Anyone taken apart a Minelab Pro-Find?

[Cook3]

My Pro-Find 35 started constantly beeping as soon as I press the power button and the LED blinks rapidly on and off while it beeps too. Holding down the power button for 10 seconds or so did not seem to do anything either. I tested with several new batteries too, but nothing worked. Soooo, I think it may be broken and I'd like to take it apart to see what is inside, but I don't want to destroy it by taking it apart. I am OK if I break the watertight seal, but If I can fix it I would like to be able to put it back together...

Has anyone tried to take one apart? Thus far my searches have not found anything about how to take one apart.

Thanks

 

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[Cook3]

I got it apart...

Inside the battery compartment, there are 2 places that have glue on them. If you scrape the glue off then the entire inside of the pinpointer will slide out, all in one unit. I will attempt to take a picture later which will help it make more sense.

 

[pepperj]

I got it apart...

Inside the battery compartment, there are 2 places that have glue on them. If you scrape the glue off then the entire inside of the pinpointer will slide out, all in one unit. I will attempt to take a picture later which will help it make more sense.

Did you get it apart, and the attempted photo happen?

 

[Cook3]

The last two pictures are looking into the end of the pinpointer where the battery would be placed. The two pictures look very similar, but they are of either side of the pinpointer. The arrow points to the two spots that have glue on it and you will need to scrape off to release the entire inside of the pinpointer. The glue is black but you can pry it off if you work it at. I used a razer blade knife scrape / pick out the glue on mine. You can see some of the scrape marks on the plastic. Once the glue is removed, I just tapped the entire pinpointer lightly on the bottom and the circuit board assembly came out. In the pictures below, the glue has already been removed.

Hope this helps.

 

[pepperj]

The last two pictures are looking into the end of the pinpointer where the battery would be placed. The two pictures look very similar, but they are of either side of the pinpointer. The arrow points to the two spots that have glue on it and you will need to scrape off to release the entire inside of the pinpointer. The glue is black but you can pry it off if you work it at. I used a razer blade knife scrape / prick out the glue on mine. You can see some of the scrape marks on the plastic. Once the glue is removed, I just tapped the entire pinpointer lightly on the bottom and the circuit board assembly came out. In the pictures below, the glue has already been removed.

Hope this helps.View attachment 2133058View attachment 2133059View attachment 2133060View attachment 2133061

Thanks posting the pictures.
Did you figure out what the problem was with the unit?

 

[Cook3]

I have not found out what is wrong with it yet. I have only done a visual inspection, and tested a diode or 2. Everything looks OK -- no corrosion, no bad solder joints, and no cracked components.

 

[blackheart]

I have a similar issue with mine, but it came apart the same way you described. Mine refuses to power on. Worked great one min. and nothing the next. Time for me to do a little visual inspection too. I'll be following this thread.

 

[Cook3]

Attached to the front of the circuit board is the 'tip' part of the pinpointer. Mine is wrapped in yellow tape, with the following hand written on it:

1-85V
25-4-22

I assume that 24-4-22 is the date of April 24, 2022.

If you take yours apart and there is a date on it, let us know your date.

 

[Cook3]

A small update.... It has taken me a while to get back to this, but recently I have removed the coil from the circuit board. Doing that did not change any of the symptoms... It still blinks quickly as soon as I turn it on.

I may have found a bad diode, but I won't know for sure until I removed it and test it out of the circuit. It tests bad in circuit, but the real test will be when I test it after removing it from the board.

Also, I tested all 3 switches on the board, and they appear to be working correctly.