Picked up a very inexpensive Cen-Tech pinpointer- Comments/Questions??

[Garrett424]

So I ran across an old thread yesterday regarding the Cen-Tech hand held "metal detector" from Harbor Freight Tools. I called them and they had 5 on the shelf at 17.99. Apparently, at the time the original thread was written there was a 2 month wait. I don't think that's a problem anymore/

Here's the original thread. I tried to bump it but it didn't bump:

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/tool-shed/82722-inexpensive-hand-held-pinpointer.html

There's a good thorough description, a picture and the specs in the OP.

Anyway, I got this thing, put the battery in (single 9volt) and gave it a quick test in my car. It definitely works, I can say that much. It has a sensitivity adjustment and a built in light that's kinda' cool IMO.

It looks a bit cheesy (because it is cheesy) but I ran across a few YouTube videos and a few more threads on this site that show how to modify it into a fairly decent pinpointer for just a few bucks and a little time.

Apparently, the switch is the weakest link in the device but that can be easily replaced. Also, the probe is bolted through the device with a simple small nut. I'm thinking a lock washer or some Loctite (or both) will hold that thing in place for a while. (super glue makes an excellent substitute for Loctite BTW). It's also not waterproof but that shouldn't be too big an obstacle to correct.

Tomorrow I'll test it on some real digs and see how it does. If it's really bad I'm only out about 18 bucks but I'm sure I'll get some use out of it before I use up my moneys worth anyway.

I stopped in Bass Pro Shops last Saturday morning after picking up my latest detector and they only had the Bounty Hunter pinpointer with a price tag of 69.99. You can get them online for around 35.00 any time.

So, I figured I would try this thing out in the meantime and see how it does. I just thought I would pass this info on to any newbies like myself who haven't heard of this device. And of course, if you don't have a Harbor freight store in your area you can buy them online from the company website.

I swear, that place is like the Dollar store of tools but they do have lots of unusual stuff at really low prices. I couldn't even get anyone to help me find the darn thing because there was no one there TO help me. It took me about 15 minutes and then another 15 waiting in the ONE checkout line that was open. Overall, I'm thinkin' it was worth the wait. That may change once I form a solid opinion on this device.

I do think that this thing is perfect for kids or those who are just learning the hobby. Plus if a kid (or anyone else) loses interest you're still not out any significant money.

Any comments or critiques are greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance and HH.

 

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[Garrett424]

Just checked Radio Shack online. I can get another mini buzzer for about three bucks. I just have to wire it in and off I'll go to hunt with my new and improved poor man's pinpointer.

I'm going to see how much better I can make it and how long I can make it last. It's almost like a fun game. I just wish I had time to fix it today before my hunt.

The thing actually works pretty good (when it works). It's just not put together very well and some of the parts are pure junk; especially that darn switch. It's a real piece of c*ap.

The switch I installed can be either pressed and held or locked into the "on" position (I spared no expense; cost me more than 3 bucks; about 6 cents more).

That way I have a little hands free flashlight for those late hunts when I'm trying to dig those last couple of holes before the sun sinks..

 

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[cudamark]

You have a lot more patience for that than I do! I want my tools to work when I need them without having to play around fixing the thing.

 

[Frankn]

Hay, you could have put a LED across the speaker leads and had a silent hunter.
On your BH detector, you could wire an 8 ohm pot in line with your speaker to drop the volume.

Frank...-

 

[Garrett424]

You have a lot more patience for that than I do! I want my tools to work when I need them without having to play around fixing the thing.

Yeah, me too but sometimes, s**t happens and we have to adapt.

I'm a pretty good fixer of things and I don't mind. Once I'm done it'll be pretty reliable (I hope). It's an easy enough fix. I actually enjoy tinkering with stuff.

 

[Phantasman]

Dang, I'm beginning to think that maybe I should have kept quiet about my awesome purchase.

LOL.................You did good on the price. Don't let these newbies bother you. The Centech is better than nothing, but mine only detected a half inch or so. If your plug is off a "little", it will get coins/metal in the wall. If the target is an inch or so deeper in the plug, don't expect it to tell you. My problem also, was the knob getting turned accidentally. Don't always assume it is detecting, for that reason alone.

