1st trip in surf, Excal II dead? UPDATE

[recoiljunky]

I got my Excal II a couple of weeks ago and thought I had it figured out. My wife and I made a trip to the beach this weekend. I ran the Excal on the beach and it worked fine. I decided to try the surf but was quickly forced out of it because the waves were too rough. I washed off the unit and went inside.

The next day the surf was calm so I decided to try it again. I got down to the beach and cut the unit on but the threshold would not stabilize. The thing sounded like it never has before. Thinking the battery may have drained down (although it should not have) I put it on the charger for a couple hours. Tried it again with no luck. We went home.

I put it on charge again last night and charged it all night long. Tried it out in the back yard today at lunch and the threshold still won't stabilize. When I turn the threshold up high enough for it to emit a sound, it starts making the "machine gun" sound I have read about. Let me emphasis, I have used this machine successfully, it has found coins, pull tabs and a lead ball, but now it is not acting right.

I tried pulling up the Minelab website, but it is down. I've tried taking it out of auto sensitivity mode but that changes nothing. I've checked pinpoint / discrepency and it is in discrepency mode. The volume adjustment has no effect either. It will not change volume.

I'd hate to have to send this thing off because we have planned another trip to the beach two weeks from now and I doubt I would get it back in time.

Any suggestions? Anyone have this problem before?

UPDATE:
I sent my detector off to Minelab last Tuesday and they recieved it on Friday. I called and told them of the rush I am in; we're heading to Destin, FL this coming Friday for labor day weekend. Today, I received the detector back from Minelab (UPS actually tried to deliver it yesterday but I wasn't home.) TALK ABOUT FAST!!!\

Turns out that the board was bad (I told y'all I wasn't imagining the problems) and it was replaced.

Overall I am extremely satisfied with my purchase. Electronics are electronics and every once in a while you are going to get a bad component. The detector worked fine for the first couple of trips out but the salt water most have revieled the problem. Minelab was extremely fast in fixing this problem and getting my detector back to me before my vacation.

Bottom line, I would definitely recommend a Minelab detector to anyone who asks.

 

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[Dirt Fishin Dale]

Re: 1st trip in surf, Excal II dead?

Sorry to hear about that. I bet you are fit to be tied. I know I would be. Sounds like something got water in it. Also if you have the coil cover on it check that for debris. It can trap things in there to cause all kind of false readings and stuff. I took mine off.
Good luck. I hope its just stuff in the cover.
Dale

 

[vondrewvious]

Re: 1st trip in surf, Excal II dead?

http://www.findmall.com/read.php?21,762193,page=1
Hate to tell ya but it needs to go back. There is a defective coil on it. This is a link to a string that I started. They had a bad batch of them.

 

[recoiljunky]

Re: 1st trip in surf, Excal II dead?

I called Kellyco. They gave me Minelab's number. Minelab said to mail it in and that they have a 5 day turn around. We'll see.

 

[Ifoundit69]

Re: 1st trip in surf, Excal II dead?

Yes sounds like the coil to me , I own a white mxt and a garrett 2500 and when I got my garrett the 12 inch coil right out of the box was bad ,it made some awefull noises and also I baught a excellerator 10x14 hand made coil for my mxt worked good twice then shorted out making the machine go haywire and making bad sounds . Sometimes you can get lucky and just clean the coil plug and it fixes the problem but liek with me had to send mine back for replacement .

good luck !

 

[Sandman]

Re: 1st trip in surf, Excal II dead?

Sure, send it off to make sure it is at least checked out. Make sure you send off the charger too for checking out.

When You get it back apply silicone GREASE to the threads of the battery connector to make sure water does not get to the contact, a common cause of the "Machine gun" sounds too. As was said, make sure the coil cover is clean of any black sand too.

 

[Michigan Badger]

Re: 1st trip in surf, Excal II dead?

Sure, send it off to make sure it is at least checked out. Make sure you send off the charger too for checking out.

When You get it back apply silicone GREASE to the threads of the battery connector to make sure water does not get to the contact, a common cause of the "Machine gun" sounds too. As was said, make sure the coil cover is clean of any black sand too.

Sandman hit it on the head.

Battery connector issues are found on several brand machines.

Nautilus dirty battery connectors probably send more of these back to the factory than anything else.

I recall my new Tesoro DeLeon sounded like a 1940's outboard motor until I put quality full-strength batteries into it.

Batteries and their connectors cause loads of problems. Back in the old lunch box metal detector days it was the most common reason for detectors returned to the factory for repairs.

 

[recoiljunky]

Re: 1st trip in surf, Excal II dead?

It's still sitting on the kitchen table waiting to get shipped out tomorrow. I'll hit the connections with a brush, some alcohol and a low drier and report the results. Stay tuned.

 

[recoiljunky]

Re: 1st trip in surf, Excal II dead?

No dice, the alcohol didn't help anything. I suspect water has seeped into one of the connctions, possibly the power connector. There looks to be pleny of space in there that could hold a drop of water.

Oh yeah, my multimeter says I have 13.8 volts on the battery. Sure it wasn't under a load but it's the best I could do.

It's getting sent off tomorrow.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Re: 1st trip in surf, Excal II dead?

When you get it back, follow Sandmans advice be sure the coil cover is clean and get the silicone gel, I fould it really helps.

 

[recoiljunky]

BTT with the update.

I can't wait to hit the surf with my Excal tomorrow!!!