Lowrance 520c question / installation

[Bill3kids]

Hey guys - anyone have a 520C? Got one from Bass Pro when they were on sale last month and it did not come with some of the NMEA 2000 stuff. There is no T Connectors or 120ohm terminators. That stuff is all great but for now all I have is the one sonar/gps unit (no speed sensor either). Do I need any of that or can the GPS antenna (lgc-3000)plug directly into the the 520 unit just using the supplied extension cable. I have someone telling that it must be installed with the T connector. I am not really clear if the T connector / terminators actually is supposed to come with the unit.

 

Thanks in advance for any replies

[jace]

Hey guys - anyone have a 520C? Got one from Bass Pro when they were on sale last month and it did not come with some of the NMEA 2000 stuff. There is no T Connectors or 120ohm terminators. That stuff is all great but for now all I have is the one sonar/gps unit (no speed sensor either). Do I need any of that or can the GPS antenna (lgc-3000)plug directly into the the 520 unit just using the supplied extension cable. I have someone telling that it must be installed with the T connector. I am not really clear if the T connector / terminators actually is supposed to come with the unit.

 

Thanks in advance for any replies

 

 

gpsreview.net (or something close to that) has good reviews on many units. One will be a short writeup, and the rest will all be from actual users. good site.

[Roy]

Bill, you must use the T-connector (60/120 ohm terminator) when connecting the GPS puck to your unit. There's no way around that. There will also be an extension running from the terminator to the main unit. This extension is long, 16 feet I think. If you don't need the 16', just bundle it up and tie it up. You can't cut this extension to suit your needs as the internal protection is at either ends of the cable.

I don't know if these cables/terminator were supposed to be supplied with your unit. Lowrance has a tech support number on their site or in your installation manual. Use it, they are very efficient and helpful.

 

Hope this helps.

[Terry]

on mine it was not a T, it was a Y and it must be installed for the antenna to workthe terminator must be pluged in the open end of the T/Y for it to work too

I almst through the little thing out. it was hard to find

[Billy Bob]

The thing with Lowrance is they keep changing what they include in the box when you purchase the unit.

 

IF you have the correct 15' extension with the proper ends to connect the unit to the antenna puck go ahead and do it and everything will be fine. If they sent you the 15' extension without the proper ends (can't remember how mine came, but I think it had like male ends on both ends of the extension) then you MUST run it through the T connector and block off the unused ends of the T connector with terminators. I hope this makes sense for you.

 

You may have a OLD new unit that sat on the shelf somewhere before it got to where you purchased it. You can check by seeing what software version it has. There are 2.1v, 2.3v and now Lowrance is going to release a 2.4v software that can be downloaded from their website. If you have the 2.1v download the 2.3v into your unit so when the 2.4v is released your unit will accept it.

 

The LMS 520c unit does NOT come with a water speed paddle wheel. You will have speed over ground because of the GPS but if you really want water speed you must purchase that separately as I did.

 

One other VERY important thing is make sure you have a cut off switch installed for the GPS antenna or it will drain your battery because the unit's power switch does NOT cut power to the antenna AND you will burn out the antenna after awhile because it will be continuously powered.

 

Bob

[Roy]

My GPS ant. does NOT draw power when the unit is off.

[Billy Bob]

Roy, do you have a Lowrance LMS 520c unit because the instructions warns you about this fact. Other units I have installed for people also didn't have to worry about this like in the 480 unit and LCX 19 unit. But now as always Lowrance has made some changes again.