Need help with 17" ctx coil

expl0rer

Jr. Member
Oct 22, 2016
36
33
Orange County
Detector(s) used
CTX3030
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All Treasure Hunting
Hi Guys!

I've been using the CTX for 1.5 years mostly wetsand hunting. I just installed the 17 inch coil and it gives me a false signal every swing (near the outer part of my swing). I came back home and did some research. I did a factory rest and played with some settings but nothing fixed it.

I'm not exaggerating it's every swing ha! I never had this issue with the stock coil.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!
 

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Tom_in_CA

Gold Member
Mar 23, 2007
13,837
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Salinas, CA
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Explorer II, Compass 77b, Tesoro shadow X2
Try this:

a) make sure your connection is screwed in tight.

b) Then , to see if it's a problem/fray in the chord, do this: Wiggle all the various parts of the chord, up the entire length. WHILE HOLDING THE REST TOTALLY STILL. Even if that mean having to use velcro or black tape to hold the rest of the chord motionless. If you find any portion of the chord that, when you wiggle, it causes a flutter in the audio, then you could have a bad chord @ that spot. In which case you could cut out, and re-solder that one part of the chord.

c) If the chord and connection is not the problem, then try propping it up on the table with a steady threshold. Then tap on the bottom at various places. Does tapping , at any one spot, produce a flutter ? If so, you could have a bad coil.

d) Have you tried different terrains ? To make sure this is not just happening in *just* that one particular ground type ? Like perhaps it's very mineralized section of beach you're on ?
 

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expl0rer

Jr. Member
Oct 22, 2016
36
33
Orange County
Detector(s) used
CTX3030
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hi Tom!

a) make sure your connection is screwed in tight- Tried this and didn't seem to solve it.

b) Then , to see if it's a problem/fray in the chord, do this: Wiggle all the various parts of the chord, up the entire length. WHILE HOLDING THE REST TOTALLY STILL. Even if that mean having to use velcro or black tape to hold the rest of the chord motionless. If you find any portion of the chord that, when you wiggle, it causes a flutter in the audio, then you could have a bad chord @ that spot. In which case you could cut out, and re-solder that one part of the chord.

I didn't think of this but will try it (it's a brand new coil so I hope that's not it ha!)

c) If the chord and connection is not the problem, then try propping it up on the table with a steady threshold. Then tap on the bottom at various places. Does tapping , at any one spot, produce a flutter ? If so, you could have a bad coil.

I'll have to try this later tonight- Good idea

d) Have you tried different terrains ? To make sure this is not just happening in *just* that one particular ground type ? Like perhaps it's very mineralized section of beach you're on ?[/QUOTE]

It seem to do it in the dry sand as much but I walked about a block of the beach and I couldn't take it anymore haha. I hunt this beach often and never had any issues with my stock coil.

Do you think it could be me just lifting the bigger coil at the edge of my swing?

Thanks for the help!
 

against the wind

Gold Member
Jul 27, 2015
24,797
24,977
Port Allegheny, Pennsylvania
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
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E-trac, Excalibur, XP Deus, & CTX 3030.
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If the coil is new and still under warranty, don't attempt any repairs. If you cut into the cable to solder or replace a faulty section, you just voided the warranty.
 

Treasure_Hunter

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,459
54,902
Florida
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You may need to turn sensitivity down, not unusual on large coils to have to turn it down some.
 

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expl0rer

Jr. Member
Oct 22, 2016
36
33
Orange County
Detector(s) used
CTX3030
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
You may need to turn sensitivity down, not unusual on large coils to have to turn it down some.

I think you nailed it....I was in the 20's and went down to 3 and it was fine. I had done a factory reset so i'm not sure if I was running in the 20's on my stock coil or not.

Thanks!
 

IDXMonster

Hero Member
Mar 16, 2014
770
1,278
New Glarus,WI
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I think you nailed it....I was in the 20's and went down to 3 and it was fine. I had done a factory reset so i'm not sure if I was running in the 20's on my stock coil or not.

Thanks!

