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Extension for coil cable
- Thread starter jerry123
- Start date
Nobody sells extension cables for coils that I have ever seen. You could try to make it yourself or call Garrett and ask if they can make you one.
I was interested in doing this myself , since it would reduce drag in the water ( when hunting water up to the control box ) , anything you can do to streamline the detector through the water can help a lot in long hunts , even run the cable straight up the shaft instead of wrapping. Did some searching and checking and was told by someone on the geotech forum that it can and has been done but the AT pro cables are the wrong kind and not made to do that much continual flexing , the wire inside will break. It was recommended to do a splice job somehow and relace the whole cable with another type more suited. That , just being way more of a project than I want to get into , made me just give up on the idea. Here is one of the replies I got.....
"For chest-mount or hang around the neck units the usual Garrett coil-cable is not really the best choice!
Too unstable, too thin.
I have modified my Garrett GTI 1500 into "super light-weight" version while using a 45cm Detech coil.
For the cable you just can use the coax radio-antenna RU-58 or something with 1-2mm less diameter:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coaxial_cable
At least the Garrett GT 1500 (and I guess all other Garretts, too) has absolutly no problems
because of some wave-disturbances caused by even 1 meter longer and different thick cables.
(usually antenna cables have to be adjusted at their connectors so the signal remains good -
this is the Ohm's wave-value antenna-cables have, but its more a topic for TV & Radio stuff)
Anyway, in our case it must have steel-wires and steelwire-shielding otherwise while sweeping
if its copper it will break too fast. And you should improve neuralgic points with alot tape.
Finally the situation should be that the usual "weak" Garrett coil cable only is winded around the
pole without bending or moving if the search coil is in use while the stronger and thicker steelwire
coax etc. cables receive (and absorb) all the movement-energy.
btw. this single (non-coax) 5. Garrett coil-wire mostly is for pinpointing and find-screening only.
The Garrett GTI 1500 orig. coil has it also connected while the 45cm Detech doesn't has it at all.
Perhaps this is the same with other models.
However - for such mods always take care that the movable cable-part is NOT made of copper!
Copperwires will break very fast with all these draging, tearing and moving around.
The thinner it is, the faster you could get problems."
"For chest-mount or hang around the neck units the usual Garrett coil-cable is not really the best choice!
Too unstable, too thin.
I have modified my Garrett GTI 1500 into "super light-weight" version while using a 45cm Detech coil.
For the cable you just can use the coax radio-antenna RU-58 or something with 1-2mm less diameter:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coaxial_cable
At least the Garrett GT 1500 (and I guess all other Garretts, too) has absolutly no problems
because of some wave-disturbances caused by even 1 meter longer and different thick cables.
(usually antenna cables have to be adjusted at their connectors so the signal remains good -
this is the Ohm's wave-value antenna-cables have, but its more a topic for TV & Radio stuff)
Anyway, in our case it must have steel-wires and steelwire-shielding otherwise while sweeping
if its copper it will break too fast. And you should improve neuralgic points with alot tape.
Finally the situation should be that the usual "weak" Garrett coil cable only is winded around the
pole without bending or moving if the search coil is in use while the stronger and thicker steelwire
coax etc. cables receive (and absorb) all the movement-energy.
btw. this single (non-coax) 5. Garrett coil-wire mostly is for pinpointing and find-screening only.
The Garrett GTI 1500 orig. coil has it also connected while the 45cm Detech doesn't has it at all.
Perhaps this is the same with other models.
However - for such mods always take care that the movable cable-part is NOT made of copper!
Copperwires will break very fast with all these draging, tearing and moving around.
The thinner it is, the faster you could get problems."
Ohio Chris brings up a thought...I run my coil wire straight up the side, but a person could route that coil wire inside the shaft, that is, if a guy could cut that cable, route it up through the shaft, and reattach it to the plug correctly and waterproofly...caution: (somebody posted a while back that unless you have the right gear and know how to micro solder, those atPro plugs are not to be fooled with)
As well as the headphone wire like brother 'Saving The Past' showed us how he did it a few weeks back, that was pretty trick there too!...under the heading: 'the thing I hate about the atPro'...
The Pro 'seems' easier to swing in the water once you get up over the control box...plus, it floats right there beside you coil down in a really handy way when you pull your arm out of it in chest deep water.....I dont know why, but when I try to hunt shallow water with only a foot or two of the shaft submerged, it seems harder to swing...I'm probably trying to go too fast is what I figure...I dont think that chest mount would have any major advantage for you as these other ideas might Jerry...
That would sure make for a streamlined package! I took off both camlocks and tossed them last year...makes it streamlined and easy to change batteries too...I never adjust the length of the lower shaft anymore, if I have to fold the thing up, I pop it apart at the top knuckle where that camlock used to be...
Mud
As well as the headphone wire like brother 'Saving The Past' showed us how he did it a few weeks back, that was pretty trick there too!...under the heading: 'the thing I hate about the atPro'...
The Pro 'seems' easier to swing in the water once you get up over the control box...plus, it floats right there beside you coil down in a really handy way when you pull your arm out of it in chest deep water.....I dont know why, but when I try to hunt shallow water with only a foot or two of the shaft submerged, it seems harder to swing...I'm probably trying to go too fast is what I figure...I dont think that chest mount would have any major advantage for you as these other ideas might Jerry...
That would sure make for a streamlined package! I took off both camlocks and tossed them last year...makes it streamlined and easy to change batteries too...I never adjust the length of the lower shaft anymore, if I have to fold the thing up, I pop it apart at the top knuckle where that camlock used to be...
Mud
Hmmm, lots of stuff to ponder in this thread. I wonder if the cable going to the coil has got to be a certain length, or a minimum length. I'd sure like to make my cable shorter...then tie wrap it to the shaft. And I'm pretty sure I can come up with some extra connectors and a crimper 
Anyone want to volunteer their unit for a trial run? LoL
Anyone want to volunteer their unit for a trial run? LoLdgruff said:Hmmm, lots of stuff to ponder in this thread. I wonder if the cable going to the coil has got to be a certain length, or a minimum length. I'd sure like to make my cable shorter...then tie wrap it to the shaft. And I'm pretty sure I can come up with some extra connectors and a crimper
You dont necessarily need to make the cable shorter. I run mine straight up the shaft held with electrical tape about every 4 inches , the length left over makes two small coils independent from the shaft right at the control box that tuck pretty neatly without securing them with anything. I use electrical tape and change it out every so often and clean the shaft with wd40 , but using some sort of removable strap or ties would be better.