Whites TDI SL general information and experience

[RockRaven]

White's TDI SL general information and experience

I am interested in some information on the TDI SL PI machine. First off, sort of wondering about the differences between the simple PI machines such as Sea Hunter, Tesoro Sand Shark, and Surf Dual Field. I know that it weighs a bit less, but interested in the claims on sales sites that it can be adjusted for size of items. Also wondering about general abilities at ferrous and conductivity discrimination, and ability with deeper items in the realm of relic hunting. Sorry if this thread seems a bit out of place, but no answers at all in the White's brand section although a good number of views. Certainly my first interest in the machine would be with the intent to improve my nugget shooting capabilities in my local area with large hot rocks and black sand in the streams. Also it also seems that the primary users of the machine all read and post over here in the detecting for gold area so I hope it is okay to ask over here. Thanks in advance

Matt

 

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[Hard Prospector]

I have been swinging the TDI SL for several years now and can tell you from experience it has found me plenty of nuggets, many of them smaller than any GPX machine could ever find. I know little of beach machines, ideal pulse timing settings for relics or coins etc just nugget shooting in the gold fields. The key to finding small nuggets with the TDI is using coils no wider than 7.5" (length not as important). This allows increased gain and good depth while maintaining a stable threshold. The Sierra Pulse Pro is essentially a TDI SL with some fixed settings/pulse timing ideal for small gold(10 microseconds) and is a good nugget hunting PI machine for a couple hundred less. Best coils (in my experience) for the TDI and nuggets are either the 9"x5.5" Jimmy TDI Folded Over Mono coil or the Whites 7.5" Mono Aussi coil. The best small nugget PI machine to date seems to be the SDC2300 and if I was just starting out I would probably spend the extra money and buy it. That being said, the TDI matched with the right coil and experienced operator is still a small gold killer in nasty ground conditions.

 

[RockRaven]

Thank you so much for the information Hard Prospector, really interested in this particular machine when I eventually add a PI to the tool set. Weight is not a particular issue for me but the SDC2300 has a pretty big pricetag for what seems like a very small advantage over the TDI. Although I have not been able to find very many reviews of real world use for the TDI, the adjustable timing seems like a good feature making the machine a little bit more versatile. Generally I take all PI machine claims of discrimination abilities with a few grains of salt but without a bit more information it is difficult to know for sure what capabilities each machine has. Thanks!

 

[Hard Prospector]

Still to this day no realistic discrimination for PI machines, the SDC2300 is also water-proof where as the TDI (or SPP) not even weather resistant so I never take it to the beach. The Sand Shark is a good beach PI for the money so I plan on buying one myself soon. I wouldn't be surprised if by next year you could pick up a SDC2300 for around $2500. For less than $2000. you could get a TDI SL and a Sand Shark and cover all bases. All great machines and I can vouch for Whites stellar customer service.

 

[RockRaven]

Well I found the excellent resources over on Steve's website, a huge wealth of interesting and useful information on the TDI, although I now have a new area of confusion in regards to the differences between the SL and Pro models. Very interested at this point in the unit as it there are ways to use a combination of ground balance settings combined with the induction switch to achieve a level of discrimination that no other PI machines can achieve. Really looking like a great machine for the money in many ways, weight, depth, price, and many other factors make me wonder why the TDI machines are not more popular.

 

[azblackbird]

Really looking like a great machine for the money in many ways, weight, depth, price, and many other factors make me wonder why the TDI machines are not more popular.

Most people hate reading manuals and want a "turn-on-and-go" detector. The TDI Pro is a little more complicated than that. Thus the reason they're only sold by "TDI certified" dealers. I like gadgets and techie stuff, so the TDI Pro was a no-brainer for me (value wise) when I was looking to purchase a PI.