You mean you changed to Auto+3,not Manual 3,correct? If you’ve had it 1.5 years I’ll assume you know that Manual 3 would be BAD!:laughing7:
 

Bigdob

Full Member
Aug 1, 2016
145
185
IL
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CTX 3030
Minelab Safari
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All Treasure Hunting
Maybe some one in the area has a 17 you could try and see if it acts the same way.
I would turn the sens down and see if that solves the issue.
Maybe on wet sand and maybe some water around the edge of the surf, try the saltwater setting and see if it helps .
I did some beach hunting last spring with the CTX and the 17 and I believe I ran Auto +3 and used the saltwater setting when in the surf and had no issues, actually it ran very smooth and quite. Only found clad , trinkets , sunglasses and deep beer cans��
I’ll be following to see what works
BT
 

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expl0rer

Jr. Member
Oct 22, 2016
36
33
Orange County
Detector(s) used
CTX3030
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Maybe some one in the area has a 17 you could try and see if it acts the same way.
I would turn the sens down and see if that solves the issue.
Maybe on wet sand and maybe some water around the edge of the surf, try the saltwater setting and see if it helps .
I did some beach hunting last spring with the CTX and the 17 and I believe I ran Auto +3 and used the saltwater setting when in the surf and had no issues, actually it ran very smooth and quite. Only found clad , trinkets , sunglasses and deep beer cans��
I’ll be following to see what works
BT

Hi Bigdob!

I went out this morning and turned the sensitivity to manual "3". I walked a few blocks and got zero hits. So I buried a key about 5 inches deep (wet sand) and on this sensitivity it wouldn't pick it up. My stock coil would've picked it up for sure.....

I might have to read about the Auto +3.....I didn't realize the auto was adjustable. This is the beach I hunt a few times a week and I usually just run on auto with my stock coil and it works fine.

To me it seems strange that an expensive coil needs this much babying haha?

Thanks for the help!
 

IDXMonster

Hero Member
Mar 16, 2014
770
1,278
New Glarus,WI
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Current….Deus2, ExplorerSEPro, Explorer2, IDXPro-M
Past….Deus1, CTX3030, Equinox800, eTrac, Compadre
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hi Bigdob!

I went out this morning and turned the sensitivity to manual "3". I walked a few blocks and got zero hits. So I buried a key about 5 inches deep (wet sand) and on this sensitivity it wouldn't pick it up. My stock coil would've picked it up for sure.....

I might have to read about the Auto +3.....I didn't realize the auto was adjustable. This is the beach I hunt a few times a week and I usually just run on auto with my stock coil and it works fine.

To me it seems strange that an expensive coil needs this much babying haha?

Thanks for the help!

Explorer...Under NO circumstance would you ever want to run Manual 3 Sensitivity. With a revisit to the owners guide,set the machine in Auto+3. Manual 3 will hardly see anything,setting it that far down would be a “special use” application,of which I can think of none. Depth in my area drops off considerably when I start setting Manual Sensitivity lower than 18. Auto+3 should get you going in the right direction!
 

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expl0rer

Jr. Member
Oct 22, 2016
36
33
Orange County
Detector(s) used
CTX3030
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Explorer...Under NO circumstance would you ever want to run Manual 3 Sensitivity. With a revisit to the owners guide,set the machine in Auto+3. Manual 3 will hardly see anything,setting it that far down would be a “special use” application,of which I can think of none. Depth in my area drops off considerably when I start setting Manual Sensitivity lower than 18. Auto+3 should get you going in the right direction!

Hi IDX Monster!

I went back out and ran auto +3 but I would get a false signal every swing - in the wet sand. Dry sand seemed to be fine. I'm hoping I have a faulty coil because i'm mainly a wet sand hunter and I for the life of me can't get it to work haha. My stock coil works fine on this beach.
 

beerguy

Bronze Member
May 6, 2004
1,138
1,174
Camano Island, WA
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CTX3030,
Many more on a rotating basis.
Park Ranger and Pack Mule pouches by Freeloader!
I get false signal at the end of my swings as well with the 17". It seems like normal operation to me. I am usually running as hot as I can when I use that coil.

I do not consider it a real signal, it is a clipped sound. I ignore it.
 

LawrencetheMDer

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Feb 22, 2014
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Ohio and Florida
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Primary Interest:
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I have been swinging my Ctx 3030 with 17" coil for the past 2 months in salt water, west coast of Florida, and falsing is very common; with crashing waves changing height of coil to sand bottom, sudden stops and reversals, as well as when salt water and sand get between the coil and coil skid plate. [Similar problems as when using my Excal for the past 5 yrs in salt water] Tying down the coil wire so there is no movement of the wire in the water will help. If you have little noise under similar conditions on dry sand but lots of noise in the water, you can bet you have wire movement or loose connections being revealed by the water resistance. You usually swing slower in water because of the resistance but that same resistance will cause wire movement and noise/falsing. At the same time, the very nature of salt water, and we have a lot of iron around my area, falsing in water is a common nag. Decreasing sensitivity sometimes might help but the environment is harsh. But some noise and falsing is part of the game and if you're in salt water and using a larger coil and are NOT getting some falsing and noise - now there is something wrong.
 

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