Is it possible to home build a submersible metal detector?

[1869er]

I was looking over this website, which was posted elsewhere on this thread... http://www.geotech1.com/cgi-bin/pages/common/index.pl?page=metdet&file=projects.dat

I don't know very much about completely submersible metal detectors? What types are generally used for that purpose? Would it be possible using one of the schematics on that list to make a basic underwater metal detector? Making sure all of the electronics are sealed up and water tight.

 

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[Carl-NC]

For fresh water hunting, most are VLF; for salt water, most are PI. If you want something for wading, then it's easy, use an Otter Box or similar. If you want to dive 100 feet, it's tough.

Geotech has discussions forums if you get serious about it.

- Carl

 

[OBN]

Not knocking your method...But With the time you have spent researching and building, you could have found several golds by then And payed for a Older CZ20, or PI unit..Best to have a regular and then a backup unit you can tinker with. Something I learned along time ago on HotRods....But only after 3 years of nights in the garage..while everyone else was out cruz'en or digging the Gold.

Sandmans famous saying........
"TIME IS THE ONLY THING YOU NEVER GET BACK, WHY WASTE IT SWINGING A DETECTOR THAT ISN'T UP TO THE TASK."

 

[stevemc]

Yep, I have seen a few waterproofed Soverens, and other types. But there are many used UW detectors being sold. Check on eBay, I see a lot going for good prices. Or check here in the for sale, way at the bottom.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Yes you can, but is it worth the time and trouble, one leak and your detector is toast... I use to have a waterproofed Sov GT, it was and still is a great detector, I recently sold it.

The cost to waterproof it was not cheap, it was put in a underwater ikelite camera case, knobs were extended out of the box the builder did an excellent job, but he would not build them for anyone else because of the expense and time it took to build it. I bought it when he was going through a divorce so I got a good deal on it and I pass the deal on when I sold it......

You would be much better off buying a good waterproof detector or finding one that has already been motified....

 

[1869er]

Well, I may eventually buy a new PI detector... However I just found these Surf PI kits available from Silver Dog. http://www.silverdog.co.uk/shop/index.php (click on the kits link, under catagories) Found this looking through the Geotech forums, and from the thread about this kit... Sounds like a pretty darn good one. I've built a few guitar stomp boxes in the past so this kit shouldn't be too tough.

I bought two PI kits... Two whole boards and all the electronic parts for $92.00, that even includes shipping! From what I understand, it's basically a White's Surf PI clone. Best deal I've found for a PI kit. I'd still have to make the coil, housing, etc.

Anyway, for now... I don't really even care if the whole entire unit is submersible... However I'd like to be able to wade out into the water a bit. I'm sure there are better detectors out there... But compared to saltwater and using my Whites MXT... This kit should do well for me. The MXT goes crazy even just over wet sand.

Here's the forum thread, shows close ups of the PCBs, builds of this detector, etc. http://www.geotech1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17121

 

[1869er]

I built one of the two kits which I received earlier this week, it's working just as described, and I've been doing some limited experiments with it.... I built a small single coil, only about 4" diameter to test it with. I've read that it's fairly easy to get a depth with a regular coil, about equal to the diameter of the coil. So far this is exactly what I'm getting. Still I need to put everything in a box, and build a bigger coil, and the frame and everything and eventually test it out in the field. There are lots of mods that people to this basic kit I bought, and I'll probably mess around with the circuit and test out a few things before I try to put it to real use.