Problem with Equinox 800 - High Speed Chatter

[saanich2018]

The following is the email I sent to Minelab last week:

I have a Minelab Equinox 800 detector. I know my Equinox is out of warranty, but you have worked on it several times.

I am currently in Florida at the beach with my detector. I have used it here on the beach many times.

On Monday and Tuesday of this week it has worked as normal. However, last night, on the same beach in dry sand (I have never had the head in the water), after about thirty minutes the unit started making loud chatter noises and the numbers are jumping all over the place.

I did a FP on the unit and it did not make any difference. I have charged it, cleaned it and checked all the connections.

Since I am using it in the exact same area as previous days, I know there is no EMI or cell phone interference.

Even when I change to any of the other settings, such as Park, it makes no difference and I am stilling get the loud chatter. I also have tried running the Noise Cancellation on maximum and it makes no difference, as I still get a loud chatter.

I would appreciate someone getting back to me immediately, as I would like to use my detector while I here on the beach, but in the current state it is totally unusable.

FYI - It even makes the same loud chatter if the detector is pointed straight up in the air. I have also tried it on two other beaches which I have been on in the past with no issues.
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The following is the email back from Minelab:

• Hi Robert,
  
  Thank you for contacting Minelab Customer Care. I am sorry to hear you are having issues with your EQX 800. I just left you a voicemail but will also share the same info here. Below are some of the troubleshooting steps we recommend when a detector is making erratic noises.
  
  1. Move away from local sources of Electromagnetic Interference (EMI).
  2. Perform an Automatic Noise Cancel.
  3. Perform Ground Balance.
  4. Reduce the Sensitivity level.
  5. Try Factory Reset -

• Turn the detector off.
• Press and hold the Power button for approximately 8 seconds. The start-up animation will display.
• 'FP' will then appear on the Target ID Display, indicating that Factory Presets are restored.
• Release the Power button. There will be a rising confirmation tone.

-----------------
As I explained to Minelab, I had already tried everything they suggested

I then sent the following email this morning:

I have been using my Equinox 800 on the beach (dry sand, Beach 1). As described previously, for some reason my detector will just go into a high speed chatter mode for no reason.

It did this when the unit was new and Minelab worked on it several times.

However, last week, after using my 800 for about an hour, it suddenly went into a high speed chatter mode. The numbers jumped all over the spectrum - even if I held the detector straight up over my head.

I was still on the exact same area of the beach I had been searching for the previous hour. I did a FP reset, tried the noise cancellation, sensitivity settings, etc. It made no difference.

Finally, I gave up and quit. Even though the battery indicator showed it still had a full charge, I charged the battery. The next day when I went out to the same beach, the detector worked fine. However, the following day, it started the high speed chatter from the very start and was unusable.

Therefore, I decided to try charging the battery again, which only took about twenty minutes.

Last night, I went to another beach and the detector worked fine, for about an hour. Then suddenly, it started the chatter again. I was still on the same beach, in the exact same area.

I turned the detector off and let it sit for about twenty minutes. When I restarted it, the chatter was better, but gradually got worse over time. I did another FP and it seem to help for a few minutes, but eventually the chatter was so bad I had to quit.

As I stated, if you look at my file history, this is almost exactly what it did when it was new.

Is it the coil or the detector head? Do I send you back both parts? What cost am I looking at to get it repaired? Have you seen this before?

I have a video I took of it for you. Is it possible to send it to you?
The following is the response from Minelab this afternoon. It seems they just want to replace everything:

We found the serial number. Based on that number the warranty on the detector ended in April, 2022.

Non warranty replacements for Equinox 800 control pods are $349 (includes return shipping)

Non warranty replacements for 11" Equinox coils are $229 plus return shipping.

As I said in the previous email, replacements on control pods are likely to have a delayed turnaround since we are currently waiting on those parts
------------------------

Have any of you run into this issue of the high speed chatter? It seems that when the chatter starts, if I connect the unit so it charges the battery, it stops the chatter – for a while?

Suggestions?

Thanks

 

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[DIG5050]

I don’t have a ‘Nox, but I believe there are active components in the coil. Do you have an alternate coil (or a friend’s coil) that you can try with your control pod? It might help you isolate the problem’s source.

