Vexilar Flasher Family User Manual

Vexilar Two-Year Extended
Limited Warranty Application

Price: $39.95 USD

Anytime within 12 months of purchase.

Model Units Covered
FL-8se • FL-12 • FL-18 • FL-20 • FLX-28

If you purchased a new Vexilar pack that includes a qualifying model, you may buy the

extended warranty for that head unit from Vexilar, Inc. for up to 12 months after

your purchase. This warranty is transferable to a new owner.

Two Ways to Order

On-Line

Save the stamp and the mailing hassles.
Just go online to complete your standard
warranty registration and complete the
extended warranty form on our website.

http://vexilar.com/warranty

Notice: The model and serial number of your unit MUST be provided to Vexilar with your original

purchase date to be able to register your unit for your first two year warranty AND to be able to

purchase the additional two year extended warranty.

By Mail

Send the form below, along with the your
standard warranty registration, and $39.95.
We accept checks, money order, Visa and
MasterCard. Make checks payable to
“Vexilar, Inc.” Please submit required items
to:

Vexilar, Inc.
Attn: Warranty Dept.
6667 West Old Shakopee Rd. Suite 101

Minneapolis, MN 55438

(Required)

1

Vexilar Two-Year Extended Limited Warranty

The Vexilar extended Warranty is not only the best in the Marine Industry, but also an exceptional
value. Your new Vexilar has a full two-year limited warranty against defects or malfunctions in
material, workmanship, or against failure to conform to the product’s written specifications. (See
specifics in your Vexilar owner’s manual.)

Now you have the opportunity to extend the warranty protection of your Vexilar unit from the time
of purchase by an additional two years—for a total of FOUR YEARS of protection. Models FL-8se,
FL-12, FL-18, FL-20 & FLX-28 are eligible for this program. This Two-year Extended Warranty must
be purchased within twelve (12) months from the original date of purchase for $39.95. (Please
note, your two years of extended Limited Warranty coverage will take effect after the original
factory warranty expires. This will give you a total of four years of limited coverage based on the
original purchase date of the unit.)

How To Apply

If you decide to participate in the extended warranty program anytime within twelve (12) months
after the original purchase date of the unit, you must buy it directly from Vexilar, Inc. for $39.95.
To qualify, follow the instructions on the opposite page.

When mailing your registration, please fill out the information on the extended warranty applica­tion completely. The serial number of the unit is located on the back of the head assembly. Vexilar
will send you a notice via mail confirming your extended warranty is valid and activated within 6
to 8 weeks. The reply from Vexilar will clearly state when your extended warranty period expires.
If you do not get a confirmation notice within this time, please contact Vexilar customer service
immediately as no extended warranty service on your unit will be done if you did not apply
properly.

Be sure to keep copies of all receipts for your own records. For more information or for additional
copies of the Vexilar Limited Extended Warranty forms call: 952-884-5291, e-mail
[e-mail] or visit our website. See order form for complete listing of the select models
covered. Vexilar, Inc. may find it necessary to change or modify this offer at any time.

Extended Warranty Coverage

The Extended Warranty gives you two extra years on the “head” assembly for model FL-8se,
FL-12, FL-18, FL-20 and FLX-28 units. During the extended warranty period, Vexilar, Inc. will repair
or at its option, replace any parts, labor and return shipping at no cost to you. Your FL unit’s se­rial number must be on file with Vexilar in order to receive warranty coverage. The unit must be
shipped prepaid to...

Vexilar, Inc. Attn: Service

6667 West Old Shakopee Road, Suite 101 Minneapolis, MN 55438

This warranty does not apply if the product has been damaged by accident or misuse or as a
result of service modification by anyone other than the factory. This extended warranty does not
cover batteries, chargers, cases, accessories, transducers, gimbal bracket or lost parts. This war­ranty is transferable to new owners.

2

VEXILAR FL SERIES SONAR/FISH FINDERS

OWNERS MANUAL

For Models:

FL-8SE | FL-12 | FL-18 | FL-20 | FLX-28

Contents

Vexilar — Pioneers
in Marine Electronics 4
About Flashers 5

Flasher Operation

Basic Use 6
About the Display 7
Range Control FL-8se 8
Range Control FL-18 9
Range Control FL-12/20 10

Range Control FLX-28 11

Setting the Gain 12
Interference Rejection 13
Low Power Mode 15
Auto Zoom 16
Bottom Lock 17
Low Battery Indicator 17
Understanding Zoom
FL-18 Auto Zoom 18
FL-20 Auto Zoom 19
FLX-28 Auto Zoom 20
Night Mode 20
Welcome to the FLX-28
Introduction 21
Auto Range Operation 22
Multi-Layer Display 23
Color Mode Operation 24
Interference Rejection 25
FLX-28 Mode Settings 26

Ice Fishing

Basic Principals 29
The Ice-Ducer™ System 30
Seeing Your Lure 31

Ice Fishing Systems

Genz Pack 32
Pro Pack II 34

Ultra Pack 36
Digital Depth & Battery Level 38
Battery Charging 39

Boat Use

Navigation 40
Bottom Content 40
Vegetation 41

Boat Installation

Unit Installation 42
Power Connection 42

Transducer Installation

Types and Methods 43
Transom Mounting 44
In-Hull Mounting 45
AlumaDucer™ Install 46
Trolling Motor Mounting 48
Portable Options 49

About Transducers

Cone of Sound 50
Dead Zone 51
Output Power 51

Parts and Accessories

Vexilar Tri-Beam Ice-Ducer 52
Optional Transducers 54
Replacement Parts 55
Accessories 56

Vexilar SONARPHONE 58
Product Specifications 59
Trouble Shooting

Care & Common Problems 60
Battery & Charging Tips 61
Electrical Interference 62
Service and Support 63

MNL011U RV6

3

VEXILAR — PIONEERS IN
MARINE ELECTRONICS

Established in 1960, Vexilar, Inc. has been a leading innovator of marine electronics
in the sport fishing industry for over 50 years. Some of their innovations include:

• The first straight-line paper graph for sportfishing (model 155)

• The first CRT (television) display (model 660)

• The first color display (model DE-12)

• The first fish alarm (model 120-SOS)

• The first Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) (model 480)

• The first self-leveling ice fishing transducer design (Ice-Ducer)

• The first split-screen zoom flasher (model FL-18)

• The first shoot-through-aluminum transducer design (AlumaDucer)

• The first 10’ Range Flasher (FL-22HD)

• The first tri-beam transducer in one housing.

With the recent introduction of the Edge family of liquid crystal sounders, they bring
the first true dual frequency/dual transducer sonar systems to the sport fisherman. The
FL series three-color flashers continue to lead the way in real-time high definition flasher
performance. Quality products backed by world leading customer service are the
bedrock of Vexilar, Inc.

A Long History of Vexilar Products

4

ABOUT FLASHERS

How Sonar Works

SONAR stands for SOund NAvigation Ranging. Sound travels through fresh water at a
speed of approximately 4920 feet per second. A sonar device (depth finder/fish finder)
measures the amount of time a burst of energy takes to travel to the bottom and return to
the transducer. This time variation is then displayed on the readout of your sonar. When the
depth gets deeper, the time of travel for the sound increases. The burst of energy, known
as the transmit pulse, is generated by the sonar’s transmit circuitry. This burst is delivered
to the water via the transducer. The return signal , known as the echo, is received by the
receiver circuit, also via the transducer. A central processing unit makes the calculations
to determine the depth of bottom, as well as
other targets.

Flasher Wheel Stationary

The sonar signal sent from the transducer will
reflect, or bounce off of any object that has
a different density than water. This makes it
possible to detect not only the lake bottom,
but also vegetation and fish.

Lights turn
on and off

rapidly as

wheel is

spun

How Flashers Work

The sonar portion of a flasher works in the
same manner as any other graph or LCD sonar device. The
difference is in how the return signal is displayed. Instead
of adding the data to a progressive representation of the
bottom to construct a history, the data on the flasher display
always represents the current point in time, also known as
“real time”. The display consists of a wheel with indicator
lights mounted in one location. The wheel is spun at high
speed and the lights turn on and off rapidly to show the

Flasher Wheel Spinning

sonar readings.

The Vexilar Advantage

Vexilar’s sonar design offers an optimal balance between the power of the transmitted
pulse and the sensitivity of the receiver circuit. Excessive power has been shown to cause
premature transducer failure, distortion of the sonar signal, and possibly “spook” fish from
the audible noise they hear. Vexilar provides a balanced performance level for a wide
range of fishing scenarios.

5

FLASHER OPERATION

Basic Use

The Vexilar FL series color flashers are great tools for open water and ice fishing. Once
you learn to understand the color display, you can apply this knowledge to greatly
increase your awareness of what’s under the water.

FL Se r ie S FL a Sh e rS Ca n Be US ed Fo r:

• Determining the current depth at any boat speed.

• Locating fish-holding underwater structure.

• Determining the bottom hardness and transition lines.

• Penetrating thick vegetation to see what’s below.

• Finding fish and the bait they feed on.

• Watching your bait and the fish around it.

Operation of each of the flasher models is very straight forward. You simply turn the unit
on, select an appropriate depth range setting, and then an appropriate gain level setting.
You should change the range and gain settings only when the conditions change.

RANGE

Range determines the maximum depth of water in which the flasher can see the bottom.
For example, the shallowest range available on the FL-20 is 0 to 20 feet. This means that if
the water depth is between zero and 20 feet, the bottom will be displayed on the screen.
If the water depth gets deeper than 20 feet, you’ll want to select a deeper depth range
in order to see the bottom.

DID YOU KNOW ?: It is usually best to select the shallowest depth range possible to see

the bottom. This allows the water column below to be represented by the greatest amount
of display screen area. This offers the highest resolution, makes things bigger and easier
to see.

GAIN

Gain controls the amount of amplification applied to the return sonar signal. Think of gain
as your volume control. You turn up the gain to see more of what’s below. You turn down
the gain to see less of what you don’t want to see. The goal is to find a gain level that
shows you as much real information as possible, without displaying stray signals of clutter
and interference. Keep the gain setting as low as possible for best overall performance.

INTERFERENCE REJECTION

This feature rejects sonar interference generated by other nearby depth sounders.
Interference Rejection, or IR, comes on automatically when you turn the flasher on, but
you can adjust the setting if desired. Learn more on page 13.

6

About the Display

The FL series flasher display consists of multiple colors (marks) which appear at various
positions on the screen. Understanding what the colors mean, and the position and size of
the colored marks, is the key to being able to interpret the information correctly.

RED = Strong Strength Signals. Strong signals are generally produced by
significant underwater objects, such as the bottom, heavy vegetation, and large fish.
However, smaller objects, such as bait fish, can display as red if the object is directly
under the transducer.

ORANGE = Medium Strength Signals. Medium signals are produced by
smaller objects and softer bottom types. Also, medium strength signals can be produced
by larger objects in the immediate area around, but not directly under, the transducer.

GREEN = Weak Strength Signals. Weak signals are produced by small
objects, such as light vegetation, bait fish, and even air bubbles or aquatic micro marine
life. Larger objects off to the sides of the transducer can also be displayed as green.

What is What ?

Here are the basics of what you will see on
the display of an FL series flasher.

Marks beyond the bottom
mark can indicate either
hard objects within a soft
bottom or large objects
well off to the side.

Bottom is generally the
most prominent mark
on the display. Bottom
usually starts with a
wide band of red,
with orange and green
trailing.

READ DEPTH HERE: The current depth
is indicated by the leading edge of
the bottom mark. The depth is 12
feet here.

The Zero mark always shows, even
if the transducer is unplugged. This
mark indicates the starting point.

