Battery Needed for Garrett Sea Hunter 500 XL

[Michigan Badger]

I just bought a 500 XL off feebay and it needs a new battery.

About all I know about these machines is they detect metal.

Any suggestions on where to get a new rechargeable or how I could power it?

This machine will only be used on land.

Also any suggestions on a land shaft or rod? This one comes only with the diver rod.

Thanks,

Badger

 

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[chipveres]

You will need someone with good soldering skills for this. What's in there is seven sub-c nicad cells and one dummy cell. The cells themselves are available from www.digikey.com . Get the smaller physical size listed under sub-c as it is a tight fit. Check with a ruler to make sure. Remember to buy the ones with tabs attached. Mark the polarity of the wires to the detector. When you remove the old battery, take a good look at the way the cells and tabs are arranged for tightest fit. Save the big piece of rubber tape on the top. First make three stacks of two each . Watch the polarity to make sure all cells are in series-aiding. (positive to negative at each junction) The tabs at the middle of the stack overlap for minimum spacing. When done soldering, hold the middle of the stack together with one turn of electrical tape. Now put the three stacks and one odd cell side-by-side and solder those tabs overlapped and as small as possible. Hold the stacks and odd battery together with one long turn of tape. Thread the wire going to the detector through the dummy cell (it's a piece of plastic pipe) and solder it to the odd cell. Secure the dummy to the top real cells with one long turn of tape.

Observe the stainless-steel clamp that holds down the battery. There is one bar that you can and should cut out with a hacksaw, to give extra clearance between the battery terminals and the clamp. Put the battery in the detector, then the piece of rubber tape you saved, and then the modified clamp.
Now is also a good time to replace the silica gel capsules, or just add a couple of packets.

Good luck and happy hunting!

Chip V.
P.S. If you think I taught myself everything above the hard way, I did.

 

[Michigan Badger]

You will need someone with good soldering skills for this. What's in there is seven sub-c nicad cells and one dummy cell. The cells themselves are available from www.digikey.com . Get the smaller physical size listed under sub-c as it is a tight fit. Check with a ruler to make sure. Remember to buy the ones with tabs attached. Mark the polarity of the wires to the detector. When you remove the old battery, take a good look at the way the cells and tabs are arranged for tightest fit. Save the big piece of rubber tape on the top. First make three stacks of two each . Watch the polarity to make sure all cells are in series-aiding. (positive to negative at each junction) The tabs at the middle of the stack overlap for minimum spacing. When done soldering, hold the middle of the stack together with one turn of electrical tape. Now put the three stacks and one odd cell side-by-side and solder those tabs overlapped and as small as possible. Hold the stacks and odd battery together with one long turn of tape. Thread the wire going to the detector through the dummy cell (it's a piece of plastic pipe) and solder it to the odd cell. Secure the dummy to the top real cells with one long turn of tape.

Observe the stainless-steel clamp that holds down the battery. There is one bar that you can and should cut out with a hacksaw, to give extra clearance between the battery terminals and the clamp. Put the battery in the detector, then the piece of rubber tape you saved, and then the modified clamp.
Now is also a good time to replace the silica gel capsules, or just add a couple of packets.

Good luck and happy hunting!

Chip V.
P.S. If you think I taught myself everything above the hard way, I did.

Oh wow! I was thinking it was just a matter of buying a new battery unit and plugging it in. Maybe I'll have to send this puppy somewhere. Think I see now why I got a good deal.

Thanks though for your taking the time to post all this info. I will give it some thought and maybe I can follow your directions. I wish I had some pictures though.

If I can't do it, know any reasonable repair guys?

Thanks,

Badger

 

[homefires]

It's not that hard.

Do you have a Battery store near you?

http://www.batterystore.com/

 

[Michigan Badger]

It's not that hard.

Do you have a Battery store near you?

http://www.batterystore.com/

Hi,

I've seen your posts out there online in regard to this issue.

Were you the one making your 500 XL into a land machine?

Basically that's what I want to do. I don't care about the waterproof thing.

When the unit gets here I'll post pictures as I go through this process. The first thing will be getting the case open without killing it.

I sure wish someone out there had process pictures of all the steps.

Badger

 

[Michigan Badger]

I've done some searching and reading online and I guess it comes down to being brave and figuring it out as I go.

There are some confusing aspects to all this though. For one the batteries I should use. NiCads suck due to taking on A MEMORY or SET.

I like the NiMH batteries but will they work in the Garrett Sea Hunter 500 XL PULSE ?

If they do, I will need a new charger but what charger?

And, can I plug that charger into the Sea Hunter? Plug fit?

There are a lot of variables here.

Badger

 

[ivanll]

 

[chipveres]

Excellent suggestion by Homefires. If you have a Battery Store nearby, they have the equipment to weld rather that solder the cell terminals. This would cut down your effort by about 90%. Then you have just two easy solder joints to attach the battery to the wires. (All this is assuming your unit has identically the same battery as mine. I see by the pix above that some do not.)

I did not take any pix of my procedures, as they would have shown me beating my head on the workshop door.

For a good solderer, perhaps you could find a ham radio club, and ask who's best there.

Chip V.

 

[homefires]

I have some pics of mine some place.

Mine had a single Ni Cad battery pack.

I would stick with the Ni Cads even with there faults.

NiMh batteries self deplete them selves over time.

You could still use your stock charger with them if you wish.

Here is a pile of info on your machine.

http://www.geotech1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14823&highlight=xl500