A bit frustrated with the Excal 2...questions for the pros

twistidd

twistidd

Bronze Member
Nov 11, 2007
1,789
3
Chicago
Detector(s) used
White's Matrix M6 w/ Sun-Ray DX-1, 950 coil and 6x10 DD, Minelab Excalibur II, Garrett Ace 250, Garmin Etrex GPS
So I headed over to the beach today to break in my Excal 2, which I've had since December but haven't been able to use til today. I got to the beach and turned the machine on the way everyone suggested, and began sweeping the dry sand toward the water (freshwater). I noticed that it was very quiet, a little too quiet. I know that this beach is trashy because I used to hit it with the Ace 250 all the time. To be sure, I swept the coil past the sand scoop at the end of its pole, and it blared out loudly and wouldn't go away! The noise was piercing my ears, so I turned the machine off and back on again. Right away, that really loud blaring again. Off and on again, and again, and again. I played with the settings, sensitivity, everything, even the volume at its lowest, and all I was getting was this piercing blaring noise. Frustrated, I went back to the car and went home. What makes this even more frustrating is that it took an hour to get to the beach, about thirty minutes to find parking, and a half mile walk to the beach and back to the car afterward.

The only thing I can think of is that I charged the battery about a week ago. Did I wait too long to detect after charging the battery? I really don't want to charge the battery only before detecting because I'll be detecting on a whim a lot this summer. This was in fact the first time I've used this machine outdoors in its natural habitat. And how do you Excal guys know when the battery is too low? I'm wondering if the Excal was trying to tell me that. I REALLY don't feel like sending this back.

Please, if any of you guys have any suggestions, feel free to share them with this Minelab newbie. I'd like to get out in the next two weeks if possible. Thanks.

Joe
 

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I haven't had that happen to me with hunting but a few times that I ran the battery down at the house I remember it would start making a loud sound that wouldn't stop unless I cut the machine off. I always charge mine 24 hours before the hunt. I also carry the alkaline battery pack in the car for backup. Actually let me clarify that, I have the AA batteries in the packages still and the empty pack and the little hex key that came with it. I don't put the batteries inside until I need it because you can't leave them in too long.

I don't know if you have yet but test out your machine at home before heading to the beach again. I had a problem with mine 6 months ago but it turned out to be the headphones. I wasn't getting any signals. The previous owner had sold me "an unused" metal detector that had a short in it. My back up machine now works but it went down on me when I took it on a trip with me.

Good luck
 

First thing to do is charge the battery over nite and turn it on again to see if the problem continues. If so Call Minelab. HH Gayle
 

Thanks guys, the Excal is charging now, and I plan on testing it outdoors tomorrow after work.

Joe
 

I agree with everyone battery, do yourself a favor and either buy a spare pod or buy the one you can use reg batteries in so that doesn't happen again. That was one thing I didn't like was that it takes like 16 hours to charge the battery up and with no kind of indicator light you have no clue whether it is charging or has been charged. For a machine over $1,000.00 you would think they could at least have a small led charge light.

With that being said it is still a awesome machine and I feel you will love it good luck
 

FloridaBill said:
I agree with everyone battery, do yourself a favor and either buy a spare pod or buy the one you can use reg batteries in so that doesn't happen again. That was one thing I didn't like was that it takes like 16 hours to charge the battery up and with no kind of indicator light you have no clue whether it is charging or has been charged. For a machine over $1,000.00 you would think they could at least have a small led charge light.

With that being said it is still a awesome machine and I feel you will love it good luck
Click to expand...

I agree with you FLBill. Why don't they put a light indicator to let us know its charged. I don't know if it causes damage to over charge it. I know I've gone on a one hour hunt and put it to charge for the next day.

twistidd if it is still giving you problems after charging it and testing it out at your house call Minelab. I was happy with their work and the turn around time was fast. But hopefully you don't have to send it in. I know summer is coming and the only place we should be with our detectors is at the beach :icon_thumleft:
 

Hey guys, again, thanks for your replies. I was upset at the beach today but now I'm optimistic that the prob is the battery. I didn't think to charge it up for that long. I am totally new to the Minelab, I don't even know what options I have for the power supply. Should I just charge the stock battery pack each time? Or is there a way to use regular batteries? I use a White's M6 for land detecting and always use regular batteries and not the optional battery pack. Thanks again, you guys are super helpful. I really hope the machine doesn't have to be sent back!