Marks just beyond the Zero
mark can indicate algae,
floating vegetation, or even
“ice noise” caused by thick
ice conditions.

You read the
display in the clock­wise direction. The
further around you
go, the deeper the
water.

Fish, bait fish, and
even your lure, will
show anywhere
between the Zero
mark and the Bottom
mark. Here, a weak
object shows about
a foot above a much
stronger object.

NOTE: The FLX-28 has a more sophisticated color scheme. See page 24 for details.

7

Setting the Range

FL-8SE

The FL-8SE has six depth ranges in two groups, Shallow and Deep. The Shallow group
includes Zero to 20’, 40’, and 80’. The deep group includes Zero to 30’, 60’, and 120’.
To interpret depth, you multiply the displayed reading by the range multiplier.

Deep Range Group

Look at the inner scale and the

right-hand multipliers in yellow

Shallow Range Group

Look at the outer scale and the

left-hand multipliers in white

Sh a LL ow Gr oU p

• S-1 = Zero to 20 feet. Read the outer white scale directly.

• S-2 = Zero to 40 feet. Read the outer white scale and double the reading.

• S-4 = Zero to 80 feet. Read the outer white scale and multiply by 4.

de e p Gro Up

• D-1 = Zero to 30 feet. Read the inner yellow scale directly.

• D-2 = Zero to 60 feet. Read the inner yellow scale and double the reading.

• D-4 = Zero to 120 feet. Read the inner yellow scale and multiply by 4.

8

Setting the Range

FL-18

The FL-18 has 5 depth ranges. Zero to 20’, 40’, 60’, 80’, and 200’. To interpret depth,
you multiply the displayed reading by the range multiplier.

Normal mode selected

In normal mode, read the outer white scale and multiply by the
range setting. Here, the range is set to “x1”. Bottom is at 15
feet, a fish is at 12 feet, and there is a weak signal at 10 feet.

If the range control was set to “x2”, the bottom would be
interpreted as 30 feet, the fish at 24 feet, and the green mark
at 20 feet.

Reading the depth is the same in LP (Low Power) mode. Reading the depth in
AZ (Auto Zoom) or BL (Bottom Lock) mode is discussed on page 17

9

Setting the Range

FL-12 and FL-20

Both the FL-12 and FL-20 have five depth ranges consisting of Zero to 20’, 40’, 60’, 80’,
and 200’. To read depth, you match the color of the range selected with the depth scale
of the same color.

Match the color in which the range knob is pointing to the same colored
depth scale. Here, the range is set to 20 feet, which is yellow. To read
depth, look at the yellow scale on the flasher display.

If you change to the 40 foot range, you’ll look at the red depth scale, which
is just inside the yellow 20 foot scale.

For the 300 foot range, look at the outer 20 foot scale. Here you will need
to multiply 20’ X 15 to get your 300’ depth reading.

The 20’ Low Power range reads the same as the standard 20 foot range, except that
using this selection puts the flasher into Low Power Mode, which is discussed on page 15.

10

Setting the Range

FLX-28

The FLX-28 is equipped with a digital depth readout on the inner display dial and the
“AUTO” Stands for “Auto Range”. You can also select ranges manually.

The “AUTO” setting automatically selects the correct depth range to maximize your
display area. The shallowest range in the Auto setting is 0-10 feet. For example, if you are
fishing only 8 feet of water, in the “AUTO” mode setting, the entire dial of the display will
be dedicated to 10 feet or less. To override the AUTO feature, simply manually change
the Range control to the desired depth setting.

The digital display on the inner dial of your Vexilar will display your current digital depth
and also the current range you are in. So your display will read: Depth 34 ft – AR (for
Auto Range setting).

Mode Available Range Settings

Auto-Range 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80,

100, 120, 160, 200, 240 and 300 Feet

Manual-Range 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 Feet

11

Setting the Gain

Gain functions are the same on all models. However, the FL-8se, FL-18 and FLX-28 have a
different scale than the FL-12, FL-20.

Ga i n SCa Le

• The FL-8se, FL-18 and FLX-28 use a zero to ten scale.

• The FL-12 and FL-20 use a Minimum to Maximum scale.

FL-8se, FL-18 & FLX-28

Gain Control

FL-12 & FL-20

Gain Control

Gain controls the amount of amplification applied to the return sonar signal. Think of gain
as your volume control. You turn up the gain to see more of what’s below. You turn down
the gain to see less of what you don’t want to see. The goal is to find a gain level that
shows you as much real information as possible, without displaying stray signals of clutter
and interference.

Start at a low gain setting, near minimum. Turn up the gain, if necessary, until you see what
you want to see. Generally, gain levels between minimum and one third are adequate for
most situations. Higher gain levels should only be required to read in deeper water or to
see small objects.

DID YOU KNOW ? Gain can act as a variable cone angle. As you increase the gain level,

you can see things further away from the transducer. This can be helpful in uncluttered
conditions. If you don’t see anything on the screen (other than bottom), turn up the gain
temporarily and see if anything shows up. If it does, it could be a fish some distance away
from your transducer. Unfortunately, this won’t work in cluttered water, such as weedy
conditions, because the objects in the center of the cone will get amplified and overlap
anything on the outside, making these objects impossible to distinguish.

12

Interference Rejection

The purpose of interference rejection is to reduce cross-talk interference from other nearby
depth sounders. This can be very helpful if you have another sounder mounted on your
boat running at the same frequency as your flasher. It is also helpful when other fishermen
are running sounders operating at the same frequency as your flasher nearby.

Cross-talk interference occurs when the signals sent from one depth sounder are received
by another. If the two sounder’s frequencies are the same, each unit is unable to
differentiate between it’s own signals and others. What you see as interference is actually
the reading of the other sounder displayed on your screen. The signals can circle around
the display or remain stable. Beware of the stationary interference signals. They can lead
you to believe the depth is different than it is or that there’s a fish hanging below you
which really isn’t there.

Usually, when you see interference on one sounder, the other sounder will show it too.
Therefore, when you use your Interference Rejection to reduce or eliminate the interference
on your display, the other sounder will see a similar reduction. This means you can use
your Vexilar flasher next to another sounder which does not have the I.R. feature and both
sounders can run more clearly.

If two Vexilar units are operating together, you will get the best results by leaving the IR
control set at one level on one unit, while adjusting out the interference displayed on both
units using the second unit’s IR feature.

Interference occurs when the cone angles of two different sounders

operating at the same frequency intersect. It can also occur if the

sonar signal from one sounder bounces off an underwater object and is

received by another sounder.

To reduce interference from other units, use a Pro View transducer (see page #54)

13

FL-8SE a nd FL-12

Interference Rejection comes on automatically when

you power up the flasher. You can turn it off by

pressing on the gain control.

If interference from another sounder is present on

the display, press this button repeatedly until it goes

away or is reduced as much as possible.

FL-18, FL-20 a nd FLX-28

14

Interference Rejection comes on automatically when you power up

the flasher. If interference from another sounder is present on the
display, press the gain control repeatedly until it goes away or is

reduced as much as possible.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

Low Power Mode ( Not Available on FL-8SE )

Low Power Mode, or LP Mode, reduces the output power of your flasher. It is useful for
situations where the gain cannot be turned down enough in Normal Mode. Use the Low
Power Mode only when you need to. Usually, you’ll use it in only very shallow or very
weedy conditions.

FL-18

Activate the Low Power Mode (LP) by switching the Mode control to the left.
The range can be set at any position. If you switch to the left of LP, you can
activate the AZ or BL Modes in Low Power Mode.

FL-12 and FL-20

Activate the Low Power Mode by switching
the range control from OFF to the left. The
range will be set to 20 feet. You can use
any of the Mode settings in Low Power
Mode.

FLX-28

Activate the Low Power Mode by switching
the mode control to the LP setting. Note
that Auto Range and Digital Depth will not
function in LP Mode.

DID YOU KNOW ? Low Power Mode will not affect how much battery power is required

to run the flasher. Switching to Low Power Mode will actually shorten your running time
by 10%.

DID YOU KNOW ? You can have a Low Power Mode feature on an FL-8se too by

purchasing a Vexilar S-Cable. Learn more about it on page 55.

15

Auto Zoom ( FL-18, FL-20, & FLX-28 Only )

Auto Zoom (AZ) puts the flasher into a split-screen view, with the complete water column on
the right and a magnified view from the bottom on the left. When you switch to Auto Zoom
Mode, the flasher automatically selects the magnified bottom view for you. However, you
do need to have the flasher set to a depth range in which the bottom is in view.

FL-18

Activate Auto Zoom by switching the
Mode control to the AZ selection on the
right or the left. The right selection operates
Auto Zoom at the normal power level. The
left selection operates Auto Zoom in Low
Power Mode.

FLX-28 Auto Zoom

Activate the Auto Zoom by switching the Mode
control to the right for either the normal powered
AZ (6’) or AZ x2 (12’) setting. Please note that
the Auto Zoom feature will not function when
the range control is set to the 10 foot setting.

FL-20

Activate the Auto Zoom by switching the
Mode control to either the AZ 6’ or AZ
12’ setting to the right, or the AZ 6’ or AZ
12’ setting to the left. The right (Yellow)
settings operate with the display at full
brightness.

16

Bottom Lock ( FL-18 )

Bottom Lock (BL) works the same as Auto
Zoom, except the flasher continuously
updates the position of the bottom in the
magnified view. This can be helpful in a
boat that is moving over varying depths or
is riding in heavy waves.

Bottom Lock will keep the bottom reading
lined up correctly with the zero mark on
the Zoom scale. This allows you to see
objects which are very close to the bottom,
even though the depth may be changing
rapidly. The range control must be set to a
position where the bottom is displayed in
order for Bottom Lock to function.

IMPORTANT - Bottom Lock works best for boats in motion. When still fishing, such as

vertical jigging or ice fishing, the Bottom Lock feature can incorrectly identify a large
object slowly moving into your view as a shallower depth change. The result is that the
flasher adjusts to the new level and the object is displayed as the bottom.

Bottom Lock is not available on the FL-20 or FLX-28

FL-18 Bottom Lock (BL)

Activate Bottom Lock by switching the
Mode control to the BL selection on the
right or the left. The right selection operates
Bottom Lock at the normal power level. The
left selection operates Bottom Lock in Low
Power Mode.

FL-20
Low Battery Indicator

When battery power runs low, the red “Low Battery”
indicator light will turn on. You can continue to use the
flasher, but be aware your time is rapidly decreasing.
When the indicator light begins to flash, failure due to
low voltage is imminent.

17

Understanding the Zoom Modes

When Auto Zoom (AZ) or Bottom Lock (BL) is active, the display is divided into two halves.
When reading depths always use the inner scale on the right side. When the range is set
to 20, read this scale “as is”. When the range is set to 40, double the reading. If set to
60, triple the reading.

FL-18 - Auto Zoom

THE LEFT HALF represents the zoom
view. From the bottom up to six feet.
Read the distance from the
bottom using the inner
yellow scale.

The Zoom scale reads in the
opposite direction as the full view
scale. The bottom will always be at
the 7 O’clock position. Objects will appear
above this point. You can only see objects as far off
the bottom as the zoom setting permits, which is 6 feet.
Objects above this level will only appear on the right side,
which shows the entire water column.

THE RIGHT HALF represents the entire

water column, from the water surface

to the bottom. Read the depth

Bottom

using the inner yellow

scale.

Fish

18

FL-20 - Auto Zoom

THE LEFT HALF represents the zoom
view. From the bottom up to six (or 12)
feet. Read the distance from the
bottom using the large
white scale.

