Insignia 250DX User's Manual
Contents
1. Operations Manual THANK YOU Thank you for choosing Humminbird America s 1 name in fishfinders Humminbird has built its reputation by designing and manufacturing top quality thoroughly reliable marine equipment Your Humminbird is designed for trouble free use in even the harshest marine environment In the unlikely event that your Humminbird does require repairs we offer an exclusive Service Guarantee free of charge during the first year after purchase and available at a reasonable rate after the one year period Complete details are included at the end of this manual We encourage you to read this operations manual carefully in order to get full benefit from all the features and uses of your Humminbird product Also to register your purchase and help us learn more about you please fill out the warranty registration card at the back of this manual WARNING This device should not be used as a navigational aid to prevent collision grounding boat damage or personal injury When the boat is moving water depth may change too quickly to allow time for you to react Always operate the boat at very slow speeds if you suspect shallow water or submerged objects WARNING Dis assembly and repair of this electronic unit should only be performed by authorized service personel Any modification of the serial number or attempt to repair the original equipment or accessories by unauthorized individuals will void the warranty Ha2. red lead to positive black lead to negative or ground Ensure the power available at the mount is between 10 and 20 VDC MAINTENANCE TROUBLESHOOTING If the unit is wired through a fuse panel ensure the panel is powered Often accessory fuse panels are controlled by a separate switch or the ignition switch Also often a fuse can appear to be good when in fact is not Check the fuse with a tester or replace it with a fuse known to be good Check the power connection to the 250DX It is possible to force the power cable connector into the cable holder incorrectly If the connector is reversed the unit will not work Examine the contacts on the back of the unit to ensure there is no corrosion Finally ensure the unit is firmly seated on the mount The electrical contacts are not made until the unit is fully seated Ensure the metal cable retainer is properly installed in the mount If not the power connected may push out when the unit is put on the mount 2 There is no transducer detected The 250DX has the ability to detect and identify that a transducer is connected If at power up a message indicates transducer not connected only simulator operation is possible First ensure that an appropriate transducer connector is positioned correctly in the connector holder and that the unit is fully seated on the mount The 250DX will work with the standard tri beam transducer Second inspect the transducer cable from end to end fo
3. 200 kHz and 83 kHz POWErQUIQUE escort ds da 250 Watts RMS 2000 Watts Peak to Peak Area of Coverage onana naunan o Narrow 20 at 10 db Wide 53 at 10 db Power Requirement 2 2 cesce cici be eee ha 12 VDC DIE LEE FSTN LCD ECD MatEIX 25 fv dot da ari 128 V x 64 H Pixels Viewing rea 2 90 V x 2 35 H 7 3cm V x 5 97cm H MOUNINO urs aai a a a os coo oae e Quick Disconnect Mount Unit SIZE iue dieg dd Bo eed 634 H x 6 W x 4 4 D 17 1cm H x 15 9 cm W x 10 5 cm D Transducer Standard 0 00 0000 XT 6 20 Transducer Cable Length 20 6 metres Depth Ranges 15 30 60 120 180 240 360 480 amp 600 5 10 20 40 60 80 110 150 amp 185 metres ZOOMMRGANGES x ud uei ed bs chase ete 7 2 15 30 amp 60 2 5 10 amp 20 metres 31 3 19NV 3SIHOW30 NO H3NHOO YAHLIS 39V ld uniunjy Id sse Biaql4 ma WINUILUN e 40 195 JAMO BY JO sse Biaql 104 Jas Jaddn ay esf Ny 180q Jo ad 1 INOK 104 SAJOY OM Jo 185 e u HQ P wuwoy 2 esn dOL uonelejsu JeonpsueJ Jo esn pue eAouleH o _ o 8 5 Lo D c y x E n a o a X o o P N 530975 2 B HUMMINBIRD
4. Some outboard motors do not effectively regulate the power output of the engine s alternator and can produce voltage in excess of 20 volts when running at high RPMs The 250DX displays input voltage in the Diagnostic screen Use this readout to determine if the voltage exceeds 20 VDC 8 The screen begins to fade out Images are not as sharp as normal Check the input voltage using Diagnostic The 250DX will not operate on input voltages below 10 VDC 9 The display shows many black dots at high speeds and high sensitivity settings You are seeing noise or interference caused by one of several sources Noise can be caused by other electronic devices Turn off any nearby electronics and see if the problem goes away Noise can also be caused by the engine If engine noise is causing the interference the problem will intensify at higher RPMs Increase the engine speed with the boat stationary to isolate this cause Propeller cavitation can appear as noise on screen If the transducer is mounted too close to the propeller the turbulence generated can interfere with the sonar signal Ensure that the transducer is mounted at least 15 38cm from the prop 29 30 MAINTENANCE CUSTOMER SUPPORT CUSTOMER SUPPORT If you have any problems or questions with your Humminbird unit contact your local distributor Humminbird Service Department 108 Maple Lane Eufaula AL 36027 USA SPECIFICATIONS Operating Frequency screeni ccecce
5. With Filter set to ON excessive clutter often caused by interference from other fishfinders your boat s engine or from noise generated by the hull at high speeds is reduced in the display This provides a cleaner image on the display in most cases With the Filter menu on screen use the arrow keys to select the setting for your boat When finished press MENU to display the sonar screen 23 24 ADVANCED FEATURES USING DIAGNOSTIC Reset With the many User Options available to customize the 250DX it is easy to configure the unit in such a way that it is detrimental to a particular use By using the Reset function all variable or user controlled features except Filter of the 250DX are returned to the factory settings The Reset function is an important first step in troubleshooting problems to ensure that a user selected setting is not the cause for the perceived problem USING THE DIAGNOSTIC FEATURE The 250DX contains a powerful diagnostic tool that can aid in determining the cause of a problem To use the Diagnostic feature select the Diagnostic feature on the start up menu on the initial screen Diagnostic can also be accessed through the Options menu Self Test Initially the 250DX will perform a self test This test confirms the operation of all internal circuitry At the conclusion of the test one of two messages will appear PASSED indicates the internal test discovered no failures FAILED indicates a signi
