thinking of a CTX 3030?

[saltwaterminer]

Been several years since I seriously metal detected. Last year, I did try a PI machine and just hated it...

I have experience with Sovereigns and Excalibur, but I'm blown away by the features of the CTX 3030.

For health reasons I need the exercise. Also need a hobby. I'm looking to get back into metal detecting.

Based on past experience, likely 80% of my use would be on the beach and surf zone. Maybe 15% submerged in wait/chest deep water. Throw in 5% for park and relic hunting.

My concerns are the problems related to leaking. Is there a way to wrap more protection around the seal?

Are the stock headphones usable or should I consider an upgrade? Which model?

 

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[bigscoop]

Good machine, but I believe I'd wait a while to see how they address the current battery compartment leak issue.

 

[Sandman]

I too suggest waiting to see if Minelab will address the leak problem with the CTX. This is why I am waiting too. That's to much money to waste on another POS.

 

[lookindown]

The first run of AT PROs leaked like crazy, now they seem to have the problem fixed...Id wait.

 

[Les West Central Fl]

" Word To The Wise" WAIT!!!

 

[MBbeachrat]

I had my CTX out now around 6 times. Used a Whites PI SURF for a year (Reason I am called beachrat) A CZ 21 for a year.The Excalibur II for a year.
The end of the year I could get a fish hook with the Excalibur at 9 " in all metal a dime at 12" in wet sand.

The CTX blows them all away in the salty wet sand and surf below the knee. The CTX is faster, louder, picks up smaller items, quieter, deeper, more user friendly, and after just 6 times I can tell if it is a penny at 12". I am picking up little metal peaces less then 16th of an inch , down in wet sand 12". It air test deeper then all my other machines. I can cover at least 40 percent more beach. The new Seawater program has made all the difference in the salt. If I turn off seawater toggle it is very chattery. Lots of old reviews are be for the seawater program.

The bad it is not made for surf. By surf I mean being hit by waves above the knee. It is harder then any of machines to sweep in the water. A two foot wave broke my armrest yesterday. Of the three guys I know that hunt with them submerged below the battery two of them have leaked and one guy twice. They hunt in cold water which may make the oring contract.

my advice to you and remember I used stock Excalibur with 10" coil and only been hunting for three years. GET THE CTX 3030. Get out there and get a lot more in the wet sand. Then take that bling an melt it down and get a Excalibur for the deeper surf. If you don't like the Dirty 30 you can get a good price for it on Ebay. And do not pay more then $2,200 for the CTX.

 

[MBbeachrat]

PS stock headphones are OK the CTX can be set up to blast your socks off. If it hits a target it hits it. No more listening for nulls and frog farts.

 

[saltwaterminer]

I'm going to give the CTX a shot, and bought one at a very decent price. In the past it was always hit and miss with little thought to planning.

I'll likely shy away from total submersion for now, but the features really seem attractive.

I'm keen on spending more time scouting and reading the beach, record keeping, and GPS tracking etc... so having these features at my finger tips seem worth every penny.

 

[lookindown]

I had my CTX out now around 6 times. Used a Whites PI SURF for a year (Reason I am called beachrat) A CZ 21 for a year.The Excalibur II for a year.
The end of the year I could get a fish hook with the Excalibur at 9 " in all metal a dime at 12" in wet sand.

The CTX blows them all away in the salty wet sand and surf below the knee. The CTX is faster, louder, picks up smaller items, quieter, deeper, more user friendly, and after just 6 times I can tell if it is a penny at 12". I am picking up little metal peaces less then 16th of an inch , down in wet sand 12". It air test deeper then all my other machines. I can cover at least 40 percent more beach. The new Seawater program has made all the difference in the salt. If I turn off seawater toggle it is very chattery. Lots of old reviews are be for the seawater program.

The bad it is not made for surf. By surf I mean being hit by waves above the knee. It is harder then any of machines to sweep in the water. A two foot wave broke my armrest yesterday. Of the three guys I know that hunt with them submerged below the battery two of them have leaked and one guy twice. They hunt in cold water which may make the oring contract.

my advice to you and remember I used stock Excalibur with 10" coil and only been hunting for three years. GET THE CTX 3030. Get out there and get a lot more in the wet sand. Then take that bling an melt it down and get a Excalibur for the deeper surf. If you don't like the Dirty 30 you can get a good price for it on Ebay. And do not pay more then $2,200 for the CTX.

If you cant take it in the water, why not just get a Sov GT and save 1500 bucks?

 

[MBbeachrat]

If you cant take it in the water, why not just get a Sov GT and save 1500 bucks?

The CTX is faster, louder, picks up smaller items, quieter, deeper, more user friendly, and after just 6 times I can tell if it is a penny at 12". I am picking up little metal peaces less then 16th of an inch , down in wet sand 12". It air test deeper then all my other machines. I can cover at least 40 percent more beach. The new Seawater program has made all the difference in the salt. If I turn off seawater toggle it is very chattery. Lots of old reviews are be for the seawater program.

Not too mention all the bells and whistles. One time down Florida I hit a spot along dune with a bunch of coins from the 1920s. Got dark went back next day couldn't find it. With the GPS on this machine it would have got me at least to ten feet from the area.
Lookindown hate to tell you but sooner or later you will bite the bullet also. I tried to find reasons not to do it but I am so glad I did. Seawater program makes the big difference. Again though only wet sand and below the knee for me now. Also I am in the tourist areas.

 

[MBbeachrat]

I'm going to give the CTX a shot, and bought one at a very decent price. In the past it was always hit and miss with little thought to planning.

I'll likely shy away from total submersion for now, but the features really seem attractive.