The Zoom scale reads in the
opposite direction as the full view
scale. The bottom will always be at the 7
O’clock position. Objects will appear above
this point. You can only see objects as far off the
bottom as the zoom setting permits, either 6 feet or 12
feet. Objects above this level will only appear on the right side
which show the entire water column.

THE RIGHT HALF represents the entire
water column, from the transducer to the

bottom. Read the depth using the

inner red/white scale.

Bottom

You interpret
the depth by

multipling

the indicated

value on the

red/white scale

by the multiplying

factor here.

20’ Range = 1x
40’ Range = 2x
60’ Range = 3x
80’ Range = 4x

300’ Range = 15x

Fish

IMPORTANT Zoom should be activated only when the transducer is submerged. If the

zoom is activated before the transducer is placed in the water, such as when moving from
ice fishing hole to hole while the zoom is operating, the bottom may not line up with the
zero mark on the zoom scale correctly. If this happens, simply switch the flasher to Normal
Mode, or Full View Mode, and then back to Zoom to reset the feature.

IMPORTANT If the depth of water changes while a zoom mode is selected, the bottom

position on the zoom scale will change accordingly. If the bottom signal moves off of
the display, reset the zoom by switching back to the Normal Mode momentarily. For this
reason, the Zoom Mode is not recommended for use on boats where changes in depth
are commonly occurring.

19

FLX-28 - Auto Zoom

THE LEFT HALF represents the zoom view
from the bottom up to six feet. Read the
distance from the bottom up using the

THE RIGHT HALF represents the entire
water column from the water surface to the
bottom.

green depth markers.

The zoom scale reads in the
opposite direction as the full view
scale. The bottom will always be at the

Bottom

7 o’clock position. Objects will appear above
this point. You can only see objects as far off the
bottom as the zoom setting permits, which is 6 feet.
Objects above this level will only appear on the right side,
which shows the entire water column.

Fish

Night Mode

( FL-20 & FLX-28 Only )

Night Mode reduces the
flasher’s display brightness
to make night time viewing
more comfortable to your
eyes. The display intensity is
reduced by about 50%.

20

FL-20 To activate Night
Mode, switch the Mode
control to either the Full
View, AZ6, or AZ12
position to the left.

FLX-28 To activate Night
Mode or return the display
to full brightness, press and
hold on the top Gain control
knob for three seconds.

WELCOME TO THE FLX-28

The following instructions should be read before you take your FLX-28 to the water to
ensure you fully understand the capabilities and limitations of this unit. What makes the
FLX-28 so special is the performance based automatic features that allow you to start
fishing faster and easier than ever before.

There are more features to the FLX-28 series than ever before inside a single flasher sonar
system. When fans of Vexilar say we could never improve the FL-8 that we introduced
over 20 years ago, they were amazed when the FL-18 hit the ice in 2002. By the time
the new flat screen FL-12 and 20 came out, Vexilar had established a new gold standard
in flasher performance. Surely, Vexilar could not improve on this? Welcome to the age
of the FLX series! A unique brushless data transfer design system allows for the creation
of a breakthrough flasher display with digital depth and Auto Ranging technology. The
FLX-28 is totally revolutionary in the world of winter flasher sonar technology. Vexilar has
come a long way from the early FL-8, but Vexilar has never changed their commitment to
deliver the very best sonar systems in the world for over 50 years. Performance, quality,
innovation and reliability…

21

Auto Range Operation

It is possible to confuse your “Auto Range” operation when fishing over very soft lake
bottoms or during conditions of thick ice. This can confuse the software, as it cannot find
a bottom point in the return signal strong enough to trigger a lock on the bottom. For
this reason, there is a three second delay beginning when you put the transducer in the
water before the unit attempts to lock. This gives the software time to process the signal it
is seeing to best determine the true bottom point.

When soft bottom conditions exist, you may need to turn up your gain initially to help
enable the program to find bottom. Then you can turn the gain back down when fishing. If
you find your Auto setting cannot lock on bottom, the range setting will default to the 300’
range. You can then simply switch to a Manual Range option.

Note: There is NOTHING wrong with your Vexilar when the FLX-28 cannot lock on range
automatically. This is a very unique fishing scenario, and unfortuantely you will not be
able to take full advantage of the “Auto” feature in these conditions.

Low Power Mode & Open Water Use

Low Power mode will disable the digital depth reading. The delay in establishing depth
and range also will limit your enjoyment of the FLX-28 in open water scenarios since it will
not give the instant depth readings anglers expect from classic Vexilar flasher technology.

Because the Auto Range technology was designed specifically for an ice fishing
environment, it is recommended to use Manual Range settings for open water use. Note
that while in the Manual Range settings the digital depth readout will only display up to
50 feet. If you lose the digital bottom depth reading in a known area of less than 50 feet
of water, or does not seem to match with what your flasher display is telling you, these
factors may come into play:

1. Very Soft Bottom

2. Too many fish
(Depth readings will jump up and back to bottom as fish pass)

3. Too Much Vegitation

4. Your actual depth may be deeper than 46 feet
(Shift to 50 foot manual range)

Note - When fishing in very shallow water, you will see the FLX-28 will not register a

digital depth readout when you are waters shallower than 3 feet of water

22

Multi-Layer Display

The FLX-28 incorporates a three-layer LED, spinning wheel display. The outer color
display layer is like our standard three-color Vexilar flasher display. However, with
data transfer technology, we can offer more color palettes.

The inner layer gives you a green marker for every
foot shown on the display. This makes it easy to
position your baits one or two feet off the bottom
with no guessing.

As you change depth ranges, the line counts
for each display will correspond to the depth

changes as

Foot Markers Range Settings

1ft 10 - 30ft

5ft 40 - 60ft

10f t 80 - 300ft

shown in the
table.

The third inner layer of
the display will be in
red, where you find your
Digital Depth and Range
settings. This area is also
used to display battery
levels, IR setting levels
and your mode settings.

23

FLX-28 Color Mode Operation

On the top MODE setting control knob you have the “CS” option on the switch, this stands
for “Color Select.” Simply switch the MODE switch to CS and then tap (push in) the top
gain switch while the flasher is on. The FLX-28 display will tell you what color setting you
are selecting from scheme 1 through 5. Your FLX-28 will remain in whatever color palette
you select until you manually change it again.

Co Lo r Mod e 1: CL aS SiC V e xi Lar - re d, Ye LLow , Gre en

In this application, green shows you the weakest signals
below you. Commonly weeds are shown in green and
even your lure sometimes would be shown as green.
If you turn up the gain setting, that same green signal
will change to yellow or maybe even red. Yellow is the
next strongest signal and then red, which will be on your
display at the zero mark and again to show you bottom.
The beauty of the Vexilar three-color system is that you are
able to adjust your gain so that a fish target at the outer
edges of the signal will be green and as it approaches your lure
will shift to yellow and then red when the fish is directly below your hole.

Co Lo r Mod e 2: red , YeL Low onLY

The more you use a Vexilar, the more you are confronted with
situations where you will often be seeing a lot of green
in your display. Heavy weeds, for example, or in some
lakes where tiny bugs are so thick on a lake at night they
trigger a green cloud on your display. By taking out the
green, you take out much of the confusing signals that
you normally have to fish around. In this setting, your lure
will be yellow and you will notice that fish will “suddenly
appear” more, since the weaker green signal is no longer
there to alert you of a fish on the outer edge of your coverage.

Co Lo r Mod e 3: whi te, r e d, Ye LLow , Gre en (Fac tory De Fault)

While color setting #2 limits some of the signals you could
display, color option #3 goes to the opposite end of the
spectrum. With green once again being the weakest
signal, the yellow stronger and the red now becomes not
the strongest signal but the SECOND to the strongest.
White becomes the strongest color now. The advantage
of the four colors will be to allow you to target specific
fish that are directly below you, if you are fishing a school
of fish for example. It is often called a “Christmas Tree”

24

because of the wide variety of colored lights you will see when you find yourself fishing
over a large group of fish. When you see a fish in red, then turn to white, you know the fish
is inches from your lure. The four color setting will allow you to see more individual targets,
which might be too confusing to some, but you will gain the ability to target specific fish
better.

Co Lo r Mod e 4: whi te, r e d, Ye LLow , Gre en, B L Ue

In all other modes, filtering limits the total signal level you see
on the display. The micro-processor then decides when a
target is worthy of your attention or not. The five color
FLX-28 option turns all filtering off to show you nearly
every signal possible. The dynamic range of each color
allows YOU not the computer to interpret the colorful
signal display. On one hand, you might think having all
this information is a good thing, but if you can see the
curl of our own fishing line as a blue signal in the display,
are you happy or just confused? To skilled flasher anglers,
having five colors gives you more advance warning of nearby fish,
better understanding of fish attitudes and even know if your bait is on the hook or not.
Give it a try and see if you like it.

Co Lo r Mod e 5: whi te, r e d, BL U e

Designed to function EXACTLY like color option #1, but some
people are color blind and have difficulty distigushing
the red/yellow/green color pallet. Setting #5 is an
alternative that has proven to be much easier to see for
these people. Blue replaces green as the weakest color,
then red and now white will be the most intense sonar
signal strength. You do not need to be color blind to use
this color option if you like it.

FLX-28 Interference Rejection

The FLX-28 has increased your options for interference rejection by doubling what has
been available on the classic FL flashers. The IR control can be activitated when you are
fishing in the Normal or (LP) Low Power mode settings. You simply press the gain knob
up to 20 times to access these different options. Your goal is to find a time when your
unit is transmitting and not listening to the other sonar systems that may be nearby. ONLY
ONE unit equipped with this IR feature needs to adjust the transmit timing to clean-up the
interference from BOTH units. Remember, you have 20 settings to try to see which will
give you the best display. As you press the IR or gain knob to change the IR setting, you
will see the inner LED display will tell you where you are in the 1-20 IR setting for about
one second after adjusting.

25

FLX-28 Mode Settings and Abbreviations

d = deMo Mode

Here is a fun feature that the FLX-28 offers to those dreaming about ice fishing during
the off season or when they are coaching their friends on what to expect when they go
fishing with ANY Vexilar. The Demo Mode simply runs a simulation program showing
what a bottom signal will look like in normal mode setting. You will see a fish target
near the bottom and on the right side of the dial, you will see the lure dropping down or
moving around the dial right to left. As the lure nears six feet from the bottom, the unit
shifts to AZ mode display which zooms in on the bottom six foot of the water column.
Note how much larger your lure and the fish appear in the AZ setting. The lure stops just
above the fish target and the lure is jigged up and down to trigger the fish to move up to
eat it. Then the fish comes to the bait and is caught. Just like it happens in real life!

Your unit only needs to be on and turned to the “D” setting on the Mode switch. All other
controls will be deactivated at this point. The system will show a different color display
option with each cycle of the demo mode so you can see what color palette you like the
best even before you get on the ice.

wM - weed Mode

The Weed Mode option can be used in any situation where you want to sharpen individual
target separation. Most often this occurs in thick weeds where you will want to avoid
seeing the weed stalks as blobs so you can see your lure moving inside a tall weed bed.
It also is helpful when you are fishing in schools of panfish or balls of shad.

To activate this feature, you need to be in the Normal mode setting and turn the unit “ON”
while you are holding down the gain knob. Once turned on, all features of your FLX-28
will work normally, but you will notice your display to be slightly weaker. You may need
to increase your gain level. It’s possible to use the Weed Mode when you’re in the Low
Power mode. However, you still need to go through the Weed Mode process first.

From a technical standpoint, you are sending a shorter transmit burst, which requires more
sensitivity from your receiver. That is why you need to turn up your gain. The limitations
of this technology means it is best to use in 30 feet of water or less and in areas where
interference from other anglers will not be a problem, since you will need to use a higher
gain setting which will make it more sensitive to receive interference. When you turn your
unit off, it will re-set back to normal mode. Give it a try and see if it helps you out the next
time you are surrounded by fish!