6. displayed as raw information There is no interpretation made by the unit Selecting ID OFF also disables the fish alarm ID ON enables the 250DX to interpret the raw sonar data and using a variety of techniques depict appropriate target returns as one of three different size fish symbols Further identification shows whether the fish is in the wide or narrow beam The 250DX also displays the depth beneath the surface with the corresponding fish symbol Selecting Adjust and making incremental changes enhances the fishfinder s ability to identify sonar returns as fish symbols Increasing the value to a number greater than zero shows more fish symbols on screen In this case smaller sonar returns will be depicted as fish symbols This is useful for identifying many smaller sonar returns such as baitfish as fish symbols Decreasing the value to a number less than zero shows fewer fish symbols on screen In this case smaller sonar returns are disregarded This is useful for eliminating many small sonar returns Raw Sonar ID On when seeking larger species of fish The 250DX remembers this selection even when the unit is powered off 21 22 USING THE 250DX MENU FUNCTIONS Numeral Size Two options are available BIG and SMALL The factory setting is BIG With this setting the digital depth and speed and temp numerals are drawn large enough to be read from across the boat The big numerals
7. transducer location Depth Range The depth range is shown to the right of the screen The upper number is O indicating the surface of the water The lower number is one of the nine depth ranges available that best match the depth of the water As the USING THE 250DX WHAT YOU SEE ON SCREEN depth of the water changes the range changes as necessary in order to retain a bottom representation on screen When in Auto mode the horizontal line at the top of the screen is the Zero line representing the surface of the water Occasionally there is a gap in this line This gap indicates the unit is updating the display even if the bottom is not visible on screen or if the bottom information is not E SEES i EE changing sa LE dtu bo New sonar information appears on the right side of the graphic area of Water Depth Depth Range the display and moves to the left as new information is displayed The 250DX automatically selects the appropriate depth range to show the depth of water beneath the transducer This range is selected so the bottom representation is typically shown about down the display Figure B Bottom The graphic depiction of the bottom provides an effective tool for understanding the composition of the bottom If the bottom is hard and smooth the bottom depiction is narrow and dense If the bottom is soft mud or sand the depiction will be thick and less dense This indicates much of the sig
8. DUCERS AND MOUNTING METHODS The 250DX comes with everything necessary for installation and operation on most boats However there are several situations which may require a different type of transducer Inboard boats wood or metal hulls and sail boats create unique transducer mounting needs Alternate transducers and mounting methods are detailed below Portable Mounting The standard transducer can be adapted for portable installations using part number MHX PT2 This accessory adapts your transducer to a suction cup mount for temporary installation on the boat hull or other surface Trolling Motor Mounting The standard transducer can also be adapted to mount on most trolling motors using part number AD STM 7 This accessory includes a bracket and hose clamp that allows mounting the transducer to the body of most trolling motors Thru Hull Mounting Thru hull transducers install through a hole drilled in the hull of the boat Larger boats or boats with inboard motors create turbulence that make transom mounting ineffective Also hulls that are very thick or are double layered or made from materials such as wood or metal INSTALLATION PREPARATION TRANSDUCER EXCHANGE which do not conduct sonar signals make inside the hull mounting inadvisable Thru hull mounting may require the use of a fairing block to level the transducer with the waterline Also since special tools and knowledge may be required to perform this
9. ability of your new 250DX These accessories are designed with the same high standards and are backed by the same one year warranty The Humminbird Accessory catalog included with your unit contains descriptions of the many accessories available and ordering information All Humminbird accessories are available through your full service Humminbird dealer or factory direct through our number listed in the Customer Support section INSTALLATION OVERVIEW The 250DX consists of two primary components to install the control head and the transducer The control head contains the sonar transmit and receive circuitry as well as the user controls and display It should be installed in a location that provides access to the controls and visibility while in use The control head mounts on a quick disconnect mounting system that swivels and tilts providing flexibility for viewing from almost anywhere on the boat The transducer converts electrical energy from the transmitter into mechanical pulses or sound waves The transducer also receives the reflected sound waves and converts them back into electrical signals for INSTALLATION PREPARATION INSTALLATION OVERVIEW display on the control head It should be installed in contact with the surface of the water in an area that has smooth water flow usually on the transom of the boat There are several mounting options for the transducer Review the following section to determine the method that works
