The importance of cleaniing the coil cover

[DeepseekerADS]

Yesterday was my 9th water hunt. Over the last few hunts my Excal was giving me fits beyond the fading battery charge....

I'd read many times to take the cover off and clean it and the coil due to accumulation of sand AND black sand as well.

My cover was cable tied tight, so there's no way junk could creep inside it, right?

As Indian Steve and I were taking our detectors out of the van, he and I were talking about my issues. So, I decided to pull off the cover, had to carefully cut the cable ties off - and VOILA! Loaded with sand and black sand - and I thought it was too tight for that and I was wrong. I put that baby in the water with clear clean sounds for a change, no repeated falsing. I had a good and solid hunt.

I won't be hunting again without having removed and cleaned the coil cover each hunt.

Meanwhile, Steve had a pretty tough hunt, scooped 32 bobby pins, and had very erratic performance.

Steve e-mailed me last night and said he'd removed his coil cover and his too was loaded with black sand.

Moral of the story, whether land or sea, remove that coil cover periodically and clean it out. That is a maintenance issue many of us tend to ignore.

I'm now a believer - I have seen the light and I'm no longer hard headed (about that anyway!)

 

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[austin]

Wish this could have been posted about 30 years ago...

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Wish this cpuld have been posted about 30 years ago...

Yep! I've never pulled the coil cover off my Fisher 1260X either in now 33 years! So, it and the CTX will get some attention today

 

[jeff of pa]

yep ! not even Glue can be trusted to keep it all out.
if any bit of moisture has the chance of squeezing in, that moisture has the ability to carry
something with it. & after time , even microscopic black sand can
stick to and/or build up
enough to cause issues.

 

[mham2]

I sealed my coil cover at the edge between the cover and the coil six years ago and have not had to touch it since.marine appoxy locktite Home Depot

 

[Deft Tones]

Throw the cover away, tape off the cable and ears, spray coil with white flex seal - problem solved and better visability. That's what I did with the AT. 3 light coats and 3 years later it's still holding up great.

 

[OBN]

Very good advice

And Washing down, lubing the cables, and under the knobs with silicon spray.

As the rubber tear drop washers wear down on the lower shaft do not over tighten the coil bolt,

this puts stress on the underside of the coil and pulls the main body away from filling...

I Never use a coil cover until the coil looks like it's on it's last leg...

 

[RVRoamer74]

Yesterday was my 9th water hunt. Over the last few hunts my Excal was giving me fits beyond the fading battery charge....

I'd read many times to take the cover off and clean it and the coil due to accumulation of sand AND black sand as well.

My cover was cable tied tight, so there's no way junk could creep inside it, right?

As Indian Steve and I were taking our detectors out of the van, he and I were talking about my issues. So, I decided to pull off the cover, had to carefully cut the cable ties off - and VOILA! Loaded with sand and black sand - and I thought it was too tight for that and I was wrong. I put that baby in the water with clear clean sounds for a change, no repeated falsing. I had a good and solid hunt.

I won't be hunting again without having removed and cleaned the coil cover each hunt.

Meanwhile, Steve had a pretty tough hunt, scooped 32 bobby pins, and had very erratic performance.

Steve e-mailed me last night and said he'd removed his coil cover and his too was loaded with black sand.

Moral of the story, whether land or sea, remove that coil cover periodically and clean it out. That is a maintenance issue many of us tend to ignore.

I'm now a believer - I have seen the light and I'm no longer hard headed (about that anyway!)

This is one thing I have been doing after EVERY trip. On the xcal2 it is very very easy to come off. CTX 3030 not quite as easy as xcal2 but easy enough..
Learnt this from a guy in HHI and have done it every trip,,,just seconds to do.....
You know I wonder sometimes if there is a bobby pin salter out there?

Great advice DeepseekerADS !!!!!!

 

[RVRoamer74]

Very good advice

And Washing down, lubing the cables, and under the knobs with silicon spray.