Note - Weed mode can only be activated when in Normal-Power mode setting.

26

LP - Low Power Option

The Low Power Mode is designed for shallow water anglers looking to clean up a clut­tered and busy display. The rule for using the Low Power Mode setting is this: If you turn
down your gain as low as it can go in normal mode, and yet the signal is still too strong
to get a good clean reading, switch to the Low Power Mode. By activating the LP Mode
you are greatly reducing the output power of your unit.

This means you should expect the lure, fish or weeds below to disappear if your gain re­mains at or near zero. You will now need to turn up the gain to “fine-tune” your display.
You DO NOT want to be in LP all the time since it will make finding a lure or even fish in
deeper water nearly impossible. Only use this mode when needed. Also, when trying to
fish in deeper water you will need to turn up your gain and interference from other sonar
systems can make it impossible for you to fish. In keeping with the golden rule for gain
control: keep your gain as low as possible in order to see your bait, if the lowest gain
setting is not low enough, switch to LP mode.

Note - The unit must be in manual range setting to use Low Power option. The Digital

Depth reading, Auto Ranging and the AZ or Auto Zoom Feature WILL NOT work while
in LP or Low Power setting.

AZ - Auto Zoom Modes

When you shift to the AZ 6 mode, you are splitting your display in half and dedicating
the right side of the display to the entire water column, while the left side is dedicated to
just the bottom 6 feet of the water column. If you are a perch angler fishing in 40 feet
of water, you can zoom in on the bottom 6 feet of the water column to greatly increase
your visibility in this zone. Similarly, in the AZ x2 setting, you are viewing the bottom 12
feet of the water column.

Important - Both AZ6 and AZ x2 should never be used in open water scenarios. Also

note that even if you are in the Auto Range setting, you will need to manually re-set the
AZ view by shifting to normal and back to AZ when you change depths. Also note that
while in Manual Range or Auto Range, if the bottom is super soft, you may need to
increase the gain setting in the normal mode then switch to AZ to lock on the top of the
soft bottom. You can then simply back down your gain and fish as usual. Again, the AZ
feature does not work in LP or Low Power mode.

27

Battery Voltage Display

Each time you turn the FLX-28 unit on, it will flash
the voltage of your battery on the digital display
for three seconds. The FLX-28 can work on any
12 volt power supply. While fishing if you find the
digital display saying “LOW-BATT” the system is
telling you the battery is down to only 10.6 volts.
At 8.0 volts, the “LOW-BATT” graphic warnings
will start to blink on and off which tells you the
unit is about to shutdown. At 6.5 volts the entire
display will blink on and off and then shut down
completely. Be sure to charge your battery often
to avoid any down time fishing without your
Vexilar at full capacity.

Battery Voltage Percent Charge

12.7 100%

12.5 80%

12.3 70%

12.0 60%

11. 9 50%

11. 7 40%

11. 6 30%

Day & Night Modes

Night fishing in the winter months is very popular. The problem with the bright display
of the FLX-28 is that at night many find the display too bright and uncomfortable on the
eyes. So you simply press in and hold the Gain knob for three seconds. The brightness
of the unit will be reduced by 50%. Note that this will not save much battery power
and you are not changing the output power of the unit in any way. This feature simply
reduces the display brightness.

28

ICE FISHING

Basic Principles

The FL series color flashers offer distinct advantages over traditional depth sounders for
the sport of ice fishing. This unique style of fishing offers a stable platform to fish from.
Because everything is so stable, the only movements below are that of fish. Additionally,
the conditions allow you to drop your bait directly down into the center of the transducer’s
cone of sound. This allows you to be able to see your bait and the fish on the display at
the same time. You can tease the fish and see his reaction.

Water Surface

I8

55

35

I7

70

I6

45

60

30

I5

I4

40

50

I3

25

I2

5

80

I I

3

I0

I0

4

I5

I0

20

5

6

20

30

7

I5

40

8

30

20

9

I0

I

I9

40

2

60

Distance from Center of Cone

7.5’

8.1’

8.7’

Bottom at 11.7’

WARNING - Before venturing onto the ice to go fishing, be sure you know if the conditions

are safe. Check with the local bait shops AND cautiously check the ice thickness yourself.
You should have at least 6” of clear ice to safely support yourself and your ice fishing
equipment.

29

Ice Fishing Transducer

Vexilar ice fishing systems include a special type of transducer patented in 1997 called the
Ice-Ducer®. This transducer style is designed specifically for the ice fishing application.
The Ice-Ducer
transducer cone is perfectly aligned to point straight down.

®

works off the “plumb-bob” theory. When suspended by the cable, the

Ic E-ducE r® comp onE ntS

Stopper - The stopper sets the depth of the transducer.
It’s adjustable so you can set the depth according to your
preference or conditions. Generally, you want to set it so the
bottom of the transducer is even with the bottom of the ice.

Float - The float suspends the transducer in the ice hole. You
can also use the eye-bolt included with the Vexilar ice fishing
systems to suspend the transducer. This can often be the best
choice for early ice conditions.

30

Cable - Ice-Ducer® cable is specifically designed to stay
flexible in cold temperatures. This flexible cable will be more
prone to be cut by your line or damaged if not stored correctly.
It’s a key part of the Ice-Ducer® system.

Transducer - The transducer is designed to allow a
perfectly downward alignment while suspended and be
able to endure the severe conditions encountered in the ice
fishing environment. Four models with different cone angles
are available to match your fishing needs. See page 54 for
more information.

Seeing Your Lure

The key to ice fishing success when using a Vexilar ice fishing system is the ability to see
your fishing lure and it’s relationship to the bottom, structure, and fish. Ice fishing with a
Vexilar allows you to present your lure to the fish. You see the fish on the display and you
raise your lure so it is right above the fish on the display. If the fish is hungry, it will bite. If
not, it will react in some way to your presentation, such as with disinterest or fear. You can
see this reaction on the flasher display and adjust your tactics accordingly.

ty pIc aL IcE FI ShI ng VIE w

This illustrates a typical panfish
fishing view. As you lower your
lure, you see it going down on
the display while the curious fish
rise to see what it is. When the
two signal lines meet, it is time to
be ready for a strike.

Lure

With the gain control set
properly, your lure will appear
as a weak signal. You want it
to appear small next to the fish,
which are much larger.

Bottom

DID YOU KNOW ? Setting the gain level correctly is important to be able to understand

what’s going on below you. Use the lure’s appearance as your reference for adjusting
the gain control. Set it so your lure appears as a green signal. Because the fish are much
larger than your bait, they will appear as stronger signals. Be prepared to readjust the
gain control up and down often, as small position changes and the condition of any bait
attached will effect the strength of your lure’s signal.

Fish

Several fish are holding near the
bottom. The thin green line right
on the bottom may be a fish just
up off the bottom, as the others
are, but some distance to the side.

Fish

A pair of fish are rising to your lure
as it is being dropped down. This is a
good sign, as competition can make
fish more aggressive.

31

ICE FISHING SYSTEMS

The Genz Pack

The Genz Pack offers a great value in an affordable ice fishing pack. It includes all of the
basic components needed to ice fish with a Vexilar FL series flasher immediately. A key
factor of the Genz Pack is that it fits on top of a five gallon bucket (not included).

Carry Case

The Genz “Blue
Box” is a two-piece
system made from
a high density
polyethylene.

Battery and Charger

12 Volt - 7 Amp
Battery with Charger

FL-8SE
Shown

Mounting Base

The large mounting base offers
ample room for the Vexilar
flasher, or other brands of sonar
and GPS.

32

Pre-drilled mounting
holes for optional
accessories.

Carry Case Base

The base is designed to
fit perfectly on top of a
five-gallon bucket.

Battery Compartment

To remove the battery, remove the four
rear section screws.

Easy Charge
Jack

Charge
the battery
here. You do
not need to
disconnect
the battery
connections
while
charging

Store the transducer in the special holder

Transducer Holder

above the battery. The holder is designed

to accept all styles of Ice-Ducers.

Cable Storage

Stuff extra cable
into the storage
compartment under
the flasher unit.

Eye-Bolt

Insert the transducer support eye­bolt here. Be sure to remove the
float from the transducer cable
when using the eye-bolt, which is
commonly used on lakes with thin
ice conditions.

Accessories

Use the pre-drilled

holes for Vexilar add-on

accessories, such as the

FlexLight, Battery Status

Indicator and Tri-Beam

Transducer Switch.

See page 52.

33

The Pro Pack II

The Pro Pack II offers everything needed to begin ice fishing with a Vexilar color flasher,
plus some extra add-ons to make the system more complete.

Digital Depth / Battery Status*

Shows the current depth in an easy-to-read
number and the level of charge in the battery.
See page 38 for instructions.

FL-12
Shown

Battery and Charger

12 Volt / 9 Amp battery

with 1 amp digital

automatic charger.

Tackle Box

The Vexilar tackle
box fits into
a convenient
location here.

* Not included
with FLX-28

34

Eye-Bolt Storage

The transducer support
eye-bolt fits into a
dedicated storage
location here

Rod Holder

Adjustable angle

and fits into either

side of the case

Carrying Case Base

The round base is designed to
fit inside a five-gallon bucket.

Battery Compartment

To remove the battery, remove the flasher
from the carrying case, then the transducer
holder by removing the two mounting screws.

Store the transducer in the special holder

Transducer Holder

above the battery. The holder is designed

to accept all styles of Ice-Ducers.

Accessories

Use the pre-

drilled holes for

Vexilar add-on

accessories, such

as the FlexLight,

or Tri-Beam
Transducer. See
pages 52 - 56.

Eye-Bolt

Insert the transducer
support eye-bolt here,
the pack’s front or
far side. Be sure to
remove the float from
the transducer cable
when using the eye­bolt.

Cable Storage and Cleats

Use the cable handle as
your cable storage and the
tie-down cleats on either side
to keep it in place and out of
your way.

Easy Charge Jack

Charge the battery here. Connect

the Easy Charge Jack to begin

the charging process. Be sure to

disconnect from battery when putting

the system away for more than a

week, as the DD-100 will drain your

battery, but remember to re-connect it

before recharging once it comes out of

storage or the battery will not receive

a charge..

35

The Ultra Pack

The Ultra Pack is rugged and packed with features. The Ultra Pack includes a DD-100
Digital Depth Indicator*, tackle box, remote accessory posts, a strong float holding
handle, four rod holder mounting locations, an enclosed battery compartment and master
power switch.

Float Holder

Rod Holder

Adjustable angle
and fits into four
mounting locations;
either side, front
and back.

Store the Ice-Ducer

float here.

Eye-Bolt
Storage

The

transducer

support eye-

bolt fits into

a dedicated

storage

location here

FL-20
Shown

Enclosed Battery
Compartment

The battery is enclosed
within the base here.

Battery and Charger

12 Volt / 9 Amp battery
with 1 amp digital
automatic charger.

* Not included
with FLX-28

36

Digital Depth /
Battery Level

Shows the
current depth as
an easy-to-read
number, plus
percentage of
charge in the
battery. See
page 38 for
instructions.

External Power Posts

Optionally use these
posts to connect
a battery charger

(1 Amp Max) and to

power external 12
volt accessories

(2 Amp Max).

Master Power Switch

Use this switch to turn
all power on and off,

including the power

to the external posts.

Remember that this

switch must be ON to

charge the battery.

Tackle Box

The Vexilar tackle box
fits into an easy access
holder on the back of
your Ultra Pack.

