and scramble the reading.

With the mounting bracket attached to the transducer, hold it up to the boat where you are planning to mount it. Mark the holes on the transom, or mounting plate, so that when the bottom of the transducer is flush with the bottom of the boat the holes are located at the bottom of the bracket slots. This gives you room to "fine tune" the position of the transducer and optimize your reading after you've put the boat in the water. Ideally, the transducer should be

just under the bottom of the boat. However, you may need to lower it 1/2” to 5/8” to get a clear reading at top speed.

Drill out the holes and tighten the bracket to the hull securely. Be sure to seal any holes drilled into the transom with silicone to prevent water from leaking into the boat. Give the transducer a slight tilt downward so that the back is about 1/8” lower than the front. Tighten the bracket screws and nuts securely. Run the transducer cord up to the unit. Plug the transducer connector into the back of the unit and screw the retaining ring down snugly

Figure G

PUCK STYLE TRANSDUCERS

There are three ways in which a Puck Style transducer can be mounted. It can be mounted In-Hull, on an electric trolling motor, or portable (with a suction cup or on an arm of some type).

IN-HULL MOUNTING

This method, gluing the transducer to the hull, gets the same results as if you were using the High Speed transducer only there are no holes to drill in the boat and there is no transducer on the transom to get damaged by impact.

Finding the best location for the transducer before mounting is critical. Choose a flat smooth spot near the center of the bilge and near the back of the boat. It is a good idea to make a "test run" before you permanently install the transducer to make sure that you can indeed get a reading through your hull, and when the boat is on plane. Put about a half inch of water in the bilge and hold the transducer in the intended location. Move the transducer around until you get the best reading. Mark the spot.

To install the transducer clean the spot of mud and oil. Using an epoxy or silicone glue make a puddle about the same diameter as the transducer on the hull. Place the transducer in the glue. Press it down firmly, gently twisting it back and forth, making sure that there are no air bubbles in the glue between the transducer and the hull. Let the glue dry completely before turning the unit on.

Run the transducer cord up to the unit taking the same care as you did when you ran the power cord. Plug the transducer connector into the back of the unit and screw the retaining ring down snugly.

TROLLING MOTOR MOUNTING

To attach a Puck Style transducer to a trolling motor, use a hose clamp or a large cable tie. Notice the slots in the transducer for this purpose. Locate the transducer on the bottom of the lower unit as in figure G. Run the cable up the shaft using cable ties to hold it in position. Make sure that the movement of the

trolling motor will not damage the cable. Plug the transducer connector into the back of the unit and screw the retaining ring down snugly.

PORTABLE MOUNTING

Optional suction cup brackets can be used to temporarily attach a transducer to the transom or side of the boat. The cups should be placed in a location where it will not be torn off when the boat goes high speed. It is a good idea to tie on a safety rope in case the cup does let go.

There are three suction cup brackets available for the FL-8SE. The BK0023 is made to attach the 19 degree Puck style transducer to a boat for use at slow speeds. The BK0044 suction cup brackets is made to attach the high speed transducers to a boat for high speed uses. See page 26 for details.

An arm can also be used to hold the transducer. Simply attach the transducer to the end of the arm using cable ties or tape. If the arm is constructed of metal tubing insulate the transducer from the arm by wrapping electrical tape around the arm. This prevents "ringing" which can be displayed as noise near the surface.

Run the transducer cord up to the unit using cable ties to hold the cord in place. Plug the transducer connector into the back of the unit and screw the retaining ring down snugly.

THE ICE-DUCER™ SYSTEM*

The Ice-Ducer system provides a quick and easy way to set up the transducer for ice fishing. All of the adjustments needed to find the true perpendicular point are done automatically. To use the Ice-Ducer, simply adjust the transducer to the desired depth and drop the assembly in the ice hole.

There are three main components to the Ice-Ducer system. They include the transducer, float, and the stop. The transducer comes assembled with the connector already installed. The stop is put on by passing the transducer cord through the slit in the side of the stop. Make sure that the tapered or rounded end is facing down, toward the transducer. The float is installed between the stop and the transducer by, again, passing the transducer cord through the slit in the side. Make sure the countersunk hole is facing up towards the top.

To use the Ice-Ducer, adjust the stop to allow the transducer to float at the desired depth. A six inch minimum is recommended in order to make sure that the transducer will indeed be pointing straight down. The most it should be down is to the bottom of the ice hole. If the transducer is below the bottom of the ice it can cause tangling problems when bringing in fish.

If you run into problems when using the Ice-Ducer and you can't see your bait try this, rub the bottom of the transducer with water to eliminate any residue or air film. This insures good contact between the transducer and the water. Check the length of cord between the float and the transducer to make sure there are no kinks in the cord that will cause the transducer to shoot off to the side

The Ice-Ducer

System

*Patent no. 5,546,362

OPERATION

There are three main controls for the FL-8SE. They include Power and Range control, Gain, and Interference Rejection.

POWER AND RANGE CONTROL

The knob located at the bottom of the control panel turns the unit on and selects which range is to be used. The center position is the Off position. There are six depth ranges to choose from.

S1 - 0-20'	D1	- 0-30'
S2 - 0-40'	D2	- 0-60'
S4 - 0-80'	D4	- 0-120'

(D8 - 0-240' Deep Model)

To activate the unit and select the appropriate range turn the knob to the left or right. To read the correct depth on the display you must correlate your range setting with the proper scale on the display. Notice that the shallow ranges are marked in white and the deep ranges are marked in yellow. For a range selection of S1 you would read the white numbers on the display. For a range selection of S2 you would read the white numbers times two, and times four for S4. The same is the case for the D ranges, only you would read the yellow numbers on the display.

For example, figure J shows the leading edge of the bottom at nine feet on the white scale. With a range setting of S1 you would interpret this as nine feet deep. With a range setting of S2 you would interpret this as 18 feet deep. With a range setting of D1 you would look at the yellow numbers and read the depth as slightly over 13 feet deep. D2 would read 26 feet. A setting of D4 would read the depth at 52 feet (13 x 4).

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