XLT Issues

[63cagedfalcon]

I'm new to detecting & bought a Whites XLT E-Series for $100. I've found a few things but with so may settings I really don't think it's a beginner's set up.

Are there base settings to start with? I'm in Northwest Arkansas, very rocky soil & the rocks seem to be giving me issues.

Paul

 

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[CASPER-2]

i use an XLT on land (Im known for my water hunting)
- XLTs love "hot rocks" - no settings are gonna get you around them
it is a fantastic machine in regular grass and dirt areas

 

[63cagedfalcon]

it is a fantastic machine in regular grass and dirt areas

Not much of that here

 

[IDXMonster]

Falcon....Let’s start by asking-what are you looking for? Most parks and schools are “put together” with SOIL of some kind, it’s not often that an athletic or baseball field would be composed of rocks and uneven items. Even the old fields would’ve been this way....a lot of black dirt, sand and fine gravel for the infields. Exactly WHERE have you been hunting and again, what type of target is on the menu?
To be honest also...an XLT for 100$ may be your issue to begin with, especially if you don’t already know how one is supposed to act. It may be faulty, thus the ridiculously low price. Do you have any hunters around you to compare targets with? If not, put together a basic test garden IMMEDIATELY. You need to determine the viability of the machine before you go any further.

 

[63cagedfalcon]

Falcon....Let’s start by asking-what are you looking for? Most parks and schools are “put together” with SOIL of some kind, it’s not often that an athletic or baseball field would be composed of rocks and uneven items. Even the old fields would’ve been this way....a lot of black dirt, sand and fine gravel for the infields. Exactly WHERE have you been hunting and again, what type of target is on the menu?
To be honest also...an XLT for 100$ may be your issue to begin with, especially if you don’t already know how one is supposed to act. It may be faulty, thus the ridiculously low price. Do you have any hunters around you to compare targets with? If not, put together a basic test garden IMMEDIATELY. You need to determine the viability of the machine before you go any further.

IDX,

Great plan for testing.

An old dirt road runs through my yard for stage coaches & where soldiers traveled to & from Pea Ridge Arkansas. That was my main focus on detecting.

As for the unit itself, I picked it up used at a rock shop. Not one scratch on the coil or wear to the arm pad. Charger, standard battery & AA backup pack but no headphones. Talked down from $150.

I have found trash but very hard to get repeatable signals, I believe that is due to improper settings. I've tried reading the manual & watching an old YouTube series but there are so many adjustments that it is confusing.

I will set up a test, silver, gold, old pennies, foil about 4-6 inchesdeep. I think that should cover me for testing.

 

[CCDAMEEK]

One of my detectors is the Whites DFX 300, which the XLT replaced in Whites line-up. I believe they operate very similarly, but have never touched an XLT.

Basic operation should be as simple as turn-on, select a preinstalled factory program, air & ground balance following the start-up program on the screen, then start detecting.

There is a forum here just for the XLT. XLT
Maybe there would be a greater chance for specific help there, but it doesn't appear to have many posts.


Whites Metal Detector's website is a wealth of information on their machines, even their discontinued models like the XLT.


The only problem I have ever had with my DFX Is that the coil went bad after a prolonged use in shallow water. The faltering operation made constant squelch tones of varying pitches, yet the coil would still hit on targets. They are supposed to be waterproof, but the machine was several years old, and things do wear out, like the plug connection.

Good luck,

 

[63cagedfalcon]

Just did a test on different metals & each was detected correctly. I'll try try in a soccer field & park if it ever cools down.

Thanks to all for advice and tips.

 

[jimther]

Paul, I've used an XLT for 20+ years, mostly dirt-fishing (versus beach).
I start with the factory COIN/JEWELRY program and after some settings adjustments, I saved it to a CUSTOM program and named it "Jim's Coin & Jewelry". The most significant changes to the factory program I made are to turn ON Tone ID and VCO Pinpoint. Even if you don't save changes to a custom program, I would recommend those two features be turned on. The Whites web site has owner's manuals for their models that can be downloaded and printed (in case you didn't get one with your purchase).

Jim

 

[63cagedfalcon]

Paul, I've used an XLT for 20+ years, mostly dirt-fishing (versus beach).
I start with the factory COIN/JEWELRY program and after some settings adjustments, I saved it to a CUSTOM program and named it "Jim's Coin & Jewelry". The most significant changes to the factory program I made are to turn ON Tone ID and VCO Pinpoint. Even if you don't save changes to a custom program, I would recommend those two features be turned on. The Whites web site has owner's manuals for their models that can be downloaded and printed (in case you didn't get one with your purchase).

Jim

Thanks Jim, I'll add settings to test.