2 DEAD AT-Pros in 2 days at Beach

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

Went with my buddy Jcobb to Corpus Christi this last weekend, we ended up getting there around 3am and hunted until 4pm the first night.

I wasn't having any issues until the end of the next day when I noticed my ATP had a water droplet on the inside display, then about 10 minutes later it was blinking and never came back on.

I opened it up ( Connections & Battery compartment) and didn't see any signs of water or where it might have gotten in.

The good thing was my buddy had his ATP for backup. I used it for the rest of that evening (7pm-1am) and it was working great!

We got out the next morning around 8am and hunted till noon'ish. everything was working great, We saw some lots on the way back from the beach and I went to turn his ATP on, and it never came on. I tried for a couple hours changing batteries out, trying to inspect like i did on mine, and nothing.

Its odd that these same machines had the SAME issue within 2 days of each other.

I'm about to send Garrett and email about all this. It was just very discouraging that BOTH machines took a crap on me when we still had a full night and next day of hunting left.

I have been a die hard Garrett fan since i started. but after these experiences, I had to go with something else.

I ended up ordering a Minelab CTX thru Bart the night i was sitting there watching my buddy detect......I sure am gonna miss my ATP


Just to clarify,

Both machines were never fully submerged, they did get a few waves crash over the head until, but I never had them fully under water.

And everything was water tight, Headphone connections, coil connections.

 

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[ARC]

What kills me about this and always has...
Metal Detector manufacturers should have ALWAYS made EVERY detector water resistant if not water proof.

The logic behind designing an electronic device that is carried around in an outdoor situation without it being able to handle moisture is idiotic at best.

For 40 years I have heard this complaint and problem... yet the problems remain.

GET ON WITH IT DETECTOR COMPANIES ! ! !

Sell us quality or get out of the biz.

 

[ARC]

Diggin...

Try this...
IF YOU WANT... And if Detector is not in warranty any longer...

THIS APPLIES to anyone with this same problem...

#1. IF YOU SEE MOISTURE IN DETECTOR... remove battery pack/batteries immediately... that second you see moisture or know it has gotten wet.
And do not reinstall...
#2. Disconnect all wires.
#3. Unscrew housing and open up to "air out"... You can use a hair dryer on LOW at a safe WARM distance from circuitry boards etc.,,,
Us your hand as a guage to temperature.

When COMPLETELY DRY... DRY MORE... heh...
Then reassemble and replace batts.
Turn on and go.
IF it is a coil...
Whole other issue.

IF SALT WATER INTRUSION... there are more steps from me.
PM.

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

Diggin...

Try this...
IF YOU WANT... And if Detector is not in warranty any longer...

THIS APPLIES to anyone with this same problem...

#1. IF YOU SEE MOISTURE IN DETECTOR... remove battery pack/batteries immediately... that second you see moisture or know it has gotten wet.
And do not reinstall...
#2. Disconnect all wires.
#3. Unscrew housing and open up to "air out"... You can use a hair dryer on LOW at a safe WARM distance from circuitry boards etc.,,,
Us your hand as a guage to temperature.

When COMPLETELY DRY... DRY MORE... heh...
Then reassemble and replace batts.
Turn on and go.
IF it is a coil...
Whole other issue.

IF SALT WATER INTRUSION... there are more steps from me.
PM.

thanks ARRC.

Yea, after I had the issue, i disassembled it ( my buddies machine)

its weird on his machine, its like there is a loose connection to where it wont power on.

As for my machine, I think fried the circuit board. because when i took it apart to check for mosture, i would put the batteries in without even turning it on and it would start squealling really loud and blinking in and out on the display.

The 1 positive thing is, I work 15 minutes away from Garrett headquarters, so I just sent them an email and plan on taking the machines to them to see what failed.

I wouldnt even mind paying 100 bucks or so to get them fixed...I loved my ATP and would like to have it as a good backup now.

I dont think its the coil, because of it happening to my buddies machine too. And both of us have hunted beaches and lakes in the past with them and never had an issue.

The only 2 things that these machines had in common were

1. used at the same beach
2. used the same type batteries (Duracell Pro Cell)

I just wonder if the batteries did something weird...

 

[ARC]

I am an Energizer guy myself.
I have tested head to head.

Energizers seem to beat em in all areas ... or use to... been awhile since testing the 2 brands.

 

[NWMP]

No idea if this is the problem or not.................. but I believe that John-Edmonton mentioned something once about a hot machine going into cooler water. I believe that the Idea is to splash a little water on the machine before submerging to avoid a temperature differential vacuum. Particularly if the machine is really hot.

 

[Sandman]

NWNP nailed it. When a detector is hot from being in a car and taken in the colder water, something has to give. It is much better to use a real water proof detector that can stand depths like 200 feet. Sorry, ATP"s are for dry land and rain.