10. acklight off This is important when using the 250DX in a portable configuration powered by a separate battery or when powering the unit from a trolling motor battery When powering the unit from a battery such as in portable applications you can prolong the battery life by using the backlight at a minimum The three lower buttons MENU UP ARROW and DOWN ARROW work together to control the 250DX menu controlled user functions Menu MENU displays a menu on screen Menu Heading for adjustment In normal operation pressing MENU repeatedly cycles through all available menu headings When a menu heading displays the full menu appears after a short pause A menu remains on screen for several seconds and can be adjusted by using the ARROW keys If no adjustment is made in the allotted time the menu disappears If you want the menu to remain on screen longer press and hold MENU the menu will remain on screen indefinitely Once you release the menu button the screen will time out Once a menu times out it is still considered the active menu Press MENU to bring up the last menu used Arrow Keys The UP ARROW and DOWN ARROW make adjustments to menu functions On the left side of every menu there are UP ARROW and DOWN ARROW symbols The symbols indicate which ARROW button has a function in a particular situation Either one or both ARROW buttons can be used to adjust the menu function A hollow ARROW symbol means the corresponding ARROW butt
11. ctions used initially to set your preferences Once your preferences are selected it is unlikely these functions need to be accessed during the normal operation of the product The Options menu works differently than other menu functions in that all of the options must be cycled through in order to return to normal operation There are thirteen Option menus Contrast Display Speed Battery Alarm Bottom Black Fish ID Numeral Size Diagnostic Units Languages Speed Offset Depth Offset Filter and Reset Contrast The Contrast function allows the user to control the level of contrast of the LCD display The 250DX will automatically adjust the display contrast to compensate for changing ambient temperatures however some situations may occur where manual adjustment will provide a higher level of contrast Eleven contrast settings 5 to 5 are possible The display contrast will change as the adjustment is made so the optimum level of contrast can be achieved Use the ARROW buttons to highlight the desired selection The 250DX will reset to the factory setting when the unit is powered off 19 20 USING THE 250DX MENU FUNCTIONS Display Speed Display Speed controls the rate at which the graphic information moves across the display There are 5 possible speeds the fastest rate 5 is the factory setting Keep in mind that the closer the update rate matches your boat speed the more accurate is the gra
12. ed speed and another speed measurement device on the boat the speed measurement can be varied to improve accuracy Remember the speed paddle wheel measures speed through the water not speed over ground Speed offset is remembered after power is disconnected Depth Offset The Depth Offset allows the user to select the point on the boat from which the depth measurement is made Selecting a positive value adds distance to the measurement If the transducer is mounted 3 feet beneath the waterline a positive 3 will show the correct depth from the surface of the water Another frequent use of depth offset is to show the depth beneath the deepest point of the hull A negative value equal to the distance from the transducer location and the deepest point of the hull will have the same effect as mounting the transducer at the deepest point Depth offset is remembered after power is disconnected Filter Filter provides an advanced level of control over the amount of detail visible on screen and the sensitivity of the unit You can choose the setting s that works best for your style of use With Filter set to OFF the 250DX displays increased detail showing more thermoclines structure fish and even your bait when it falls within the sonar cone However this extreme sensitivity requires you to optimize the installation of your unit and transducer so that noise generated by a moving boat is not picked up by the fishfinder
13. el of detail USING THE 250DX SIMULATOR OPERATION Actual depth capability depends on factors such as bottom hardness water conditions and transducer installation Units will typically read to deeper depths in fresh water than in salt water SIMULATOR OPERATION The 250DX contains a simulator that allows you to use the unit as if you are on the water The simulator is invaluable for learning how to operate the 250DX There are two ways to start the simulator If the unit is powered off press and hold the POWER button for approximately three seconds until you hear a continuous chirp The simulator can also be started by selecting the Simulator option on the start up screen after you power up the unit When this screen is shown simply press the DOWN ARROW until Simulator is highlighted When the screen times out the unit will be in simulator mode When in simulator operation the 250DX responds to control inputs as if it is in actual operation so feel free to experiment or to customize the unit for your particular operation To exit Simulator mode power the unit off When in simulator mode the word simulator occasionally scrolls across the display indicating the information on screen is not real sonar data FEATURE MEMORY If your 250DX is installed with a transducer connected any changes you make to the set up or User Options see Control Functions while in Simulator are retained in the unit s memory Th