Eye-Bolt

Insert the
transducer
support eye-bolt
here, on the
opposite side, or
in the front. Be
sure to remove
the float from the
transducer cable
when using the
eye-bolt.

Accessories

Use the pre-drilled holes for Vexilar

add-on accessories, such as the

FlexLight or Tri-Beam Transducer

switch.

See page 52.

Non-Slip Bottom

The non-slip
bottom fits into
a standard five­gallon bucket
for convenient
storage.

Cable Storage and Cleats

Use the area behind the
tackle box as your cable
storage. Use the tie-down
cleats on either side to
keep it in place and out
of your way.

Transducer Holder

Store the transducer
in the special holder
behind the battery
compartment. The
holder is designed
to accept all styles of
Ice-Ducers.

Easy Charge Jack

Lets you charge the

battery by plugging

in your charger here.

37

Digital Depth & Battery Indicators

DD-100 FL Digital Depth Indicator D-130 Digital Status Indicator

The DD-100 is Vexilar’s
first smart digital indicator
display that offers both
digital depth and a
battery indicator when
you push the “push to
test button.” The DD-100
will work on all Vexilar
FL series of flashers,
including older Hondex,

DD-100

Si-tex and Micronar FL-8
models. Vexilar’s new DD-100 gives anglers
what they have been asking for, “Digital Depth!”
This indicator will become a standard piece on
all future Pro and Ultra Packs, but can also be
purchased as an added accessory.

The digital depth display will always give you a
depth reading as long as your Vexilar FL flasher is
turned on and the transducer is in the water. The
digital depth portion of the indicator will work
even if you’re not in the correct depth range. This

A unique battery fuel guage
that recognizes both the
discharge and charge
cycle of your battery. It will
sense the current charging
condition of the battery,
display the percentage of
remaining capacity and
display a charge trend arrow.
( or ).

The D-130 will continue to measure capacity and
trend as long as it is connected to the battery.
When an additional “load” is applied to the
battery, the capacity will decrease according to
the load applied.

IMPORTANT: Be sure the indicators are not on during long

storage periods, as excessive battery drain can result. For
Pro Pack systems, disconnect the indicator from the battery
before storage. For Ultra Pack systems, be sure the master
power switch is off. Battery failure due to deep discharge
is not covered under your warranty.

D-130

will allow you to get your flasher in the best depth
range possible. If your display is blinking or the depth numbers are going up or down rapidly, it could
be that you’re over a huge school of fish or baitfish OR the bottom is irregular.

The DD-100 was designed to fit in place of the popular D-130 or T-130 battery indicators which
Vexilar has been selling for years. You can easily outfit your Pro Pack, Ultra Pack or Genz Pack with
the DD-100. The DD-100 not only gives you digital depth, but also gives you the battery status by
pressing a button.

The only time you will see a battery status is when you push the “push to test button.” The battery
status is given in percentages of voltage remaining in the battery. For example, if you push the “push
to test button,” and it reads 70%, that means your battery is at 12.2 volts, 100% = 12.7 volts and
0%=11.0volts.

Current draw: 124uA (micro amps) when off and 21mA (milliamps) when on.
Note that this is not a charge indicator.

IMPORTANT: Be sure the indicators are not on during long storage periods, as excessive

battery drain can result. For Pro Pack systems, disconnect the indicator from the battery
before storage. For Ultra Pack systems, be sure the master power switch is off. Battery
failure due to deep discharge is not covered under your warranty.

38

Battery Charging CHARGE AFTER EACH USE

1 Amp Digital Automatic Charger

(model V-410 / 1 Amp)

1 Allow the battery to warm up before charging. This makes it

easier for the charger to charge the battery and the battery is
more accepting of a charge.

2 Plug the charger into a wall outlet, verify that it is operating

by noting the illuminated GREEN light.

3. Connect the charger to the Easy Charge Jack attached to the
unit. The charger’s light will switch to RED, indicating that it is
connected correctly and the battery is charging.

If your charger is NOT equipped with an Easy Charge Jack, connect the
terminals to the battery with the RED (+) connected to positive and BLACK
connected to negative (–). The charger’s light will switch to RED, indicating
that it is connected correctly and the battery is charging.

FLASHING RED INDICATES A REVERSE CONNECTION.

Easy Charge Jack

4. Keep the charger plugged in and connected until the RED light has changed to
GREEN. This indicates the battery is at full charge.

5. Unplug the charger from the wall outlet and disconnect from the battery.

Charging times will vary depending on how much the battery has been drained. If the
battery has been completely drained (approx. 24 to 30 hrs. of use on a 9 amp battery)
the battery will require about 9 hours of charging. Once the battery is fully charged and
the charger’s light returns to GREEN, the charger is then operating in a “Maintenance
Mode”. At this stage, the charger can remain connected to the battery indefinitely and the
battery will be maintained at full charge.

ATTENTION PRO PACK OWNERS: Please remember to disconnect your battery from

the Pro Pack before summer storage. Failure to do so may drain your battery completely
over time, leaving it in a state of prolonged deep discharge. Battery failure that is NOT
covered under the warranty may result.

ATTENTION ULTRA PACK OWNERS: If you have an Ultra Pack system, be sure your

Master Power switch is ON and the flasher is turned OFF for charging,

DID YOU KNOW? There is no need to disconnect the flasher when charging, although it

should be switched off. Also, make sure the battery has a full charge and is disconnected
or that all power is switched off before putting it away for storage. Remember to charge

after each use.

See page 61 for additional tips and warranty information.

39

BOAT USE

Navigation

The Vexilar FL-8, FL-12, FL-18 and FL-20 flashers are great tools for navigation while
boating. The instantaneous readings offer the ability to identify depth changes quickly.
Here are some tips to help you navigate safely.

CAUTION:

• Be sure you know which range you have selected. If you think you have the flasher
set to a deeper range than what it actually is, you may run aground unexpectedly.

• Be aware that although the depth displayed may be deep enough to navigate in
presently, shallow water may be dead ahead. Allow yourself plenty of time to slow
down if shallow water is encountered.

• If no bottom is displayed, assume the depth is extremely shallow. It may, in fact, be
deeper than the selected range, but never assume so without checking first.

• Use common sense. Do not trust the flasher as the ultimate source of information.
Use good judgement as well.

Bottom Content

The Vexilar FL-8, FL-12, FL-18 and FL-20 flashers are also great tools for determining
bottom content changes. The colors allow you to easily see when the bottom changes
from one type to another.

ha r d o r SoF t Bot toM

• Hard bottoms will generally appear as a narrow band with color content of mostly red
and orange.

• Soft bottoms will appear as a wide band with more orange and green than red.

Hard Bottom Soft Bottom

40

Vegetation

The Vexilar FL-8, FL-12, FL-18 and FL-20 flashers are exceptional when it comes to reading
inside vegetation. With proper transducer choice, the colors will allow you to differentiate
vegetation from the bottom. Experience will even allow you to identify fish inside heavy
vegetation.

ti p S For re adi n G i n VeG e tat i on

• Narrow transducer cone angles will perform better than wide cone angles.

• Keep the gain setting very low. Too much gain will make readings difficult.

• Move a boat slowly so you can identify openings that may hold fish.

Bottom

Bottom will always be
the largest group of red
and orange signals.

Orange within the
green generally
indicates thicker
sections of the
vegetation. Although it
warrants watching, as
it could also indicate
a fish on the outer
edge of your cone.

Possible Fish

Although this red target
could indicate a clump
of vegetation, it could
also indicate a fish just
under the canopy

Vegetation has grown
up to this point. In
deeper water (beyond
several feet) this is
known as the canopy.
It’s where the tops of
the vegetation spread
out

41

BOAT INSTALLATION

Mounting the Flasher Unit

Take a few minutes to plan your installation. The unit should be mounted in a location
where it will be readily visible yet out of the way of traffic. The mounting surface should
be fairly flat. Be sure to allow clearance for the cables at the rear of the unit while it tilts
and swivels. The unit is weather-proof, not waterproof, so try not to mount it in a location
where it will be exposed to the extreme forces of wave impact during severe conditions.

to in S ta LL th e F L a Sh e r U ni t :

1. Obtain four appropriate fasteners for your mounting location.

2. Remove the flasher unit from the gimbal bracket by removing the two gimbal knobs
on each side of the unit.

3. Position the bracket in your intended
mounting location.

4. Mark the four holes and drill each
using the appropriate drill size.

5. Attach the gimbal bracket using your
four fasteners. Tighten securely.

6. Replace the flasher unit into the
gimbal bracket and tighten the
gimbal knobs snuggly.

Flasher Unit

Rubber

Washer

Gimbal Knob

Gimbal Bracket

Power Connection

Flasher Unit Assembly

Your flasher unit requires a 12 volt power source to operate. A connection can be made
directly to a battery or a connection can be tapped into a boat’s electrical system.

• If possible, power your flasher using the main starting battery, not a battery that
powers an electric trolling motor.

• When routing the cable, be sure to stay away from, or provide cable protection
around, areas with sharp metal edges.

• If the supplied power cord is too short, extend it using 18 gauge wire.

• IMPORTANT: Be sure to have circuit protection, such as a 1 amp fuse or circuit
breaker, placed in the positive line near the power source to protect the wiring.

to Co n ne C t t he FL aSh e r to po we r :

1. Be sure the power cord is not connected to the flasher.

2. Route the power cable from the flasher location to the power source.

3. Connect the white or red wire to the positive power source terminal and the black
wire to the negative terminal.

4. Connect the power plug to the flasher’s power jack.

42

TRANSDUCER INSTALLATION

Transducer Types and Mounting Methods

There are several different transducer styles used for the various mounting options available
to you. Choose the style which best meets the needs for your mounting application.

tr a nS d UC e r tYp e S

• High-Speed Transom: This style is designed to be mounted externally on the
transom of your boat. It has a special wedged shape to allow clear water flow
when running at high boat speed.

• Puck Style: Puck transducers are meant for attachment to an electric trolling motor.
They have a special curved shape and attachment slots just for this purpose. Pucks
are also commonly used for in-hull mounting within fiberglass boats.

• AlumaDucer™: This style is specially designed for in-hull mounting in aluminum
boats. The transducer overcomes the inherent signal loss when shooting through
an aluminum hull. The Alumaducer™ is a Vexilar exclusive.

High-Speed Puck Style AlumaDucer

Mo U nt i nG Me t ho d S

• Transom Mounted: the method by which the transducer is mounted external on the
back of the boat. The transducer is attached at the bottom of the transom with a
small portion of it extending below the hull line. (see page 44)

• In-Hull Mounting: the method by which the transducer is glued to the inside of
the hull of the boat. The sonar signal shoots through the hull and into the water.
The use of an AlumaDucer™ is required to achieve a full strength signal when
mounting in aluminum hulls. (see page 46)

• Trolling Motor Mounting: the method by which the transducer is attached to the
lower unit of the electric trolling motor. (see page 48)

• Portable Mounting: the solution when easy transducer removal from the boat is
desired. Generally, a suction cup bracket is used to attach either a high-speed or
puck style transducer to the rear of the boat. (see page 49)

DID YOU KNOW?: If you find that you have bought the wrong transducer for your

intended mounting application, you can exchange it with Vexilar. You will only need to
pay the retail cost difference, plus shipping, of the transducer style needed. Transducers
must be in new condition. Please call for more information: 952-884-5291

43

Transom Transducer Mounting

Before you begin the process of installing the transducer, check your hull to find a spot
where you’ll get a smooth water flow along the bottom of the boat. You want to avoid ribs,
rivets, and gouges or scratches in the hull.

