Dear Minelab - My CTX 3030 Is Broken

[slider66]

Last week I went to Jensen Beach here on the Treasurecoast with my CTX and spent a few hours in the water up to my waste. When I came out of the water I was stopped by a guy who dives some of the 1715 wrecks and we chatted a bit. I started to get a message on my machine saying the USB was connected. My machine stopped working. When I left the beach I had a text message from my friend in Orlando who was detecting in Tampa and his machine was giving him the same message. We contacted KELLYCo and MINELAB and were told we had moisture in our USB port and to buy anti-corrosion spray and contact cleaner. We were instructed to dry the port with cool air and then spray it. As an added protection to purchase some GE silicone clear caulk and use it around the USB cap. Well, it cost me 45 dollars or all of the sprays and caulk. I did that and it seemed to work until this morning.

So just like all of you I'm fired up, It's 430 am and I'm going to drive south to hit Lake Worth Pier. Here is what I see when I get there.



Well you can image how I feel when I turn my machine on and get USB connected. I drove an hour, paid 10 bucks for parking only to find out that I would not be doing any detecting today. The CTX is rated 10 feet deep in water. I was 3 the first time and the second I did not make it to the water. i paid a lot of money for this machine. I love this machine and have to Excal's. My point is that the design is bad for the USB port. They should make a plug for it like the audio port and then put the cap over the plug. Now I have to send the machine in. I tried to fix it again today when I got home with the spray. Has anyone else had this problem? I know my friend in Orlando has. We bought our machines a week apart and we both keep our machines clean and take all the precautions to ensure everything is tight.

 

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[jyt2017]

Why didn't they give you an RMA and have it sent in for repair? Its a lot of money, so I know. Maybe contact the vendor again and demand an RMA. Or, how long ago did you get it. Depending where you bought it you could return it.

The instruction you were given is questionable. I am surprised minelab hasn't had more legal issues. Great machine, but the waterproofing on it...ahhh is dicey to say the least. -Joe

just a side note no matter how popular or known a spot is, id never discuss it one the public forum online. thats just my opinion. place is nice looking though.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

In Frogmaster's thread a year ago on water proofing the CTX had quite a discussion of the USB port.

And that's why I went ahead and purchased an Excal. I just couldn't get past the vulnerabilities...

 

[A2coins]

That looks like an amazing place to hunt Spanish galleons Mel fisher the man who took my dream I would be furious Ive had that problem with my AT PRO after parking and walking 30 mins to my spot my vdi numbers went crazy Kellyco has given ne a new detector twice and fast to boot I was thinking about the 3030 but this goesnt sound good I wish you all the luck to get this fixed for good!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[slider66]

I have had it about 4 months. Great machine. I asked today for an RMA


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[DeepseekerADS]

Good luck on that Slider. My opinion is they should fix it for free, only 4 months. But, isn't it a bit over 4 months when Minelab came out with the upgraded waterproofing? But then dealer stock could be prior to the upgrade.

 

[slider66]

It's the new version


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[jyt2017]

I have had it about 4 months. Great machine. I asked today for an RMA


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I hope they give you a brand new one. -Joe.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

It's the new version

Oh crap. Bad juju bwana! I'm glad I love my Excal!

Given it is the new version, you should get a new one cross shipping, no questions debated.

 

[gamiller]

Something that expensive should function without all the babying . You are to commended for explaining the problem and not coming unglued. I would be livid.

 

[can]

Sorry to hear about the 3030. Hope you can get it worked out satisfactory. I just got one too. Hope I dont get the same message.

 

[can]

Something that expensive should function without all the babying . You are to commended for explaining the problem and not coming unglued. I would be livid.

Exactly....

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Why didn't they give you an RMA and have it sent in for repair? Its a lot of money, so I know. Maybe contact the vendor again and demand an RMA. Or, how long ago did you get it. Depending where you bought it you could return it.

The instruction you were given is questionable. I am surprised minelab hasn't had more legal issues. Great machine, but the waterproofing on it...ahhh is dicey to say the least. -Joe

just a side note no matter how popular or known a spot is, id never discuss it one the public forum online. thats just my opinion. place is nice looking though.

The instruction given wasn't questionable, he could have sent his detector in if he wanted, it was his choice not to.

I use pure silicone caulking on my USB port cap as well for added protection since I don't do way points and fine points there is no need to use port till next update.. You can also fill the port with electrical grease......

Neither vendor nor repair center opens the RMA, Minelab in Chicago does...




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DT2016

 

[penzfan]

I'd post the issue on Minelabs Facebook page too Garry. GL my friend...

 

[penzfan]

TH, please. This is not a customer choice issue, it's a design issue that should not require silicone, caulking, grease, tape, etc to remedy a design issue with a $2500 machine...

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

TH, please. This is not a customer choice issue, it's a design issue that should not require silicone, caulking, grease, tape, etc to remedy a design issue with a $2500 machine...