14. ficant internal problem was discovered and the unit requires factory service A code number appears that tells repair personnel where the problem is Transducer Connection The first connection tested is Transducer input If a transducer is detected the message CONNECTED appears If a series of dashed lines is shown no transducer is connected or there is a problem with the transducer or cable If you are using multiple transducers switch between transducers to confirm the connections for each MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE Boat Speed Water Temperature Connection Other connections tested include the boat speed and surface water temperature sensors These accessory sensors can be purchased independently or together as a single sensor see the Humminbird Accessories catalog If the sensors are connected and working properly a connected message appears The speed input feature only works when the boat is in motion as the paddle wheel on the speed sensor must rotate to be detected Voltage Input Another connection tested is the voltage input and is especially helpful in diagnosing input voltage problems The current input voltage is displayed If voltage fluctuations or power supply in excess of 20 VDC or less than 10 VDC is suspected use the diagnostic screen to confirm input voltage Often small outboard motors do not effectively regulate voltage when operated at high engine speeds Use Diagnostic while running the boat at hig
15. for you and your boat Determining How to Mount the Transducer The 250DX includes a model XT 6 20 transducer This transducer can be mounted on the transom of the boat or bonded to the inside of a fiberglass hull boat The transom installation which is the most widely used places the transducer on the outside of the boat hull This technique produces the least signal loss and provides a way to adjust the transducer after installation The mounting hardware included is designed to protect both the boat and the transducer should the boat strike debris in the water or when trailering As Transom Mounted Transducer alternative to transom Inside the Hull Mounted Transducer mounting it is possible on many fiberglass hulled boats to glue the transducer on the inside of the boat hull Since fiberglass has similar sonar characteristics as water the sonar signal can pass through the boat hull with minimal loss The hull of the boat must be single layer construction not double hulled Also any air trapped in the lamination of the fiberglass would prevent the sonar signal from passing through INSTALLATION PREPARATION ALTERNATE TRANSDUCERS AND MOUNTING METHODS Inside the hull installations require no holes be drilled into the boat and through experimentation high speed operation comparable to transom mounting can be achieved Two part slow cure epoxy is required to glue the transducer in place ALTERNATE TRANS
16. h speeds to show the voltage gain Also if you are using the 250DX in portable configuration or from the trolling motor battery Diagnostic can be used to evaluate the health of the battery by showing the current voltage Total Time The total time category indicates the total time the unit has been in use since shipped from the factory It is normal for some hours to appear in the total time when the unit is new due to factory testing While this is often of interest to the user it is primarily a diagnostic tool for the repair technician should the unit need service MAINTENANCE Your 250DX is designed to provide years of trouble free operation with virtually no maintenance Follow these simple procedures to ensure your 250DX continues to deliver top performance e If the unit comes into contact with salt spray simply wipe the affected surfaces with a cloth dampened in fresh water Do not use a chemical glass cleaner on the lens Chemicals in the solution may cause cracking in the lens of the unit e When cleaning the LCD protective lens use a chamois and non abrasive 25 26 MAINTENANCE TROUBLESHOOTING mild cleaner Do not wipe while dirt or grease is on the lens Be careful to avoid scratching the lens e If your boat remains in the water for long periods of time algae and other marine growth can reduce the effectiveness of the transducer Periodically clean the face of the transducer with liquid detergent Pivoting the tra
17. he Zoom range Use the UP and DOWN ARROW buttons to move this range The upper number can never be less than 0 the surface of the water and the lower number can never be greater than the active depth range The difference between the two numbers the Zoom range is preset and determined by the active depth range Once manual Zoom is selected the display appears the same as in Auto Zoom but the zoom range does not change automatically To disable Zoom press the MENU button until the Zoom menu is on screen Use the UP ARROW to highlight Off and let the menu time out When the unit is powered off the Zoom menu returns to Zoom Off Depth Alarm The 250DX contains an audible alarm to warn you of shallow water depths The alarm is adjustable to depths of 1m 3 to 30m 99 When the alarm is enabled an audible alarm sounds if the water beneath the boat is equal to or less than the selected alarm depth The alarm sounds continuously for about five seconds and then intermittently to remind you that you are still in shallow water 17 18 USING THE 250DX MENU FUNCTIONS Fish Alarm The Fish Alarm alerts you to the presence of fish or other targets not connected to the bottom The Fish Alarm has three different settings that correspond to the three different size fish symbols shown on screen The default setting is OFF With the Large fish only setting the 250DX alarms on only those targets that are repre
18. he water The unit tries to maintain the bottom depiction about 75 down the total range for example in 20 6m of water the 0 30 0 10m range would be selected This provides the best display resolution and therefore the best target separation possible The Depth Range can be adjusted manually Press MENU repeatedly until the Depth Range menu is visible Two options are available Auto and Manual The manual setting enables you to adjust the current depth range setting The unit no longer adjusts the Depth Range to the most appropriate range for bottom display Often the bottom may not be visible on screen The digital depth readout always determines the depth of the bottom even if it is not visible on screen Using manual Depth Range control you can view sonar information from the area near the surface in great detail 15 16 USING THE 250DX MENU FUNCTIONS To return to automatic Depth Range control press the MENU button until the Depth Range menu appears on screen and use the UP ARROW to select AUTO Zoom Zoom is similar to Depth Range because it controls the range of information displayed on screen Zoom however allows selection of ranges beneath the surface so any area of water between the surface and the bottom can be enlarged to provide more detailed information By using the full display to show a small area of coverage the effective display resolution is increased and the unit s ability to separa