Then you can decide what step to take next.

 

[saanich2018]

I am still at the beach. I hope to find someone when I get home and do just what you suggest. However, I still wonder why would charging the battery seem to make the problem go away for a while?

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Was it at 2 different beaches or the same beach. What beach were you at? Just FYI, if near a coast guard station the EMI can come and go cause by ship to shore transmissions, also some hotels have broadcast and Microwave antennas on roof that can cause problems.

Do you have a different coil or someone who has a Nox? Try a different coil, if the problem disappears the coil is bad, if you still have bad interference most likely control pod.

 

[saanich2018]

Was it at 2 different beaches or the same beach. What beach were you at? Just FYI, if near a coast guard station the EMI can come and go cause by ship to shore transmissions, also some hotels have broadcast and Microwave antennas on roof that can cause problems.

Do you have a different coil or someone who has a Nox? Try a different coil, if the problem disappears the coil is bad, if you still have bad interference most likely control pod.

The exact same beach. Sea Side Florida. I have a condo here and use my detector all the time here with no issues. No Coast Guard or harbor nearby. It is just so strange that after I use the detector for a while it starts happening.

Off hand, I do not know anyone with a Nox, but I am sure there has to be someone in Atlanta that has one who will be willing to help me. Hopefully

 

[robertk]

It is just so strange that after I use the detector for a while it starts happening.

Maybe a bad solder joint somewhere? It would be fine when the joint is cold, but after using it a while the joint would heat up from the current passing through it and a small gap could develop that would make the connection erratic. I've seen that issue on other electronics, but don't know enough about the Equinox construction to know if that's even a possibility. Failing connectors (cables, etc) can also act like that. Again, no idea if that's the actual issue with your machine, I'm just suggesting possibilities.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

The exact same beach. Sea Side Florida. I have a condo here and use my detector all the time here with no issues. No Coast Guard or harbor nearby. It is just so strange that after I use the detector for a while it starts happening.

Off hand, I do not know anyone with a Nox, but I am sure there has to be someone in Atlanta that has one who will be willing to help me. Hopefully

What about your cell phone, is it on you, they can also cause EMI...


Best way to isolate is to try different coil and see if it repeats. There was a member selling used nox coil, might check our classifieds.

 

[saanich2018]

What about your cell phone, is it on you, they can also cause EMI...


Best way to isolate is to try different coil and see if it repeats. There was a member selling used nox coil, might check our classifieds.

Thought about my cell phone and tired it both on and off and it made no difference - still get the chatter.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Thought about my cell phone and tired it both on and off and it made no difference - still get the chatter.

K just checking. When you say off, you mean powered down?

 

[saanich2018]

K just checking. When you say off, you mean powered down?

Powered down in airplane mode. The reason I thought it might had also been my cell phone, is I just got a new iPhone 14 two weeks ago and it was the first time I have been out with my detector and the new phone. However, one day I left the phone in my condo to see if it was the problem - and it wasn't. The times the detector did work okay, I had my cell phone with me and it was turned on.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Powered down in airplane mode. The reason I thought it might had also been my cell phone, is I just got a new iPhone 14 two weeks ago and it was the first time I have been out with my detector and the new phone. However, one day I left the phone in my condo to see if it was the problem - and it wasn't. The times the detector did work okay, I had my cell phone with me and it was turned on.

Okay just trying to eliminate the easy fixes... I would look for another coil to test it with.

 

[saanich2018]

Okay just trying to eliminate the easy fixes... I would look for another coil to test it with.

Just curious. Why do you suspect the coil? It was interesting in that when it started chattering, I would quit for the day and put the unit on charge. Then, the next day it would work for an hour or two. So if it was the coil, would charging it make any difference or affect the coil? I am wondering if, as someone here has mentioned, is there an electronic issue in the head which when it gets hot it shorts out? I do think trying another coil is a good idea, but would the coil really cause this?

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Just curious. Why do you suspect the coil? It was interesting in that when it started chattering, I would quit for the day and put the unit on charge. Then, the next day it would work for an hour or two. So if it was the coil, would charging it make any difference or affect the coil? I am wondering if, as someone here has mentioned, is there an electronic issue in the head which when it gets hot it shorts out? I do think trying another coil is a good idea, but would the coil really cause this?

