CZ-20 Upgrade.........Is it worth it?

[Dave N Japan]

Did anyone have the upgrade and do they think it was worth it Thanks

 

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[Sandman]

It is not really an upgrade unless you call installing a pinpoint button an upgrade. Then they call it a CZ-21.

 

[Dave N Japan]

Is that really all they do? Do they change the battery compartment at all?

 

[Sandman]

I think I read where they did something with the door. All the guts are the same.View attachment Flies and Baits 237.bmpIf it ain't broke, don't mess with it.

 

[Fletch88]

I agree somewhat, but if the old style pinpoint does leak and you fry the internals then you are SOL correct? Or no?
Also, does anyone know if they give warranty when you do the "conversion"?

 

[Dave N Japan]

Thanks Sandman

Been awhile, I think we talked back around 2006....Time fly's" I think it was about the Sand Shark, anyway take care

 

[Dave N Japan]

That's right, and that is what I was thinking. I guess you could use it until you notice the wear and tear on it and send it in.

 

[SouthFLdigger]

You know capacitors dry up, semiconductors wear out due to electron migration and resistance. I think they should at least replace a the pots for the money involved.

 

[Sandman]

As for the pinpoint button on the CZ-20, I smeared Silicone sealant over the rubber button to stop any leaks. Never had much use for the pinpoint anyway. Mainly just raised the coil up.

Hey is there a difference in the "thumps up Smileys" as to blue or yellow left or right?

 

[Rick K]

It's the ame machine, with an upgraded case. Upgrade or not - Your choice. It's not like it's a hard sell or anything.

new case, tested, warranted. Don't need it, don't get it.

 

[Dave N Japan]

-Well, I got the upgrade last year and it is nice with the new pinpoint. They must of done something inside because my 100 yen coin that is like a nickle is up in the high tone now. I can tell now if it is a hundred yen if I go over it and get the high tone and back off to the edge of detection and it will change to mid tone just before if stops.

 

[eddiecurrent]

I had the upgrade done last week. My CZ20 was acting up, so I sent it in and because it was under the lifetime warranty, they did the conversion for $25, post-paid.
Fisher has always treated me great. They pressure tested the housing, kept it longer to make sure it worked properly, installed the new pinpoint button, new gasket, new knobs...everything works like when new, the pinpoint is now capacitive touch and it's no longer a momentary switch, it's latching. I like that, it allows me to leave it in pinpoint mode which I sometimes like to do, it has it's advantages under certain conditions. And it still has the lifetime warranty.
As for internals, there aren't that many electrolytic capacitors in a metal detector (the main type that "dry out"), and in a CZ20 they're in an airtight environment.
Technicians differ in opinions about this, but I've rarely come across dried out caps, even in 30 yr old equipment, and when I did it was big ones, like over 1000 mfd.
I've also never seen transistors that degrade, in my experience they work or they don't. Admittedly, I've seen a few over 40 yrs of tinkering that leak or behave like walking-wounded, but they've been rare. And in metal detectors, the conditions aren't conducive to failure, because it's the perfect environment for a circuit...never a surge, never a brownout, pure, clean DC supply, low voltage. Like a dog in a $200K doghouse. Unless it's subjected to high heat or wet environments, like being kept in a car trunk or dropped in the water. But that isn't warranty covered. In any case I suspect transistors are rare in metal detectors, probably all chips.

In fact, I strongly suspect detectors from most manufacturers, including the Turkish, Bulgarian and Australian ones, use the same chipset, probably bought from Texas instruments or Motorola, with virtually all the functions on the chip, if they want more features they just use more pins...you want multi-tone just hook up pin 43, you want a backlight use pin 32, freq shift..pin 38.
The manufacturer just would design their own battery circuit, 78 series regulator or zener, a reverse polarity protect diode, the LCD display and the housing.
The chipset would bear the imprint of the buyer brand, but it would be a TI something. My guess.

 

[Dave N Japan]

Hey Eddie C.

Will Fisher still fix my old machines like my two impulse machines and CZ-3D that were bought back during the lifetime warranty era? ... but you know they still work great after all these years.

 

[eddiecurrent]

Hey Eddie C.

Will Fisher still fix my old machines like my two impulse machines and CZ-3D that were bought back during the lifetime warranty era? ... but you know they still work great after all these years.

If you registered them, or have the reciepts.