To get a true vertical depth reading, the
transducer should be mounted parallel to the
water line. However, a 10° tilt to either side is
acceptable. If the hull is reasonably flat with a
dead rise of 10° or less, mount the transducer
along the hull bottom. If dead rise is greater
than 10°, mount the transducer with level
alignment.

to in S ta LL th e h i Gh -Sp e ed tr a nS d UC e r

1. Assemble the stainless steel brackets to the transducer
using the hardware furnished. Do not tighten until final
adjustments are made.

2. Place assembly on transom at selected location with the
front of the transducer extending 1/2” to 5/8” below
the bottom of the boat and with the front part against the
transom. The least amount that the transducer extends
below the bottom is desired. If too low, spray and turbulence will occur resulting
in lost bottom readings.

3. With transducer in place, mark the four slot locations of the transducer mounting
brackets. Drill in center of slot outline using a 9/64” (3.5 mm) drill.

4. Fasten the transducer to the transom using the
#10 x 3⁄4” screws, nuts and washer plates.

5. Before final tightening the 4 screws holding the
brackets to the transducer, tip the rear edge
down approximately 1/8” as shown.

6. Tighten all screws.

Less than 10°

< 10°

Dead Rise
Angles

More than 10°

> 10°

CAUTION. Do not use any thread locking compound

on the screws. Most products such as Loctite® contain

1/4” to 5/8”

DOWN

Tip Down

1/8”

chemicals that attack and weaken plastics.

IMPORTANT. There should be no gap between the brackets and the transducer. A wide

space between these parts will cause stress on the transducer mounting ears and result in
breakage with time.

When running the cable to the sounder, avoid other wiring on the boat, particularly
ignition and alternator cables. They can be a source of noise on the sounder display.

44

In-Hull Transducer Mounting

Surface preparation and location are the keys to having a good sonar transducer
installation that will last for years, so please take a few extra minutes to test the
location and prepare the surface area. Also, the hull temperature should be at least 60°
F while performing the installation.

Select an area in your boat. Ideally, for high speed operation, you will need to place the
transducer near the center of the transom area of the boat, which is often near the drain
plug. You must attach the transducer to a solid hull area; this means you cannot have
double hull aluminum or a foam layer in the fiberglass between the transducer and the
water.

to in S ta LL th e i n -h U LL tr a nS d UC e r

1. Prepare the surface area. It is critical you find
a smooth, flat spot to place your transducer.
Small ridges, bumps or even paint under the
transducer will affect the quality of the sonar
signal. Your surface preparation kit comes
with a Scotch-Bright® pad to smooth any
rough areas down to the base material for a
secure installation. Use the pad to rough-up
the face of your transducer a little too. This will also aid in the long-term quality of
your installation.

2. Clean the area. Use the supplied cleaning patch of Isopropyl Alcohol to remove
dust and dirt from the target mounting area. Be sure to also wipe clean the face of
your transducer. Let dry for a few minutes.

3. Position the transducer. Place the transducer exactly where you want to install it.
Apply the four supplied positioning pads around the transducer. The positioning
pads are needed to prevent your transducer from drifting off the target area while
the A.C.E. adhesive sets up.

4. Mix and apply the epoxy. Follow the mixing directions on the packet of A.C.E.
Adhesive and apply the entire packet contents directly to the face of the
transducer.

5. Install the transducer. Place the transducer into position. Press firmly and twist
slightly back-and-forth to work-out any air bubbles that might have been trapped in
the epoxy.

6. Installation complete. Allow the A.C.E. to dry.

Puck

DOWN

A.C.E.

Adhesive

Boat Hull

CAUTION. Do not power-up your depth sounder for at least 12 hours. Doing so will effect

epoxy curing.

45

AlumaDucer™ Transducer Installation

IMPORTANT PRE-INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

The AlumaDucer mounted in-hull helps many boaters get better performance and
protection from damage than ever before using externally mounted transducers. The key
to good performance is to understand the dynamics of how water flows under your hull at
different boat speeds. Fiberglass boats often have a flat spot or “pad” on the very rear of
the boat. This flat area is ideal for transducers to get a good clear reading at high speeds.
With aluminum hulls, this area may not be as obvious. In welded, flat bottom Jon boats
it is often easy to find an area where smooth water without bubbles are flowing down
the hull of the boat. Boats with rivets, scratches, and/or dents along their bottom side
create more turbulence, so finding an area of smooth water without air pockets can be
a challenge, but it is possible in most cases. We highly recommend you test your boat to
find the optimal mounting location BEFORE installing the AlumaDucer. Here’s how to do it:

Select an area within one foot of the center keel of the boat and directly in front of the
bottom corner of the transom. This area is often near the drain plug. Your goal is to select
an area that is between ridges or rivets preferably in the center or towards the driver’s side
of the boat. You need to select an area of the hull that does not have a dent or depression
that might create a pocket of air while the boat is running at higher speeds. A simple
straight edge ruler can be used on the bottom of your hull to ensure you have selected a
non-warped area. Also, avoid areas of the hull where trailer bunks or rollers rest, as the
aluminum in these areas tend to flex slightly while trailering the boat.

Mo U nt i nG Lo C at ion te S ti n G

1. Head to your favorite testing waters and launch your boat.

2. Fill the rear bilge area of your boat with about an inch of water.

3. Remove the protective film from the transducer face and place the transducer in the
water in the desired position.

4. Connect the AlumaDucer to your depth finder. You don’t need to do any fancy
routing of the cable for now.

5. Go for a boat ride. Make sure you get good strong readings at all boat speeds. If
not, move the transducer around until you do.

If you don’t have a friend to help drive the boat while you’re moving the transducer
around, use a zip lock bag with beach sand in it, or something similar, to keep the
transducer face firmly in place on the hull and under the thin layer of water you have in
your boat. Remember to consider the average weight distribution within your boat. Try to
compensate for your own weight during the test.

Once the “sweet spot” has been found, you simply drain your boat, dry the area
thoroughly and install the AlumaDucer by following the instructions on the next page.

46

Installation Procedures

In StaL LIn g t hE aLu maducE r

1. Using the supplied Scotch-Brite® pad, remove any paint, dirt or coatings on the
aluminum. You MUST be down to the bare aluminum and the surface must be dry.
Wipe off all loose dust and dirt.

2. Using the supplied alcohol swab, wipe clean any dust or dirt you created from
the target area on the hull and the face of the transducer. Use additional cleanup
measures if required. Dry the area with a clean paper towel or rag.

3. Set the transducer in the prepared area and place
the four supplied foam positioning pads around the
transducer as shown. This will keep the transducer
from moving once the transducer has been
positioned.

4. Using the pre-measured packet, mix both elements of
the A.C.E. adhesive together, following the directions
on the packet. Once thoroughly mixed, you have
about 10 minutes to apply this special
A.C.E. Adhesive. (Accoustically Conductive Epoxy)

5. Remove transducer from the target spot. Apply the mixture to the transducer NOT
the boat. Be sure to use all the Epoxy in the packet.

6. Now, simply press the transducer back into the prepared area. Twist it slightly
back and forth several times. This is done to make sure no air pockets remain
under the transducer.

The special A.C.E. Adhesive will set
in about 30 minutes. Try not to move
the boat around during this period.
The foam pads you placed around
the transducer keep it from drifting
from the spot you have selected while
the adhesive cures overnight. Do not
turn your sonar “on” for 12 hours to
ensure a solid connection between the
transducer and the aluminum hull.

IMPORTANT: The hull temperature should be at least 60° F for proper curing of the A.C.E.

adhesive.

47

Electric Trolling Motor Mounting

There are two main styles of trolling motors: manual steer and electric steer. The proper
mounting method depends on the style of trolling motor.

mo unt Ing to EL Ect rIc St EEr mo tor S

1. Position the transducer on the bottom side of
the motor housing as close to the center of

Secure
Cable

the steering rotation as possible.

2. Attach the transducer to the motor using the
supplied cable tie.

3. Secure the cable to the lower-most part of

Route
Through
Handle

the vertical motor shaft.

4. Run the cable through the carry handle
on the motor’s steering drive motor. (If your
motor does not have this, you’ll need to come
up with an “eye” to keep the cable in place as
you stow and deploy the motor)

5. Secure the cable near the motor’s head at the top of
the vertical shaft.

6. Route the cable down through the “coil cord” and out to
your flasher’s mounting location.

7. Stow and deploy the motor to insure the cable can move freely
with the motor and that it cannot get pinched in any of the motor workings.

mo unt Ing to ma nua L StEE r moto rS

1. Position the transducer on the bottom side of the
motor housing as close to the center of the steering
rotation as possible.

2. Attach the transducer to the motor using the
supplied cable tie.

3. Secure the cable to the lower-most part of the
vertical motor shaft.

4. Route the cable up the shaft, securing it

Secure
Cable

every 3 or 4 inches using cable ties or
electrical tape. Be sure to leave a loop near
the section where the two vertical shafts meet
to allow for motor rotation.

5. Route along the motor’s mounting bracket and
out to your flasher’s mounting location.

6. Stow and deploy the motor to insure the cable
can move freely with the motor and that it cannot
get pinched in any of the motor workings.

Transducer

Route

Through

Cord

Transducer

Leave

Loop

48

Portable Options

A suction cup bracket is an option if you want to quickly install and remove the transducer
from the boat.

BK0044

Fits all High-Speed style transducers and allows for readings
at speeds above the planing speed of the boat. Dual suction
cups offer a secure hold.

IMPORTANT: Suction cups can come

loose. Each bracket includes a safety
rope. Be sure to take the time to tie the
rope to the bracket and then to the boat
leaving as little amount of slack as you
can. If the cup(s) come lose, this will
keep your transducer and cable out of
the propeller.

BK0027

Fits all 2” Puck style transducers. (7°, 9°, 12°, and dual

9°/19°). Offers a secure hold and the ability to point

the transducer in a specific direction.

DOWN

BK0023

Fits the 1” (19°) Puck Transducer. This bracket makes it
the smallest portable transducer option available.

Note - suction cup brackets do not include the transducer.

Did You Know?: Vexilar does not offer a suction cup bracket to fit the ice fishing style

transducers. This is because the Ice-Ducer cable is made to stay soft in very cold
temperatures. Therefore, it is very easy to damage in warm temperatures, thus open water
use is not recommended.

49

ABOUT TRANSDUCERS

Cone of Sound

The cone of sound is the area the sound waves cover as they are emitted from the
transducer. Generally, this area is thought of as three-dimensional cone, such as an
upside-down ice cream cone. In actuality, the cone of sound is not so precisely defined.
It is an irregular shape with edges that taper rather than end abruptly. Additionally, the
cone of sound will vary slightly from transducer to transducer.

Transducer

Theoretical Cone Angle

The theoretical
cone angle is what
the transducer’s
specification defines.
This is the area where
the intensity of the
sounds waves drop to
a specific point (-6dB).

Side Lobe

Not all of the sound
waves come out
of the transducer’s
bottom. Some
sound comes out
the sides and even
the top.

Main Lobe

The main lobe is
where most of the
sound waves go.
They extend out
in all directions,
some sides more
than others.

Most objects are visible inside the theoretical cone, but you can also see objects outside
the theoretical angle yet within the side and main lobes. These objects must be large
enough to sufficiently reflect the sonar signal. Some of these objects can be things like the
face of a sharp dropping bottom, a large rock, or even a good size fish or tight group of
smaller fish.

