Hi All. I would like to experiment with a larger coil, and have heard that the WOT coil will give about 2-3 extra inches in depth than the stock quattro coil. I was wondering what others think about the WOT coil and their experiences with it versus the standard coil on Quattro. Thank-you. Sincerely, Randy
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I'm thinking about buying a WOT coil for my quattro and need some advice on the subject
- Thread starter yogaguy
- Start date
Mike (Virginia Beach)
New member
The bigger coils are great for farm fields, the woods, and beaches. They are not well suited to hunting around trash, like old house sites, parks, schools, etc. Because with the larger coil comes tougher target separation when working around multiple targets, a little more difficulty pinpointing, falsing at sensitivity settings that worked fine with your stock coil (you will need to drop sensitivity some) and of course they are usually heavier. So that's the "bad", or at least points to consider. On the plus side you have greater ground coverage per swing, MAYBE more depth...depends on the ground, mineralization, nearby targets, etc.
One other consideration is that before buying a bigger coil, you should be throughly familiar with the machine and have "mastered it" with the stock coil. Otherwise going to the bigger coil will only increase the learning curve.
As for which ones, the WOT is certainly a well known and popular coil. And for really clean ground and wide open areas, that is a great choice. If you want a little more "control" and maybe a little less of the "negatives" mentioned above then you could consider a 12.5" coil. KellyCo has their EXcellerator line of coils. I have one that I used with my Quattro and now use with my Explorer II. It's EXcellent
and I like it a lot. And it's a little smaller and easier to handle than the 15" WOT. I also used to have a Sunray S-12 Intruder coil for my Sovereign Elite and it's a killer coil as well. They make an X-12 for the Explorer and Quattro. So you get the benefit of a bigger coil with better coverage with a 12.5" coil but you get a little better pinpointing, weight equal to a stock coil, nice balance, and a little better behavior around trash.
One other consideration is that before buying a bigger coil, you should be throughly familiar with the machine and have "mastered it" with the stock coil. Otherwise going to the bigger coil will only increase the learning curve.
As for which ones, the WOT is certainly a well known and popular coil. And for really clean ground and wide open areas, that is a great choice. If you want a little more "control" and maybe a little less of the "negatives" mentioned above then you could consider a 12.5" coil. KellyCo has their EXcellerator line of coils. I have one that I used with my Quattro and now use with my Explorer II. It's EXcellent
and I like it a lot. And it's a little smaller and easier to handle than the 15" WOT. I also used to have a Sunray S-12 Intruder coil for my Sovereign Elite and it's a killer coil as well. They make an X-12 for the Explorer and Quattro. So you get the benefit of a bigger coil with better coverage with a 12.5" coil but you get a little better pinpointing, weight equal to a stock coil, nice balance, and a little better behavior around trash.Hi Mike. How much more depth (in average soil conditions) can you "roughly" get with the 12.5 excellerator coil? I was also wondering Mike what differences in "depth", if any, that you have seen between the Quattro and the Explorer? Some people have told me that Minelab is not going to sell a less-expensive machine, such as the quattro, and still give the same depth and power as the Explorer. They've told me that if I wanted the dest depth and power that I should have incested a few hundred dollars more and got an Explorer? But I came to understand that the Quattro has the same depth capabilities as the Explorer but minus all the prgramming power as the Explorer? Could you explain how you feel about the 2 machines and their differences? Thank's again Mike, and thank's for the coil help and advice. Sincerely, Randy
Mike (Virginia Beach)
New member
The most depth you will get out of a bigger coil is maybe an extra inch or so. I have never seen a major increase in depth from a bigger coil. What they do is sample more ground per sweep and make you more effective with the same amount of work. It's not JUST the fact that the coil is bigger and you're getting those extra inches of diameter. The coil pattern going down into the soil is projected differently, covering more soil per sweep...a wider "beam", if you like.
As for comapring the two machines, they have both impressed me with some very deep targets. It's tough to quantify, because I have never tested them side by side, so to say one was deeper than the other is difficult. They both use the FBS 28 frequency technology. They share much in the way of electronics and use the same coils and same battery packs. The Explorer has more ability to "tweak" your settings. And if you're willing to listen to a symphony of sounds (like me) then I think you can do more and maybe find some more difficult targets with the Explorer II. But I would give equal odds to either one on finding lots of things other machines have missed...when operated properly. In my personal opinion (and experience) I feel that the Quattro is a little deeper at the beach and the Explorer II is a little deeper on land. This is when run manually using high-end settings. Others may disagree and that's fine, I won't argue with them because it could go either way depending on conditions and the user.
