saanich2018
Sr. Member
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2018
- Messages
- 291
- Reaction score
- 595
- Golden Thread
- 0
- Location
- Atlanta, GA
- Detector(s) used
- Equinox 800
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
- #1
Thread Owner
If you go back and read my post, “Still Confused” and “Still Confused Part II”, I have been saying there was something wrong with Nox 800 ever since I got it. I have only had it since January, but it has progressively gotten worse.
I've been saying that it locks ups and will just scream and I have to do a FP to fix it. When I change to pinpoint mode, it may or may not work and it would also lock up. In March I sent my unit back to Minelab, but they said they could not find anything wrong with it and returned it. They also said to go ahead and use it, and if it acts up, to video it.
In mid-April I took my unit to the beach for a week. During this period, it kept getting worse and worse, the more I used it. In the letter I sent Minelab I stated there are several major issues with the unit:
(For reference: the Noise Cancel was usually between 2 and -4, and most of the time 0. The ground balance was 0. Sensitivity 20, and I adjusted this up and down and it made no difference. Beach mode 1 and 2)
1) Several times, the unit just turned off and I could not turn it back on. I finally tried disconnecting the coil and I was able to restart the unit. The last time it happen I did not think it was going to turn back on. The unit made a very loud electronic crackling noise in my headphones and then just turn off. It sounded like it had “fried’ itself.
2) I would be walking along with the unit and realize that it was not doing anything - it was on, but not detecting anything. I would lay my metal sand scoop down on the ground (and quarters), and it would not detect anything. I would have to do a FP and then, it would start working again. This happen several times.
3) The videos showed that in the pinpoint mode the unit will just freeze up and produce a steady, high pitched squeal. I could not turn the pinpointer off with the pinpoint button, I would have to use the detect mode. Other times I would turn the pinpoint on and it would not detect anything. However, if I turned it off and back on (sometimes several times) then it would start working. Other times in the detector mode it would freeze up and just make a loud squeal noise.
4) Other times I would be in the detect mode and realize that the unit had changed to the pinpoint mode. I am positive I did not cause this to happen - as one time I was watching the unit and saw it swap modes on its own.
5) I would be in the detect mode and suddenly everywhere I moved the coil it indicated there was something there, with the sound chatter and the numbers jumping from 0 to the mid 30's. I would have to do a FP and then it would start working again correctly, in the exact same area.
I was able to record 24 videos on my phone for Minelab.
Last week I sent my unit back to Minelab with the videos. John at Minelab called me this morning and confirmed I am NOT crazy. After watching the videos, they went out behind their building and my unit did just as I said it was doing and as the videos showed. Vindication!!
John at Minelab was very nice and said they are sending me a new electronic pod head. As for the coil, he said when they hooked my coil up to the new pod it seemed to work fine and then, they connected my coil up to another unit and it worked fine.
So, I am NOT crazy!!!
Now, on the flip side, I want to show everyone that even with a bad, malfunctioning unit, when it was working, it worked well. The attached image shows what I found over a six-day period, spending about an hour each evening on the beach. In summary, $12.76 in coins, a key, a gold charm, one silver ear ring, sunglasses, toy cars, a nail file, tent stakes, and the big bronze tube is a cigar holder (on line it sells for $22). Plus, not shown in the image, but I found the needle in the hay stack, or rather the needle in the sand pile. I actually found a sewing needle in the sand on the beach! There were also lots of bottle caps, beer cans, pulls tabs, etc., which I just threw away.
I am going back to the beach in a week, so hopefully the new unit will be here and will work correctly.
Just wanted to give everyone an update. I will let you know how it works after my next trip.
Again, Minelab and John have been very nice about solving this problem. I can't wait to see what I can find with a unit that works correctly!
I've been saying that it locks ups and will just scream and I have to do a FP to fix it. When I change to pinpoint mode, it may or may not work and it would also lock up. In March I sent my unit back to Minelab, but they said they could not find anything wrong with it and returned it. They also said to go ahead and use it, and if it acts up, to video it.
In mid-April I took my unit to the beach for a week. During this period, it kept getting worse and worse, the more I used it. In the letter I sent Minelab I stated there are several major issues with the unit:
(For reference: the Noise Cancel was usually between 2 and -4, and most of the time 0. The ground balance was 0. Sensitivity 20, and I adjusted this up and down and it made no difference. Beach mode 1 and 2)
1) Several times, the unit just turned off and I could not turn it back on. I finally tried disconnecting the coil and I was able to restart the unit. The last time it happen I did not think it was going to turn back on. The unit made a very loud electronic crackling noise in my headphones and then just turn off. It sounded like it had “fried’ itself.
2) I would be walking along with the unit and realize that it was not doing anything - it was on, but not detecting anything. I would lay my metal sand scoop down on the ground (and quarters), and it would not detect anything. I would have to do a FP and then, it would start working again. This happen several times.
3) The videos showed that in the pinpoint mode the unit will just freeze up and produce a steady, high pitched squeal. I could not turn the pinpointer off with the pinpoint button, I would have to use the detect mode. Other times I would turn the pinpoint on and it would not detect anything. However, if I turned it off and back on (sometimes several times) then it would start working. Other times in the detector mode it would freeze up and just make a loud squeal noise.
4) Other times I would be in the detect mode and realize that the unit had changed to the pinpoint mode. I am positive I did not cause this to happen - as one time I was watching the unit and saw it swap modes on its own.
5) I would be in the detect mode and suddenly everywhere I moved the coil it indicated there was something there, with the sound chatter and the numbers jumping from 0 to the mid 30's. I would have to do a FP and then it would start working again correctly, in the exact same area.
I was able to record 24 videos on my phone for Minelab.
Last week I sent my unit back to Minelab with the videos. John at Minelab called me this morning and confirmed I am NOT crazy. After watching the videos, they went out behind their building and my unit did just as I said it was doing and as the videos showed. Vindication!!
John at Minelab was very nice and said they are sending me a new electronic pod head. As for the coil, he said when they hooked my coil up to the new pod it seemed to work fine and then, they connected my coil up to another unit and it worked fine.
So, I am NOT crazy!!!
Now, on the flip side, I want to show everyone that even with a bad, malfunctioning unit, when it was working, it worked well. The attached image shows what I found over a six-day period, spending about an hour each evening on the beach. In summary, $12.76 in coins, a key, a gold charm, one silver ear ring, sunglasses, toy cars, a nail file, tent stakes, and the big bronze tube is a cigar holder (on line it sells for $22). Plus, not shown in the image, but I found the needle in the hay stack, or rather the needle in the sand pile. I actually found a sewing needle in the sand on the beach! There were also lots of bottle caps, beer cans, pulls tabs, etc., which I just threw away.
I am going back to the beach in a week, so hopefully the new unit will be here and will work correctly.
Just wanted to give everyone an update. I will let you know how it works after my next trip.
Again, Minelab and John have been very nice about solving this problem. I can't wait to see what I can find with a unit that works correctly!
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Glad to hear that your issue has been taken care of and also glad to hear a positive experience with Minelab. Their CS hasn't always had a good reputation.