As you find some targets, and learn your machine, you'll do one of two things. Get discouraged or want to trade up for an easier (and lucrative) experience. Walk first. Then run.

The BH/Fisher PPs are terrible, IMO. They have to touch the metal to activate.

 

[Garrett424]

In case anyone runs into this problem, I replaced the chime in my Cen-Tech PP this evening (after the crummy original failed) and I have what may one day be some valuable information for someone fighting with one of these things.

I got a Replacement chime from radio Shack for about 3 bucks. Its a12V DC Piezo Mini Buzzer, Part # 273-0074

It works great and it's way more quiet and far less annoying than the original. It is slightly bigger but still fits very well in the same spot over the sound hole (as long as your replacement switch isn't too big). I Used some silicone adhesive to attach it and put electrical tape over it as well for good measure. I don't want this thing breaking when I'm out in the middle of the woods.

Oh, and if you do this, make sure the polarity is right before you solder it in .The chime only works when it's wired the correct way. If it doesn't chime, reverse the polarity and it will.

My only complaint is that soldering those tiny wires to the new switch was extremely tedious. There are literally about 6 strands of VERY fine wire coming from the board. I couldn't find any connectors small enough to attach to them after going to three different places.

You have to be very careful stripping that wire or you'll cut right through it before you can blink. I've never seen such thin wire on anything before.
Again, they must have gone out of their way to find the crummiest materials available to build this thing. I now see why it's so inexpensive, It's because there's hardly any material used to build it.

I soldered in some decent wire for the leads to the chime itself and also taped it up really well so it won't budge. The slightest tug will break that original wire so I laid the solder on as thick as I could get it without burning through the 6 tiny strands. I literally used a loupe to see what I was doing. That's how small that wire is.

I'll put it back together tomorrow some time and give it a try. I'm letting the silicone dry overnight just to be safe. I have a few other small mods I intend to do next like heat shrink the probe in order to waterproof and protect the tip and drill a hole over the sensitivity adjustment pot for quick adjustments. That should just about do it.

I'll post an update after I've used it a few times. Who knows, with all of these improvements it may now last for years.

We'll see. It has been a bit of an adventure so far. I was hoping I wouldn't have to rebuild it so soon but oh well. Like someone mentioned earlier, it's not as if I wasn't warned.

 

[Garrett424]

I tried out my rebuilt, one of a kind, customized, imported Cen-Tech for a short while last night. It works fine now. It's much quieter now too with the replacement chime which to me, is a great improvement. That original was just offensively loud and most annoying.


If you choose to use this particular chime, it's very important that the chime be properly centered over the sound hole or if the chime is repositioned, that a new hole be drilled. You only need about a 1/32" hole; just enough to let the sound escape.

If it's not over the hole properly, you won't be able to really hear it. It's really significantly quieter than the original.

I also played with the internal sensitivity adjustment/pot a bit and it works even better than before.
I'm all set to engage in some serious, hard core pinpointing.
HH

 

[Garrett424]

*******UPDATE*******

I don't know about the earlier versions of the CTech pinpointer, but mine actually already has a waterproof probe. I assumed it wasn't from day one after reading about the waterproofing mods here and elsewhere.

I sprayed it with some silicone anyway just for good measure.

I have to say, after my mods and adjusting the internal sensitivity, this thing actually works very well and it's much stronger and better. It's way more sensitive than when I got it and it's still working great.
The 9V battery also lasts forever in this thing. I was going to replace it but as it turns out, I didn't need to yet.

Just goes to show you; with a little ingenuity anything can be improved.

One day I'll get something better but for now, this thing does what I wanted it to do when I got it.

HH

 

[tokameel]

Two years ago I got a Zircon M40 Stud Finder as a hand held pin pointer. It's easy to use- just point & pull the trigger. I think I payed $19 for it.

 

[enamel7]

Two years ago I got a Zircon M40 Stud Finder as a hand held pin pointer. It's easy to use- just point & pull the trigger. I think I payed $19 for it.

I would try that, but every time I walk through Lowes the darn things go off!

 

[Garrett424]

Two years ago I got a Zircon M40 Stud Finder as a hand held pin pointer. It's easy to use- just point & pull the trigger. I think I payed $19 for it.

I actually thought about trying that before I opted for the Cen-Tech. I assumed a stud finder operates on the same principal. I was just concerned about sensitivity.