Joe
 

Get the removeable battery pack, it is worth every penny you pay for it. It is indespensible as a back up battery.

I recharge my battery the night before I go hunting every time...............
 

I use a volt meter .The newer batterys do not need to be fully drained be for you recharge it.It has no memory.But just make sure that the rubber gasket(seal) is allways on the connecter going to the pod.An also grease the connecter pins with dielectric silicone.(grease) You can get a good volt meter at your homedepot for about 25.00. Good luck.
 

Nice attitude!
 

The manual advises to charge the battery for 17 hours the first time. It should get a little warm when charging. Rechargeable batteries will loose their charge if left for a month or two. The manual also advises using silicone grease on the pins but I have never done this and have had no problems. Just be sure to rinse the connector and battery with fresh water after each use. Grease might attract sand which could compromise the seal. Volt meters are of little use with rechargeable batteries. They keep a steady voltage until right before they go dead. So you could get a good reading on the battery even though it only has an hour of charge remaining. ~John
 

Just a heads up, according to the manual you should grease the pins. It will keep them and the battery terminals from oxidizing. I didn't grease mine and the ends on the batteries are all pitted now.

If you don't have a copy of the manual go to the Minelab website and download a copy for the Excalibur II.

Just a little bit of grease will go along way.

HH
 

you pay 1k for a machine you better baby it. Clean it in fresh water after each use, taking time to get the sand out of the nooks and crannies, and grease the pins. Just like your car you need to take care of it, if you want it to last.

As for settings, I am sure you got these but in case you didn't, discrm at zero, volume all the way up, sensitivity, around 12oclock which if i am correct is #6 on the control, and thresh hold just where you hear the buzz, and then back it off a hair. You won't find the trash if you are in the water like you do on land, and there are times you might go for long periods of time without it sounding off. I usually will pass over my scoop just to make sure, and sure enough it works. It does take a while to learn to hunt with the machine, or any machine in the water, is a huge challenge. It took me months to get the hang of. I will tell you its worth it, and I wouldn't go back to anything else now.
Best of Luck
 

Bringing the subject back to the Excal II...

Here is a quote from page 35 of the Minelab manual:


"As part of the manufacturing process, Minelab applies a silicone grease to
the battery cable connector pins. This prevents a build-up of residual water and reduces the level of electrolysis between the two pins, which in turn prolongs the serviceability of your unit. This grease should be reapplied as part of your routine care and maintenance."

I didn't apply it and will be soon buying a new battery pack....my bad luck.

Of course all of this depends on the manufactures recommendations. The other brands may not need it and if they don't say to put it then one shouldn't.
 

I try to grease my pIn as much as posable ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Guzz1
 

My advice, silicone the pins like Cotton said. It will protect it, it will also stop some interference (unstable chattering).

I found that out the hardway, after I thought there was a problem with my Excal, I was advise by Sandman to grease mine with silicone, sure enough it became stable again, and stop the chattering.


FSS, Minelab says to grease them, Ikelite says don't, do as you wish, I go with what Minelab says, as well as Sandman. I have been greasing the pins on my Excal for 3 years now. I clean it after each use, and then reapply fresh silicone again before the next trip. Never had a problem with battery since I started doing this, and it stopped the chattering I had at times before I started doing it.



I miss Sandman on this Forum, it was a loss of a lot of knowledge and advice when he left, although I do hear from him via emails and on the forum he is now on................
 

Thanks for all the info guys. What is the exact kind of grease I should be applying to the pins? I'll bet I sound really ignorant asking these questions. I've been detecting for years, and the idea of a detector in the water just still makes me worry. I have this vision of not doing something right and then water seeping in and destroying the machine, lol. Ok, so by greasing the pins, are you guys referring to the pins that are in the plug that goes into the battery pack? There are like, two pins, and a little screw. And then I finger-tighten washer-thing on? And that should keep the water out? It just seems so easy for water to get in there, I don't know. If something bad happened my GF would kill me, since she bought this for me.

Be easy on me.

Joe
 

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