 

[Gold Itch]

I have been swinging the TDI SL for several years now and can tell you from experience it has found me plenty of nuggets, many of them smaller than any GPX machine could ever find. I know little of beach machines, ideal pulse timing settings for relics or coins etc just nugget shooting in the gold fields. The key to finding small nuggets with the TDI is using coils no wider than 7.5" (length not as important). This allows increased gain and good depth while maintaining a stable threshold. The Sierra Pulse Pro is essentially a TDI SL with some fixed settings/pulse timing ideal for small gold(10 microseconds) and is a good nugget hunting PI machine for a couple hundred less. Best coils (in my experience) for the TDI and nuggets are either the 9"x5.5" Jimmy TDI Folded Over Mono coil or the Whites 7.5" Mono Aussi coil. The best small nugget PI machine to date seems to be the SDC2300 and if I was just starting out I would probably spend the extra money and buy it. That being said, the TDI matched with the right coil and experienced operator is still a small gold killer in nasty ground conditions.

I just did back to back tests with the TDI SL and The TDI Pro and the Only difference in Depth was the SL saw 3 smaller Targets about 1/2" to and Inch deeper And this is only because the SL Runs Quieter Allowing you to hear the Target response, People Seem to Think that because the Pro Costs more That It is Their right to claim it as the Depth King which Is Rubbish The Only real difference between the Two is the Pro Has A Slightly Faster Sweep Speed, and since I did the Tests I am now doing A Battery Pack Conversion that will Double The Battery Run Time and run the Voltage up around 12.950 To 13.250 Volts,

 

[Hard Prospector]

Great info, I always wanted to do some comps. between the SL and the Pro and sure appreciate you sharing your findings. I'm starting to feel like us TDI users are about to go on the "endangered species list". Yet at 2.5 lbs, around a $1000 and very effective, the TDI SL can still hold its head high.....Rob

 

[CA Gold Hunter]

I hope not, I just got mine in December. I think I've read just about every article and forum post on it on the internet haha. You would think more people would be interested in it.

 

[Gold Itch]

Great info, I always wanted to do some comps. between the SL and the Pro and sure appreciate you sharing your findings. I'm starting to feel like us TDI users are about to go on the "endangered species list". Yet at 2.5 lbs, around a $1000 and very effective, the TDI SL can still hold its head high.....Rob

That Battery Mod is Great, If my Son bring the Soldering equipment back I can Finish Testing it this weekend, After leaving the Battery pack to Rest for 20 hours after coming off charge it had 12.504 Volts in it and when First took it off charge it had 12.980 ISH Volts in It, And it should give you A Full days Use out of It, And the best Part is if you ever have a Battery give up the Ghost you can Replace it In Second,

Good Luck

 

[Gold Itch]

I hope not, I just got mine in December. I think I've read just about every article and forum post on it on the internet haha. You would think more people would be interested in it.

You have no need to worry, This Machine will be Around for a Good while yet and because of all the Claims by others out there It Has not had a chance to Prove It's Self Yet,

DIGGER BOB, Is A Man that Urmm (how should I put It) Is Economic with His Words, and He Is A Quiet Achiever, He could have any Machine He wanted Yet He Chooses The TDI SL, So what does that Tell You,,,, He Lets His Gold Do The Talking,

Have No Fear because this Book hasn't been written Yet

Good Luck

 

[Hard Prospector]

Strong work on the battery mod., I almost always use disposable quality alkaline(best luck with the Costco brand) and 8 are good for 3-4 hours of run time before a battery pack switch. For what I do and were I go disposables suite me best but certainly not the most cost effective

 

[CA Gold Hunter]

You have no need to worry, This Machine will be Around for a Good while yet and because of all the Claims by others out there It Has not had a chance to Prove It's Self Yet,

DIGGER BOB, Is A Man that Urmm (how should I put It) Is Economic with His Words, and He Is A Quiet Achiever, He could have any Machine He wanted Yet He Chooses The TDI SL, So what does that Tell You,,,, He Lets His Gold Do The Talking,

Have No Fear because this Book hasn't been written Yet

Good Luck

He's the one that convinces me to get this machine. He seems to have been quite successful with it too.

