Pocket rocket Lithium Recall

[DOC]

If you guys only knew how much I would rather slam my privates in a drawer rather than to write this letter.

However, we at DOC's and COILTEK have always taken the position that HONESTY is ALWAYS the Best policy.

The recent Lithium Ion Battery set ups that were so eagerly anticipated and already shipped have to be recalled.

Some crossed eyed electronic nerd but a wrong component on the circuit board inside the regulator.

Good news, it will not hurt your detector.

Bad news, it will not even turn your detector on.

WHAT IS HAPPENING is that this incorrect component on the board is telling the battery that the initial current draw is too much from the battery and so the protection circuitry in the battery immediately shuts the battery down. There is normally a spike in the current draw when you turn on any electronic component.

Now here is a work-around that may or may not work, until we can recall all of these units and get you a regulator with the correct components.

With your detector plugged in and on. If you switch the on off switch on the regulator on and off a few times back and forth you can sometimes fool the battery into thinking all is well and it will power up.

This is what Sharp Rock Jerry reports:

"Well Doc,

I beg to respectfully differ,

After getting this message, I pulled out and tested it. Yes, I put a power cord on it the way you taught us so I wouldn't blow it up! And at first, it didn't work. Was only getting about .1 of a volt. Then I thought I'd try the other voltage stetting. Whoopee, 7.2 volts. Then for giggles, I flipped the switch back. Whoopee, 6.62 volts. But it didn't work right at first! So something is wierd. Mine is working fine now. I can turn it off, then to both voltage settings. It seems fine. I'd like to take it on my trip this weekend and see if it will work on the detector. With a volt meter, it appears to be fine now.

- Jerry"

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I spent over three hours on the phone today with COILTEK asking how this could happen as the prototype worked great! Simply a "Human Screw Up!"

We will reimburse you for your shipping costs to send the units back to us or your dealer.

And we will make sure the new units come with a little something extra to compensate you for the inconvenience.

I just do not want to keep you guys in the dark on this. There are too many companies that are not straight forward when a problem arises and I beleive this just causes a lack of customer confidence. We won't do business that way.

I also recognize that by going public with this FUBAR we open ourselves up to public ridicule from those who would try to detract from COILTEK's sterling reputation. We are big boys and we can handle the slings and arrows.

It is more important for us, that you know, that COILTEK will always be straight-forward and honest with you and work to make sure you are totally satisfied with our products.

The good news is, we know how to build the regulator right, and we know what the problem is. We just had a monkey wrench thrown into the works on this first batch.

This goof up will end up costing us thousands of dollars in lost time, shipping costs sending units back to Australia to have the boards swapped out, etc. But customer satisfaction, not saving money, is Job #1 in our mind!

Once again I have to beg your indulgence as we work through this to make things right.

Thank you in advance for your understanding and perseverance.

Take care!

DOC
Managing Director, COILTEK America's
Trevor
Managing Director. COILTEK Australia

 

[lemons]

That's certainly sounds like a FURBALL I don't know what that means BTW. We don't have Condors here.

Considering the amount of posting as a result of questions raised about the Switch, I suppose that may be looked at too.

Expensive Doc. I know how hard you work with your product and your words give me great confidence in your customer service.

Good luck over the coming weeks.

lemons

 

[~LARGO~]

Hey Doc,

Please not to putting your private slammed in the drawer, only will it cause you to be slower in getting the fubar fixed.

Leave putting the pelotos in the drawer to the nerd assembly person!

Just when I was getting the batts charged for the weekend...nuts!!!

I really like the way the lithium ion wall charger tells you when the batt is done! Maybe $Minelab$ could learn a little about providing a wall charger that is smarter than the one that comes with your $Minelab$, that you have to buy a 110/12v transformer,and use your CAR charger, so you can see the rate of charge your big ass battery is receiving..BLINK<BLINK<BLINK>>>

Ha Ha,as depicted above, the forum bad word filter worked well, i should have said big donkey battery....you thought i was going to say ASS, right???

Have a GREAT day!

~LARGO~

 

[Jonathan Porter]

Hello Doc

Once again I am impressed by the professionalism you bring to this industry even when it comes at the expense of not only your wallet but also your dignity. Coiltek are well known here in Australia for providing products that are well made and reliable, they are also well know for their good turn around whenever a problem arises (quite often this is because of operator error rather than faulty equipment).

I think almost all prospectors would know that after market equipment for this industry is hand built and as such costs a fortune to design and build with only small margins available as a reward for the plucky few who make the effort to provide us with that extra edge. These things happen from time to time and unfortunately more often than not cut a huge trench into the bottom line, your profit margin.

You're a true gentleman Doc and your actions speak volumes for the type of business you conduct, I can assure you I won't be one of the crows cawing over your dilemma.

Jonathan Porter

 

[bris dave]

I see you scratched a up a few little pieces the other day.
Well done!
That must have got you doing handstands.

You are right about Doc. He has mentioned a couple of things to me in private emails re coils that have been both spot on correct and very professional in their assessment and fair and balanced.

He is a smart businessman to. Being upfront and honest everytime in an industry famous for backbiting is a very good policy indeed. Everyone knows everytime he will be straight and the service as good as he can deliver. That is blindingly obvious from posts here.

Good luck in the field mate.

 

[joeforthegold]

I know one thing when we do get these things in our hands they are going to be worth the wait, and the expense.
I have been fortunate enough to get to use Doc's working prototype and it is sweet.
The bugs are an unfortunate part of rolling out something that is going to impact our hobby in such a positive way.
It is going to be worth it!
I used it all day and found gold with it. I am probably the first one to find gold using this setup
I can't imagine going back to the lead acid batteries after getting to use the Lithium.
The design is so much more well planned out and user friendly than the other Lithium Ion battery setups that I have seen.
It would be worth it at twice the price Doc is asking.
-Joe

 

[alaskaseeker]

I may give mine the Sharp Rock Jerry test to see if it will function, if not the Reg will be in the mail tomorrow if I have Voltage it will be a week LOL....By then it will be freezeup here and I ain't going nugget hunting anywhere so you can play with it all you want..By the way I knew Murphy and he said "If the Prototype works properly the Production units will Fail ....LOL....Geo

 

[FlakMagnet]

That is a crack-up...I have to laugh, it's just one of those truisms in engineering...if the prototype works etc...

DOC and Coiltek are high on my short list of straight shooting businesses. I admire and respect their trust in us that we can handle the truth. And we easily can, of course.

I also just have to say - and this in no way diminishes the statement above - that it is important to remember in this crazy time we are living in, that really, what Doc and Coiltek have done should be the expected response - i.e. should be NORMAL behavior in a situation like this. It just shows you how far afield we are these days...

thankyou again DOC and Coiltek.

with respect,

 

[Potholes Bob-NM]

Doc, Jonathan voiced my feelings,exactly! This problem will be solved and soon forgotten, but your fairness and quick response to it, will not!

Cheers and Beers!
Potholes Bob