CTX water hunters please help us.

[MBbeachrat]

After much debate it still does not seem clear if the CTX has leaking problems or if it is just a few machines and user not cleaning the o-ring correctly.

If everyone who uses the CTX in the water on this forum can respond with there experiences then we should have a good idea of the ability of the CTX for submerged water hunting less then 10 feet. If you do not own a CTX but do know someone first hand (not here say) and know of their results water hunting good or bad please let us know.
I am hoping to here a lot of good reports so I will take mine back into the surf. This is something that can really be used along with Minelab.

Also please let us know if your water temperature is 10 deg or more different then your air temperature. This could help with the expansion contraction theory of the o-ring and case. Let us know if you hunt in the surf with waves hitting machine or just calm water or both. Let us know if you use divers grease or any product on the o-ring or USB cap threads.

I think it is clear and everyone knows the CTX is a great machine with great abilities so no need to write about that. Thanks for the feedback I am sure it will help many.

 

[lookindown]

I don't think too many people own a 3030.

 

[OBN]

Only know three and your the third. I believe the CTX maybe better then the CZ20/21 or the Excalibur "my opinion" but many are leery of a machine that cost 2ooo. plus and has a higher chance then the norms of having issues when used in the saltwater.

 

[bigscoop]

My hunting partner uses a CTX....first issue was the battery compartment leak, had it back maybe 2 weeks, just sent it out for repairs again, this time for a coil issue.

 

[OBN]

Thing is what is going to happen when all the warranties run out 3 years from now? There not fixing the coil issue they are just replacing them with new ones. Will more issue arise?

 

[seeker41]

would be nice to see a public statement detailing the cause of these common failures and what is being done to permanently fix these issues!!!! "great machine but you have to baby it" is not characteristic of a minelab machine!!!!! I would never buy one myself until I knew they had solved all issues permanently.

chuck.

 

[icurabeachguy]

yeah, concerning the coil issue...part of the reason I sold my CTX was because I did not believe it would hold up to my rocky terrain and usage. my CZ21 coil is way more solid than the lightweight CTX 11" coil and I did not feel like it would last with the way I hunt (scrubbing the sand and hitting rocks frequently), especially after hearing/seeing all the coil issues people were reporting. my CZ21 8" coil by comparison, lasted 2 years (~30 hours a week, every week) under those conditions.

I will say this though, the CTX outperformed both my CZ and Excal, hands-down.

 

[dewcon4414]

My concern is ML is notorious for not addressing known problems...... their fix it and let it ride until their warranty is out helps no one. They got a lot of complaints about the salt setting at the beginning and HAD to make that fix. But seriously..... their machine isnt the only one that leaks. Anytime you have to open and close a machine or there are gaskets or O rings involved it has that potential. They just need to figure out IF its a user or hardware issue.

Dew

 

[MBbeachrat]

After much debate it still does not seem clear if the CTX has leaking problems or if it is just a few machines and user not cleaning the o-ring correctly.

If everyone who uses the CTX in the water on this forum can respond with there experiences then we should have a good idea of the ability of the CTX for submerged water hunting less then 10 feet. If you do not own a CTX but do know someone first hand (not here say) and know of their results water hunting good or bad please let us know.
I am hoping to here a lot of good reports so I will take mine back into the surf. This is something that can really be used along with Minelab.

Also please let us know if your water temperature is 10 deg or more different then your air temperature. This could help with the expansion contraction theory of the o-ring and case. Let us know if you hunt in the surf with waves hitting machine or just calm water or both. Let us know if you use divers grease or any product on the o-ring or USB cap threads.

Please CTX water hunters help us out. Please to not reply unless you are or know first hand a CTX water user. Please just answer questions above, we are really attempting to find out what the percentage of leaking problems are and in what conditions. Thank you very much.

 

[GreenMeanie]

Thats the reason I said instead of asking for a ORING we should be getting extended warranties.

Thing is what is going to happen when all the warranties run out 3 years from now? There not fixing the coil issue they are just replacing them with new ones. Will more issue arise?

 

[MBbeachrat]

This is a quote a couple days ago from OCcop of OC Maryland on another forum. OCcop is reliable. Looks like CTX is a lot of leaking problems in the surf without a doubt. So far not many not leaking unless some are holding back.

"Dennis D. of Maryland went for a dip with the leaky CTX - 3030. Waves just got to rough. Dennis has tried everything over the past year to stop the leak in the battery compartment, all with negative results. The pounding of the ocean waves lends itself to the causing of the leak."

