F5 questions...

[Timelord2]

I bought an F5 last weekend and I need a little info from someone who has one. First of all should I have to take the gain up to 85% to get some real depth from it? At 60% I only get 3 or 4 inches on a penny and this is with the threshold at 0 or +1. Another question should the ID hold steady of a good object when its more the 3 or 4 inches away? Even though I did find a Mercury dime the ID was never really steady even in the air trying different setting the ID only stayed steady a couple of inches away. I was use to a older Whites 6000Di and when it was a good target the ID seem to stay steady, I'm not use to these new machines so any help will be nice. Because it seems that this F5 is not that steady of a detector. ID jumps all over and even when sitting still it seem to be unsteady beeping and ID jumping even with some low settings. I even took off all my ring, watches and cell phone to see it that would help. Otherwise I thinking of taking it back, and looking at a Tesoro DeLe

 

[crusher28]

Ok I'm going to help you. I use about the same settings as you do, this is my 3rd f5 jumped all over fisher said bad coil connector, replaced coil, did same thing. Sent it back sent me a brand new one did same not as bad. Now
do this turn on your detector outside make sure you are not near any overhead wires OR UNDERGROUND WIRES CABLE TV they run wires all over the place. Now turn on your detector set gain and thresh to halfway or so. hold detector in air take the other hand and shake the coil wire just where it goes into the detector box if it crackles or you here a lot of noise the coil wire is not shielded right or it's not plug in all the way. if it is you can try this. Radio Shack sells what they call SNAP ON CHOKE CORE #273-0069 FOR EMI electric magnetic and radio interference a little plastic holder with a magnet in it $3.00. Clamp it on to your coil wire just as close to the top of the coil plug as you can get. If won't close around your coil wire just use some black elect. tape to keep it closed this should a lot. if you can't find one at Radio Shack I have an extra I can send you n/c. My detector now works super fine, I learned this from a sound tech who did this to speaker wires so they would not pick up static and EMI from other sound equipment. Detector settings varies but I set my gain st 50-65 thresh at -2+2 find coins dimes Penny's up 5" in hard clay dirt quarters and bigger items deeper. at the beach up to 7-9" or deeper salt or fresh water.

If you need more help email me truggs1944@yahoo.com

 

[Timelord2]

Thanks for the info I will give it a try. I would spend more than that in gas to take it back. Do you have the same problem with the ID? Or is that from interference too?

 

[twoscoots]

Mine is stable at those settings. Air test and ground test were slightly different. I run 70-75 ( 0-2+)

 

[crusher28]

I belive it is from some interference in the air. this will happen with most detectors I found unless you are directly over the object, but that is common. My meter will bounce around a little but the detector works fine.

 

[Alimo88]

ID should hold steady. More depth in all metal than in discrimination mode.
Set to 85% and -1 and test in both AM and Discrim'
Just leave ground Balance at 82 for this test
IMHO

 

[Ken in NC]

I have owned and used both the Fisher F4 and the F5

You have a very capable machine there, but I believe you are trying to run it wide open. If your gain is too high, the target ID will start jumping around from EMI (interference). That is a sure sign.

The F5 will get very good depth at lower gain settings. I regularly ran mine at 35-38%. It ran quietly at that setting, found coins at depth, and the ID was dead on.

There is no threshold tone in the disc mode...it is silent search. In all metal, you should have a slight threshold tone.

A proper ground balance is important. Do reread the manual and practice ground balancing the machine

Try hunting for 45 minutes with a gain of under 40....it will surprise you. The machine will be stable and quiet, and ID targets well.

The DeLeon is a nice machine as well. Either machine will take some time and practice to learn well

 

[Timelord2]

Thanks for the help. I talked to someone at work who knows more about the newer detectors over what I use to have, Whites 6000D. He told me that is just the way these new digital detectors are. Has all the same complaints I have over my 6000D. So now it just learning to use it. Over the last couple of day I have been getting use to it and it's a good detector. Again thanks for all the help.....