hello all i dont post often but love this site i have now owned 3 mxts and have noticed that they all have personalitys of there own and a few things in commen .1 is that if the battery level gets below 11 they start missing stuff and have depth issues and by 10 they really miss stuff( on mine) so i dont mind the cost i keep them fresh and use good bats.i used rayovacs and even though they read decent on mxt still did not work right.i tested them with multimeter and read good, kept thinking it was my coil but changed to energizer and prob fixed also i have 2 6x10 dd whites coils and both behave differantly on the same detector one has a knife edge (my way of describing it ) and the other one is more oval in shape of finding stuff .happy easter and look forward to other people s thoughts b t w i have been m.d. ing since i was 8 and have to say the mxt in all forms (i love the pro the best ) is the best m.d. ive ever owned
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observations i have made on the mxt and coils
- Thread starter nevadamxt
- Start date
I agree about the batteries as well. Super detector but fresh batteries are a MUST. I have been saying that when my batteries get down to 9 volts I REALLY notice that (1) it begins to chatter like your in a high mineralization area even when your not and it doesn't seem to ground balance to fix the chatter, (2) you lose alot of depth ability. LOW BAT does not display until it is down to 8 volts, well after you have experienced battery issues. I would guess I get at least 20 hours before replacing my batteries when they first show (9 VOLTS). They would get an extra 10 hrs if I used them to 8 volts but I agree that it is not nearly as good of a detector below 10 volts.
This brings up another point worth mentioning. Rechargable AA batteries are 1.2 volts each instead of the normal 1.5 volts of Alkaline Batteries. So if you use rechargables you only get 9.6 volts at BEST when at full charge and I believe they lose their initial voltage spike pretty quickly. Because of this, I have never tried rechargables in my MXT even though I think the manual says they are allowed.
Next time your MXT is chattering alot, pick the coil up a few inches and hold it very still. If it continues to chatter it has nothing to do with mineralization. Its nearly impossible to continue detecting when it chatters non-stop. Fresh batteries have always fixed this issue for me but the first time it happened had me scared that my MXT was messed up. I'm not sure why this is something you have to learn on your own if its a common issue. Whites claims it is good down to 8 volts. I'll give em a pass on that statement but generally speaking it is not good to 8 volts and rechargables are borderline at best unless you buy the new ones that are higher voltage. I have never seen them but they are something like 1.6 or 1.7 volts each!
This brings up another point worth mentioning. Rechargable AA batteries are 1.2 volts each instead of the normal 1.5 volts of Alkaline Batteries. So if you use rechargables you only get 9.6 volts at BEST when at full charge and I believe they lose their initial voltage spike pretty quickly. Because of this, I have never tried rechargables in my MXT even though I think the manual says they are allowed.
Next time your MXT is chattering alot, pick the coil up a few inches and hold it very still. If it continues to chatter it has nothing to do with mineralization. Its nearly impossible to continue detecting when it chatters non-stop. Fresh batteries have always fixed this issue for me but the first time it happened had me scared that my MXT was messed up. I'm not sure why this is something you have to learn on your own if its a common issue. Whites claims it is good down to 8 volts. I'll give em a pass on that statement but generally speaking it is not good to 8 volts and rechargables are borderline at best unless you buy the new ones that are higher voltage. I have never seen them but they are something like 1.6 or 1.7 volts each!
The MXT uses 7.2 volts, so anytime the batteries read above 8 volts it should be fine and not lose any sensitivity or depth. If you feel you are losing depth and sensitivity with the batteries around 10 or 11 volts, I would contact Whites and ask if you need to send your detector in. Batteries are expensive and not great for the environment so use wisely and recycle.
Nancy-IL
Well-known member
I always have to put fresh batteries in mine when it says 10 volts. After it gets that low, it chatters too much and I do miss targets also. It's one of the downfalls of the MXT, but not a major point. Just keep fresh batteries on hand. I would always give my used batteries to Larry and he would run them down farther in his other machines. Waste not, want not. HH, Nancy
HuntinDog
Well-known member
Good info...
I always recycle my batteries and have a love hate relationship with the ones I dig...
love removing them from the ground, but hate that they give such a good reading....
and why do they always seem to be AA batteries????
Ok, enough of that...
I find that my MXT and Pro both start to chatter at the bottom of 10v. when it hits 9v I change.
Unless I'm just hunting TotLots where most all of the target are less than a few inches.
There I can lower my gain and the chatter goes away and I run them down well into 9v range.
Running out in the open for relics and such I like to keep as fresh batteries as I can.
Glad to see that I'm not the only one...
HH
I always recycle my batteries and have a love hate relationship with the ones I dig...
love removing them from the ground, but hate that they give such a good reading....
and why do they always seem to be AA batteries????
Ok, enough of that...
I find that my MXT and Pro both start to chatter at the bottom of 10v. when it hits 9v I change.
Unless I'm just hunting TotLots where most all of the target are less than a few inches.
There I can lower my gain and the chatter goes away and I run them down well into 9v range.
Running out in the open for relics and such I like to keep as fresh batteries as I can.
Glad to see that I'm not the only one...
HH
another thing i noticed only with the pro is that it get real chattery/ unstable if my kids MD(bounty hunter 1100) is near it or even my bullseye 2 which the 300 never did although its not to big of a nusiance .i love the ground grab and back light and wouldnt trade it for the world.i almost always run my 6x10 whites coil but at the end of today in some soil that didnt have a lot of hot rocks (soil 83) i put on the 12 " 300 coil and found a 22 bullit at 8 inches first time id used that coil in a few years still as heavy as ever but goes deep with bats at 11 ,6x10 missed stuff right on top of ground ( i beleive may have been petrified wood w/ iron in it that looked like iron)but pulled r.r. spikes from 6-10 inches
Actually, someone said it uses 7.2 volts. Not sure where that information came from but the actual people that make the detector designed it to say 'low bat' at 8 volts. Experience shows it loses stability below 10 volts and drastically loses depth at and below 9 volts. The battery issue is well known to the people that spend the time swinging it. I was also concerned about my MXT on the very first set of batteries when it began chattering alot, and even when I held the coil very still. New batteries returned it to the great detector that it is.
