# MarCum LX-3



## R Diddy 08

Before I write this post, I would like to say that I don't want this thread to become a Vex vs. Marcum debate, how the Vex is better than Marcum, etc.

So I bought a used Marcum LX-3 from a guy on cl yesterday and went out with it for the first time this afternoon/evening. The flasher is in great shape, looks good, and works great too. Except for one thing.

I was fishing in 18fow tonight and I needed a gain setting of about 1.5-2 in order to get a solid bottom reading (full red). Not a big deal, right? Then I went ahead and dropped my #6 CJ&S Demon down with a couple eurolarvae on. All the way down the water column, nothing shows up on the flasher. I needed a gain of at least 6 to get a steady signal where my lure was a foot and a half off the bottom. Needless to say, I saw a lot more than just my jig at a gain of 6-7.

First thing I did was call the guy I bought it from and asked him about it. He said he had never used it for panfishing, mainly walleye, but he NEVER needed a gain of 6 to see his lure. He looked up some stuff and called me back later, asking me to tap on the bottom of the ducer with my knuckle and to check if that helped out at all. It didn't.

Luckily, the guy I was fishing with has a Zercom Color Point and the ducers have the same connection, so I tried his ducer out on my LX-3. This helped a little, but I still needed a gain of about 5 to see the same jig in 18fow.

I cleaned the bottom of the ducer off by wiping on my jeans, turned the flasher off then back on a couple of times, even went to a different part of the lake where nobody else was around to see if that would help the problem but nothing I did helped.

Has anyone else had a similar problem to mine? If so, how did you fix it? Any and all possible solutions are more than welcome!

Thanks!


----------



## southdakbearfan

Is the battery good? Had a similar issue with my vex several seasons ago and the battery was in the midst of going bad, not putting out enough power.


----------



## R Diddy 08

I'm not sure, I used the battery he sent with it. I charged it through the night last night and am going to try again either today or tomorrow. I picked a new one up at Scheels a couple weeks ago though and will probably try that one pretty quick too, if the problem keeps up.

Thanks for the tip!


----------



## R Diddy 08

Tried earlier this afternoon with a brand new battery that I charged overnight last night and into the morning today. Still got the same thing though, fishing in 10fow this time.

I've tried to get a hold of the Marcum people via the phone but they must be busy with other calls because each time it's gone to voicemail.


----------



## jtillman

I had the same problem with mine. I recieved an LX-3 about four or five years ago for Christmas, two winters ago I had the EXACT same problem as you. Called Marcum and they said it was an known-iussue covered by warranty. For another $20-25 I got the True Color (I think that's what it was called) update. They were wonderful to work with (all done over email, nothing over phone), and within a business week I had it all back.

Howver I have heard they are under new-ownership since, and that may be the difference you are seeing right now.


----------



## R Diddy 08

Thanks jtillman!

I called a couple more times and finally just left a message with them and also sent an email so I guess it's just a waiting game now.

I'm not the original owner and I don't know if the warranty is still good on it, which I'm a little leery of (don't really want to shell out more $$ to get it fixed) but I'll just have to do what I gotta do.

I would really like to get it solved before too long, as I go back to school next weekend and won't be fishing much after that, but I can make do with bobber fishing until it gets fixed I guess.

jtillman, how do you like the true color upgrade? Thanks again for your input, I'm glad to know it isn't just mine that has had this problem.


----------



## hagfan72

Hate dredging up posts this old, but I gotta know, how did it all turn out?


----------



## jtillman

Mine is still running great. Color upgrade is definitely better than the 'standard' and I haven't had any new issues with the unit since the software updates. Couldn't be happier with it.


----------



## hagfan72

That's great to hear, jtillman.


----------