19. help locate the fish vertically This is especially helpful in setting bait depths or for downrigger operation The fish symbols indicate the sonar beam the fish is detected in This gives you a reliable indicator of side to side location of the fish relative to the boat Fish symbols that are hollow are detected in the wide beam and are around the boat Solid fish symbols represent fish detected in the narrow beam and are directly under the boat CONTROL FUNCTIONS The 250DX uses a simple five button keypad for all user input Press any button and an audible chirp confirms the control input If a button has no function or is inappropriate for the situation an audible error is heard The unit sounds multiple chirps Power The Power button powers the 250DX up for normal operation When the unit is on POWER turns the unit off POWER can also be used to go directly into Simulator mode To enter simulator with the unit 11 12 USING THE 250DX CONTROL FUNCTIONS powered off press and hold POWER for several seconds until a continuous chirp is heard Light LIGHT controls the unit s display backlight With the unit powered on press LIGHT once to turn the backlight on high Press LIGHT a second time to turn the backlight on low and a third time turns the backlight off The backlight is very effective for low light and nighttime operation When the backlight is on the 250DX will consume more power than with the b
20. is allows you to use simulator to experiment with the various set up options and retain your selected settings for normal operation USING THE 250DX WHAT YOU SEE ON SCREEN If you are using the 250DX in Simulator when no transducer is connected any selected options are lost when the unit is powered off The 250DX will return to Factory Settings or options selected when last used with a transducer if no transducer is connected IMPORTANT A transducer must be connected to the 250DX in order to retain user settings selected when in simulator mode If no transducer is detected the unit defaults to pre selected options when powered off Figure A What You See On Screen Your 250DX uses a 128 V x 64 H matrix FSTN LCD display This display provides outstanding viewability in all light conditions over a wide range of temperatures At initial power up the 250DX uses settings that were set at the factory After initial use the 250DX will remember the settings you enter There are several elements on screen that are common to all modes of operation Temperature Speed The initial screen layout takes one of two basic forms depending on whether the optional Temp Speed accessory is installed Figure A shows the default view when the Temp Speed accessory is installed Figure B shows the default view when the Temp Speed accessory is not installed Depth The digital depth number shows the water depth directly beneath the
21. nal is absorbed by the soft bottom If the bottom is rocky or rugged in composition the depiction is of varying density and textured in appearance Surface Clutter Rocky Bottom Wave action also affects the bottom i depiction The information drawn is a Soft Bottom Hard Bottom 10 USING THE 250DX WHAT YOU SEE ON SCREEN distance measurement so if the boat is moving up and down over flat bottom the bottom depiction often appears in regular variations that match wave timing Structure Structure is defined as any object physically attached to the bottom The sonar configuration of the 250DX is optimized to give the most accurate depiction of bottom structure possible Grass trees stumps wrecks or other debris are accurately displayed however the depiction of these objects varies with boat speed and direction The best way to learn to interpret structure is to operate the 250DX over a variety of known conditions and experiment with user functions to best represent those conditions on screen Surface Clutter Surface clutter is the layer of water near the surface that is rich in algae and other growth and often is aerated by wind or wave action This area of water interferes with sonar transmission and often appears on screen as regular clusters of individual dots near the 0 line Thermoclines Thermoclines are sharp differences in water temperature These are easily identified by the continuous nature of the
22. ndling and or opening this unit may result in exposure to lead in the form of solder Warning This product contains lead a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects and other reproductive harm TABLE OF CONTENTS INSTALLATION PREPARATION sss sss 2 Parts Supplied nccesser pai ea natega a aia 2 Accessories ooo 2 Installation Overview llle 2 Alternative Transducers and Mounting Methods 4 Transducer Exchange o ooooocoococoo o 5 USING THE 250DX 0 aduer pe gd eee gana 6 How Sonar Works 0 2 2 0 0000000 cece eee 6 Simulator Operation llle 7 What You See On Screen o 8 Control FUNCIONS semen aaa erbe 11 Menu Functions aei ae op Rows 14 ADVANCED FEATURES 24 Using Diagnostic o 24 MAINTENANCE sss 25 Maintenances zia seis tote e erp ene 25 Troubleshooting llle 26 Customer Support 0000 eee 30 SpeacificatlOnss Veras ia 31 REV 10822E INSTALLATION PREPARATION PARTS SUPPLIED PARTS SUPPLIED Before installing your 250DX please ensure the following parts are included in the box e 250DX fishfinder e Transducer with 6m 20 of cable and mounting hardware kit Mounting system and mounting hardware kit e 6m 20 power cable e Publications kit If any of these items is missing contact your local distributor ACCESSORIES Humminbird offers a wide assortment of accessories that complement and expand the cap
