Equinox Service/Repair Info from Minelab service department.

[GoDeep]

These are some of the reasons why I refused to purchase these detectors. Best of luck to those who purchase these detectors.

So the control box IS non-repairable. Likely a fact of life these days with all surface mounted components and glued-together construction. Only problem with that is the usual Minelab issue - sky-high prices for replacement components.

Here’s what ML wrote....”Yes customers will be able to purchase a new control box, armrest or shaft components if their out of warranty machine has become unusable.”

that says that they are unrepairable. don’t know if that’s what they meant, but the text - as it is - is plain.

It is repairable depending on the fault. See my above follow up question and reply.

 

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[Rick K]

Time will tell

 

[GoDeep]

Its the year 2018. The days of the user pulling off the back cover and adjusting the pots or breaking out his soldering iron to replace a capacitor or diode are long over. Modern electronics utilize mass produced modular, integrated, microprocessor controlled pcb's, that are usually non serviceable. So no matter what brand you are a fan of, that is the future. This isn't unique to Minelab. This doesn't stop anyone from buying a cell phone.

 

[flgliderpilot]

I think it's very unlikely that Minicab is going to repair machines... it is POSSIBLE that they would break open a unit and recover the motherboard and screen, and install it into a new case for the repair... seems unlikely because the case needs to be re-glued and leak tested...

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I think it's very unlikely that Minicab is going to repair machines... it is POSSIBLE that they would break open a unit and recover the motherboard and screen, and install it into a new case for the repair... seems unlikely because the case needs to be re-glued and leak tested...

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Repairs will be done, resealing the case and then doing a pressure test is not a big deal. Equinox has a 3 year warranty, Minelab is not going to throw away the controls because the LCD failed, or the keypad failed. As far as the housing, they are not expensive so if front, back or both halves need to be replaced not a big deal. Just like on the 3030, parts were replaced, they did not throw away the controls because the keypad, speaker, power board ect failed, they replaced them.

 

[Rick K]

The above message to David is from Minelab service Australia - [email protected]

The minelab usa address is [email protected]

Info from this website https://www.minelab.com/usa/corporate/contact-us-2

What they do in OZ - where they have in-house repair facilities, may be very different from what they do un the US where their service is contracted out to a third party.

The cost to ML USA for a service to replace, for example a screen would be at least one hour of shop time - let’s say $60, plus the part cost - $20? Add to that the cost of carrying spare parts inventory and it quickly reaches over $100. Then there’s the inevitable dissatisfaction and forum fuss when a customer is not satisfied that the repair is adequate, and making a nice profit on selling a replacement control box for $350 becomes pretty attractive.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

The above message to David is from Minelab service Australia - [email protected]

The minelab usa address is [email protected]

Info from this website https://www.minelab.com/usa/corporate/contact-us-2

What they do in OZ - where they have in-house repair facilities, may be very different from what they do un the US where their service is contracted out to a third party.

Repairs are done by authorized repair centers, only those authorized to do repairs to Minelab specs have access to the parts. Minelab stop doing in house repairs in 2014, every since then repairs were done by Minelab authorized repair centers.

 

[Rick K]

I believe that ML still does repairs in-house in Australia - does anyone have actual information to the contrary?

For example, the name and address of the contracted facility in Australia.

 

[1942 merc]

So in there years I may have to buy a new control box . Big deal , is this the end of the world......no.....what are you going to do when all this advances and every detector is this way? Do you want a water proof machine or not ?

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I believe that ML still does repairs in-house in Australia - does anyone have actual information to the contrary?

There is no customer in-house repairs in Australia, there are 3 authorized repair centers there for customers in Australia, none in-house.

https://www.minelab.com/usa/customer-care/service-support

 

[Rick K]

Thanks, that’s what I was looking for - data.

 

[GoDeep]

So it doesn't get lost, this is really great news. First, it points out how prevalent fake news is and how there are many out there with an agenda. The original thread, started without any evidence, stated that the Equinox would not be serviced, nor repair parts available when the warranty runs out, thus making it, and I quote, "A Throw Away Detector". Though we can debate the cost, method and logistics of repairs, Minelab confirms that parts and service WILL be available when your warranty runs out in three years!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

So it doesn't get lost, this is really great news. First, it points out how prevalent fake news is and how there are many out there with an agenda. The original thread, started by a troll without any evidence, stated that the Equinox would not be serviced, nor repair parts available when the warranty runs out, thus making it, and I quote, "A Throw Away Detector". Though we can debate the cost, method and logistics of repairs, Minelab confirms that parts and service WILL be available when your warranty runs out in three years!

GoDeep, please remember to post by our rules, you can not call insult members by calling them trolls, it violates our rules.

thank you....

 

[GoDeep]

GoDeep, please remember to post by our rules, you can not call insult members by calling them trolls, it violates our rules.

thank you....

My apologies. Edited.

 

[flgliderpilot]

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Repairs will be done, resealing the case and then doing a pressure test is not a big deal. Equinox has a 3 year warranty, Minelab is not going to throw away the controls because the LCD failed, or the keypad failed. As far as the housing, they are not expensive so if front, back or both halves need to be replaced not a big deal. Just like on the 3030, parts were replaced, they did not throw away the controls because the keypad, speaker, power board ect failed, they replaced them.

Right... the CZ-21 is a good example...once opened up the control panel is (allegedly) replaced because it's damaged once disassembled.

Equinox will probably get new case halves when repaired.

 

[Rick K]

When it comes to the CZ’s – I think you’re thinking about this CZ-20 - if you want to send it for repair it gets a new face plate of the CZ21 type – this is because of some issues with this CZ-20 faceplate

Interestingly this nearly 20-year-old detector is still completely repairable spare parts are available at the factory and they are regularly serviced – and very reasonable prices I may add - by my own experience

 

[fuceye]

2 words come to mind.....Lifetime warranty....

 

[smokeythecat]

I don't think Minelab has a lifetime warranty on anything. They are a good, established company, under warranty you should have not problems. Now on the Equinoxes if the bean counters there decide to replace a part on a fairly new unit instead of replacing the unit, then it might take a few weeks. But that's just how it is. I really don't think there will be many problems out of the box. The last time I had purchased something that was bad out of the box, was a TV back in the 1980's. The old, heavy kind.

 

[Rick K]

Non-repairable hardware is covered under warranty by replacement. Non-warranty failures of non-repairable hardware can only be addressed by replacement - problem is - replacement of a 4-5 year old control box (if it’s non-repairable) is only possible if a replacement unit is either sitting on the shelf somewhere or still in production.

Not saying whether the Nox will turn out to be practically speaking non-repairable, but frankly electronic stuff in general i headed that way. Already the internal circuit boards of most newer detectors are only “fixable” by board-level replacement.

 

[flgliderpilot]

When it comes to the CZ’s — I think you’re thinking about this CZ-20 - if you want to send it for repair it gets a new face plate of the CZ21 type — this is because of some issues with this CZ-20 faceplate

Interestingly this nearly 20-year-old detector is still completely repairable spare parts are available at the factory and they are regularly serviced — and very reasonable prices I may add - by my own experience

No, a friend sent his CZ21 in for repair and was told the panel is always replaced. They wanted $600 for the repair. If thats really the case I don't know. The CZ-20 can be disassembled and reassembled but supposedly the 21 can not.