Did I get ripped off or is this normal?

[TheIslandGuy]

I just started metal detecting no more than 2 weeks ago. I found an Excalibur 800 on Craigslist for a decent price. It has a 10" coil and headphones that were both from an Excalibur 2, installed by minelab.

So the problem I am having (unless this is normal) is when I have it on discrimination mode. I set the threshold to a level where I get a slightly audible hum and start swinging. Then as I am swinging along, the tone of the hum will completely change to a much lower tone, at a slightly louder volume. The lower tone is almost more of a buzzing than a steady hum. This time will continue for anywhere between 15 seconds to several minutes.

Sometimes it happens randomly, sometimes the tone switches when I brush the coil into the sand. It seems like the detector is still working fine when making this lower sound as I still detect targets, but I wonder if the performance is diminished and I don't know it.

I should mention that this happens even when the battery is fresh off the charger so I don't think it is an issue with low power. I should also mention that when using the excal in pinpoint mode it doesn't do this at all.

The guy who sold this to me seemed very genuine and was giving me advice about how to start detecting and mentioned that he frequents all of the detecting forums so I am hoping that this is nothing, but I would like to hear what everyone thinks.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

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[Terry Soloman]

Well, I would read the manual carefully. They stopped making your machine in 1998. https://www.minelab.com/__files/f/4086/Inst Manual Excalibur 800-1000 Website.pdf

 

[Rookster]

The Nox if defected should be in warranty. Hope you get it worked out.

 

[toddbbq]

The Nox if defected should be in warranty. Hope you get it worked out.

ummm not a nox as he stated it is an exclalibur 800

 

[Indian Steve]

The lower hum is because you passed over a piece of iron. It will continue until you pass over a better piece of metal and it will reset to the threshold. If the lower hum bugs you, swing the coil over your scoop to reset it.

 

[TheIslandGuy]

Well, I would read the manual carefully. They stopped making your machine in 1998. https://www.minelab.com/__files/f/4086/Inst Manual Excalibur 800-1000 Website.pdf

I've read the paper manual that came with it but it didn't describe what is happening, at least not to my understanding. When it passes over an object that is below the discrimination level I have set it usually just goes mute for a second and comes back with a quick tone, then back to the normal hum. That is when it is acting normal anyway.

 

[TheIslandGuy]

The lower hum is because you passed over a piece of iron. It will continue until you pass over a better piece of metal and it will reset to the threshold. If the lower hum bugs you, swing the coil over your scoop to reset it.

Are you certain of this? If so this is great news. I have tried running the detector over my shovel and it doesn't change it. Neither does going over a target. I mean, the tone changes while I am over my shovel/target, but then it goes back to the low buzzing tone until it feels like going back to its normal operating tone.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

What are your settings?

 

[TheIslandGuy]

I keep the sensitivity on auto, at least until I get a little more experience. I turn the threshold up until the hum is just audible, maybe about 30-50% (turned up higher when I am scuba diving so i cqn hear it through my neoprene hood). Then i usually put the discriminate knob right in the middle, sometimes slightly higher. I usually keep the volume between 50-100% depending on wether I am diving or not.

Something I should reiterate is that the detector SEEMS to be working fine when it goes to the lower tone and also the volume of the low buzzing tone is about twice as loud as the normal/pinpoint tone.

 

[TheIslandGuy]

Something else I should mention, the outer wrap of the headphone cord is damaged at both connection points. The wires inside are undamaged but the outer rubber is ripped. It was taped with electrical tape when I received it and since then I have used silicone to seal it.

I don't believe this is the issue though because pinpoint mode works great.

 

[RustyGold]

The lower hum is because you passed over a piece of iron. It will continue until you pass over a better piece of metal and it will reset to the threshold. If the lower hum bugs you, swing the coil over your scoop to reset it.

This is correct. What you’ve described is Normal operation for the Excal.

 

[treasuresalvor]

Yes, perfectly normal. As for the headphone cord damage, get it fixed correctly or you will be having problems.

 

[IDXMonster]

Swing speed may be too fast...experiment with this. Put down a few good targets and a few pieces of iron and see how close you can get them before all you hear is either threshold or iron. Then slow down your sweep and see if you can get them to separate well enough to hear them all. The trashier the environment,the slower you must go,sometimes VERY slow...

 

[TheIslandGuy]

Yes, perfectly normal. As for the headphone cord damage, get it fixed correctly or you will be having problems.

What is the correct way to fix them? I thought the silicone and aqua seal did a pretty good job.

 

[treasuresalvor]

That might work but the right way would be to either send it in and get a new cord hardwired in or get some waterproof connectors installed . A leak could cause terrible damage and I wouldn't want to risk it. Somewhere in this forum is a thread on doing the waterproof connectors, at one time I was going to do it on the headphone and coil ends so I could use my extra 15in coiltec when needed and also better headphones for land/beach hunting. I never did it because I ended up getting some Sovereigns for that. Whatever you do I wish you good luck, that's a very good machine.

 

[Tommybuckets]

Yep thats normal. I just swing over my scoop to reset the tone to the higher "bumble bee" buzz tone. You could be swinging too fast, or over a tiny piece of iron or over a good target. Occasionally when you go over a deep good target you get a subtle tone change. Always investigate these. If you hear it "blanking" consistently its iron. If not, if it gives you any kind of decent tone even once , dig deep! The low battery tone will surprise you too. It is just a louder and louder hum that eventually overwhelms the machine. Have fun.

 

[Tommybuckets]

Yes water could travel down into the coil and the machine would be out of service needing a new coil. I would try n get some use out of it until the off season when you've found enough gold to pay for the repairs. Or just try n seal it up very well.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

The lower hum is because you passed over a piece of iron. It will continue until you pass over a better piece of metal and it will reset to the threshold. If the lower hum bugs you, swing the coil over your scoop to reset it.

YEP! Steve is absolutely correct on this, as are others. I just swing mine over to the scoop to reset it, or switch to all metal for a bit. To me, it only happens when I'm swinging in the Discriminate mode - which I always set to "2" in Discriminate for small gold.

 

[TheIslandGuy]

Ok thanks for the advice. Now that I know that it is not breaking I should send it out asap or put some connectors in. The headphones are pretty beat up and the guy said they would need to be replaced eventually before he sold it to me. I didn't know getting waterproof connectors was an option for this detector. I'm pretty comfortable working on electronics so I'm sure I can do it with a guise, I'll look for the one you mentioned.

 

[TheIslandGuy]

Thanks for the help everyone.