23. nsducer up in the bracket may allow better access for inspection or cleaning e If your boat remains out of the water for a long period of time it may take some time to wet the transducer when returned to the water Small air bubbles can cling to the surface of the transducer and interfere with proper operation These bubbles dissipate with time or you can wipe the face of the transducer with your fingers after the transducer is in the water e Never leave the 250DX in a closed car or trunk the extremely high temperatures generated in hot weather can damage the electronics TROUBLESHOOTING Do not attempt to repair the 250DX yourself There are no user serviceable parts inside and special tools and techniques are required for reassembly to ensure the waterproof integrity of the housing Repairs should be performed only by authorized Humminbird technicians Many requests for repair received by Humminbird involve units that do not actually need repair These units are returned no problem found If you have a problem with your 250DX use the following troubleshooting guide before calling Customer Support or sending your unit in for repair The 250DX contains several tools that can aid in determining if there is a problem and how to isolate and repair the problem in many cases 1 Nothing happens when turn the unit on Check the power cable connection at both ends Be sure the cable is connected correctly to a reliable power source
24. occupy space on the display that could be used for the graphics area Hence the small numerals option With small numerals selected a greater amount of the display area is available for the graphic view This effectively increases the display resolution of the unit Numeral Size settings are remembered when powered off Diagnostic Two options are available HIDE and SHOW The factory setting is HIDE Selecting SHOW brings up the Diagnostic screen See the Using Diagnostic section for more information Units The Units function allows the user to select the units of measurement for the depth and speed readout Metres KTS metres nautical miles per hour Metres KPH metres kilometres per hour FEET MPH feet statute miles per hour and FEET KTS feet nautical miles per hour are avallable The 250TX remembers this selection even when the unit is powered off Languages The language menu displays one of two sets of languages Language set A includes English French Italian German Norwegian Swedish Spanish and Finnish Language Set B provides Hungarian Danish Polish Portuguese Dutch and English To select your language push the UP or Down Arrow Buttons to scroll through the list USING THE 250DX MENU FUNCTIONS Speed Offset The Speed Offset option allows the user to compensate for differences in hull design and its effect on the accuracy of the speed measurement If there is a discrepancy between the indicat
25. on has no function Pressing that button will result in no adjustment and the error audible will be heard A solid ARROW symbol means the corresponding ARROW button can be used to USING THE 250DX CONTROL FUNCTIONS affect the menu adjustment The ARROW buttons often can be used when no menu is on screen In these situations pressing the ARROW button affects the function of the active last used menu This is a short cut to menu operation The menu appears on screen while the adjustment is made and times out A frequently used menu can be adjusted very quickly using this technique After an adjustment is made to a menu function the menu times out after a few seconds and the unit returns to normal operation Menu Layout All menus use the same basic layout The heading at the top describes the menu function The UP ARROW and DOWN ARROW symbols to the left of the menu indicate which buttons are available for adjustment In menus that have several possible settings a range of adjustment indicator shows the total range available and the current setting Within the menu are the options available The selected option or current setting is highlighted in the black box If no adjustment is made this is the selected setting Press an ARROW button while the menu is displayed to select another option Several of the menus are multi step In some situations if an adjustment is made additional options become available for further adju
26. phic depiction of the terrain beneath your boat Use the UP and DOWN ARROWS to select the desired update rate The Display Speed setting is remembered when the unit is powered off Battery Alarm The Battery Alarm Option allows you to select the voltage level at which the Battery Alarm activates At the Battery Alarm menu under options you will note that the default setting is OFF Push the DOWN ARROW BUTTON to select the feature ON Push the DOWN ARROW BUTTON again to move into the ADJUST BATTERY ALARM setting Using the UP and DOWN ARROW BUTTONS select a voltage between 9 0 and 12 0 When the voltage drops below your selected voltage an audible alarm will sound and a battery alarm icon will be displayed on screen with current voltage level Bottom Black There are two selections available OFF and ON The factory setting is OFF With this setting the 250DX displays the bottom using Structure ID This allows you to determine the texture and relative hardness of the bottom Selecting Bottom Black ON causes the unit to blacken in the display below the bottom This gives the user easiest recognition of the bottom location even from a great distance The 250DX remembers the Bottom Black setting when powered off USING THE 250DX Fish ID There are three selections available MENU FUNCTIONS Bottom Black View OFF ID ON and ADJUST The factory setting is ID ON With Fish ID OFF sonar returns are