All the STATS vs ACTUAL RESULTS is like saying "My 10x12 sef only detects dimes at **** inches but it should detect deeper". But if the common results match then that is what you should expect...even if it is less than the manufacturer states. You can plug your ears, close your eyes and picture ponies and purple butterflies if you want but if you listen to experienced users they have a common experience in this matter even though it varies from the manufacturers statement. It technically turns on and operates down to and below 8 volts. I believe all the electronics are designed to run at or below 8 volts, that doesn't mean it will run well.
I wonder how many detectors you could return to Whites for chattering and losing depth at 10 volts? What about even 9 volts, well above the 'low bat' warning? They may already have a protocol for that issue but they should make an official statement reassuring worried owners that it is normal. Their official claim clearly conflicts with the common battery issue but it shouldn't be left to everyones imgination as to what is wrong with their personal detector when it is normal bahavior. There could, in fact, be a big difference in brands of batteries used even when the voltages match. I have not kept track of or analyzed different brands but I do know that 'heavy duty' batteries are to be avoided as these are NON-alkaline which are corrosive, leak and hard on electronics. Look for 'alkaline' when buying MXT batteries.
All the STATS vs ACTUAL RESULTS is like saying "My 10x12 sef only detects dimes at **** inches but it should detect deeper". But if the common results match then that is what you should expect...even if it is less than the manufacturer states. You can plug your ears, close your eyes and picture ponies and purple butterflies if you want but if you listen to experienced users they have a common experience in this matter even though it varies from the manufacturers statement. It technically turns on and operates down to and below 8 volts. I believe all the electronics are designed to run at or below 8 volts, that doesn't mean it will run well.
I wonder how many detectors you could return to Whites for chattering and losing depth at 10 volts? What about even 9 volts, well above the 'low bat' warning? They may already have a protocol for that issue but they should make an official statement reassuring worried owners that it is normal. Their official claim clearly conflicts with the common battery issue but it shouldn't be left to everyones imgination as to what is wrong with their personal detector when it is normal bahavior. There could, in fact, be a big difference in brands of batteries used even when the voltages match. I have not kept track of or analyzed different brands but I do know that 'heavy duty' batteries are to be avoided as these are NON-alkaline which are corrosive, leak and hard on electronics. Look for 'alkaline' when buying MXT batteries.
Here is the wiki for HEAVY DUTY batteries, about halfway down the page read the heading on Leakage...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc%E2%80%93carbon_battery
Here the wiki for Lithium batteries, note the heading on Applications http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_batteries
Lithium batteries are a good choice if you are very observant that the voltage is correct. They often come in higher voltages than 1.5, the normal AA voltage. Some devices handle over voltage but don't try it on your expensive detector. Just keep in mind that Lithium batteries can be explosive if short curcuited, Several loose batteries in your pocket can short out so use the original container to transport them and treat drained Lithiums with caution for safety.
I made the comment to make sure your batteries are Alkaline, That should say....Make sure you do not use HEAVY DUTY batteries. Not long ago the choices were either heavy duty or alkaline but now they have designed a few that are better than alkaline such as Lithium.
I think the only difference you will find is the extra lifespan, so check the voltage and they should be fine. Lithiums are known to drop off sharply at the end of their lifespan. I don't know what voltage your detector will show when this happens but experience will eventually tell you when to expect the battery life to quickly die off. Plus another thing about Lithiums, they hold higher voltage closer to the end of their lifespan and drop quickly at the end of it, so you may NEVER see 'low bat' before they die. If you have ever used a Lithium powered drill gun you will definitely see what I am talking about, they are fine one moment and dead the next(not saying they have short life, but just die fast at the end of it). I would like to hear your experience when they become low or die.
To be sure, Are these the batteries you are asking about? http://www.atbatt.com/product/6363.asp
If so, they look to be a good choice since they are the correct voltage.
Here the wiki for Lithium batteries, note the heading on Applications http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_batteries
Lithium batteries are a good choice if you are very observant that the voltage is correct. They often come in higher voltages than 1.5, the normal AA voltage. Some devices handle over voltage but don't try it on your expensive detector. Just keep in mind that Lithium batteries can be explosive if short curcuited, Several loose batteries in your pocket can short out so use the original container to transport them and treat drained Lithiums with caution for safety.
I made the comment to make sure your batteries are Alkaline, That should say....Make sure you do not use HEAVY DUTY batteries. Not long ago the choices were either heavy duty or alkaline but now they have designed a few that are better than alkaline such as Lithium.
I think the only difference you will find is the extra lifespan, so check the voltage and they should be fine. Lithiums are known to drop off sharply at the end of their lifespan. I don't know what voltage your detector will show when this happens but experience will eventually tell you when to expect the battery life to quickly die off. Plus another thing about Lithiums, they hold higher voltage closer to the end of their lifespan and drop quickly at the end of it, so you may NEVER see 'low bat' before they die. If you have ever used a Lithium powered drill gun you will definitely see what I am talking about, they are fine one moment and dead the next(not saying they have short life, but just die fast at the end of it). I would like to hear your experience when they become low or die.
To be sure, Are these the batteries you are asking about? http://www.atbatt.com/product/6363.asp
If so, they look to be a good choice since they are the correct voltage.