The way I see it, the Quattro is an attempt by Minelab to put the technology and legendary performance of the Explorer into the hands of those detectorists that would otherwise buy other machines because they are intimidated by the reputation of the dreaded "Learning Curve" of the Explorer. And I think they have been pretty successful in their effort.
As for comapring the two machines, they have both impressed me with some very deep targets. It's tough to quantify, because I have never tested them side by side, so to say one was deeper than the other is difficult. They both use the FBS 28 frequency technology. They share much in the way of electronics and use the same coils and same battery packs. The Explorer has more ability to "tweak" your settings. And if you're willing to listen to a symphony of sounds (like me) then I think you can do more and maybe find some more difficult targets with the Explorer II. But I would give equal odds to either one on finding lots of things other machines have missed...when operated properly. In my personal opinion (and experience) I feel that the Quattro is a little deeper at the beach and the Explorer II is a little deeper on land. This is when run manually using high-end settings. Others may disagree and that's fine, I won't argue with them because it could go either way depending on conditions and the user.
The way I see it, the Quattro is an attempt by Minelab to put the technology and legendary performance of the Explorer into the hands of those detectorists that would otherwise buy other machines because they are intimidated by the reputation of the dreaded "Learning Curve" of the Explorer. And I think they have been pretty successful in their effort.
Hi Randy,
I think that Mike has given you some great, unbiased info. He also proves his mastery of these machines with the vast number of good finds that he makes.
Regarding the WOT, there is alot to read in the forums here including the Explorer and Explorer Classroom forums which cover many of the pros and cons of this coil. Try a search in the various forums.
Russ
I think that Mike has given you some great, unbiased info. He also proves his mastery of these machines with the vast number of good finds that he makes.
Regarding the WOT, there is alot to read in the forums here including the Explorer and Explorer Classroom forums which cover many of the pros and cons of this coil. Try a search in the various forums.
Russ
Hi Mike. Thank's for explaining the larger size coil to me. I think I'll just stick with the standard coil on the Quattro for now, until something "earthshaking" (depth-wise) comes out. I'm also still in the beginning stages of learning the Quattro, so there's no real good reason to switch to a larger coil for say...maybe an extra inch or so. So thank's again for the advice. I read on here that someone suggested that you write a book on the subject of detecting. You really SHOULD! Your knowledge is great in the area. Thank's again. Sincerely, Randy
beachguy777
New member
See Mike, even yogauy thinks you should write a book. I'm just playin' with you a bit Mike, I know we've been over this and you may think about it, but you really do have a lot of respect from a lot of people out here. Anyway...,,,, man this forum gets interesting. I love hearing the different responses from all the differnt hunters. I feel like I'm right here in the room with you all and we're discussing things about detectors together. Hard to do that before the internet came to life.
I know I'm still just getting back into detecting, but Mike, my man, (I'm very carefully saying this) ,,, when I called Kellyco and talked to Bonnie down there she said that I could almost double the depth if I went to a 14" excellerator. That sounds pretty hairy. Honestly, I would be thrilled if I even got a third again as much depth, but again, I know it depends on the ground conditions, target, mineralization, etc. But those darn ads are telling me they find a barber dime at 18" and stuff like that. Maybe, that's not quite the case, OR...., maybe like one guy earlier said, he was finding stuff with the 10" coil at about 18" or so. V E R Y interesting stuff. I'm starting to think that, like Mike is saying, the real big advantage is in the non trashy areas, you can cover more ground quicker. Sounds like a plan, and I guess I'll leave you with this one: What about the super, mega, big, outrageous, 18" coil by excellerator, that you can buy at Kellyco. Frankly, Bonnie down there told me she thought it was over kill, but then again, what if you're casche hunting out in the back woods.???? Things to think about. Talk to you later, and I still wish we all could have a convention somewhere where we all could go to Denny's or something and talke about stuff. Happy hunting for now.
I know I'm still just getting back into detecting, but Mike, my man, (I'm very carefully saying this) ,,, when I called Kellyco and talked to Bonnie down there she said that I could almost double the depth if I went to a 14" excellerator. That sounds pretty hairy. Honestly, I would be thrilled if I even got a third again as much depth, but again, I know it depends on the ground conditions, target, mineralization, etc. But those darn ads are telling me they find a barber dime at 18" and stuff like that. Maybe, that's not quite the case, OR...., maybe like one guy earlier said, he was finding stuff with the 10" coil at about 18" or so. V E R Y interesting stuff. I'm starting to think that, like Mike is saying, the real big advantage is in the non trashy areas, you can cover more ground quicker. Sounds like a plan, and I guess I'll leave you with this one: What about the super, mega, big, outrageous, 18" coil by excellerator, that you can buy at Kellyco. Frankly, Bonnie down there told me she thought it was over kill, but then again, what if you're casche hunting out in the back woods.???? Things to think about. Talk to you later, and I still wish we all could have a convention somewhere where we all could go to Denny's or something and talke about stuff. Happy hunting for now.
