Factory Depth Module Intergration How To:

[DRAGON88]

Like many '06 boats, for whatever reason, mine was ordered without the depth gauge option. After losing a prop for the first time in my 20+ years of boating, I decided it was probably time to install some mechanism of measuring depth. I looked at the Hawkeye gauge, which honestly is a great solution, but I just really didn't want to find a home for the gauge unless i absolutely had to. For that reason I decided I would try to retrofit a module to work with the factory speedometer and center display. As many of you know, the "factory" module from Medallion, when it was still available, was around $350. Surely there had to be a better/cheaper way.

The good news is that lots of boating manufacturers sourced their gauge package from Medallion/BorgWarner in the early 2000's. As I understand it 05+ Malibus boats (maybe earlier) have a 6 pin male Packard connector tucked under the dash somewhere (in fact, I think this wiring is part of the stock Medallion/BorgWarner system sold to many manufacturers).

Sparing the unnecessary details I found a module on GreatLakes Skipper that looked like what I was seeing referenced as the "depth module" in a MasterCraft technical training document for Medallion gauges and decided to give it a shot. It is advertised as a "2001 Four Winns" part.

MC document:

 

 

Great Lakes Skipper:

 

The unit I received was apparently built in 2002, so it is the older two piece module (I understand that at some point Medallion started selling a module that packed everything into the box for the LSM-3). The blue, yellow, and four wires going to the male Packard connector can be snipped off. I believe blue wires are used in some applications for a water temp read out. Yellow wires similarly are for air temp. The male Packard connector is presumably for relaying that air/water data to the gauge cluster. The module has gone down in price a bit, but might go back up if people start buying it. When I purchased it I think I spent around $90 shipped.

After cross referencing the wire colors on the six pin female Packard connector on the module with the picture I had of my own boat's wiring, I began to feel a tiny bit optimistic that this module just might work.

 

The next step was to figure out a transducer, as the original two pin coaxial transducer was long out of production (and also I wanted to avoid drilling a hole in my boat). Luckily, Medallion/Bakes already figured out that a standard Lowrance WB-PDL (106-73) can be spliced into the old co-axial transducer cable:

Unfortunately, I did not have an old coaxial transducer connector to splice my new transducer into. However i figured out that I could just buy a Lawrence XT-20 extension cable to scavenge the connector/cable end. Although soldering was an option, I had some Delphi Weather Pack connectors available, and decided to make a removable connection. I also added some heat shrink on top of the connector bodies (not pictured) to add some strain relief. This doesn't matter so much on the old coaxial side, but the new transducer wires are tiny 22-24ish ga wires, so I figured some added support would only help.

 

Once you have all of your parts gathered, and the old transducer connector spliced to the new transducer, installation is super easy. The small black wire coming off the LSM-3 module gets a ring terminal and gets bolted to the bus bar under the dash. The red wire coming off the LSM-3 module gets a ring terminal and connected to the accessory terminal of the ignition switch (purple/white striped wire). The 6 pin female Packard connector connects up with the Packard Connector under the dash. Then you just need to drill holes and fasten everything with some nice stainless screws. This is how I laid mine out:

 

Then you just need to find a home for your transducer, and run the wiring back up to the dash. Once connected the depth functions of the gauge cluster will be unlocked:

 

I haven't epoxied in my transducer yet, but when I put it in the bilge and connected it to the module I was getting a reading of 12.3', which seemed reasonable where I was moored (I didn't verify with a  tape measure though).

Don't let anyone tell you old dogs can't learn new tricks.

Edited September 30, 2022 by DRAGON88

[justgary]

@DRAGON88, this is really good work!

[michel]

Just saw your topic and it has interested me a lot.

I own a Malibu response lx 2001

i got the same lowrance module and depth transducer as you installed

the boat was equipped with an accuski gauge which receive air and water and depth info as well as engine data ect..

the accuski fade with time and I replaced it with a multigauge

so I lost depth info

i have try to hook a speedo with lcd on the free connectors which feed the original speedo and my new multigauge.

i got light, needle is shivering on ignition but lcd write « no data »

 

my question is do you think there is a way to use the six pin packard female connector and connect his wires to the speedo with lcd  ( it is one of a friend actually, but if it work i will buy one) .and also the 2 yellow and 2 blue wires of the male one (air temp data) . 
is there any chance it work so I can have depth ,air , and water temp on the lcd of the speedo?

 

 

 

 

[salmonshutters]

I just got a 2001 response, still has the center computer and its getting hard to read but still readable. 

My unit says no response on the display. Im going to have to dig out the multimeter to figure out why the unit is not working anymore. Does anyone have a wiring diagram for this system? 

Also had water in the pick up tubes, blew that out in hopes the speedo works again. 

 

 

[Bushmankev]

I’m in the same boat (pun intended). I have a 2001 Sunscape with the MDC in the center of my gauges cluster and it’s getting difficult to read. I have a ducer factory installed and the LSM-3 module already under the dash that connects to my MDC however I can’t read depth in real time, only set a warning to display when depth is less than value I set for alarm. I fear this may be too little too late warning and would like to keep an eye on depth at all times. Anyone know how to use the existing ducer/LSM module to connect to a stand alone depth gauge since my MDC doesn’t have the ability to display constant depth?

[salmonshutters]

I think i should be able to see the depth in my computer, but it says not ready no response. Is the lsm3 powered by an acc switch on the dash? 

[Bushmankev]

On 7/2/2023 at 5:44 AM, salmonshutters said:

I think i should be able to see the depth in my computer, but it says not ready no response. Is the lsm3 powered by an acc switch on the dash? 

Mine isn’t 

[Bujah]

@michel  I have a 2001 Wakesetter VLX and was considering doing the same thing? (Replacing the speedo with an LCD speedo) Did you get the speedo gauge with the LCD to read depth and temp and work for speed? I would like to try this before buying the gauge but don't know where I can get my hands on one.

Mine already has the multigauge installed with the original acuu-ski gauge removed. All the original hardware is still there along with the LSM-3. 

[salmonshutters]

No, still trying to figure this one out. Was going to start digging into it again this summer, a buddy of mine has a 2003 response that shows air water and depth on the speedometer. He is up at the cabin this weekend and I was going to have him send me the part numbers from his boat, but I'm thinking it has to be a bad sending unit from the depth finder or a bad connection some where.