 

[mham2]

Come on CTX water hunters. We need some feedback. Think how helpful this forum was when you purchased your last detector. Please tell us your experience water hunting with the CTX? Thanks

I have used my ctx in the water totally submerged in the gulf. no leaks no problems but I was hunting in calm seas. I had it in only 6 or 7 times. I am very carefully cleaning after each use and I do use silicon grease on the o-ring same as my excal . now having said this I do prefer my excal in the water because once you get in over the screen it's not much use to me because I can't see it but in calm seas waist deep I like it. I use it more for my dirt hunting up north.I can see for the hard core hunters out there every day it may not be the best choice

 

[MBbeachrat]

I have used my ctx in the water totally submerged in the gulf. no leaks no problems but I was hunting in calm seas. I had it in only 6 or 7 times. I am very carefully cleaning after each use and I do use silicon grease on the o-ring same as my excal . now having said this I do prefer my excal in the water because once you get in over the screen it's not much use to me because I can't see it but in calm seas waist deep I like it. I use it more for my dirt hunting up north.I can see for the hard core hunters out there every day it may not be the best choice

Hello fellow snowbird. Thanks for a nice report. I believe we will be seeing this scenario many times. It really seems a lot more leaks when used in the surf and little problems below the waist in calm waters. Thanks again.

 

[MBbeachrat]

I will be adding up the results of this post. Although the response was much smaller then I hoped for, it leaves little doubt that the CTX is a good machine for the surf. I have had my arm rest come off from a small wave and have had the USB connection get wet. Of the three CTX bay hunters I know two have had leaks in the battery compartment. They will not use them in water deeper then two feet know. I will add up all the user and all the first hand reports and get a percentage of the CTX machines with problems. It is not a machine for the surf from the responses we received. Maybe some users are holding back? I still think it is the best machine for very shallow water and wet sand.

 

[lookindown]

I will be adding up the results of this post. Although the response was much smaller then I hoped for, it leaves little doubt that the CTX is a good machine for the surf. I have had my arm rest come off from a small wave and have had the USB connection get wet. Of the three CTX bay hunters I know two have had leaks in the battery compartment. They will not use them in water deeper then two feet know. I will add up all the user and all the first hand reports and get a percentage of the CTX machines with problems. It is not a machine for the surf from the responses we received. Maybe some users are holding back? I still think it is the best machine for very shallow water and wet sand.

Is it better than a Soverign GT?

 

[DrunkBrother]

Good Day everyone,
* I own CTX from 4 June 2013
* I detect In shallow water + i travel to Tropical Locations every 1.5 Month and detect snorkeling

My experience over the period :
Trip 1 in July to Rarotonga with total 40 + hours done in the water, 3 recharges, was in cloud of micro sand and got really concerned about the O-Ring:

So, i wrote letter to Minelab that was posted here :
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/m...-free-charge-o-ring-replacements-ctx3030.html

Then, i went to my next Trip In August and everythign was fine , but on last Day, Battery Leaked:



I have sent it to Minelab to repair replacement and bought Excalibur 2 .
- i owned Excal for just over a year prior CTX and can say that Excal is way WAY WAY better designed than CTX.

 

[Whydah]

I know Dennis D that hunts OC, bad coil and leaking O ring, corroded contacts. And Now Jim B in MB the same issue, bad coil.

On the Excalibur leaking, I have repaired maybe 30 this year, only three had leaked.

Two were the Old Swords, and after tracking down the source it was the Knob shaft O rings dry rotted, saltwater n time
The other was due to a ikelite battery endcap that was on the Pod, used to switch out the headphones...it had a bad crack


Saltwater is ruff, but to me the O Ring on the CTX looks red, more then likely a silicon O ring. They Seals better but softer and more likely to have more issues if they are not handled with care. I have a CTX coming soon for testing with the Gray Ghost Amphibians...

As all of you know I live up here in the Cold North East... I hunt everyday that I can, and I hunt in the water... I have both the x cal and now the 30 - 30... No leaks in either one... just sayin... I rince very lightly after each use... That's it...

 

[MBbeachrat]

Is it better than a Soverign GT?

Not sure never tried one. Better then my Excalibur or CZ 21. OBN says he gets a lot more out of his Excalibur with just replacing headphones.

 

[MBbeachrat]

As all of you know I live up here in the Cold North East... I hunt everyday that I can, and I hunt in the water... I have both the x cal and now the 30 - 30... No leaks in either one... just sayin... I rince very lightly after each use... That's it...

Are you hunting with the battery case under water? Can you swing the machine fast enough in the water for Seawater on?

 

[lookindown]

Not sure never tried one. Better then my Excalibur or CZ 21. OBN says he gets a lot more out of his Excalibur with just replacing headphones.

Ive never used a Soverign but I hear people say its the best wet sand detector made, just wondering if the 3030 will take over that unofficial title.

 

[saltwaterminer]

My CTX 3030 took in some water in the battery compartment this weekend. I hunted in the surf and blocked all waves with my body. A few waves rolled over the machine and it might have gotten dunked once or twice. Inspected the compartment and it had some corrosion. Still functioning...

Another problem, the machine will not upgrade the latest firmware and I cannot load information onto the X2 website.

A third issue is a burn spot on the screen which blocks out about a 5th of the screen.

When my Excal2 arrives, the 3030 goes in for servicing... end fate yet to be determined.

Simply, it's a lot of cash to justify what essentially could be half an IRA contribution for a backup.

For all the issues, it's the best machine I've ever owned. There are a lot of positives that rarely get discussed.