Mike (Virginia Beach)
New member
Again, thanks to you and anybody else that has said I should write a book. I have often thought I might one day, but never expected it would be about metal detecting. Who knows? Maybe I will one day. But to me it's the hobby I love and not work. But I love computers too and a passion for building them, tweaking them, upgrading, and fixing them eventually resulted in my doing supporting computers and networks for a living and it's pretty cool to get paid for doing something you love to do anyway. Hmm...the other thing you have to do when you start getting PAID for something is you have to be RIGHT about what you say. Right now I'm just giving my opinions on stuff. What I say may or may not be TRUE! 
Now, on to this coil thing. I have used the 10.5" coil in place of my CZ's 8" and also the little 5" hockey puck coil. And on my Sovereign Elite, Quattro, and Explorer II I have used 12.5" coils in place of the stock 10 and 10.5" coils. I HAVE found that when you go from smaller to larger there IS a depth increase. And depending on the ground, it can vary. I think the biggest increase that *I* have seen is always when used at the beach. And I have seen that the Minelab machines in particular seem to really shine at the beach, often seeming to go a lot deeper than they do on land...must be all those frequencies punching down into that salty sand. So if there's an increase with a 12.5", I could assume there would be a little more with a 14" and a little more still with the 18". And the 15" WOT has long been legendary in stories of obscene depth. It's POSSIBLE that there may be circumstances under which one could see a LOT more depth with the 18" over the stock coil. Double? That WOULD be impressive, wouldn't it? There may be a TINY TAD of marketing hype there. Or perhaps not. I guess we would need to hear from a number of folks that have used them. Myself, I have the 12.5" and both the one I have from KellyCo and the Sunray were VERY well made coils and pinpoint well, are nicely balanced, and provide that extra coverage without adding any weight. The bigger ones have their place and many like to get EVERY advantage. And then you have people using the "Swingy Thingy" and hip mounting to address the weight issue, so who's to say that it's overkill if that's what it takes to get the targets the others are missing? You know what they say...variety is the spice of life. I do believe that the stock coils are by-and-large very good. But I also think that any avid beach hunter should get a larger-than-stock coil because 10.5 is better than 8 and 12.5 is better than 10.5 and that's all I can tell you about because I haven't used the bigger ones. I do know that since I got my Excal with the 10" BBS coil I find myself wishing I had my 12.5" from my Elite on there. But then again, the bigger coils are a little tougher to work with in the water, so I pretty much feel I need to leave the 10" on there, since it is a water machine. And since it requires a trip to Minelab to change the coil...if you want to maintain the warranty. But with a machine that can be quickly changed, I'll always have a 12.5" in the house. About the only other help I can offer is come to Virginia Beach, bring a Quattro or Explorer with you, and I have a 12.5" coil you can hunt with and see what you think.
I guess this forum IS pretty much our equivalent of hanging out at Denny's, huh? It's definitely a major boost to the hobby, for those that use it. I've talked to a lot of people from time to time out on the beach and at some point I ask if they "ever get on the metal detecting forums?" and when they look at me like I'm speaking a foreign language I think how lucky I was to get into it myself because it has surely cut my learning curve on all 7 of the machines I have had, which includes the 3 I have now. There were always those in each forum that were the "resident experts" on this or that machine and I would read everything they wrote to try and find any little tidbit that could help me. And after many hours in the field and seeing what worked and what didn't, it wasn't long before I was the one answering the questions and giving the tips. There are many who have more experience and insight than I. Some post on the forums and some just keep quiet. Personally, I'd like to see more participation from the people who make the machines...their techs and R & D folks. But I guess there are reasons we don't see that too much. I guess they would rarely get much done. Or be getting into protracted threads about particular subjects. Or defending themselves for this or that. Or maybe a lot of them don't actually detect? Who knows...
OK, well let's consider this chapter one of my book, eh?
HH!
