DO NOT !!! put your detector away with the batteries left in it

[DeepseekerADS]

I was in a hurry at the time, did some swinging in my garden, and just put it back in the bag with the battery left in it, in the basement. Humidity got me.

That's an expensive error, fried my Etrac. A biggie too!

I'm getting the beast repaired, affects my budget for several months ahead.

Remember! Remove your batteries when you put your detector away!

 

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[Nitric]

I've done it too more than once. Luckily on older cheaper detectors. On the older detectors I was able to take them apart and fix myself. But yes, It sucks when you realize the inside is green.

 

[Sandman]

I've also installed one battery wrong an at arriving at the beach detector wouldn't work so I went home. No damage but to my ego. I've also forgotten scoops.

 

[Msbeepbeep]

I did that with my diamond tester, but was able to clean it and install another battery connector.

 

[Nitric]

I did that with my diamond tester, but was able to clean it and install another battery connector.

Yep, did that too! Still haven't cleaned it out yet. I have the wall adapter I use for now....

 

[stefen]

Yep, did that too! Still haven't cleaned it out yet. I have the wall adapter I use for now....

Cord is kinda short isn't it?

 

[Nitric]

Cord is kinda short isn't it?

Lol A diamond tester! I just laughed when I saw that post, I just figured out I left the batteries in mine too. Prob a year or more....Who knows how long. Luckily has a wall connector too. Until I take it apart and clean it out.

 

[AugustMoose87]

Normally I would agree, but I got my X-Terra 705 cheap because the previous owner did that and couldn't get it to turn on again. A little love with q-tips and lemon juice and she was up and running

 

[TerryC]

DUH! Excuse my being blunt but it goes without saying..... so I won't. TTC

 

[Dagger Woods]

I was in a hurry at the time, did some swinging in my garden, and just put it back in the bag with the battery left in it, in the basement. Humidity got me.

That's an expensive error, fried my Etrac. A biggie too!

I'm getting the beast repaired, affects my budget for several months ahead.

Remember! Remove your batteries when you put your detector away!

What period of time are we talking about here? Surely a month or so wouldn't hurt anything. I've had my machine sit idle for at least that long this summer and no probs. I did suffer the same fate with a motor drive for one of my old Nikon slr's, but that was over a period of years. When I discovered my mistake I coulda cried... :-(

 

[DeepseekerADS]

It was the stock Etrac rechargeable. I'd put it away in a supposed water proof bag, but apparently it was not humidity proof. I forgot about it for 2 months. It fried every circuit board and the key pad in the Etrac. Danged lesson learned for sure! One of those feelings where the Earth drops out from under you..... I knew better, but failed to organize myself and take care of finishing tasks. I was caught up with a new lady friend, ended poorly, and I grabbed the Etrac to kill some time and thoughts, then I had more thoughts on my mind than I wanted! Let it stew for a couple months and then decided to send it in for repair.

I'm getting it back, basically all new and tested, but it is costly. More than $1.00........

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

DeepseekerADS........

I agree with you, as with all (our) electronic toys that's not being used, especially in most environments - the higher humidity, the greater risk of corrosion/damage
to your machines...!
I store my 9v. batteries, one per 35mm film can - better than cardboard packages, which soaks up the moisture...!

 

[Juice in the hole]

Wow. Never had a problem leaving batteries in a detector for a month or so. I did have a DVD remote get a little battery funk one time. I guess I never considered extreme damage like that.

Thanks for the reminder.

 

[Dagger Woods]

It was the stock Etrac rechargeable. I'd put it away in a supposed water proof bag, but apparently it was not humidity proof. I forgot about it for 2 months. It fried every circuit board and the key pad in the Etrac. Danged lesson learned for sure! One of those feelings where the Earth drops out from under you..... I knew better, but failed to organize myself and take care of finishing tasks. I was caught up with a new lady friend, ended poorly, and I grabbed the Etrac to kill some time and thoughts, then I had more thoughts on my mind than I wanted! Let it stew for a couple months and then decided to send it in for repair.

I'm getting it back, basically all new and tested, but it is costly. More than $1.00........

I wonder if that was the actual mistake...? Maybe it sealed the moisture *in* instead of out? Either way, that was a tough pill to swallow... sorry to hear about it, and the ugly bill to follow... here's hoping you recoup your losses quickly with your newly-repaired machine!