As the rubber tear drop washers wear down on the lower shaft do not over tighten the coil bolt,

this puts stress on the underside of the coil and pulls the main body away from filling...

I Never use a coil cover until the coil looks like it's on it's last leg...

I have always wondered if anyone thought of NOT using the skid plate....better signal strength maybe? I have always been a bit chicken
to try this method, thinking I might ruin my main coil, especially if skipping off the sand a bit... Thanks!!!

 

[DeepseekerADS]

I ran it yesterday without the skid plate. I still haven't re-installed it. Maybe on these mountain lake sandy waters I'll go without it, though I am concerned about wear from hitting rocks and the like.

That's caution = after all, replacing the coil is not just swapping it out - it's surgery.

 

[bluediamounds 55]

I don't use a coil cover mine came off in the water one day that's been about four years ago no problems yet

 

[fongu]

I learned this the hard way when my coil went crazy and made all kinds of noise. We get into such a hurry to detect especially if we have just a limited time to pursue our hobby, we take short cuts and it cuts down on our finds.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

I learned this the hard way when my coil went crazy and made all kinds of noise. We get into such a hurry to detect especially if we have just a limited time to pursue our hobby, we take short cuts and it cuts down on our finds.

You're right, that pretty well sums it up. I've personally got to get better in this respect. Where I dream of getting out here and there, I could easily be doing the maintenance which really is necessary while my brain is dreaming. To sum that up = I've got to stop being lazy!

 

[mnruxpin]

Wish this could have been posted about 30 years ago...

LOL! yep

 

[Digzit2]

Im going to clean mine befor next use.

 

[Sleepy]

From what I've read the Excal's coil cover must come off easily. I recently made a post about looking for alternatives instead of using a coil cover due to the difficulty of getting the cover off. I have a CZ 21 and recently got another one and didn't want to affect the warranty by putting epoxy or anything on coil so I put a coil cover on it anyway. But i eventually wore a hole through the coil cover on my old CZ 21 and it took me several hours to get the coil cover off and it came off in little pieces. I wish I could remove my cover because you're right. That coil cover was on so tight I would not have thought an ameba could squeeze between the coil and coil cover but it had a good bit of sand in it.

 

[bottlebum]

I use one or more velcro ties to keep the cover on. They allow for easy cover removal, and cleaning.

 

[Top]

I sealed my coil cover at the edge between the cover and the coil six years ago and have not had to touch it since.marine appoxy locktite Home Depot

I just did the same to mine (CZ-21). It isn't pretty but it is very functional.

 

[RVRoamer74]

I sealed my coil cover at the edge between the cover and the coil six years ago and have not had to touch it since.marine appoxy locktite Home Depot

Great idea,,,,but,,,,,what IF there is a tiny entry point that is so small that would not be seen by the eye. This would mean you may be detecting with a build-up of black sand
or what ever under the cover and not even know about it unless you could actually take it off and clean it, THEN, know for a FACT you do not have a problem. JMHO

HH

Dennis

 

[updownup]

From what I've read the Excal's coil cover must come off easily. I recently made a post about looking for alternatives instead of using a coil cover due to the difficulty of getting the cover off. I have a CZ 21 and recently got another one and didn't want to affect the warranty by putting epoxy or anything on coil so I put a coil cover on it anyway. But i eventually wore a hole through the coil cover on my old CZ 21 and it took me several hours to get the coil cover off and it came off in little pieces. I wish I could remove my cover because you're right. That coil cover was on so tight I would not have thought an ameba could squeeze between the coil and coil cover but it had a good bit of sand in it.

Have you tried placing that 1/2"w x 4"l flat cloth in multiple places on the coil, then tie it, with knot on top. Slip coil cover on. You know, like they use on battery compartments. Helps pop the batteries out. I haven't tried it I suspect it would work. The cloth is thin so I don't see that being a problem. Just need it to be long enough to grab both ends and pull on each section removing the coil equally. Just a thought.