I would like to ask any or all Explorer XS users to try something....

[mattockman]

I was cleaning mine up and had the coil unpluged and both lower and upper shaft off and head phone adapter off.....and turned it on and wiggled the control housing coil plug, it made noises like falsing...so I tried to look inside area and think I see black rubber type boot .....so I tried to push connector in a tad to maybe seat it back in better thinking it may have pulled out some from coil wire tugging on it for 8 years.....it seem to help....till I tried a twist on connector instead of a circle motion in housing shaft......I wonder if this is normal....to me it should not be if no coil is attached.....anyone else have the same happen or not?......Thanks for checking...I am scared to send it in due to slow repair response I have been reading about....It could use a new 1/4 jack, and a fix for upper camlock...and maybe a new button pad.....

Scared in NH.....Here comes spring!

 

[Dan-Pa.]

Like everything else being the XS you have has been used hard and has some years on it..heres what I would do send to Minelab U.S.A. and ask for an estimate before repairs are made as it may be cost prohibitive to repair judging by what used XS models are selling for used. Most companies would be glad to give an estimate and you can move on from there as putting a large amount of repair money in a 8 year old unit may not be advisable.

 

[grumpyolman]

If you know of anyone whose handy with a soldering iron and you don't think it'd be cost effective to have Minelab repair it, you could probably take it apart and make it so it would fit a 1/4" plug and solder a new one in. Yeah! It's an old machine, but I hunt with a friend who has one and he regularly kicks my rear when we are out hunting together. When you look at the price of a new one, Minelab repairs may not be all that outrageous. Jim

 

[D&P-OR]

Yeah Mattock-----And if you do that-make VERY SURE that you designate to get an estimate of costs before repair.---I sent an out of warranty Excalibur into Minelab once and stated that I DEFINITELY wanted an estimate of repair charges BEFORE any work was done-of which they agreed.---They went right on ahead & did the repair work & charged me (heftily) for it without one word to me on any estimate of charges.---I'm still mad about that one-I went ahead & paid it but I guess I should have protested it.

 

[mattockman]

I understand about cost effectiveness...due to age and all.....I am just curious if anyone elses does this or is this a faulty detector....I am curious if it is normal or not?
I have been using this for 8 years and I always seemed to get falsing and just by wiggling it....and it still has no problem with finding objects of metal.....I wanted to see if anyone elses XS does the same....

 

[NH Bob]

Somebody just try it and tell him if it's normal for his machine to make false signals with the coil REMOVED.

 

[mattockman]

I took the sucker apart.....as I tried to get the lower housing off the handle...it gave real quick and top board came off of middle board and bent the pins....bent them back a close as I could and one snapped off....bummer....anyways...after gutten the pig....I saw wires flattened....including the battery and 1/8 plug wires....and by the time I put it back together....it seems it may be ok once uppershaft is pushed in housing.....it should have some stability.....except when shaft falls out of housing due to worn plastic cam....which I could replace if I could get them to send me one.....put it all together and checked it out....everything seems to work.....so maybe pin that broke isn't even used....?.......I would still like to know if it happens to other XS's....when upper rod is off and you wiggle the housing connector end....with a twist.....???

 

[SteveP(NH)]

Hey Mattockman,

I unplugged the search coil from my XS and powered it up and it didn't false when I tapped on the side of the connector to move it around a bit and didn't false if I wasn't touching it. However when I touched the end of the plug where the pins plug in then it did false. I guess it was picking up some static, or maybe by touching it I was pulling the resistance down on one of the inputs.

I'll be bringing my XS to the Natural Hunt on the 25th as a backup unit (will be hunting with my T2) and you are welcome to play around with it then if you like (as long as you don't twist the plug and break any wires ;-) that is if you don't find another one to test before then.

 

[Chris(SoCenWI)]

Macattackman,

I few years back I thought I was hunting in areas with huge amounts of interference. Detector was going nuts. Then I noticed that when I collapsed the shaft to make the detector short enough to go in the trunk that changed the chatter. Took it apart and found one of the wires had come loose on the plug/jack- (Can't remember now if it was on the coil or XS side. Anyways soldered it up worked fine.

Had this happen on another coil last year, bad connection makes for incredible amount of chatter.

Last winter I sent that coil and my baby to Las Vegas for a tune up. I'm still swinging one of the original XSs. Was totally impressed by the work that was done, plastic housing replaced, including camlock, 1/4 inch phone jack added, seems one PC board was replaced, sold me a second hand coil to replace my bad one. Basically it was everything I had seen posted over the years about Minelab customer service proved to be true. And the cost was reasonable. I hope after getting rid of some of the people there Minelab is maintaining the same quality of service. Will be watching before buying the Explorer IV with expanded screen.

Short answer shouldn't be any noise with coil off unless you have the sens way cranked while sitting under a power company substation.

Chris

 

[mattockman]

I noticed also if I did touch the pins it would false....but if I didn't it still falsed...then I would push connector in with a little force and it went silent....and then only a twist would make it false.....and I am not talking forced twist...Just a slight twist.....I also noticed there are 5 pins in the connector...and only 3 wires going to it...2 bigger white ones.....and a smaller black one....the black one is pinched...the white ones seem to have a heavy covering and are protected....If you ask me, I should get a new connector with wires and a new top pc board, and plastic cam lock, and while it is there a 1/4" jack....but I really don't want to wait 3 months for a return....I need to get the ph. # and give them a call....maybe they could just ship it to me and I will put it together....no warrenty to void....

 

[mattockman]

Just curious Chris....Did they give you an Itemized bill, and if so, how much was the new board?...ETC....

 

[mattockman]

Now that sounds like taking your car to a garage and taking it up the tail pipe.....thats bad business.....

Lets just hope it don't happen very often...I have heard some people say some very good things about Minelab service dept.
I hope they listen to the forums...cause it could mean some folks may not buy their products due to bad service image.

 

[mattockman]

I hear ya Jim...I really don't want to go with a newer one....the XS is like Family now....

 

[Shambler]

My f75 falses so much I hear it in my sleep, and at work, and while showering, all the while with it powered off in the closet....... My EXII is quiet as a church house mouse (THANK GOD!)

 

[NH Bob]

You run it too hot. Or your coil cable is too lose at the base.