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Tesoro Ground Balance question

scdetector

New member
I know the Tesoro has a 3 3/4 turn ground balance, I understand there will be drag in either direction when the limit is reached. The manual on the Vaquero states to turn 5 turns counterclockwise, then turn back clockwise 2 turns to get it close to center. Hypothetically say the GB knob is close to that drag point at the end of the range, do you continue to turn as per the manual past the drag point considering it will continue to turn? I’ve always been curious about this. I was looking at a used Vaquero to add to my arsenal and figured I’d ask. I understand the principles of positive vs negative GB and how it works… Thanks
 
Here's my take on this subject. On my Tesoros if it's a 3 3/4 pot
Turn either direction until you feel that 1rst resistance. Turn back other way 1/2 the distance. You should be roughly centered between + & - gb. Now turn on detector with coil in air
then proceed to bob coil up & down. Control the GB knob to achieve the same sound when approaching and lifting the coil.
Some like it a hair positive and some like it a little negative. Your call Hope this helps you out. This is how I GB. If someone thinks I'm wrong, Please Correct me. I've been detecting since
2000. I feel my way of GB is Correct!!! Try some HOT tuning should you get that Vaquero also....
silverseeker 2
 
Here's my take on this subject. On my Tesoros if it's a 3 3/4 pot
Turn either direction until you feel that 1rst resistance. Turn back other way 1/2 the distance. You should be roughly centered between + & - gb. Now turn on detector with coil in air
then proceed to bob coil up & down. Control the GB knob to achieve the same sound when approaching and lifting the coil.
Some like it a hair positive and some like it a little negative. Your call Hope this helps you out. This is how I GB. If someone thinks I'm wrong, Please Correct me. I've been detecting since
2000. I feel my way of GB is Correct!!! Try some HOT tuning should you get that Vaquero also....
silverseeker 2
Makes sense finding the middle point between +/- the range once drag is felt. Thanks
 
Picked up a nice Vaquero, looks unused or has had very little use. I did some brief test prior to purchasing it but was unable to GB where we were in a parking lot. On the way home the GB was at 12 o’clock position so turned it ccw roughly 3 turns and resistance/drag was very noticeable so I went back to 12 and turned it cw again about 3 turns, so I just went back to 12, of course the detector was off while doing this. Either way I’m in the middle of the ccw and cw resistance points, does this sound about right? Can it be safety turned past the points of drag? As stated I have other Tesoro detectors with no GB, Cibola, Silver Umax, a few Garretts and my F70. I’m excited to finally get one!
 
What they state in the manual from what recall is where to set the ground balance to bench test some targets.
In the field it is not necessary to do this… Just start where it is set at and adjust as needed to achieve a proper ground balance.
I also have a vaquero and use this procedure.
Turning the knob past the point of resistance has no effect, but will not harm the control.
To me it is senseless to turn it 5 turns and then turn it back to the middle and then ground balance.
 
Well sadly as nice as this machine is I suspect GB pot is bad, it screams when the gb is turned even slightly but settles down in all metal mode with th at a steady hum, I think the detector possibly fell and the knob got hit because it has some wiggle or rather the pot post itself after removing the knob. Hopefully i can find and replace the potentiometer or use it as is. Thanks guys
 
Well sadly as nice as this machine is I suspect GB pot is bad, it screams when the gb is turned even slightly but settles down in all metal mode with th at a steady hum, I think the detector possibly fell and the knob got hit because it has some wiggle or rather the pot post itself after removing the knob. Hopefully i can find and replace the potentiometer or use it as is. Thanks guys
Mine makes noise also while turning the knob, but it functions.
 
Sometimes a shot of Deoxit D5 to the internals of the pot and blowing out with air will stop the noise.
I had an Eldorado some years ago that I bought used and spoke with Rusty at Tesoro about the ground balance control making noise when turned and he said it was inherit with that model detector.
I do not believe my Vaquero, which I purchased new, was noisy when I first got it, so guess this is why I questioned the noise on the Eldorado.
Thanks for the suggestion on cleaning the pot.
 
I had an Eldorado some years ago that I bought used and spoke with Rusty at Tesoro about the ground balance control making noise when turned and he said it was inherit with that model detector.
I do not believe my Vaquero, which I purchased new, was noisy when I first got it, so guess this is why I questioned the noise on the Eldorado.
Thanks for the suggestion on cleaning the pot.
I recently used a Bandido II Umax and the GB knob was smooth, this newly acquired Vaquero has a ton of wiggle in the pot shaft, I watched a Vaquero in a YouTube video and it had a lot of play as well which I found odd, I figured the detector got hit or possibly fell hitting the GB knob
 

3856A-282-503AL https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetai...MI5pzt9-X7ggMVECyzAB1u7w03EA0YAiABEgIPwPD_BwE
IMG_8729.jpeg

 
I recently used a Bandido II Umax and the GB knob was smooth, this newly acquired Vaquero has a ton of wiggle in the pot shaft, I watched a Vaquero in a YouTube video and it had a lot of play as well which I found odd, I figured the detector got hit or possibly fell hitting the GB knob
I also had a Bandido II and it was also smooth.
 
A update, the GB potentiometer actually doesn’t spin endlessly, it has actual stops and the drag felt is from a o-ring that couples the 2 part shaft coming out the pot which is pretty unique. Basically when the knob is turned in either direction and drag is felt the actual switch has met its 3 3/4 turns and the o-ring creates drag/slippage. I posted a photo with the o-ring slid up from where it couples. As far as cleaning the pot, it’s glued together so when the new one arrives I’ll take this one apart. The resistance is from 0-to 49.8k ohms from stop to stop with the higher resistance value being negative GB…Based on the design as well as the amount of usage along with aging of the o-ring I can see why the knob would have some wobble. If the o-ring has deteriorated over time it will never couple and will not turn the pot causing endless turning and the detector can’t GB. I plan on picking up some new o-rings to have on hand. I’m slowly learning
IMG_8745.jpeg
IMG_8746.jpeg
 
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I went ahead and ordered a 3-3/4 pot from Mouser which should be here Friday, solder it back in and hopefully it will be better. I do need some more DeoxIT to have on hand
Can you post the part # for that? When I modded my cobola all mouser had was a 10 turn positive stop pot that got the specs for a tesoro.
Thanks

Edit nevermind you posted it.
Dang the body of mine was huge. I'll need to order these if they work it is 50k which is right.
Thanks!
 
A update, the GB potentiometer actually doesn’t spin endlessly, it has actual stops and the drag felt is from a o-ring that couples the 2 part shaft coming out the pot which is pretty unique. Basically when the knob is turned in either direction and drag is felt the actual switch has met its 3 3/4 turns and the o-ring creates drag/slippage. I posted a photo with the o-ring slid up from where it couples. As far as cleaning the pot, it’s glued together so when the new one arrives I’ll take this one apart. The resistance is from 0-to 49.8k ohms from stop to stop with the higher resistance value being negative GB…Based on the design as well as the amount of usage along with aging of the o-ring I can see why the knob would have some wobble. If the o-ring has deteriorated over time it will never couple and will not turn the pot causing endless turning and the detector can’t GB. I plan on picking up some new o-rings to have on hand. I’m slowly learning View attachment 50036View attachment 50037
FYI this was the one my directions said to order for the Mod.
Not sure what the 10% on yours means compared to the .25% on mine though.
 
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