Now, on to this coil thing. I have used the 10.5" coil in place of my CZ's 8" and also the little 5" hockey puck coil. And on my Sovereign Elite, Quattro, and Explorer II I have used 12.5" coils in place of the stock 10 and 10.5" coils. I HAVE found that when you go from smaller to larger there IS a depth increase. And depending on the ground, it can vary. I think the biggest increase that *I* have seen is always when used at the beach. And I have seen that the Minelab machines in particular seem to really shine at the beach, often seeming to go a lot deeper than they do on land...must be all those frequencies punching down into that salty sand. So if there's an increase with a 12.5", I could assume there would be a little more with a 14" and a little more still with the 18". And the 15" WOT has long been legendary in stories of obscene depth. It's POSSIBLE that there may be circumstances under which one could see a LOT more depth with the 18" over the stock coil. Double? That WOULD be impressive, wouldn't it? There may be a TINY TAD of marketing hype there. Or perhaps not. I guess we would need to hear from a number of folks that have used them. Myself, I have the 12.5" and both the one I have from KellyCo and the Sunray were VERY well made coils and pinpoint well, are nicely balanced, and provide that extra coverage without adding any weight. The bigger ones have their place and many like to get EVERY advantage. And then you have people using the "Swingy Thingy" and hip mounting to address the weight issue, so who's to say that it's overkill if that's what it takes to get the targets the others are missing? You know what they say...variety is the spice of life. I do believe that the stock coils are by-and-large very good. But I also think that any avid beach hunter should get a larger-than-stock coil because 10.5 is better than 8 and 12.5 is better than 10.5 and that's all I can tell you about because I haven't used the bigger ones. I do know that since I got my Excal with the 10" BBS coil I find myself wishing I had my 12.5" from my Elite on there. But then again, the bigger coils are a little tougher to work with in the water, so I pretty much feel I need to leave the 10" on there, since it is a water machine. And since it requires a trip to Minelab to change the coil...if you want to maintain the warranty. But with a machine that can be quickly changed, I'll always have a 12.5" in the house. About the only other help I can offer is come to Virginia Beach, bring a Quattro or Explorer with you, and I have a 12.5" coil you can hunt with and see what you think.
I guess this forum IS pretty much our equivalent of hanging out at Denny's, huh? It's definitely a major boost to the hobby, for those that use it. I've talked to a lot of people from time to time out on the beach and at some point I ask if they "ever get on the metal detecting forums?" and when they look at me like I'm speaking a foreign language I think how lucky I was to get into it myself because it has surely cut my learning curve on all 7 of the machines I have had, which includes the 3 I have now. There were always those in each forum that were the "resident experts" on this or that machine and I would read everything they wrote to try and find any little tidbit that could help me. And after many hours in the field and seeing what worked and what didn't, it wasn't long before I was the one answering the questions and giving the tips. There are many who have more experience and insight than I. Some post on the forums and some just keep quiet. Personally, I'd like to see more participation from the people who make the machines...their techs and R & D folks. But I guess there are reasons we don't see that too much. I guess they would rarely get much done. Or be getting into protracted threads about particular subjects. Or defending themselves for this or that. Or maybe a lot of them don't actually detect? Who knows...
OK, well let's consider this chapter one of my book, eh?
HH!
beachguy777
New member
Boy, Mike, now you got me thinkin' again. I thought I had my heart set on the 14" excellerator, because Bonnie at Kellyco thought the 18 might be a little over kill, but you seem to like the 12.5 a lot. I could imagine it would be more controllable, less falsing, better ID and stuff than the 14, so do you think you'd get much more depth out of the 14" or am I just pickin' at straws here? Decisions, decisions, decisions.
beachguy777
New member
Mike, that was an incredible post. I'm reading it later on, but it still seems very relivant and it probably should be a chapter in your new book coming up here. (Just jabbin' you a little) but there's a lot of information there and coming from someone who owns the product and uses it. That's what counts, I think. Not some guy in a store somewhere who only "read" about it. I'm wondering the same thing about the "hype" deal, even at Kellyco, who I love, but some of those stories about the 14 and 18 inchers are pretty scary stuff. Great!!, if they're all true, but again, I would think too it would depend on the ground your searching in, how much trash, etc. A lotta food for thought, and thanks again for your invaluable insite and experience on this stuff. You know Mike, I know I'm supposed to slow down on the acolades, but darn it, your forums arn't only informative, they're also a lot of fun to read. Your a good writer, Mike!! Hint, hint. P.S. I need to save my money so I can come out and try out your 12.5 inch coil.
P.S. I need to save my money so I can come out and try out your 12.5 inch coil.