Xcal 1000 – Coil Rim Separation

[SandyBottoms]

I've been asking a lot of advice lately and hope I'm not a burden. But here's another query because y'all have been a great help:

This morning while showering with my Blue Xcal 1000 (yes, I do) I noticed some small areas of separation around the rim of the coil*– about five or six of them and wide enough to see some grains of sand stuck in there. I baby this machine but I'm its 3rd owner, so not telling how it was treated before. I always hunt with a coil cover on, then rinse it afterwards, but I just didn't notice this before. The machine does work great and finds lots of targets, but this really concerns me.

How worried should I be?

Could this be the cause of an unstable, chattering Threshold at times? I thought the jumpy Threshold was simply due to high mineralization at my beach, black sand, and going in and out of the water while I hunt.

Can it be fixed by letting it dry out and then filling the separated areas with resin?
What about a coat of fiberglass, like fixing a surfboard?
Or am I looking at replacing the coil?

Thanks.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

DR.ÖTEK Metal Detector, Waterproof Gold Detector, Pinpoint & Terrain Modes, Professional Metal Detector - Grab it through Amazon!

[Treasure_Hunter]

Once salt water gets in there and get to windingsthere is no letting it dry out, it will corrode the windings.... If the windings are not at the edge of the coil when it was poured then it should be okay. I suggest you seal it with resin or put coil cover on and seal it with resin to your coil and see what happens....

If you have to replace the coil the replacement stock coil is $about $210 plus $75 labor to install......

 

[OBN]

I have several of those someday I will fix...Something I have considered doing is to, like you said. totally dry ....fiber glass resin.. clean coil cover well and bottom of coil, pour fiber glass resin / mixed with the hardener in to the coil cover then set the coil into the cover.. let cure...

 

[SandyBottoms]

Ok, thanks T_H and OBN; that's two master-craftsmen recommending a resin seal. Got it.

If the Threshold isn't stable anyway–say saltwater already reached the windings–is sealing it going to help?

And if I'm going to seal it, is it worth opening up the coil entirely–say carefully dissecting along the seam that's already separating–clean the insides, let it dry, and then seal?

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Did it just get wet today, how has long has it been separating? I cracked a coil, had it in salt water and I noticed a crack, I put it in a bucket of fresh water for 3 days and let it dry I sealed it about a week or so after letting it dry, it lasted about 3-4 months then completely stop working. I suspect a coil winding rusted through.

Good luck..

 

[Detector Wars]

Every Excal bar the Sword models will get this... if you keep using the skidplate on your coil and no other protection. People need to coat the bottom of their coils to avoid this, the problem is it might make the re-sale value much less.

 

[SandyBottoms]

Thanks for the advice. The coil has been drying since and haven't sealed it yet. Took it out over the weekend working only dry and wet sand without letting the coil go in the water. The machine worked great, as good as always. So that's a relief. Now I'll seal it with fiberglass resin and post an update when that's done.

Do you think SunCure would work (fiberglass resin in a tube), or should I mix my own? Or does anyone know of something better?

Thanks!

 

[SandyBottoms]

It's not the prettiest patch job ever, but I think it's watertight...

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

It's not the prettiest patch job ever, but I think it's watertight...
View attachment 1214821 View attachment 1214822 View attachment 1214823 View attachment 1214826

The more beer you drink the prettier they are...