Do search coils go bad?

[stickyfingers427]

Someone has an eclipses 4x6 with the shaft on eBay but it's used so I didn't know what the odds of a search coil going bad is. Thank you

 

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[chowder]

The coils don't go bad, it's not like there's an expiration date. With that said, they can be damaged cause the plastic on the bottom has scratches/holes from rough ground, the cable could have a break or the pins could be broken/bent/loose. I've bought a couple of coils off eBay, but always asked the seller a huge amount of questions, studied the pictures for damage to the coil and looked for a return policy. It's a pain, but if you use PayPal; you can always get eBay involved if the seller rips you off.

 

[Fletch88]

They can go bad but it's very rare. I've bought 15-20 coils used and only have had one that bad. I was able to contact seller and return coil and get my money back.

 

[airscapes]

Yes they go bad, and the 4x6 go bad alot! I am on my 6th one from whites.. 4 were bad from the get go. It is very difficult to make one of these coils and get it correct then to make it stay correct is even harder.
I just opened up a 950 to try and fix something loose and it is better but still not good as new. I would not buy a used coil from ebay, from a forum sponsor, dealer, someone selling on the forums or craigs list where I can test it. There is more in there than just wire.. there are capacitors and adjustable pots and a null wire that is moved around to get the 2 windings in proper phase then glued in place.
Opening/Fixing and Assembling an XLT 950 coil

Once you get a look inside you know why the say NEVER BANG your coil against anything or use your MD as a cane to stand up. The epoxy they use does not adhere well to the foam or the plastic and with age just pops off. When I removed the foam carrier from the shell there was NO damage to the foam or the shell the epoxy just came right off clean as a whistle.

 

[flyadive]

If you have a coil protector on your coil then you must remove it and clean! Better yet throw it away, you don't need it ! Fine particles of dirt get between the coil and protector and your detector will go crazy.

 

[chowder]

If you have a coil protector on your coil then you must remove it and clean! Better yet throw it away, you don't need it ! Fine particles of dirt get between the coil and protector and your detector will go crazy.

I was prospecting in sand. Didn't even occur to me the sand was able to get in between the coil and protector. Took the detector out to do some coin shooting and detector was just going crazy. Took the protector off and sure enough...sand was found. I put a nice bead of silicon around the seam to fill cracks. It will be a pain to take off, but I should not need to anytime soon.

 

[gabbyhayes]

Coils can go bad and they do. They are electronic and though all the components are passive, like anything else they can fail. (Some coils are starting to include active components( Transistors etc.) inside like the Deus and the CTX 3030)
More often though, they drift off frequency from the ideal. Hence they loose sensitivity which usually translates into loss of depth.
When they go out of tune they can also overload more easily because the null is no longer perfect or as close to perfect.

I always use coil protectors and if you are concerned about sand or dirt getting between the coil and the cover all you need is some silicone to seal the cover to the coil.....or just remove the cover occasionally to clean.
Think of a cover as a glove. Just as a glove protects your hand from injury the cover protects the coil from injury. A cover is very cheap insurance! I'd rather spend $5-$10 on a cover that I replace every few years than $200-$300 on a coil.

 

[ivan salis]

i have had 2 coils "go bad" as you say -- both were replaced by the manufactor since it happen fairly early into my ownership of the detector...

 

[flyadive]

I lost more targets from a coil protector due to fine particles of dirt ! It's cheaper to replace the coil rather than miss one good target.
Period

 

[gabbyhayes]

I lost more targets from a coil protector due to fine particles of dirt ! It's cheaper to replace the coil rather than miss one good target.
Period

That statement is absolutely ridiculous. How would you ever know you had lost targets?

 

[flyadive]

That statement is absolutely ridiculous. How would you ever know you had lost targets?

Very simple... Experience!!!!

 

[Snowmaniac153]

How bad are scratches on the bottom of the coil? I have a few light scratches on the bottom of mine.

 

[Keppy]

I have one coil that has chips & small chunks out of it and it still works like new .. It is the coil that comes on garret's ACE detectors...

 

[flyadive]

I know I'm missing targets when my friends walk in my footsteps and pick up awesome finds. The detector would gradually become erratic slowly and unnoticed until you say to yourself " what the heck is wrong with this machine" , you change the batteries and it gets worse, then after removing the protector .. Like brand new! And I did it more than once because someone said to use the stupid cover.
Once I tripped on a large rock and used the coil to stop my fall ! It chipped and all I did was use some ABS cement and it still works like new. It is a whites spectrum XLT.

 

[pistolpete59]

Coils sometimes need recalabrating say after being dropped or a bad knock

 

[airscapes]

Coils go bad, they can look NEW and even BE NEW and be bad. The coils LOOKS simple but in reality it is a bit complicated. I just received a used machine that came with 3 coils, one is completely unusable and sells for $249, it also look immaculate..

 

[Snowmaniac153]

@pistolpete58, how does one recalibrate a coil?? Do at home or is that a send it in type of thing?

 

[airscapes]

Manufacture opens it up and adjust a pot or move a wire that aligns the transmit and receive fields, or more than likely, they just replace it.. Fixing was possible with the old clam shell type coils but with the epoxy molded I don't believe they can be repaired.

Some pics of an XLT 950 coil

 

[G.I.B.]

The coil on my Infinium went bad. It's defaulted into finding nothing but pull tabs and can slaw on the beach.

I don't know how to fix it.