Any way to keep mineralized sand from getting inside 15"coil on nox?

[sandiggerson]

I couldnt figure out if the coil had a cover or was built that way. I peaked inside wasnt built like normal coils,

 

[u2robert]

No It's waterproof.
Sand can get between the coil and the coil cover.
I remove my coil covers after each hunt and clean the coil and cover.

 

[jmaclen]

Some people have taken the cover off and put a coating of something (lots of different things to try that have been discussed previously) on the bottom of the coil and ditched the cover. I just beach hunt without the cover and clean the underside of the coil a lot while hunting and don't bother with putting any kind of coating on it.

I like to have the coil cover on when I am dry land hunting so I at least put a layer of electrical tape around the outside of the coil where the seam between the cover and the coil is. I don't bother putting tape anywhere else. I use my 800 for gold prospecting too so the dry black sand that gets in the 15", 11" and 6" coils has a harder time sneaking into the underside of the coil compared to you beach and water hunters. When the tape gets ragged I take it off along with the cover, clean everything and put the cover back on with some new tape.

 

[tvr]

My recommendation is to not use the coil cover. Several years ago I found I was loosing a lot of depth of detection when the coil cover got black sand in it on my CZ's. I took the coil covers off and have not used coil covers at the beach on any detector ever since then.

 

[sandiggerson]

I couldnt figure out if the coil had a cover or was built that way. I peaked inside wasnt built like normal coils,

I appreciate the replys. Silly me. I looked at that honeycomb section,and I thought I was ripping the coil apart. I think I will hunt without the cover. Makes it a little lighter in the water

 

[u2robert]

Don't hunt without the coil cover.
You will tear-up the coil in short order.
These newer coils on these new detector are almost fragile.
& at 200.00 a piece why would you?

 

[tvr]

Don't hunt without the coil cover.
You will tear-up the coil in short order.
These newer coils on these new detector are almost fragile.
& at 200.00 a piece why would you?

Performance. If you have a coil cover filled with black sand and you are either detecting (falsing on) the black sand or de-tuned to not sound on it, you are missing targets. One good ring could easily pay for a coil.

Of course, it is each detectorist's choice on which way to go on this one.

 

[u2robert]

I would do it with a CZ epoxy coil, but a coil on an Equinox. Never
But that's just me. Each to his own.

 

[jmaclen]

If you hunt really rocky or coarse volcanic sand beaches, keeping the cover on might be a good idea. Otherwise, Minelab will replace a coil once during your warranty period (at least that is my understanding) and I don't see any reason to use a coil cover on fine quartz sand beaches. Like you said it just adds to the weight especially when its full of sand and you risk breaking the coil ears from the added weight.

 

[JEF]

I quit using coil covers on any of my detectors around 15 years ago, and I have yet to have a coil fail because of not using one.

 

[Ghost uk]

Just use a thin bead of silicone around all the edges , let it dry fully 24 hours and bobs yer uncle.... no more sand ingress , and still fairly simple to remove if you ever have to

 

[Donut]

Here on Lk Michigan the sand is so fine it fills my coil. I removed the cover and filled the cavities with clear silicone and now very little sand gets in their. Everything works fine.
Doug

 

[5900_XL-1]

I quit using coil covers on any of my detectors around 15 years ago, and I have yet to have a coil fail because of not using one.

Silicone is the way, but you will have to deal with that old silicone if you ever rip the cover off again. Folks do it though. I would more likely just take the cover off unless it was rocky ground. I don't believe that I would have saved one coil, by that cover. I never broke a coil cover in an impact. Have you?

 

[ColonelDan]

I've found that sand can and will get in many places it shouldn't. The trouble is with regular coil covers, the sand can get in but there's no way for it to get out unless you remove the cover and flush it out.

Here's what I've found works for me while detecting on the beach. I've simply drilled holes in the cover and swipe my coil in the surf a few times as I hunt and the sand flushes out. The cover is still intact and protects against rocks, shells and other junk but now I have a way to remove the sand without having to remove the cover while hunting. Yes, the holes allow sand in but it's quickly removed. With no holes, sand still gets in (although not as much) but it can't get out as I've said.
My hunting buddy, never uses a coil cover and he's been OK on our relatively smooth Florida beaches. I feel better with the cover on however.
Works for me; your mileage may vary...

 

[Ghost uk]

A coil cover has a little ‘give’ in it, so it rebounds impacts and protects the solid coil .
a coil will fracture eventually over time or if you hit rocks with it , if you don’t fit a cover .

common sense to always have the cover fitted really.


i just wish minelab did a fully covered coil cover for the equinox, this would work much better when detecting in stubble fields .
i have known people who fit a ‘frisbee’ to the coil with tie wraps for this very purpose, but an official one would sell very well indeed

 

[Donut]

After removing the skid cover and filling all the open holes on my 11” coil with clear silicon and let dry and reinstalled my cover it is working fine and my filling with sand is gone. I would do it again. sand use to pour out of mine and now no sand.
Doug