50

Dead Zone

Beam angle has a large effect on the
performance of your flasher. There is more to
it than simply area of coverage. The correct
beam angle to use depends entirely on your
application. If you are fishing for suspended
fish then you would be pleased with the
performance of the 19° cone. However, if you
were going after fish that are holding right
on the bottom along a steep drop-off, you

would have better
results with the 9°.
This is because of
something called
dead zone. Dead zone is an area within the transducer’s cone
of sound that is blind to you. The wider the beam angle the
greater the possible dead zone. The sonar will mark bottom as
the nearest distance it sees. If you are fishing over a slope, it
may see the high side of the slope, at the edge of the cone, and
mark that as bottom. The fish that are holding on the bottom on
the low side of the slope will be invisible to you because they
are actually within the bottom signal on your depth finder. A
narrower beam angle will reduce this effect.

Cone angle vs

Diameter of Coverage

d epth 8° 9° 12° 19° 2 0°

10’ 1.4’ 1.6’ 2.2’ 3.4’ 3.5

20’ 2.8’ 3.2’ 4.3’ 6.7’ 6.9

30’ 4.2’ 4.7’ 6.3’ 10.0’ 10.6

40’ 5.6’ 6.3’ 8.4’ 13.4’ 14.1

50’ 7’ 7.9’ 10.6’ 16.7’ 17. 6

60’ 8.4’ 9.4’ 12.6’ 20.8’ 21.2

70’ 9.4’ 11.0’ 14.7’ 23.4’ 24.7

80’ 11.2’ 12.6’ 16.8’ 26.8’ 28.2

90’ 12.6’ 14.2’ 20.0’ 30.1’ 31.7

100’ 14’ 15.7’ 21.0’ 33.5’ 35.3

120’ 16.8’ 18.9’ 25.2’ 40.2’ 42.3

150’ 21’ 23.6’ 31.5 50.2’ 52.9

Output Power

Your depth finder puts out a constant amount of power, or sound energy. It does not
matter where you have the gain level set. Gain simply controls how much you amplify the
signal that is returned from below. Therefore, a narrow beam transducer will appear to be
much more powerful than a wide beam transducer. This is because you are putting that
same amount of power into a smaller area. This can be an advantage if you are fishing in
deep water or a detriment if you are fishing in shallow water. A narrow beam transducer
can be overpowering in shallow water. The use of the LP (Low Power) mode on your
flasher, or the optional S-Cable (page 56), will solve this problem.

Remember to NOT use LP mode or the S-Cable in depths beyond 20 feet. You will find
that you need to turn your gain control up much higher than normal. This will give a noisy
display and make interference from other units much more likely.

51

Vexilar Tri-Beam Ice-Ducer System,
WILL Put More Fish on the Ice

Vexilar invented and patented the first Ice-Ducer in 1997. A self-leveling transducer to
make it easy for the ice angler to get their transducer to hang straight down the hole. One
of the newest advancements in sonar technology to come around in a long time is the
all new Vexilar Tri-Beam Ice-Ducer transducer system. The innovation will totally change
the way ice anglers look at matching their fishing situation with the right transducer to
maximize the performance of their Vexilar.

Vexilar currently offers four Ice-Ducer options, the 19 degree Ice-Ducer, the 12 degree
IceDucer, the Pro View Ice-Ducer and now the new Tri-Beam Ice-Ducer. The Tri-Beam
offers a combination of an 8, 12 and 20 degree Ice-Ducer in one housing. Different cone
angles are created by different size crystals inside the Ice-Ducer housing. A simple switch
box allows you to access the degree of performance you wish to have and they will fit
ANY Vexilar FL flasher, no matter how old!

The New Tri-Beam will allow the advantages of all three of these beam angles in a single
Ice-Ducer. The great thing is that the new Tri-Beam will fit any type or age of Vexilar
Flasher and with a simple switch box, you can see for yourself the differences in display
performance on your flasher.

52

Vexilar Tri-Beam
Ice-Ducer #TB0033

Understanding the Tri-Beam
Advantages

The first thing you will note about your Tri-Beam Ice-Ducer as you switch from one crystal
to another is that you will be required to adjust your gain setting. Fishing in 30 feet of
water with the Tri-Beam set at the 20 degree option will require you set your gain at about
a 2 setting, and this would be “normal”. As you go to the 12 degree or the 8 degree you
will find the signals get too strong and too blurry to see individual targets. You will need
to reduce your gain downward as you go with a narrower beam setting. This is because
the Ice-Ducer is outputting the same amount of energy but to a smaller area of coverage.

The need for using all three settings on the Tri-Beam has really opened the world to
a new set of possibilities when fishing specific applications. One example would be
fishing shallow waters of under 10 feet. When most anglers are fishing shallow, their first
reaction would be to use only the wide angle 20 degree option on their Tri-Beam. While
it is true that you will be able to see more of the area below you, in many shallow water
settings, the weeds grow very thick and tall. A single stalk of weed could make seeing
your lure very difficult. By switching to the low power mode option on your sonar or
using an “S” cable or suppression cable, you will be able to dial down the power of the
narrower beams and the system will ignore the longer stalks of weeds on the outer edges
of the 20 degree cone and allow you to see a 30 to 50% clearer signal with less clutter
and confusion, thus making it easier to see and catch the fish below.

The Vexilar Tri-Beam Ice-Ducer will be a great benefit to the ever growing number of
traveling winter anglers who are no longer content to fish one lake or species. With the
Tri-Beam, your Vexilar can be used with greater effectiveness and far less interference
from other sonar than ever before, even when compared to single crystal Ice-Ducers.

At one particular fishing event where anglers were fishing deep water perch in 40 feet
of water the advantages of the Tri-Beam once again becomes obvious. If you try to fish
around a dozen anglers, all fishing in deep water for perch with a 19 degree Ice-Ducer,
the odds of using the IR button on your Vexilar to remove this level of interference is
impossible. With the use of the Tri-Beam you can literally dial out the interference by 80%
just by shifting to a smaller transducer cone option.

There is little doubt in the years ahead, winter anglers will discover more of the advantages
of the Vexilar Tri-Beam IceDucer to help get even more from their Vexilar sonar systems.

To Order, go to Vexilar.com/tribeam

or call 952-884-5291 during normal business hours.

53

PARTS AND ACCESSORIES

Optional Transducers and Conversion Kits

tr anS om mou nt hIg h SpEE d StyL ES (25’ ca BL E)

• TB0044 - 19° Cone Angle

• TB0084 - 12° Cone Angle
*Includes detachable switch assembly

tr anS om Sty LE con VEr SIo n KItS

• TK-144 - 19° Transducer Conversion Kit for
the FL-8se and FL-18

• TK-244 - 19° Transducer Conversion Kit for the FL-12, FL-20, FL-22 & FLX-28

• TK-184 - 12° Transducer Conversion Kit for the FL-8se and FL-18

• TK-284 - 12° Transducer Conversion Kit for the FL-12, FL-20, FL-22 & FLX-28

• BK0044 - Suction Cup Mount for all of the above High Speed Transducers.
Offers dual suction cups for extra holding power.

pu cK Sty LES (25’ caB LE )

• TB0023 - 19° Cone Angle

• TB0087 - 12° Cone Angle

• TB0027 - 9° Cone Angle

• TB0037 - 7° Cone Angle
*Includes detachable switch assembly

Transom style transducers
include the mounting bracket and
have 25 feet of cable length.

Conversion kits include the
transducer, flasher mounting
bracket, power cable, and

installation hardware.

Puck style transducers
include a trolling motor
mounting tie and A.C.E.
adhesive for in-hull mounting.
All have 25 feet of cable
length.

Conversion kits include the
transducer, flasher mounting
bracket, power cable, and
installation hardware.

pu cK Sty LE con VEr SIo n KItS

• TK-123 - 19° Transducer with Conversion Kit for the FL-8se and FL-18

• TK-223 - 19° Transducer with Conversion Kit for the FL-12, FL-20 FL-22, & FLX-28

• TK-187 - 12° Complete Conversion Kit for the FL-8se and FL-18

• TK-287 - 12° Transducer with Conversion Kit for the FL-12, FL-20, FL-22 & FLX-28

• BK0023 - Suction Cup Mount for the TB0023 19° Puck Transducer

• BK0027 - Suction Cup Mount for the 12° Puck Transducer

54

aL uma duc Er™

• TB0023A - 19° Cone Angle

• TK-123A - 19° Transducer with Conversion Kit for FL-8se and FL-18

• TK-223A - 19° Transducer with Conversion Kit for FL-12, FL-20, FL-22 & FLX-28

Ic E-ducE rS

• TB0050 - 19° Cone Angle

• TB0080 - 12° Cone Angle

• TB0051 - Pro View 9° (30°)

• TB0033 - Tri 8°/12°/20° Cone Angles

AlumDucers come with
A.C.E. adhesive and have
25 feet of cable length.

Ice-Ducers come with float
and stopper. Cable length

Sw Itc hES an d EXtE nSI onS

is approx 7 feet.

• CB0001 - 10 foot transducer cable extension

• CB0002 - 20 foot transducer cable extension

• SB-100 - Switch box for switching between two transducers on one flasher

• SB-200 - Switch box for two flashers on one transducer.

tr anS duc Er EXc han gE poL Icy

If you find that you have bought the wrong transducer

To order, go to Vexilar.com

or call 952-884-5291 during

normal business hours.

for your intended mounting application, you can
exchange your new transducer with Vexilar. You will only need to pay the retail cost
difference of the transducer style, plus shipping. Please call for more information.

Replacement Parts

• PC0001 - Power cord for the FL-8se and FL-18

• PC0004 - Power cord for the FL-12, FL-20, FL-22 & FLX-28

• GB0001 - Unit gimbal mounting bracket for FL Series Gimbal Mount Flashers

• GBK001 - Gimbal Mounting bracket knobs (2 pieces)

• FT-100 - Float with stopper for all Ice-Ducers

• ST-100 - Stopper for all Ice-Ducers (2 pieces)

• RB-100 - Eye-bolt support for all Ice-Ducers

• RH-100 - Rod Holder assembly for Ultra Packs and Pro Pack IIs

• CH-100 - Beverage Holder for Rod Holder.

• TKB001 - Vexilar 4 by 6 inch tackle box

• V-120 - 9 Amp / 12 Volt Battery with 1 Amp Charger

• V-410 - 12 Volt / 1 Amp Automatic Charger

• V-100 - Replacement 9 Amp / 12 Volt Battery.

• PCDCA1 - 12 Volt Accessory Plug Power Cord (FL-8/FL-18)

• PCDCA4 - 12 Volt Accessory Plug Power Cord (FL-12, FL-20, FL-22 & FLX-28)

55

ACCESSORIES

Ultra Pack Carrying
Case Only

This portable case has
all the features.
Upgrade your older
system or build a
custom new system.

Genz “Blue Box”
Carrying Case Only

A solid carrying case
for your Vexilar flasher
or other electronics.

Soft Pack for the Pro &
Ultra Carrying Cases

Encloses and protects
the system. Offers a
clear zippered window
and access locations.

UC-100

BC-100

SP0007

Pro Pack II Carrying
Case Only

The latest generation
of our most popular
portable carrying
case.

Soft Pack for the
Genz Pack

Encloses and protects
the system. Offers
Velcro sealable access
locations and side
pocket storage.

FlexLight
Provides an adjustable
bright white light running
for hours on a single AA
battery. A great way to
put light where
you need it.

PC-100

SP0005

L-202

S-Cable

The suppression cable
reduces your flasher’s
output power. This
allows clearer
readings in shallow
or cluttered waters.

Mag Shield
Both magnifies and
protects the FL-8se or
FL-18 displays. Not
compatible with the
FL-12 or FL-20

56

S-140

MS0001

Sun Hood
Shields the display
on FL-8s, FL-8SLTs,
FL-8SEs, and FL-18s.
Easy assembly and
installation.