Penz, it was his choice to send in the detector, it is always the customers choice to send in their detector to a repair center to be checked out. What I suggested is additional steps owners can take to keep usb port from leaking...... To date mine hasn't leaked..




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DT2016

 

[kcm]

For a machine that expensive and a problem so seemingly widespread as this, it would seem Minelab would simply do a recall of all their machines, minus the shaft. Then fix each machine under scrutiny and return. Same holds true for unsold stock at any vendor.

$2,500 is a lot of money! And for that kind of money, I'd be fuming if I couldn't "trust" my machine to work!! It's a trust issue for me. Granted, metal detectors aren't a life-saving or a potentially dangerous product, but when it's your ONLY product, a company like Minelab should really get off their butts and get the problem fixed, pronto!! ...A year?? And they're still settling for people to fix the units themselves?? I used to have a neighbor who had a Masters degree. His wife was finishing her Doctorate. Both were college professors. Yet neither one of them could figure out how to take the blade off of a lawn mower. It's not about whether people are smart enough to do something - it has EVERYTHING to do with where their knowledge/skills lie as well as what they're individually capable of doing. For some, this really would be comparative to brain surgery.

...Think I'll stick with Tesoro.


EDIT: Not to mention this recently posted notice:
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/beach-shallow-water/514928-ctx3030-battery-warning.html

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

For a machine that expensive and a problem so seemingly widespread as this, it would seem Minelab would simply do a recall of all their machines, minus the shaft. Then fix each machine under scrutiny and return. Same holds true for unsold stock at any vendor.

$2,500 is a lot of money! And for that kind of money, I'd be fuming if I couldn't "trust" my machine to work!! It's a trust issue for me. Granted, metal detectors aren't a life-saving or a potentially dangerous product, but when it's your ONLY product, a company like Minelab should really get off their butts and get the problem fixed, pronto!! ...A year?? And they're still settling for people to fix the units themselves?? I used to have a neighbor who had a Masters degree. His wife was finishing her Doctorate. Both were college professors. Yet neither one of them could figure out how to take the blade off of a lawn mower. It's not about whether people are smart enough to do something - it has EVERYTHING to do with where their knowledge/skills lie as well as what they're individually capable of doing. For some, this really would be comparative to brain surgery.

...Think I'll stick with Tesoro.


EDIT: Not to mention this recently posted notice:
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/beach-shallow-water/514928-ctx3030-battery-warning.html

KCM, again it is ALWAYS the customer's choice to send the detector in to be checked out/repaired.

If you have a detector that leaks salt water into a place you have access to like battery compartment or USB port like on 3030 you should ALWAYS rinse it with fresh water, spray it with a contact cleaner and then a anticorrosive electrical spray even if your going to send it in for repair.

By the way people can get a 3030 for less than than $2500, that is full retail price not sale price just like new cars....




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DT2016

 

[scaupus]

There is more that has to be done for you to fix this. If you send it in for repair, they will fix it, but it is very likely to happen again.

This is the procedure. First, spray with contact cleaner (I recommend you do not use WD-40 or such only contact cleaner), then clean the port of any corrosion...I use 000 steel wool...then connect the machine to your windows pc. The PC will recognize your machine. Then use the "remove device safely" icon in the tray on the right side of the toolbar to disconnect your device, in this case, your ctx. This will cause the ctx computer to release the usb and you will be good-to-go. Anyway, worked for me.

Sealing the cap with silicon is not enough to waterproof the usb in my experience. The following is what I did and it's been dry for months now and I take my ctx underwater for, I'd say, at least 20 hours a month.

Find an o-ring that is used for a scuba first stage regulator. Place it on the flat rubber disk inside the usb cap. Screw it on. If you overtighten, the thread will slip, don't worry you haven't damaged anything. Just tighten until you think it's going to slip again and stop. Now seal the space between the cap and the back of the display with silicon. The primary reason for the silicon seal, is to keep the cap from loosening. Although the silicon helps keep out most of the ocean from the port, it's not enough...the o-ring is the device that makes the seal 100% , which is what you need to avoid the USB Connected problem.

Good luck.

 

[kcm]

Still, that's a lot of money for a high-end product with such critical issues. Granted, I'm very much behind the technological times, and hope to keep it that way. Just that I remember a day when quality reigned supreme, and companies stood behind their products and their warranties. It's sad to see that disappearing.

As for the choice for a "fix" to be done by "manufacturer" or "user", what if you actually did need to send in your machine some time for service, then they charge you more or refuse to honor warranty because they claim you didn't follow their instructions? Not trying to get in an argument here - just that, how can a company honor a warranty on a product when they have unknown people and materials going into the detector? Seems like a dangerous move, IMO.

Just checked Amazon, eBay and KellyCo. For each site, prices seem to be running about $2,500 or so. KellyCo throws in bonus items, some on eBay are less but you pay shipping, and some are out there for just a tad less. Maybe there are end-of-year closeouts or something??



Had written a bit more, but withdrew it. Not wanting to get into any heated debates. Just simply stating my position, that this seems a very impractical move to make for a high-end machine.