Oh, btw, I was using mine tonight and it got pretty cold after the sun went down and that thing that happens when it's hot happens backwards when it's cold. You can crank the sensitivity all the way up and it still doesn't beep. You get what you get. It still works but you can't increase the sensitivity.
I'm thinking if it gets really cold it will be useless. The sensitivity is tied to the ambient temperature in those things and it would have to be internally re adjusted for cold weather.

I put it in my pocket for a while and when it warmed up it went back to normal.

It's a strange machine indeed. But, since I did my mods it's been working great so I cannot complain.
I have maybe 25 bucks in it with the improvements.

 

[Boatlode]

I use one, have had no problems at all.

 

[Garrett424]

I use one, have had no problems at all.

If you use it heavily for a while, that switch WILL need to be replaced sooner or later (and probably sooner; if you wanna' lay some money on that, lemme' know any time). It's just a really, really cheap switch that isn't designed to keep dirt out (or actually WORK for more than maybe 6-8 hours; tops ). You can clean it a few times and possibly get some more life out of it before it finally gives up the ghost. That's what I did until cleaning no longer did it a bit of good.

If it goes in the middle of a hunt it's extremely aggravating. That's why I highly recommend replacing the switch before that happens. You HAVE officially been warned as of right now.
If you're not mechanically inclined, I would also consider getting another as a backup.

Mine died one night before a planned early hunt to my very best spot with no time to fix it. I did pretty darn good that day but had to hunt without a pinpointer. That's a little annoying once you've gotten used to having one but that particular day, the great finds outweighed the lack of pinpointing ability.

The good news is, it'll only cost you about 3 bucks and a little time to make it reliable. I've beat the livin' you know what out of mine since modifying it and it's still working great.

 

[Garrett424]

*****UPDATE******

My replacement switch just died this evening so I stopped by the Rat Shack and picked up another heavier, simple two position toggle as replacement switch # 2.

Just finished soldering it onto those 6 tiny, minuscule strands of ultra extra thin, genuine imported Chinese wire then tediously reassembled it. Thought I was gonna' go completely blind for crying out loud. I have NEVER seen such thin wire in my freakin' life. Who makes this crap?? Is there some kind of a copper shortage in China or something?? Geez.

It's working fine again and I'm back in the saddle (thank GOD). I'm gonna' see (when my eyes start working again) just how long I can make this thing last (or not).
I still can't complain (much). It got me through a very busy season and it's still beeping despite the fact that I practically had to rebuild it from scratch and went cross eyed for a while.

What a great pinpointer it's turned out to be.
Next time it breaks it's getting trashed immediately. I enjoy tinkering but enjoy my eyes more.

 

[BerntOut]

I have a warranty and exchanged mine several times before I gave up on the Cen-Tech POJ. Got a Garrett because there is nothing more frustrating than your equipment failing in the field!

 

[Garrett424]

I have a warranty and exchanged mine several times before I gave up on the Cen-Tech POJ. Got a Garrett because there is nothing more frustrating than your equipment failing in the field!

I was a bit aggravated when I wrote that last post. It's mainly because those wires are SO darn small and thin there's just nothing to work with. They initially broke off so close to the board it was almost impossible to solder it back together. I lost even more when I had to replace the switch again. My first replacement switch was nice but in hindsight, it was probably not the best choice for the type of abuse I put this thing through. The new one should last a very long time because it's much heavier.

If I ever get another one I'll solder some nice long leads to those wires so they'll no longer be a problem.

This morning I cleaned it all up, readjusted the internal sensitivity a bit more and put a bigger knob I got from Rat Shack over the outer sensitivity adjustment knob. I actually even looks better now.

I have to admit it's still really working great. I also really like the bigger knob. It's much easier to use with gloves on and also has a white mark on it so you can visually see where it's adjusted at any given time. I actually enjoyed using it today it's working so well.

It's a shame that they just don't put a decent switch in those things when they make them. That switch is THE fatal flaw of this unit. It's just a real piece of junk that's not designed to last at all. Whoever chose (or designed) that particular switch obviously didn't think things through and in all likelihood, didn't give a damn.

