Leaving detector in car while at work

Xraywolf

Silver Member
Feb 28, 2005
3,576
4,360
MI USA
Detector(s) used
Ace 400, AT Pro, equinox 800, Simplex,Vanquish 540
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting

Goldfleks

Sr. Member
Jan 30, 2016
490
791
California
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Whites MXT-300, Tesoro Sand Shark 10.5", Bazooka Sniper, Bazooka Prospector
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Thanks for the reminders! I've been leaving my stuff in my car in the winter months. Best to not get into that habit as the temps change!
 

Peter67

Sr. Member
Oct 9, 2016
277
367
Belgium
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XP Deus 2
Xp Deus
Minelab Equinox 600
Nokta Makro Legend
Nokta Makro Multikruzer
Tesoro Lobo Super Traq,
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All Treasure Hunting
I have an old Tesoro Bandido II 365/365 in my car. Never had a problem with it. In this case it's better to have a analogue detector instead of digital with LCD screen because of the heat in summer.
 

Rawhide

Silver Member
Nov 17, 2010
3,590
2,185
SouthWestern USA
Detector(s) used
Nox 800, Etrac, F75, AT Pro. Last two for sale.
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I was told by First Texas to never store a detector in a car. I made a lot of mistakes with my first detectors. Now they bake motherboards and such at high heat. But plastic does tend to warp. It has to have a effect on the life of the wires. Batterys have leaked on me in one of my hand held cb's so no batterys in heat. I would say find a way to secure the detector in your workplace as long as you dont work a high heat area like a foundry. I always like to share how hot it gets here. My F75 has actually shut off during detecting in the summer. Never had a lcd leak, but I tend to loose a few pounds here in the summer. Im sure you have got the message that most dont leave good stuff in the car. You can always pack a bag like me, as long as people dont freak out about a back pack laying in the corner of your office. Im retired due to injury, so there is never a need to leave my precious in a hot car.
 

haxor

Jr. Member
Aug 23, 2015
94
88
Raleigh, NC
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NOX 800
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All Treasure Hunting
Are they delivered via a refrigerated/AC's truck? LCD screens get wonky when hot (but recover) Cooking batteries would be my main concern.
 

Treasure_Hunter

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Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,454
54,887
Florida
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Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
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You should never leave a detector with LCD screen in the car, they will leak and many will never recover.

Sent from my P008 using Tapatalk
 

Rawhide

Silver Member
Nov 17, 2010
3,590
2,185
SouthWestern USA
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Nox 800, Etrac, F75, AT Pro. Last two for sale.
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Nothing like having to send your detector in for servicing and forced to borrow or do without.
 

walnuttree

Full Member
Jul 23, 2015
101
178
Southern NJ
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Whites Beach Hunter ID, Whites Spectrum XLT
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I used to keep an old Whites Classic ID in my trunk during the summer, no problems. I did add a short piece of chain from the trunk door to the trunk body through gaps in the metal, so when I opened my trunk I had to unlock the chain also to open the trunk all the way.
 

Slingshot

Bronze Member
Apr 3, 2004
1,074
1,204
Southern Appalachia
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I keep a VLF rough duty detector in my car during the hot summer, a Radio Shack, Harbor Freight 9, or any old used plain brown wrapper detector without all the bells and whistles. That way if an opportunity should appear then I have something at hand, and if the heat kills it then it's not a great loss. There is also the possibility of theft when you have to leave your vehicle for extended periods of time. Some of these simple detectors will surprise you in what they can achieve and are plentiful online, at garage sales, etc, and won't cost you an arm and leg to purchase.

The high heat will cause electrical components to age faster thus changing component values leaving a detector out of peak alignment, in need of realignment, and at the point where you notice that "Ole Betsy" is not acting right.

If you do get a rough duty machine, then be sure to master it before you need it, and learn what it's limitations and abilities are.

