AT Pro - my end is near!

[JohnApthorp]

Yesterday I decided to spend some time in the bush & do a couple of experiments with the Wife's AT Pro & my AT Gold.
The aim was a comparison on the depth using a 2 gram piece of lead.

I rested the AT Pro against the car & started with the AT Gold.
A few minutes into the test, a slight breeze came along & was strong enough to blow the Wife's AT Pro over. (It was resting against my car's bull bar - 6 inches above the ground.)

When I went to pick it up, I found that both the plastic lugs that mount the head of the unit to the stem, had snapped.
When I inspected the setup, I found that the 2 screws were still fully seated in the plastic housing screw guides that hold the control box to the stem. The 2 screws do not penetrate any deeper than the thickness of the stem, not penetrating into the actual housing itself & in reality, there are only the base of the 2 screw guide lugs that aren't very strong, holding the head to the stem.

I'm hoping to find a couple of screws that are about 3/8 inches longer than standard, in the hope that the remaining screw holes in the head unit are deep enough to take the extra length without penetrating the head unit's housing.

A couple of lessons learned.
...the screws are not long enough & the screw point is a very week part of the AT Pro & presumably the AT Gold.
...Be careful when tightening up the mounting screws as it will take very little tension to snap the mounting guides. (The plastic lugs that go into the holes in the stem & are part of the plastic housing of the head unit.)
...The most important point - don't borrow the wife's AT Pro and break it.

Nice knowing you guys - I'm about to tell the wife.

Gary.

 

[grumpysrb]

Just send it back to Garrett and let them repair or replace it. You'll be much happier and so Will your wife, and that's important.

 

[Jerry Ga.]

I wanted to purchase the AT Pro for relic hunting but I decided to hold off until Garrett addresses this problem of the the control box's snapping off.
There has been a rash of this happening lately as can be seen by reading the forums.
I fear mine would not hold up in the harsh conditions of relic hunting in the thick woods of the deep south.
Hopefully Garrett will come up with a solution to the problem.

 

[Diggin-it]

Mine slide off a garbage barrel I leaned it up against. The control box hit the pavement from about a 3 foot drop. The control box did NOT break off. It did though take a small chip out of the face plate, but it did not look bad. So I said what the heck and took it for a spin in the water. After being submerged for about 2 minutes...it started making funny sounds and the display got all wacky. The control box leaked. I sent it back to Garrett and knew it was my fault and got ready to pay for the repair. I never got billed. They fixed it and mailed it back no charge. Now THAT is going beyond Great Customer Service!!!

 

[mudpuppy]

no problem!...just stick it back on there with some sort of glue...then, when it breaks when SHE's using it, she will not blame you.
Let me know how this works out for ya...
Mud

 

[knightsquad]

Haha That's what I would too! LOL

Pete

no problem!...just stick it back on there with some sort of glue...then, when it breaks when SHE's using it, she will not blame you.
Let me know how this works out for ya...
Mud

 

[John-Edmonton]

You better build up your own "Honey-Do" list. I suspect she is looking at these posts too......Please! go easy on him.

 

[knightsquad]

Oh No! Imagine! hahahaha
She'll be mad you didn't tell her right away! LOL

Pete

I suspect she is looking at these posts too.....

 

[idaho dan]

Been there, done that, and bought the video. It'll pass (I hope)...

 

[BigCatDaddy]

n/t

 

[grumpysrb]

Send it to Garrett!!! Just tell her you don't feel like detecting for the next ten days. Garrett will have it back to you within 2 weeks. They have a 10 day turn around, plus transit time.

 

[knightsquad]

Uh Oh!
It's been 4 days and no word from John! LOL
Yeh, he's a dead man! hahaha

Pete
WHERE Are YA John! Got a Steak on that Black Eye or what! hehe

 

[sparkster]

Send your wife to Garrett and get her attitude adjusted. Be ready for a very large bill. Just kidding. It's great that your wife detects with you. Most wives could care less.
My lovely bride of 44 years is very ok with me detecting, as long as the good stuff is fair game for her. Just gave her an 18" 14k gold chain, so I'm made for a couple of weeks.