 

[DeepseekerADS]

It's shipping back to me today, all done & tested, and like new. The Minelab repair guy talked to me last Friday about what was required to repair it. Worst case per the discussion with him was nearly a new one. I told him to just keep it. Then a good friend talked to me and changed my mind for me. The repairs came in a fair amount below worst case, but I don't think I'm at liberty to discuss the actual cost, but let's just say it was considerably above $1.

One thing that tempted me to tell them to keep it is that I've the CTX and the Fisher 1260X. I don't need an Etrac. I've been thinking I'll put the Etrac up for trade for an Excal, but we'll see as we go on that, I don't know yet. At least it's brand new again.......

I won't be here when it's delivered, as I'm heading to Detroit to visit my kids on Thursday and won't return until the middle of next week.

All this being said and for clarification, this is my 2nd Minelab repair experience. I am completely satisfied with Minelab service. Even on the Etrac, Barry (the tech) called me and walked through what he'd found and what it would take to fix it. He went above and beyond.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

I wonder if that was the actual mistake...? Maybe it sealed the moisture *in* instead of out?

I don't think so. When I walked into the basement and felt the humidity, I immediately grabbed the bag & took it outside. I opened the bag, hit the power button = nothing, saw "muddling" on the screen, pulled the stock rechargeable out, and it was corroded. Oh boy, the Earth beneath me fell away......... I inserted my battery pack, and that beast was dead......

Like I said in an earlier post, I waited a couple months to even send it in for repair. Had that "Why Bother" syndrome....

 

[DeepseekerADS]

And, for just a little more clarification, my FIRST Minelab repair was MY fault, assembled lower & upper shafts wrong and couldn't get them apart.

 

[Bayard]

Isn't the real lesson here to avoid long term storage in a damp environment? I leave the battery in my Etrac all winter and have never had a problem.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Isn't the real lesson here to avoid long term storage in a damp environment? I leave the battery in my Etrac all winter and have never had a problem.

I know of multiple E series detectors damaged by leaking batteries.....

 

[Anduril]

I wonder if that was the actual mistake...? Maybe it sealed the moisture *in* instead of out? Either way, that was a tough pill to swallow... sorry to hear about it, and the ugly bill to follow... here's hoping you recoup your losses quickly with your newly-repaired machine!

Doesn't really matter.
The chemistry inside a battery changes as it is discharged - this is the root of the problem.

Batteries will eventually discharge themselves even when not used (i.e., in a drawer), but it can take a long time.
When installed in equipment, there is usually at least some additional parasitic drain of current (often, whatever responds to the on/off switch of the device, or a realtime clock, etc..) The equipment is at highest risk when the battery is nearly discharged because by that time, enough hydrogen or other gas has accumulated within the battery to rupture the case. When the case or internal pressure seals rupture, the battery electrolyte can escape and damage your device. (Typically, this is the white crud you see on the terminals - i.e., potassium carbonate.)

In addition to this, some cheaper brand batteries simply use cardboard cases and do not have (what I would call) appropriate pressure seals.
With these, you case itself will leak! Forget the endcap pressure seals (if they even exist?).
These batteries can get "mushy" to the point you may even be able to bend them with light pressure.
If you're going to use bargain-brand batteries (including non-alkaline ones like the old-style zinc-carbon) then don't "help" the process along by allowing the cardboard battery cases to get wet via external means.

Remember: All batteries leak (technically, not true - but true enough for our purposes here).
They will tend to leak more, and start leaking sooner, if the batteries are already significantly discharged when you put your device in "long-term" storage. (If not discharged, than the internal chemistry hasn't changed that much, and hence less gas build-up to cause the seals to rupture.)

Do yourself a favor and alway buy good quality alkaline batteries. Some brands even offer leak-proof guarantees.
And if you're going to put something away without further use for long enough to kill whatever power might be left in the batteries - then definitely remove them from the device first. If you don't know the remaining charge, or don't know really how long the device might sit until the next use - the safe play is to remove the batteries.

I try to make it a point at least once a year to check everything I own that has a battery.
If at that time I can't remember the last time I used the device, out come the batteries!