Make a real waterproof CTX 3030 - scuba diving experience!

[frogmaster-riviera]

You've bought a fantastic Waterproof CTX 3030 for beach and Shallow hunting, but after a few hunts you have experienced battery leaking or USB leaks....

I've tried to escape from sending my CTX 3030 to Minelab repair center and love to use my CTX with a bit of water around



With this mod, Don't forget to turn "Seawater ON"....

My bulletproof CTX3030 ready for scuba diving: no battery leak, hassle free solution

Rainy weather in feb with CTX 3030 on the Med sea

CTX3030 is ready to dive along with the scuba tanks, waiting on the boat

Don't come back to your old Excalibur to hunt your favorit spots and most important,
STOP using your CTX for your home needs beacuse you're now scared of shallow / underwater hunting





For those who care about having a bulletproof waterproof CTX and forget about battery leak and USB cap:

Last scuba dive depth gauge track with CTX 3030: -12m (-40ft.)


1/ Seal the USB Cap: + o'ring

Remove the cap protection to gain a few extra screw turns before the "removable" sealing process
ONLY IF YOUR THREAD IS DEAD, otherwise leave it, you will place an additional o'ring



approx 20x2.5mm - 19,5x2.5mm is better


Seal with Loctite 5331, it's removable so you can use your USB port again, just have to clean and re-seal



2/ Get rid of the stock red gasket, throw it to the garbage and replace it by a "real o'ring"


NBR70, 79<80mm inner size, 2,5mm gauge


Better to use 79x2.5 or 79x2.65 ring then the 80*2.65 which is ok for shallow, but a little to wide for me.

USB cap: 20X2.90 WORKS FINE, but you can have 19.5x2.65 or 19.5x2.65 will be better, especially id you don't use the in cap ring anymore









Put some thin sillicon grease (like the one use for Excalibur Gaskets). As the 2,5mm gasket is much harder, it makes the battery pack lock harder as well, so no need to use security belt anymore.
No need to retreive the gasket anymore, just clean it in place with a air compressor if you have one when you need to charge the batteries and put some new sillicon grease and that's it!
Re-discover and enjoy your CTX 3030 for water gaming


Need to go deeper? Minelab Excalibur can be the solution
Watch in 4K or HD if you can!!!



https://youtu.be/pOQPU41pTlI

I've uses a copyright music, so can't see from Germany and from certain devices, computer =OK

 

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[testing123]

Interesting. Will have to try it. Thanks for the info!

 

[RustyGold]

Excellent! Thank you!

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

i have to make a youtube video on it, how to properly service the CTX and how to make it hassle free.

Trust me it works fine, just keep in mind that I have bought a certain amount of O rings 2 years ago and I haven't note the exact size because I've tested them in the shop on my detecor! The inner size was correctly reported by users on forum based on my post.

 

[OBN]

Wow you are the French Mod king!! Nice work on that 3030, some Great ideas put to the test!! And Glad to see you over here on T Net, I hardly get to the other side to often.

 

[Beach Papa]

Are you kidding?? Everything else on the CTX is waterproof to a greater depth except these two things. Seems like Minelab would have published this information or actually spent a few extra cents and made the detector more waterproof if it is this simple. I have had my CTX leak twice so far, what a pain. Now I basically don't take it deeper than waist deep and am careful where I direct the hose when I am rinsing it off with fresh water. Thanks for the info. I will look into making the mods. I appreciate your research. Blessings and Happy Hunting. Beach Papa

 

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

While this may be a great idea I would not do this to a CTX that is under factory warranty.


Looks like a great setup! I like it!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Frogmaster please do not attack members or sponsors..

Minelab will not honor warranty if detector is modified. If all signs of mod are removed before detector is sent in then Minelab will honor warranty ...

Posted From My $50 Tablet....

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

Frogmaster please do not attack members or sponsors..

Minelab will not honor warranty if detector is modified. If all signs of mod are removed before detector is sent in then Minelab will honor warranty ...

Posted From My $50 Tablet....

"I offer a complete and utter retraction. The imputation was totally without basis in fact, and was in no way fair comment, and was motivated purely by malice, and I deeply regret any distress that my comments may have caused to this member, or sponsor, and I hereby undertake not to repeat any such slander at any time in the future."

 

[GreenMeanie]

How did you go about doing a pressure test on it to see how many feet it goes under water?

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

How did you go about doing a pressure test on it to see how many feet it goes under water?

Just made a live test, dive with it

 

[Higgy]

Frogmaster, do you have a thread or video that outlines what you have done with your Excal? I would love to see what you have done with yours.

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

Hi Higgy,

I'm actually bulding a new one from an old new basis.

- Remote Pinponter with latching switch (lighted) on the handle of the Anderson shaft
- Replacement of all endcaps by OBN's custom made ones to put some connectors used for :
* Plug for Coil exchange (4 wires) - 3 coils, the Sov 8", the stock 10" and the Sov 15" WOT
* Plug for Remote PP conectors (4 wires)
* Plug for headphones and especially BONES EARPHONES, we are finding "the good solution" with OBN
* Plug for battery replacement with 4S lipo + balanced plug (8 connectors) - 2250-2400mAh batts

I'll probably put and extra ON/OFF LED on the excalibur, and maybe some leds for the battery gauge as you never know the remaining power.

I will post some photo/videos of this MOD, but you can already have a look to OBN videos, you will find almost 99% of every possible mods on Excalibur. OBN is simply "Mr. Excalibur" worldwide.

My Excalibur Mod is just a "full MOD" version of what I have always wanted or imagine as an Escalibur user. Keep in mind that only quality matter, pricing is not an issue. The connectors that I use cost as much as the detector by it self. OBN has descent packages solutions I'm sure at an afordable price that will statisfy 99% of Excals users for sure.

 

[mham2]

I really liked your post on water proofing The ctx.I ordered o- rings on line got them today 2mm-79mm and they fit good with nice compression on latch. The part about the two o-rings on the sub port I did not understand what to do . Can you send me a note [email protected] thanks Mike

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

I really liked your post on water proofing The ctx.I ordered o- rings on line got them today 2mm-79mm and they fit good with nice compression on latch. The part about the two o-rings on the sub port I did not understand what to do . Can you send me a note [email protected] thanks Mike

You can even go with 2.65mm, you will have a better compression and won't hurt the lockers.

Concerning the USB ring, I had some reports that they is major flat spot on the thread of certain CTX. Mine have one but seems far more smaller and could be "glued" with the sealent



I've ordered some o ring to make some try, but I think in this case it won't be a good idea to retrieve the stock USB cap gasket if you can (If your thread is still in good condition). An extra O-ring of 20mm - 21mm with a diamter of less then 3mm and more then 2.65 should solve the problem.

Let me check and I'll post a possible soltion as soon as I can.

 

[mham2]

This has been a great post & thread keep up the good work very helpful information. Thanks Mike

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Very interesting modification, I enjoy creative solutions to difficult engineering problems.

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

Ok guys,

I've received my O'rings and here's the last test I did:

I put back the O'ring in the USB CAP for those how has still a good thread on both the CTX and the CAP:



Definitly the good size for the battery cas is 79x2.5 or 79x2.65.

An O'ing of 80x2.65 is ok but a bit to wide.

 

[MrMikeJackie]

I just ordered some o-rings in size 80mm x 2.5mm. Will that work?

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

YES, they will be ok for shallow hunting. If you want to have a better ring size, I can encourage you to take 79x2.5 or 79x2.65.

In any case, 80x2.5 wil be "much much much much x1000" better then the stock ones!