I'm keen on spending more time scouting and reading the beach, record keeping, and GPS tracking etc... so having these features at my finger tips seem worth every penny.

Good luck saltwaterminer I am sure you will love it. All I did was put it in beach mode , turn on the seawater, hit noise cancel and turn the sensitivity up as high as possible without chatter (30 sometimes is possible). make sure you move your scoop far enough away when checking holes mistake I mad in beginning thinking I was getting false readings.

 

[GreenMeanie]

The flavor of the Month is to talk about so called leaking CTX's.
Mine hasn't leaked and they sold tons of them and most of those haven't leaked either.
Don't let these guys that don't even own one scare you away from dunking it.
It is under warranty anyways and minelab would fix it so who really cares LOL.
Most of these guys read one leaked and now just want to spread the BS through out the forums acting like they know someone or something.
There is more user error than design flaw...But I have a feeling minelab with be making a thicker Gasket soon to just quiet these people up.

 

[MBbeachrat]

The flavor of the Month is to talk about so called leaking CTX's.
Mine hasn't leaked and they sold tons of them and most of those haven't leaked either.
Don't let these guys that don't even own one scare you away from dunking it.
It is under warranty anyways and minelab would fix it so who really cares LOL.
Most of these guys read one leaked and now just want to spread the BS through out the forums acting like they know someone or something.
There is more user error than design flaw...But I have a feeling minelab with be making a thicker Gasket soon to just quiet these people up.

Are you using yours in the waves? Maybe just coincidence in my area? But seems more then just a flavor. Are you located up north or in the south. I been reading all the CTX forums and it is a problem.

 

[leprechaun]

You'll love the ctx, it is an awesome machine, when I first got mine because the gastget is so small I used a tiny paintbrush and sealed it with vasoline and so far no leaks. I've had it in the water
a dozen times.I'm going in the water friday and I ll' use more vasoline before I do. the machine appears complex but it's really easy to use, feel free to pm me if you have any questionson adjustments.lep

 

[Sandman]

The fact is the CTX has a O ring that contracts in cold water and allows leaks. You can use it on the wet sand and dry, but these areas are pounded by less costly detectors. Sure GPS is nice, but you can carry a Garmin too. However it is a good detector an I will get one once the O ring problem is solved because I will want to use it in the colder water.

 

[lookindown]

The CTX is faster, louder, picks up smaller items, quieter, deeper, more user friendly, and after just 6 times I can tell if it is a penny at 12". I am picking up little metal peaces less then 16th of an inch , down in wet sand 12". It air test deeper then all my other machines. I can cover at least 40 percent more beach. The new Seawater program has made all the difference in the salt. If I turn off seawater toggle it is very chattery. Lots of old reviews are be for the seawater program.

Not too mention all the bells and whistles. One time down Florida I hit a spot along dune with a bunch of coins from the 1920s. Got dark went back next day couldn't find it. With the GPS on this machine it would have got me at least to ten feet from the area.
Lookindown hate to tell you but sooner or later you will bite the bullet also. I tried to find reasons not to do it but I am so glad I did. Seawater program makes the big difference. Again though only wet sand and below the knee for me now. Also I am in the tourist areas.

Sounds like a great machine...hope they get the problem fixed.

 

[lookindown]

The flavor of the Month is to talk about so called leaking CTX's.
Mine hasn't leaked and they sold tons of them and most of those haven't leaked either.
Don't let these guys that don't even own one scare you away from dunking it.
It is under warranty anyways and minelab would fix it so who really cares LOL.
Most of these guys read one leaked and now just want to spread the BS through out the forums acting like they know someone or something.
There is more user error than design flaw...But I have a feeling minelab with be making a thicker Gasket soon to just quiet these people up.

You think people saying the 3030 has a leaking problem is BS?

 

[GreenMeanie]

Located in CT and Hunt the ocean when I can about 1HR away from me.
It is in fresh water 3 times a week at least.
But I posted to soon on the USB Port leaking LOL someone on another FORUM is saying theirs leaked LOL.
I stand by my statement don't water hunt if your afraid of your detector leaking because it can happen to any of them.. Not to long ago it was BASHING the AT PRO.

Are you using yours in the waves? Maybe just coincidence in my area? But seems more then just a flavor. Are you located up north or in the south. I been reading all the CTX forums and it is a problem.

 

[bigscoop]

I know three 3030 users, hunt with one of them often, all three have experienced the battery seal leak issue. I will add that all three of them hunt in pretty stiff surf conditions in the saltwater on a regular basis. Also, all three of them praise the machine's capabilities, and I trust their experience and judgement - not to mention that I've gotten to see first hand the machine's capabilities which has been pretty impressive. But there is no denying that there is an issue with the thin battery compartment seal, user error or not it simply allows the sealed surface to be invaded too easily. Sand and salt is an unavoidable aspect of both beach and saltwater and I'm certain Minelab recognizes the need for the required upgrade. Once that's done....I might even have to consider one.

 

[MBbeachrat]

I know three 3030 users, hunt with one of them often, all three have experienced the battery seal leak issue. I will add that all three of them hunt in pretty stiff surf conditions in the saltwater on a regular basis. Also, all three of them praise the machine's capabilities, and I trust their experience and judgement - not to mention that I've gotten to see first hand the machine's capabilities which has been pretty impressive. But there is no denying that there is an issue with the thin battery compartment seal, user error or not it simply allows the sealed surface to be invaded too easily. Sand and salt is an unavoidable aspect of both beach and saltwater and I'm certain Minelab recognizes the need for the required upgrade. Once that's done....I might even have to consider one.

Very well put. It seems GreenMeanie is not out in the surf but is probably in some very cold water. Wonder if minelab will make a statement ?