You can always go get your better machine if you hit a hot spot that deserves more attention.
 

ivan salis

Gold Member
Feb 5, 2007
16,794
3,809
callahan,fl
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delta 4000 / ace 250 - used BH and many others too
extreme heat and cold are a metal detector's mortal enemies ...heat can make batteries explode and leak ruining your machine --heat can warp the plastic mother boards and damage it as well ..if left out in the "open" where it can be seen theft is also a issue ..yes folks will break into cars and take stuff ...all in all not a great ideal unless your cars in a cool even temp type area in the trunk of your car -- below 32 degree cold can crack LED screens as well
 

ecmjamsit

Hero Member
Dec 2, 2007
873
1,060
Colorado
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Whites Goldmaster GMT, GMII,Whites Sierra Super Trac, Ace250, Teknetics Gamma 6000, Whites Pinpointer,Garrett Pro Pointer II
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I think the big problem is the electrolytic capacitors have a gel inside. The gel expands and destroys the capacitive plates (foil). Or breaches the case.
 

Peter67

Sr. Member
Oct 9, 2016
277
367
Belgium
Detector(s) used
XP Deus 2
Xp Deus
Minelab Equinox 600
Nokta Makro Legend
Nokta Makro Multikruzer
Tesoro Lobo Super Traq,
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Not a problem for a Tesoro detector. I have a Bandido II (original) and i keep it 365/365 in my car without problems.
 

AlienLifeForm

Bronze Member
Jan 31, 2010
1,589
2,337
DFW Texas
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Minelab E-TRAC, Garrett ProPointer, Lesche Digger
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Seems like a recipe to lose a detector to theft or heat extremes to me.
 

Xraywolf

Silver Member
Feb 28, 2005
3,576
4,360
MI USA
Detector(s) used
Ace 400, AT Pro, equinox 800, Simplex,Vanquish 540
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Metal Detecting
Seems like a recipe to lose a detector to theft or heat extremes to me.

I've carried my Ace [250 now 400] in my truck all year except DEC to MARCH when its too cold to detect.
Never had any problems and if it get stolen, oh well. I also have a nice GPS, radar detector, dashcam, battery booster, stereo, sub woofer, top of the line power amps in my truck, all of which would likely get stolen before my Ace.
That said, I wouldn't lug around my Deus all year, I'd cry if that got stolen.

I look at it this way - I have found many many things just because I happened to have a detector with me and felt an impulse to pull over and go detecting. Would not have found half the things I have found or discovered the hot spots without having a detector handy at all times.
If heat is bad for a detector, mine never got the memo.
 

AlienLifeForm

Bronze Member
Jan 31, 2010
1,589
2,337
DFW Texas
Detector(s) used
Minelab E-TRAC, Garrett ProPointer, Lesche Digger
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All Treasure Hunting
I've carried my Ace [250 now 400] in my truck all year except DEC to MARCH when its too cold to detect.
Never had any problems and if it get stolen, oh well. I also have a nice GPS, radar detector, dashcam, battery booster, stereo, sub woofer, top of the line power amps in my truck, all of which would likely get stolen before my Ace.
That said, I wouldn't lug around my Deus all year, I'd cry if that got stolen.

I look at it this way - I have found many many things just because I happened to have a detector with me and felt an impulse to pull over and go detecting. Would not have found half the things I have found or discovered the hot spots without having a detector handy at all times.
If heat is bad for a detector, mine never got the memo.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say it gets a bit hotter down here. If I had a cheaper detector, I may leave that in the truck - perhaps I will get a Mojave just for that purpose. No LCD screen to worry about either. :icon_thumright:
 

Xraywolf

Silver Member
Feb 28, 2005
3,576
4,360
MI USA
Detector(s) used
Ace 400, AT Pro, equinox 800, Simplex,Vanquish 540
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I'm going to go out on a limb and say it gets a bit hotter down here. If I had a cheaper detector, I may leave that in the truck - perhaps I will get a Mojave just for that purpose. No LCD screen to worry about either. :icon_thumright:

Generally, further south you go in the USA hotter it gets, sure.

Its been in the mid to upper 90's here the past few days, stifling and consistently hot.
If the batteries were going to explode or the LCD crack, now would be about a good time to do it.
 

Charlie P. (NY)

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2006
13,004
17,107
South Central Upstate NY in the foothills of the h
Detector(s) used
Minelab Musketeer Advantage Pro w/8" & 10" DD coils/Fisher F75se(Upgraded to LTD2) w/11" DD, 6.5" concentric & 9.5" NEL Sharpshooter DD coils/Sunray FX-1 Probe & F-Point/Black Widows/Rattler headphone
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I used to do this regularly when I detected at my lunch break at a park beside the plant.

I put the detector on the floor of the back seats and put a blanket over it to block the sun. As far as I know no harm was done.
 

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