And yet another question about my troublesome Sovereign Elite

[54shooter]

So I decided that I couldn't iron out the problems with my Elite so I was going to send it back to my Dad. As I was getting ready to get it going my Dad calls and gives it to me free of charge. Now I think I want to put some money into it and get it working right. My question is, what is the best route to take? Should I send it to Minelab for repairs or is there other options. I have no knowledge in electronics at all. If it would be worth it I can see myself fixing it up, maybe get a VDI meter for it and really get to know this machine.I have heard that sending stuff to Minelab can be a nightmare. I've e-mailed them and they tell me that they still support the Elite and I've read on there website that the turn around is about 10 days. If I could shine this machine up for around 450.00 I think I'd like to do it. I just don't know the best way to go about it. I'd love to hear what you guys in the forum think about my dilemma. Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[deepdiger60]

54 exactly what is wrong with it ? is all you need is a meter ? Minelab does not install meters that is a after market item Ron this forum MOD gave give you better infro on that GL Jim

 

[54shooter]

I'm not exactly sure but the symptom's are that it makes some really horrid sounds like it will start at a low hum that increases to a high squall then makes a screech and then just shuts down. I can sometimes get it to come back on by taking the battery pack out and putting it back in and sometimes not. All I have for it is the AA battery pack. It's been suggested that it could be a bad battery and so I have tried changing out the batteries several times and It seems to work for a short time then does the same thing all over again. We also thought that it could be a problem with the headphone jack. It seems that whatever I try, nothing has took care of the problem. When I can't get it to come back on at all I'll put it away for awhile and when I feel like it I'll try it and it will come back on. You can never tell for how long and it will do the same thing all over again. I also don't think it's performing very well in my coin garden. My Ace 350 out performs the Elite and I have been told that it should be just the opposite. While this has been going on I have not been able to feel that I can trust the machine in the field.

 

[ZOFCHAK]

I'm not exactly sure but the symptom's are that it makes some really horrid sounds like it will start at a low hum that increases to a high squall then makes a screech and then just shuts down. I can sometimes get it to come back on by taking the battery pack out and putting it back in and sometimes not. All I have for it is the AA battery pack. It's been suggested that it could be a bad battery and so I have tried changing out the batteries several times and It seems to work for a short time then does the same thing all over again. We also thought that it could be a problem with the headphone jack. It seems that whatever I try, nothing has took care of the problem. When I can't get it to come back on at all I'll put it away for awhile and when I feel like it I'll try it and it will come back on. You can never tell for how long and it will do the same thing all over again. I also don't think it's performing very well in my coin garden. My Ace 350 out performs the Elite and I have been told that it should be just the opposite. While this has been going on I have not been able to feel that I can trust the machine in the field.

Have you been able to have someone familiar with the Sovereigns take a look at it yet? Before doing anything drastic (Like sending it to Minelab) I would find someone else with a GT or an Elite and have them try out the machine and if possible try their battery and coil on it. Where are you located?

 

[54shooter]

I live in Southern Oregon, (Medford Area) Gold Hill to be exact. I have just PMed a guy that I think is out of Coos Bay that may have a Minelab machine. I go fishing in Coos Bay often. I'm hoping to hear back from him to see if he can help or knows someone that can. I'm just itching to upgrade from my Ace 350 but you know what they say about patience...............

 

[Critterhunter]

That still sounds suspiciously like a low battery alarm thing going on and then the power is lost completely. When the battery is low the threshold will go up and down or even just stay super high and there will be a high pitched squeel like every so many seconds to let you know it's time to quit. I suspect you've got a dirty connection or a short somewhere. Inside the control box there is a power lead that plugs from the battery chamber into I think the faceplate if I remember right, and then another that goes from there to the circuit board. From memory they are both tiny little plugs and I can see those buggers having a loose connection or something.

 

[54shooter]

With my total lack of knowledge what would my choices be for getting it running?

 

[Rick(ND)]

Being you are new to the Sovereign I would say you need someone local that knows the Sovereigns to check it out for you as they know how it is suppose to work. Just by what you are saying the problem is I would suspect the power to the Elite is low, so I would be looking and checking out different things from the connections at the battery, the battery itself. If I had it here I would swap the battery with my GT just to see if there was a problem with the pack itself as one of the springs could be corroded and not making a good connection. Now if you have a person that knows the Sovereign check it out and they see something more than something simple then you will have to send it in to Minelab to be repaired. 99% of those that come into me have been simple problems I been able to fix, but did have a used one I bought off a dealer that was a trade in I had to send in as there was a circuit problem.

Good luck and even if you have to send it in being you got it for nothing you should come out OK and have a very good detector.