Yes it could if there is a crack in the coil or the coil is going bad, there is a circuit board in the coil, that is covered in resin just like the windings. Yes it could also be the controls, by testing the coil you will know if you need to shIp the coil in or just the controls, and if it is the coil then you save even sending it in.

 

[saanich2018]

Yes it could if there is a crack in the coil or the coil is going bad, there is a circuit board in the coil, that is covered in resin just like the windings. Yes it could also be the controls, by testing the coil you will know if you need to shIp the coil in or just the controls, and if it is the coil then you save even sending it in.

You have been very helpful and I appreciate it. So may I ask another question. The emails from Minelab indicate there if a backlog and they do not have coils or the control module in stock. Do you know if they repair these modules or just replace them? Are they able to work on them? Since the circuit board in the coil is encased, I guessing there is no way to work on those. Thank you.

 

[saanich2018]

Yes it could if there is a crack in the coil or the coil is going bad, there is a circuit board in the coil, that is covered in resin just like the windings. Yes it could also be the controls, by testing the coil you will know if you need to shIp the coil in or just the controls, and if it is the coil then you save even sending it in.

You mentioned above about there being a classified section on this site. I have never seen it and cannot find it. Do you have a link for it or can tell me how to find it? Thank you

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

You mentioned above about there being a classified section on this site. I have never seen it and cannot find it. Do you have a link for it or can tell me how to find it? Thank you

It's found just below the supporting vendors section on main forum page.

Marketplace

www.treasurenet.com

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

You have been very helpful and I appreciate it. So may I ask another question. The emails from Minelab indicate there if a backlog and they do not have coils or the control module in stock. Do you know if they repair these modules or just replace them? Are they able to work on them? Since the circuit board in the coil is encased, I guessing there is no way to work on those. Thank you.

If the control pod is bad on Nox series normally they replace it, at least they did when I worked in repair center for Minelab.

 

[saanich2018]

If the control pod is bad on Nox series normally they replace it, at least they did when I worked in repair center for Minelab.

Mike at Minelab just called me. He agreed, to save cost, I should try to use my module with another coil. I just posted another Thread asking if anyone in the Atlanta area will help me. Mike said there is a back log on modules. They expecting them soon. However, a module will be about $350. He did not say anything about replacing it free. I wish they would, as I had this same issue when the unit was new. I have videos showing it and a new video from last week showing the exact same thing happening. Mike at Minelab was very nice and helpful.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Mike at Minelab just called me. He agreed, to save cost, I should try to use my module with another coil. I just posted another Thread asking if anyone in the Atlanta area will help me. Mike said there is a back log on modules. They expecting them soon. However, a module will be about $350. He did not say anything about replacing it free. I wish they would, as I had this same issue when the unit was new. I have videos showing it and a new video from last week showing the exact same thing happening. Mike at Minelab was very nice and helpful.

When you had the problem before did you send it in or report it so there was a record of the problem?

 

[DizzyDigger]

I don't believe you have an EMI issue from any external source, however it is remotely possible that there is an intermittent EMI source radiating from the control housing and the coil is picking it up.

If that were the case, there would be a measurable signal emanating from the control housing. In order to test for this, a wide-band probe (it's a multi-frequency detector) and a spectrum analyzer or EMI receiver would be required.

Before going to that amount of effort and expense, I would disconnect the coil from the control housing and carefully check if any of the pins show corrosion. If there is none, then I would proceed with trying an alternative coil.

Also, while this next suggestion might sound a bit odd, it's worth a try.

Cut a piece of aluminum foil about twice the size of the control housing, including an extra inch or so on each side.

Fold it in half, and wrap/form the foil around the control housing top, sides, bottom and back. Use black electrical tape and wrap all metal parts of the coil connector on the back, and then form the foil around the cable/connector. Do not allow the foil to have direct contact with bare metal on the coil connector in back.

Charge it up and take it out in the field for a day and see how it performs. Let me know if there are any changes to the chattering, or if it shows up at all.