Screaming LS Infinium

[G.I.B.]

I'm back in the surf with my LS and it's starting to drive me nuts again. This is after the second repair and only about 3 hours in the water after the latest repair.

I've cleaned all the connections, using non-conductive grease on the fitting threads, batteries up to snuff...

The Infinium box is belt mounted and the coil cord is tight wrapped up the Anderson shaft so no loose wires.

The surf is very light. I step into the water and start swinging. No problems until the box starts to get submerged. As the light waves break over the box my machine starts to scream. It won't shut up until I turn it off and restart. With the box submerged it will work fine for a minute or two and then it just starts screaming at me again. HI tones, 3 seconds, followed by LO tones and then up again and down... I've got to shut it down or go insane.

It never has this problem out of the water.

I can't replicate the problem in a bucket.

No water is penetrating any of the fittings or connections.

I'm tired of sending it back every season just to loose the season due to no detector. The last time it got a new circuit board and cable to the coil.

Anyone else experience this? Any ideas?

 

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[Terry Soloman]

Tesoro Sand Shark..

Good luck to you!

 

[John-Edmonton]

Sorry to hear you are having issues. The Infinium is a very capable detector, with some discrimination capabilities not found on most other pulse induction units. I believe your unit (electronics) is fine. The problem is with the coil wire. You have one of the older coils with the wire having a smaller diameter. Although this works fine on land, once the electronics get under water, the water by the connector leaks in just enough to cause that interference you mentioned. The newer coil wires are a bit thicker and have improved shielding. What you describe sounds like what was happening to me, so I got a different coil and that solved the problem. I have 3 different coils for the Ininium, and they all work fine.

I think my problem was that I bought mine used and inherited an older unit. I hope you get your issues resolved.....the Infinium is one of not if not "the" deepest PI's available. It can be tuned to eleminate outside EMI including an electronic pinpointer and also other nearby metal detectors. |The tones allow you to partially distinguish between low conductors such as gold compared to higher conductors such as copper & silver.

Don't give up just yet and settle for a cheap PI unit.

 

[G.I.B.]

Thanks John,

I'll try what you suggested and get a newer coil with the thicker wire. The better insulation makes sense.

Again, thanks for the assistance. I really like the machine, sans this one problem.

 

[ivanll]

First I would remove the non-conductive grease "Completely" there must be a good clean connection between the cable connector and the bulkhead connector just as there must be a good connection between the pins/tubes within the rubber.
If lubrication is needed use a little "INOX".
Also try to mount the housing on the shaft to see if problem persist when the connecton touches the water, is so I would suspect a bad shield connection.
I prefer chest mounting the control housing and I turn the box so the cable connector is furthest from the body (On/Of switch is at front left and writing is facing forward) it helps prevent the cable from bending when we bend forward to pick up a target.
Heavy sharp bending of the coil cable near the connector is a good way of getting a shield failure.
If the detector start st scream when the coil touches wet sand then there is likely a crack in the epoxy.
ivanll

 

[G.I.B.]

Ivanll,

The connections are clean and dry. The threads are the only thing that a tiny amount of grease is on. The internal portions of the connections are dry and appear to have a good connection.

I'll give the detector a try with the box mounted on the shaft, but that is for diagnosis only. I've been spoiled by belt mounting the control box. As I hunt chest deep sometimes, mounting the box there is not a solution for me.

After giving it a lot of thought, and listening to suggestions, it seems that the cable, or shield connection is the problem. It only occurs after the machine has been in the water for a while and the teeniest bit of salt water has had an opportunity to soak in.

The screaming usually begins when a wave causes my belt mounted box to suddenly move about, which makes sense concerning the water on the shield theory.

I just ordered a 10X14 mono coil, and will try that. If that proves out to work fine, I wonder how I'll seal the cable on my old coil?

I'll let you guys know, and thanks for the assist.

 

[G.I.B.]

Tesoro Sand Shark..

I've got one, and passed it down it to the kids. It was my very first metal detector!

They have a good time with it on the beach, and I don't have to worry if they get it wet.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Steal that Shark back from the kids and put it to work while you wait on the new coil. Best of luck!!!

 

[G.I.B.]

New coil has arrived- now I just gotta get that tropical depression to move on....