 

[Gold Itch]

Strong work on the battery mod., I almost always use disposable quality alkaline(best luck with the Costco brand) and 8 are good for 3-4 hours of run time before a battery pack switch. For what I do and were I go disposables suite me best but certainly not the most cost effective

If you have the factory 2200 mah battery you can mod that one and you can still boost the run time, One day I will test the Lithium disposables and see how long they go for because they put out some serious voltage

 

[Gold Itch]

He's the one that convinces me to get this machine. He seems to have been quite successful with it too.

Same Here, and he is always willing to help with questions even though he must of Answered them a 1000 times already, Good People.

 

[Hard Prospector]

I spend a lot of time in the boonies so keeping a brick of alkalines in the truck seems to work best for me. I ask for Costco gift cards at holidays and birthday which covers the cost of batteries for the year. Plus it keeps my mother-in-law good for something besides ragging about everything

 

[Gold Itch]

I spend a lot of time in the boonies so keeping a brick of alkalines in the truck seems to work best for me. I ask for Costco gift cards at holidays and birthday which covers the cost of batteries for the year. Plus it keeps my mother-in-law good for something besides ragging about everything

The difference between In Laws and Out Laws , Is At Leased out Laws are Wanted?? Imagine That

 

[RockRaven]

Great to see all of the comments on the TDI Answers most all of my questions on the differences between the Pro and the SL, thanks! As I have been spending a lot of time researching the different pulse induction machines, the TDI series to me seems to have many advantages at the current time in the realm of ground balancing PI within a reasonable price range. Resale value also seems excellent.

One thought as I have looked through what is available on the market is wondering over and over why there is no company making a decent, lightweight ground balancing PI designed to compete in the low to medium low market price range. The technology is not that expensive given the price of kits to build the basic machines. The potential to compete with some very top end machines with a cheap machine seems to have been aborted with the Sierra version of the TDI. I have a feeling that Nokta/Makro is going to take a swing right at this big gap sometime soon, maybe a machine in the 7 to 8 hundred range that has some cool features and an attempt at discrimination with the depth in bad soil of some of the best PI machines. The truth is, I think that the real market might be more around the four hundred range for a detector that can beat most VLF's at everything except discrimination, seems possible, could be a pretty simple machine.

 

[Gold Itch]

Great to see all of the comments on the TDI Answers most all of my questions on the differences between the Pro and the SL, thanks! As I have been spending a lot of time researching the different pulse induction machines, the TDI series to me seems to have many advantages at the current time in the realm of ground balancing PI within a reasonable price range. Resale value also seems excellent.

One thought as I have looked through what is available on the market is wondering over and over why there is no company making a decent, lightweight ground balancing PI designed to compete in the low to medium low market price range. The technology is not that expensive given the price of kits to build the basic machines. The potential to compete with some very top end machines with a cheap machine seems to have been aborted with the Sierra version of the TDI. I have a feeling that Nokta/Makro is going to take a swing right at this big gap sometime soon, maybe a machine in the 7 to 8 hundred range that has some cool features and an attempt at discrimination with the depth in bad soil of some of the best PI machines. The truth is, I think that the real market might be more around the four hundred range for a detector that can beat most VLF's at everything except discrimination, seems possible, could be a pretty simple machine.

Well there is on company in the UK called C-Scope and they make the CS4PI Priced at £295.00 Which is $454.30c and A lot of their detector have found some pretty Famous Hoards and every one of their machines Are At A Realistic Price, and they are Very Light weight Too,

I have the Link if you need it, But I am not sure if we can post on the open pages??

Hope This Helps

 

[Hard Prospector]

I'm confident a PI machine is in development which will have practical discrimination that will rock the gold fields when it hits market. Also, I'm certain that I won't be paying the $20,000. plus for one (some sarcasm intended)