27. r breaks kinks or cuts in the outer casing of the cable Also ensure the transducer is fully submerged in water If the transducer is connected to the unit through a switch temporarily connect it directly to the unit and try again If none of these items identifies an obvious problem the transducer itself is probably the problem Be sure to in clude the transducer if returning the unit for repair 3 There is no bottom reading visible on the display There are a number of possible causes for this condition If the loss of bottom information occurs only at high boat speeds the transducer needs adjusting If the digital depth readout is working but there is no bottom visible on screen it is possible the depth range has been adjusted manually to a range lower than what is needed to display the bottom Also in very deep water it may be necessary to manually increase the sensitivity setting to maintain a graphic depiction of the bottom 27 28 MAINTENANCE TROUBLESHOOTING If you are using a transducer switch to connect two transducers to the 250DX ensure the switch is in the correct position to connect a transducer that is in water If a trolling motor transducer is selected and the trolling motor is out of water no sonar information appears If none of the above solve the problem inspect the transducer cable from end to end for breaks kinks or cuts in the outer casing of the cable If the transducer is connected to the unit thro
28. r technology is based on sound Dy waves Your Humminbird unit sends out a sound wave signal With this signal it determines distance by measuring the time between the transmission of the sound wave and when the sound wave is reflected off an object Your Humminbird uses the reflected signal to interpret location size and composition of an object Sonar is very fast A sound wave can travel from the surface to a depth of 240 70m and back again in less than 1 4 of a second It is unlikely that your boat can outrun this sonar signal The 250DX is a dual frequency dual beam unit and generates two distinct sonar signals one narrow one wide Each signal is optimized for a particular purpose First the center beam transmits at a frequency of 200 kHz in a 20 degree narrow symmetrical pattern for greater depth capability and excellent detail Information from this center beam is used to draw the graphic representation of the bottom on the display Second the wide beam transmits at a frequency of 83 kHz in a 53 degree wide symmetrical pattern for greater area of coverage Information from the wide beam is used to accurately detect the presence and location of fish A wide beam has a large area of coverage but limited resolution of detail A narrow beam has excellent detail but within a limited area of coverage The combination of the two beams and dual frequencies provides the combination of a large area of coverage and a high lev
29. return Thermocline Second Return i Second Returns When a sonar signal is reflected off the bottom back to the transducer there is often enough energy left in the signal to be reflected off the surface of the water back to the bottom a second time Second returns appear as a Slightly weaker bottom representation exactly twice the depth of the primary bottom return The second return is most likely to occur in shallow water and in areas of relatively hard bottom Fish ID The 250DX uses advanced signal processing to further evaluate any sonar return between the surface and the bottom For instance a small school of bait fish usually appears as a dense cluster of individual dots If the USING THE 250DX CONTROL FUNCTIONS return meets certain additional criteria a Fish in Wide Beam fish symbol will be assigned There are three different size fish symbols used to indicate the intensity of the sonar return While signal intensity is a good indicator of relative fish size different species of fish have different sonar characteristics so it is not always possible to distinguish fish size between varying species The signal intensity is normalized for depth so that a small fish close to the boat does not appear as a large fish Eus det symbol EB E BH ID adds an additional piece of information to help the user locate fish On selected fish symbols the digital depth of the designated fish is drawn to
30. sented by the large fish symbols The 250DX can be set to alarm on only large and medium fish or set to alarm on all fish Once the Fish Alarm is enabled the 250DX emits an audible beep when the selected size fish symbol appears on screen Set for large fish only Set for large and medium fish Set for all fish Triplog Triplog provides a running log of information based on input from the Temp Speed sensor Since Triplog requires information from the Temp Speed sensor to operate if this sensor is not detected by the 250DX the Triplog menu will not appear as an option Triplog provides seven pieces of information the current digital depth water surface temperature current boat speed the distance traveled since the 250DX was powered up or reset the average speed the total time elapsed since power up or reset and the input voltage from your boat s electrical system The time speed and distance calculations are useful for tracking your progress on a trip The input voltage is useful for determining the condition of the charging system of the boat When used in a portable application or whenever USING THE 250DX MENU FUNCTIONS the 250DX is operated from a battery source the voltage number can be used to determine battery life The 250DX will operate at voltages from 10 to 20 VDC Voltages in excess of 20 or less than 10 VDC cause the unit to power off Options The Options Menu is a series of linked menu fun
31. stment Examples of these multi step menus are Depth Range Depth Alarm and Zoom See the detailed description of each function for further explanation Heading d Up Arrow Option Down Arrow Mara rrow Symbols Selected Setting Range of Adjustment Indicator 13 USING THE 250DX MENU FUNCTIONS Menu Functions Sensitivity The Sensitivity function controls the sensitivity of the sonar receiver The 250DX automatically adjusts the level of receiver sensi tivity based on a number of factors including the depth of the water and the level of noise present Noise can be caused by other electronic devices engines trolling motors propeller cavitation and hydrodynamic flow among others The user has the option of adjusting the Sensitivity higher or lower based on personal preference You can select one of 11 sensitivity settings from 5 to 5 A setting of O factory setting has no effect on the automatic sensitivity control Increasing the sensitivity 1 through 5 enables the unit to display the informa tion from progressively smaller sonar returns By decreasing the sensitivity bias 1 through 5 the unit effectively filters small sonar returns In murky or muddy water it is often helpful to reduce the sensitivity This prevents the display from being cluttered with sonar returns from debris or sus pended particles In very clear or very deep water it may be helpful to increase the sensitivity since even the smalles