I guess I'll keep using it until it croaks (if I don't croak first). It definitely does what I need and want it to do so I just can't justify spending another 150 bucks on a better pinpointer for maybe 1/4" more sensitivity. I didn't pay much more than that for my best detector. After making the internal adjustment I can get almost two inches out of the thing on coins. I don't think that's bad at all.

I mean, how hard is it really to find a target once you've accurately pinpointed your plug before digging it anyway?? I pinpoint 9 out of 10 targets dead center with my detector before digging the plug. I just can't see spending another 150 bucks to save maybe 10 or 15 seconds; if that.

I also read about another trick you can do by attaching a metal ring or a washer to the shaft to "super tune" and get even more range out of it. That'll be my next experiment when I'm in the mood to fool with it again. I'm curious as to how it works and how much more of range I can get out of it.

Between this pinpointer and the excellent pinpointer on my detector, I have no problem whatsoever locating targets; so, for the foreseeable future, it's still me and the Cen-Tech on this treasure quest.

The saga continues......

 

[Oo-v-oO]

I've used one most of the Summer - have pulled the switch apart once to clean it up and still working great. Can't beat the bang for the buck and the time it has saved me in locating targets has certainly made it pay for itself.

 

[Frankn]

I actually thought about trying that before I opted for the Cen-Tech. I assumed a stud finder operates on the same principal. I was just concerned about sensitivity.

Oh, btw, I was using mine tonight and it got pretty cold after the sun went down and that thing that happens when it's hot happens backwards when it's cold. You can crank the sensitivity all the way up and it still doesn't beep. You get what you get. It still works but you can't increase the sensitivity.
I'm thinking if it gets really cold it will be useless. The sensitivity is tied to the ambient temperature in those things and it would have to be internally re adjusted for cold weather.

I put it in my pocket for a while and when it warmed up it went back to normal.

It's a strange machine indeed. But, since I did my mods it's been working great so I cannot complain.
I have maybe 25 bucks in it with the improvements.

It's not the pinpointer, electronics work better when cooled, but alas batteries have a chemical reaction that can actually be stopped with enough cooling. Frank

 

[Frankn]

If you use it heavily for a while, that switch WILL need to be replaced sooner or later (and probably sooner; if you wanna' lay some money on that, lemme' know any time). It's just a really, really cheap switch that isn't designed to keep dirt out (or actually WORK for more than maybe 6-8 hours; tops ). You can clean it a few times and possibly get some more life out of it before it finally gives up the ghost. That's what I did until cleaning no longer did it a bit of good.

If it goes in the middle of a hunt it's extremely aggravating. That's why I highly recommend replacing the switch before that happens. You HAVE officially been warned as of right now.
If you're not mechanically inclined, I would also consider getting another as a backup.

Mine died one night before a planned early hunt to my very best spot with no time to fix it. I did pretty darn good that day but had to hunt without a pinpointer. That's a little annoying once you've gotten used to having one but that particular day, the great finds outweighed the lack of pinpointing ability.

The good news is, it'll only cost you about 3 bucks and a little time to make it reliable. I've beat the livin' you know what out of mine since modifying it and it's still working great.

Well, first off, it is a cheap switch. I have 2 HF pinpointers. One is 4 years old and has the original switch. The switch in the newer one that was given to me has been replaced. Took 5 min and cost $2.50 for the switch at Radio Shack. Frank

 

[Frankn]

*****UPDATE******

My replacement switch just died this evening so I stopped by the Rat Shack and picked up another heavier, simple two position toggle as replacement switch # 2.

Just finished soldering it onto those 6 tiny, minuscule strands of ultra extra thin, genuine imported Chinese wire then tediously reassembled it. Thought I was gonna' go completely blind for crying out loud. I have NEVER seen such thin wire in my freakin' life. Who makes this crap?? Is there some kind of a copper shortage in China or something?? Geez.

It's working fine again and I'm back in the saddle (thank GOD). I'm gonna' see (when my eyes start working again) just how long I can make this thing last (or not).
I still can't complain (much). It got me through a very busy season and it's still beeping despite the fact that I practically had to rebuild it from scratch and went cross eyed for a while.

What a great pinpointer it's turned out to be.
Next time it breaks it's getting trashed immediately. I enjoy tinkering but enjoy my eyes more.

The wire size is based on the current draw of the circuit. This pointer is more efficient than some others so it doesn't need heavier wires. It also has good battery life.
Frank