Cleaning and maintenance

04gto

Tenderfoot
Jan 23, 2017
8
9
Southern California
Detector(s) used
Fisher Gold Bug 2, Teknetics T2 LTD.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I am still very new to this hobby, but I am already addicted. My only other addictions being fast cars and off road vehicles(!). Unless I have been off roading or something I keep my cars very clean. I am not super anal, but my car(s) is my sanctuary. I tend to take very good care of all my things, keep them maintained and clean as possible. Especially anything I put a lot of $$$$ cash into. Example I swap out the brakes on my Land Cruiser, I spray the tools with a little degreaser where necessary, wipe them down before putting them away.

Here is my curiosity of the day: Am I in the minority? I come home after a day out in the fields, I wipe down the T2 LTD and GB2. Also making sure there is no damage and any dirt ingress where it should not be. Just like I would my Land Cruiser after a long muddy trip. I have noticed from a lot of youtube vids and forum posts that more people tend to leave these very expensive instruments dirty when put away.
 

vpnavy

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jun 15, 2008
35,087
18,581
York County, PA (USA)
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
metal_detector.gif
You aren't alone. I am the same way - can't rest until everything has been wiped down!
 

relic nut

Silver Member
Nov 29, 2014
4,000
7,275
VA
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Minelab CTX 3030 TELEKINETICS 4000 GARRET AT PRO
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Yep, metal detector is a tool and in many cases a big investment. You have to take care of your tools. I had a guy asked me once why I bother to clean my tools? " They'll just get dirty again trm". I said...." Why do you wipe your butt? It's just going to get dirty again"

HH RN
 

dsdigger

Bronze Member
Jan 5, 2017
1,389
1,191
Shenandoah Valley, VA
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 600, Whites MX Sport, Whites Coinmaster, Minelab Explorer XS, Kellyco Vulcan 360, Lesche Digger, Rattler headphone, Park Ranger Bag by "Freeloader"
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Mine may not look out-of-the-box new when I am done but for what they cost, they do get a cleaning and if used at the beach, a rinse, wipe down with a cloth soaked in clear, fresh water then dried and all of the sand that I can is brushed out with a small paint brush. I figure that replacement or upgrade should be when i am ready to and not due to lack of care.
 

dsdigger

Bronze Member
Jan 5, 2017
1,389
1,191
Shenandoah Valley, VA
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 600, Whites MX Sport, Whites Coinmaster, Minelab Explorer XS, Kellyco Vulcan 360, Lesche Digger, Rattler headphone, Park Ranger Bag by "Freeloader"
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
relic nut, wonder if he is the guy who then grabs the greasy wrench, pushes hard on a stuck nut and then it slips and he busts his knuckles open and blames the wrench for slipping when if clean, it should have held? Good enough reason to keep them clean!
 

foiler

Sr. Member
Mar 17, 2013
395
389
Kansas
Detector(s) used
Fisher, Wilson-Neuman, Whites, Minelab, Tesoro and others I've long since forgotten
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Periodic maintenance is a good policy. If you use some of that car polish you use on your Land Rover your equipment is easy to wipe off. Works on plastic or metal. I've use that polish in the orange bottle for years. Silicone spray on the cables. Stretch them out clean them, dry and spray. Keeps the plastic from cracking. If you want to go the extra mile, separate the loop wands, tape over the locking holes and spray dry lubricant (teflon) into each tube. Do all that at least once a year and your equipment will stay looking new. People are amazed at the condition my 1960's and 70's machines after 1000's of hours of use..
 

pa plateau hiker

Bronze Member
Jul 15, 2012
1,077
1,276
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I'm the odd one out here. I have never cleaned my detectors. I have been out detecting in rain wearing a rain coat and boots with plastic bags wrapped around the control panel, digging in mud. The detector I'm using now is ten years old. The dried dirt on the coil is at least that old. Long live Garrett Ace 250.
 

Retired Fire

Hero Member
Dec 29, 2016
501
798
Charlotte, NC
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro, Garrett Ace 400, 5"x8" coils for both. Whites PinPointer.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I will do a quick wipe down after each hunt and when it gets really messy I will take it all apart and clean it up. With all the red clay that can stain things here it gets dusty and really nasty after the rain. So to keep this stuff from staining my hands, my truck interior or even the Garrett I will keep it fairly clean.
 

SusanMN

Silver Member
Jun 1, 2007
4,534
4,098
Minnesota
Detector(s) used
Tiger Shark, Xterra 705, Makro Legend
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
My land machine gets cleaned regularly - hand grip and screen get pretty dirty and sand has a way of getting under the coil cover. The one thing I should be doing, but don't very often is taking the rods apart so that they don't lock up with sand and fine grit and become inseparable. It's only important of you are breaking down your machine for travel or selling but if you intend to do either you want to do this it periodically.
 

Muddyhandz

Bronze Member
Jul 1, 2012
1,226
1,955
In da bush
Detector(s) used
Fisher's 1266X, 1270X & 1280X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I remember how I babied the first detector I worked all summer to save up and buy at 13 years old. I would wipe her down every day and if one drop of rain fell, I would quickly put a plastic bag over the control housing.
To this day, I NEVER forget to carry a bag with me even if it's sunny and clear outside.

What Susan says is great advice as I wore out the lower shaft on my fourth detector from extending it when it had sand inside too many times. You'll know that you have sand inside if the shaft becomes too hard to extend.
Preventative maintenance is very important!
I sold my first detector to a childhood friend 5 years later and watched him destroy it by never putting a bag over the box during rain, rough-housing it like it wasn't an electronic device, and what finally did it in was storing it for years (in an old school bus) with the batteries still inside which was against my advice.
He was shocked that it didn't work years later when the whole battery compartment was full of green corrosion. DOH!

My biggest advice here would be a lesson I learned the hard way TWICE. You know where the coil wire plugs into the control housing?
I wrap the first few inches of wire where it meets the metal plug (coil cable connector) with duct tape until the cable is stiff and will not bend or pull.
I do this because I had to pay over $100 twice to replace the whole coil from the times the cable wire got pulled or yanked, (from a branch) as there's a chance the wire will pull loose from the connector.
Did the same with my $100 headphones and they've lasted for years, where as before, I was throwing out a pair of headphones yearly. I keep a hood over my head if it starts to rain on my headphones also.
While you have the duct tape out, I would tape up any funny battery compartment covers if they have a habit of popping off like my 1270X. Don't want to lose that in the middle of the bush.
If you have muddy hands like me then I suggest taping the foam grip as well. The foam absorbs all the muck and sweat and becomes impossible to clean. A nice duct tape hand grip will wash up in seconds.
Don't leave the detector sitting in the sun (or hot cars) too long. I already know my detectors can handle -20C because I've used them several times in that kind of weather! :tard:
 

dsdigger

Bronze Member
Jan 5, 2017
1,389
1,191
Shenandoah Valley, VA
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 600, Whites MX Sport, Whites Coinmaster, Minelab Explorer XS, Kellyco Vulcan 360, Lesche Digger, Rattler headphone, Park Ranger Bag by "Freeloader"
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I like Muddyhandz idea with the Duct tape. I normally keep it around as do a lot of people. I will note that Electrical Tape does not make a good wrap for the hand grips. If it get warm/hot, the adhesive can and will lose grip and slide giving you a sticky grip! Another sub would be the ape used to wrap tennis racket handles or ballbat handles. The batteries come out as soon as I get home and into a zip lock baggies Sharpie marked with the date and machine. After over 50% used, they get shuffled to something else to be used up and fresh are substituted.
 

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