32. t sonar return may be of interest to the user To adjust Sensitivity press MENU High Sensitivity Low Sensitivity repeatedly until the Sensitivity heading is displayed When the Sensitivity menu appears use the UP ARROW to increase the sensitivity or the DOWN ARROW to reduce sensitivity To sequence through the available settings press and hold either ARROW button Release the button at the setting you want to change After an adjustment is made the menu disappears and the new sensitivity setting is in affect If additional time is needed to study a menu press and hold the MENU button and the menu will remain on screen indefinitely If you need to make an additional adjustment press the UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW button Sensitivity at 0 USING THE 250DX MENU FUNCTIONS Depth Range The Depth Range function controls the vertical distance displayed on the graphic area of the display There are nine depth ranges available The top of the range is always 0 or the surface of the water Ranges of 0 15 0 30 0 60 0 120 0 180 0 240 0 360 0 480 and 0 600 are available In the metric version ranges of 0 5 0 10 0 20 0 40 0 60 0 80 0 110 0 150 and 0 185 metres are available The range that positions the bottom depiction closest to the bottom of the screen will best utilize the available display resolution The 250DX automatically adjusts the depth range depending on the depth of t
33. te close targets is enhanced There are four Zoom ranges available 2m 71 5m 15 10m 30 and 20m 60 These ranges are not directly user controlled but are instead dependent on the current depth range In shallow water when the 5m 15 or 10m 30 range is in use the Zoom range is 2m 7 If the 20m 60 or 40m 120 range is in use the Zoom range is 5m 15 if a 60 150m 180 480 depth range is in use the Zoom range is 10m 30 and if the 185m 600 range is in use the Zoom range is 20m 60 The Zoom range is shown on the left side of the screen and full range information is shown on the right side of the display Zoom can either operate automatically in which the Zoom range is constantly adjusted to show the bottom or manually in which the user controls the location of the Zoom range Depth Range Lower Zoom Limit USING THE 250DX MENU FUNCTIONS Automatic Zoom is especially helpful when looking for structure or bottom detail The Automatic Zoom keeps the bottom in view even in quickly changing terrain but is most useful in flatter areas without considerable depth variation Manual Zoom provides detailed information of any area from the surface to the bottom In manual Zoom the Zoom range does not move as the terrain changes When the range is shown in the menu the upper number represents the top of the current Zoom range The lower number represents the bottom of t
34. type of installation it is best to refer to a qualified marine technician TRANSDUCER EXCHANGE Other transducers are available as replacements for the standard transducer You may exchange your new and unassembled transducer for another type by returning it to the address listed in Customer Support Some transducers may have additional costs Refer to the Accessory cata log or call Customer Support for information BEGINNING INSTALLATION Now that you have determined the transducer mounting method you can begin installation of the 250DX The fold out installation guide included provides detailed step by step instructions for installation of the control head and transducer For transom mount transducer installations you will need the mounting template at the front of this manual In addition to the parts included you need the following for installation and operation e A powered hand drill and various drill bits e Phillips and flat head screw drivers e A ruler or measuring tape Pen or pencil 12 volt power source your boat s battery A 1 amp fuse A fuse holder if you are wiring directly to the boat s battery Silicone sealant for sealing drilled holes e 2 part slow cure epoxy for inside the hull transducer installations USING THE 250DX HOW SONAR WORKS HOW SONAR WORKS Your Humminbird unit uses sonar to locate and define underwater objects define the bottom terrain as well as determine distance Sona
35. ugh a switch temporarily connect it directly to the unit and try again If none of these items identifies an obvious problem the transducer itself may be the problem Be sure to include the transducer if returning the unit for repair 4 When in very shallow water get gaps in the bottom reading and inconsistent digital depth indication The 250DX will work reliably in water 1m 3 or deeper The depth is measured from the transducer not necessarily from the surface 5 The unit comes on before press POWER and won t turn off Check the transducer cable if the outer jacket of the cable has been cut and the cable is in contact with bare metal you need to repair the cut with electrical tape If there is no problem with the cable disconnect the transducer from the unit and see if the problem is corrected to confirm the source of the problem 6 get gaps in the reading at high speeds Your transducer needs adjusting If the transducer is transom mounted there are two adjustments available to you height and running angle Make small adjustments and run the boat at high speeds to determine the effect It may take several tries to optimize high speed operation This can also be a result of air or turbulence in the transducer location caused by rivets ribs etc MAINTENANCE TROUBLESHOOTING 7 My unit loses power at high speeds Your 250DX has over voltage protection that turns the unit off when input voltage exceeds 20 VDC
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