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

NWNP nailed it. When a detector is hot from being in a car and taken in the colder water, something has to give. It is much better to use a real water proof detector that can stand depths like 200 feet. Sorry, ATP"s are for dry land and rain.

Whats funny is I have battled with you defending the ATP....but ( tail between legs) you were right..lol

I was planning on upgrading soon, so I think once I get the CTX, that should keep me happy for a while.

I live in North Texas, so i rarely water hunt, but after using my buddies machine, i saw a huge difference in how much cleaner it sounded in the water.


Well, I got a response from Garrett already, and they told me to bring both machines to there office and they will take care of me...so thats a plus

 

[ARC]

WHICH in my opinion should be anticipated in the designs...
and design should reflect this possibility...
ESPECIALLY for the amount of money they charge for the detector...
And reflects the quality of the designed "usages" etc.

MD companies have "dropped the ball"...

Right on its consumers foot.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

A detector that is hot from sitting in the car and suddenly submerged in cool or cold water acts like a vacuum sucking water in....This is why you can find salt residue high up in coil cables that have a crack in the coil cable near the coil, water is being sucked up to the controls and will eventually reach controls if not replaced.

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

No idea if this is the problem or not.................. but I believe that John-Edmonton mentioned something once about a hot machine going into cooler water. I believe that the Idea is to splash a little water on the machine before submerging to avoid a temperature differential vacuum. Particularly if the machine is really hot.

Yea, that does make sense about the temp drop...the only thing is the detectors werent really hot, they were only in the car during the drive to the beaches and in the AC...Not saying that isnt what happen, but they werent in the trunk or heat much.

Who knows...i just know that shiii sucks when Im 6 hours from home, and couldnt find any one selling machines locally

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Yea, that does make sense about the temp drop...the only thing is the detectors werent really hot, they were only in the car during the drive to the beaches and in the AC...Not saying that isnt what happen, but they werent in the trunk or heat much.

Who knows...i just know that shiii sucks when Im 6 hours from home, and couldnt find any one selling machines locally

Were they in trunk or sitting on back seat in the sun where the sun could heat them up? If they weren't in the trunk or in direct sun then it may be a different issue, but it is strange both failed the same way....

Good luck..

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

Were they in trunk or sitting on back seat in the sun where the sun could heat them up? If they weren't in the trunk or in direct sun then it may be a different issue, but it is strange both failed the same way....

Good luck..

they were in the back seat of a heavily tinted car....but i was hunting for a while in the low tide where it never got wet, so the sun could have been baking it while i was using it and then when they got splashed by the waves it could have done something...its a mystery to me because they never were submerged, just a few waves would go over them.

But i know MY machine had to have been shorted out by the way it was acting with it coming on without me touching the power button and squealing the second the batteries hit the contacts .

Plus, I have used this before on beaches for the past few years....I guess it was just time for it to go

 

[jcobb]

Yeah it baffles me why both took a dump on the beach, it def was a kick to the gut being that it was on our road trip hunt.

I'm glad you went with the CTX after using mine, that thing is a beast lol

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I lucked out and got an almost new CTX3030 myself, it was so cheap I couldn't pass it up...

 

[Fletch88]

The CTX is even worse as far as being waterproof! Wait until the warranty runs out an suit have a $1800 paperweight
In salt surf you need a diehard water machine: Excal, CZ-21, Sand Shark, Etc

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

The CTX is even worse as far as being waterproof! Wait until the warranty runs out an suit have a $1800 paperweight
In salt surf you need a diehard water machine: Excal, CZ-21, Sand Shark, Etc

Yea, If I wasnt 6 hours away from the coast, i would for sure get a beach machine, but I may do like 1 or 2 beach trips a year and maybe a few lake trips. I mainly got the ATP for when it rains, but did some other hunting with it...I needed to step it up a little anyway

 

[jcobb]

The CTX is even worse as far as being waterproof! Wait until the warranty runs out an suit have a $1800 paperweight
In salt surf you need a diehard water machine: Excal, CZ-21, Sand Shark, Etc

I agree, it's scary to dip the CTX. However most of the ones that I've seen that get water damage was because of a dirty O ring. Nevertheless I agree with you. I'm upgrading my O ring soon. You can't beat the CTX in my opinion, discrimination on the beach is a must for me lol, and we hunt 99% of the time on land in North Texas. So a awesome land machine that can handle salt water is what I was after

 

[ARC]

Btw...
I hunted Corpus Christi once...

The Grey Hound bus station grass...
As well as the What-A-Burger grass across the way :P

Talked with an "in travel" Peyote Indian and some local bums drinking coffee.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

There is a gasket/o-ring mod that can be done on CTX to make it truly waterproof....Going to change all the gaskets on mine....