Flasher Cover
Neoprene cover will
protect the flasher face
during transport and
storage. Fits models
FL-12, FL-20 & FLX-28.

S-240

COV001

Tri-Beam Ice-Ducer
Gives you the option
to select from a wide
20° beam, a mid 12°,
or a narrow 8° beam
angle. Switch included.

TB0033

Digital Depth &
Battery Level

Shows the current depth
and level of charge as
a percentage left in
the battery.

DD-100

Pro Mount
Offers a swivel action
and quick removal for
your flasher or other
electronics. It’s durable
and economical.

A.C.E. Adhesive
This acoustically
conductive epoxy
system is designed for
maximum performance
with minimal in-hull
transducer installation
effort

Beverage Holder
Fits into the rod holder
on the Ultra Pack and
Pro Pack II and allows
you to keep your
favorite beverage
close at hand.

SMC001

ACE001

CH-100

Deptherm

Gives depth and
temperature. Just
attach it to your line
and drop it down.

Tackle Tote
A handy soft sided
tackle box that holds
three of our 4 by 6 inch
Vexilar tackle boxes.
Use it for all seasons.

Accessory
Plug

Connect your
FL unti to an
Auto or ATV
power jack.

PCDCA

104

TT-100

Vexilar Clothing

Vexilar offers a wide variety of styles of
caps, t-shirts, hoodies, bibs and parkas.
Be sure to show your Vexilar colors by
either ordering from our web site or by
visiting your nearest Vexilar dealer.

Visit vexilar.com for more
great gear and wear!

57

Vexilar’s SONARPHONE is a REVOLUTION

As the name implies, SONARPHONE turns your smart
phone or tablet into a fully functional sonar system that
will rival any high end sonar on the market today. Using
Patented WiFi signal technology to transmit to smart phones
or tablets. You don’t need cell phone coverage to use it,
the SONARPHONE will work anywhere in the world. The
SONARPHONE creates its own WiFi hotspot and you can
share your signal with as many people as you wish, the
software App is downloaded for free from the App store and
works with both Android and iOS systems.

• Compatibility: iOS 4.3 (iPhone, iPad) and Android 2.0

• Free App download

• Automatic Ranging & Sensitivity

• Water Temperature & Depth Indicator

• Audible Alarms for Fish, Shallow and Low Battery

• Fish Icon

• Zoom Bottom Track

• Noise Rejection

The new SONARPHONE gives you amazing

high-speed depth sounder performance

on your Smart Phone or Tablet

• Surface Clarity

• Battery Indicator

• SonarPhone Models Available:
SP100 (T-Pod), SP200 (T-Box), SP300 (T-Box Portable)

Visit Vexilar.com for More Info!

Vexilar’s FishPhone is All About FUN

FISHPHONE turns your smart phone or tablet into a fully functional
underwater camera monitor. Now anyone with a smart phone or
tablet will get a high quality video image delivered right to the
palm of your hand.

Using WiFi signal technology to create its own “hotspot” that
reaches out 300 feet in all directions, so you can share your video
signal with as many friends as you like or keep it totally secure. You
don’t need cell phone coverage to use it, the FISHPHONE works
anywhere in the world.

Model: FS100 - FishPhone Underwater Camera System

Both FREE software Apps are downloadable from the
Apple App store and Google Play. Both work with
Android and iOS Systems.

Visit Vexilar.com for More Info!

58

FLASHER SPECIFICATIONS

Operating Voltage: 10.5 - 15 Volts (12 Volts Nominal)
Current Draw: 175mA

Power Output: 400 Watts (Peak to Peak) Maximum
Frequency: 200 kHz
Display Resolution: 525 Lines of Resolution

Target ID (FL-8se & FL-12): 1” Minimum
Target ID (FL-18 & FL-20): 1/2” Minimum
Target ID (FLX-28): 1/8” Minimum

Display Colors: 3 - Red, Orange, and Green
> FLX-28 5 - Red, Yellow, Green, Blue and White

Interference Rejection 10 Steps
> FLX-28 20 Steps

Weight: 1.1 Lbs.

Dimensions (FL-8se & FL-18): 4.4”H x 6”W x 3.5”D
Dimensions (FL-12, FL-20 & FLX-28): 4.8”H x 6”W x 2.4”D

Depth Scales
FL-8se: 0-20', 0-30’, 0-40', 0-60', 0-80', and 0-120'*
FL-12: 0-20’ LP, 0-20’, 0-40’, 0-60’, 0-80’, and 0 - 200
FL-18: 0-20’, 0-40’, 0-60’, 0-80’, and 0-200’**
FL-20: 0-20’ LP, 0-20’, 0-40’, 0-60’, 0-80’, and 0-300
FLX-28 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 80, 100, 120, 160, 200, 240

and 300 Feet
(Manual Mode: 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 Feet)

* Deep model available. Changes deepest range from 120’ to: 240’. Contact Vexilar customer
service for more information.

**Deep model available. Changes ranges to: 0-30’, 0-40’, 0-60’, 0-90’ and 0-300’. Contact Vexilar
customer service for more information.

*** Technical specifications, such as effective power output, may vary slightly from model to model.

59

TROUBLE SHOOTING

Sy mptom po SSi ble ca uS e

Unit is turned on, but no display and motor is
not running.

Unit is turned on and the motor is running, but
there is no display.

Unit runs well for a short time, then lights flash
randomly or unit quits.

Unit runs and shows display light, but does not
read depth.

Unit works, but needs high gain to see bottom
or targets.

Unit works, but has too many lines on the
display. Can't tell what is what.

Unit works well when sitting still or at when
slow trolling, but loses reading at higher
speeds.

Unit shows noise when engine or electric
motor is turned on.

I.R. does not work. Can’t eliminate interference
from other depth finder.

Check for bad connections, proper hook up
polarity, and make sure you have a good, fully
charged, battery.

Battery voltage too low. The unit will show no
display if the voltage is below 8 volts. Check
voltage while unit is running.

Bad battery or connection. Voltage may be
good when checked, but will fall as unit runs.

Transducer is not plugged in or not in contact
with the water.

Transducer is not aimed correctly or needs to
be cleaned. 19° transducers will have trouble
seeing small targets deep.

Improper transducer adjustment. Also, gain
may be set too high or, if gain is set to
minimum, switch to the LP Mode.

Improper transducer type, installation, or
adjustment causing a loss of clear water flow
across the transducer when the boat reaches a
certain speed.

Defective engine or electric motor. Also can
be improper grounding or missing ground in
electrical system.

Gain may be set too high or the transducer
is weak. Also, check for ice or debris buildup
under the gain control.

Storage & Prevention

● Store in cool dry area. Do not store in a sealed container, like a bucket or Soft Pack,
containing moisure.

● Be sure the battery is fully charged before storage.

● Clean the flasher body and screen with a soft cloth and a mild detergent. Do not

submerge in water or other liquids.

● Do not expose the body or display to chemicals, such as fish attractant or insect
repellent. Damage to the surfaces can occur.

● Do not submerge the body in water or subject it to heavy wave splashing. The
flasher housing is weather-proof for most conditions, but is not waterproof. Water
damage is not covered under the warranty.

60

BATTERY & CHARGING TIPS

Keeping your battery in top condition is the key for your Vexilar’s reliability. Follow these
basic tips and you can expect years of dependability from your Vexilar eqiuipment:

BATTERY DO’S

• Allow battery to FULLY recharge at room temperature before use.

Recharge the battery AFTER EACH USE.

• Give cold batteries extra time to charge. Charge at room temperature if you can.

• Keep Flames, Sparks, and Metal objects away from batteries and terminals.

• If the battery is an open type, add distilled water AFTER battery is recharged.

• Keep the battery clean and dry.

• Charge periodically during battery storage.

• Disconnect the battery when not in use.

BATTERY DON’TS

• Do Not Overdischarge the battery, You should never drain a battery beyond 80%,
meaning less than 20% left. Your Vexilar will autiomativcally shut off at this point,
but you need to make sure any other devices are disconnected from the battery
before storage

• Do Not Overcharge the battery. Measure the voltage of the battery while
charging. It should never go over 15 volts. Your Vexilar charger is designed to
provide an optimal charge to your battery. Please only use Vexilar chargers.

• Damage the battery or terminals by dropping. Your battery is heavy, but fragile.
Take care that it doesn’t get banged around or dropped.

Charging Trouble Shooting

• Charger Flashes Red: This means you have connected the battery terminals
incorrectly Red is positive, black is negative. Reverse the connections and look for
a solid red light.

• Battery Gets Hot: A battery that gets hot while charging has become “resistive”.
Current passes through it, but the battery will not charge. The battery must be
replaced.

• Battery recharges for a short time, even when full: Even if your battery is fully
charged the light should briefly go from red to green, when you first plug it in, this
is normal.

• Battery Will Not Charge: If you connect the battery and it stays green 100% of
the time, your battery may be completely dead and your charger does not even
recognize it has been connected to terminals. Battery should be replaced.

IMPORTANT: The battery warranty is covered under a pro-rated performance

guarantee. Failure to properly care for battery is not the responsibility of
Vexilar. See Vexilar.com for specifics.

61

ELECTRICAL INTERFERENCE
TROUBLE SHOOTING

There may be situations where you experience interference from other electrical devices,
not just another nearby depth sounder. This interference will show on your display as
random signals which can appear anywhere. They will interfere with your ability to see
the normal display signals. The most common sources of interference are electric trolling
motors and engine ignitions systems. The Interference Rejection feature will not have
much effect on these types of interference, as this feature is designed to only deal with
signals from another sonar device. Here are some things to be aware of when it comes to
electrical interference.

So urc ES

Interference can be introduced into your sonar system through the power supply,
transducer line, or both. To identify the source, unplug the transducer and run the trolling
motor or the engine. If the interference disappears, you know the noise is coming in
through the transducer line. If not, it’s coming through the power line, or both.

wI rIn g

Power line interference can generally be solved by improvements in the wiring positions,
connections, and grounding. You want to be sure the sonar wiring is as far away as
possible from the trolling motor wiring, and the wiring is neat. Make cable runs as short
as possible and neatly coil extra wire and tie it off so it stays put in rough water or
while pulling the boat. All electrical connections should be in very good condition. Push­on terminals should be tight. Wire crimp connections should not come free when pulled
firmly. Conductors should be shiny, not dull or corroded.

gr oun dIn g

The boat’s electrical system should have a common “Earth” ground to the water. Most
boats electrical systems are grounded through the outboard to the water. Many times a
electric trolling motor interference problem can be solved by a “ground” wire from the
negative trolling motor power source to the negative of the starting battery.

Eq uIp mEn t

Electric trolling motors and gas engines can have technical problems that can cause
interference. If common wiring improvements do not solve the problem, be sure to check
with the manufacturer to see if there are any recommendations or updates available
regarding interference with depth sounders.

For more information regarding interference issues, check the Support section of the
Vexilar web site or contact our service department.

62

SERVICE AND SUPPORT

If you find that you need help please contact us. Have ready the model number and, if
possible, the serial number of your product. Please be sure to read this manual thoroughly
first.

ad drE SS

Vexilar, Inc.
6667 West Old Shakopee Road, Suite 101
Minneapolis, MN, 55438-2622

tE LEp hon E

[phone]

Fa X

[phone]

Em aIL

[e-mail]

wE B SItE

www.vexilar.com

Business Hours

8 AM to 4:30 PM M - F Central Time

Don’t Forget: Register Your Vexilar Product the Easy Way!

Go to http://vexilar.com/warranty

In addition to streamlining any future service need, we’ll also keep you
up-to-date on the latest tips, videos and product updates so you’ll be sure
to get the most from your Vexilar!

63

NOTES

64

Visit: Vexilar.com