The writing is on the wall.

[Dan(NM)]

I've been using the 800 for fresh water hunting for the last 2 months. Deepest I've taken it is neck deep with no issues. I was out this morning, hunting the beach and about an hour into the hunt, I see condensation forming behind the screen. The machine seems to function normally except the volume of the external speaker is weak.


I decided to burp the speaker and when I pulled the battery out, it was wet. That was not what I wanted to see, I have a vacation coming up in a couple of weeks and need my machine to hold out until the end of Sept. I'm unable to get the pressure to equalize, each time I reinstall the battery, I can hear the speaker pop and the volume remains low, I'll let Minelab deal with it.


I'll contact Minelab Monday and get the issue on record and send it in after my vacation.. I've already had 3 Profind 35's go bad since February, one went nuts and 2 leaked. I've been really lucky up until this year with Minelab products.

 

[Mark kus]

Another one no surprise there I have a new one myself my 3 one! I just can’t make myself submerge it very long when water hunting!
Well I hope you get it back soon I waited 3 weeks for a replacement!
Mark

 

[Dan(NM)]

It is a bit unnerving submersing a machine with known flooding issues, I think I have a few months of warranty left, thankfully.

 

[ronaldj2]

I dont use mine in water because I bought it used and the previous owner never registered it. He only used it once. I did submerge it once this summer in a stream . The speaker sounded muffled until I shook it dry. No water since. Kind of a bummer. I have the Garrett AT Max in which I have been in waste to chest deep water for hours with no issues. Also Tesoro Sand Shark for salt water. 800 is a dry land only machine for me (no worries about heavy rain storms). Sorry to hear yours flooded or at least got condensated.

 

[Dan(NM)]

I dont use mine in water because I bought it used and the previous owner never registered it."

It doesn't matter if he registered it or not, as long as it hasn't been 3 years since it was bought new, your covered.

 

[ronaldj2]

Cool. Thanks for the info. I appreciate that.

 

[Dan(NM)]

Cool. Thanks for the info. I appreciate that.

Your welcome.

 

[Confetrit]

Best of luck to you Dan.

 

[bootyhoundpa]

Good luck..my water hunting season is coming up shortly hope I don’t become part of the club...

 

[JAN1]

I've been using the 800 for fresh water hunting for the last 2 months. Deepest I've taken it is neck deep with no issues. I was out this morning, hunting the beach and about an hour into the hunt, I see condensation forming behind the screen. The machine seems to function normally except the volume of the external speaker is weak.


I decided to burp the speaker and when I pulled the battery out, it was wet. That was not what I wanted to see, I have a vacation coming up in a couple of weeks and need my machine to hold out until the end of Sept. I'm unable to get the pressure to equalize, each time I reinstall the battery, I can hear the speaker pop and the volume remains low, I'll let Minelab deal with it.


I'll contact Minelab Monday and get the issue on record and send it in after my vacation.. I've already had 3 Profind 35's go bad since February, one went nuts and 2 leaked. I've been really lucky up until this year with Minelab products.

Hi!. I always use a Vibra probe pinpointer down the beach, it's waterproof down to 200ft. I quite often dig with it if it in a rock pool with a layer of sand in the bottom so I cover the tip with a hard setting putty to protect the tip. I like this probe as it only detects on the tip which is good on the beach and I must have now had it for about 10 years.

 

[laplander]

I had a probe with a cracked housing, they replaced it no issue. Have been swinging my original 800 for years now with chin deep on each water hunt.
Good luck Dan
HH Jeff

 

[jmaclen]

Good luck Dan with MInelabAmerica. Keep after them if you have to leave a message on the phone and email them everyday until they respond. It took three weeks for me to receive an RMA#. Not complaining, just the way things are right now.

I own two Equinox just for the issue you are having. They really meet my detecting needs and I keep a Nox 600 around for water/beach/surf detecting when I need to submerge a detector for coins, jewelry and relics. No leaking problems with my 600 after almost 2.5 years owning it. I have a Nokta Makro Gold Kruzer for underwater gold prospecting or if a prospecting detector could get away from me in a river or stream and go for a swim. I beat the crap out of my Equinox 800 but dunking it is not something I want to do until the warranty is about up next summer.

 

[flysar]

My 3rd 800 is in the shop now for water intrusion. When I get this 800 back it will also get an overnight soak in the tub, just like the last one, which lasted 5 freshwater hunts. Supposedly they are paying more attention to a 10' water pressure test before going out the door; I didn't think to ask how many had failed.

 

[fwcrawford]

I've been using the 800 for fresh water hunting for the last 2 months. Deepest I've taken it is neck deep with no issues. I was out this morning, hunting the beach and about an hour into the hunt, I see condensation forming behind the screen. The machine seems to function normally except the volume of the external speaker is weak.


I decided to burp the speaker and when I pulled the battery out, it was wet. That was not what I wanted to see, I have a vacation coming up in a couple of weeks and need my machine to hold out until the end of Sept. I'm unable to get the pressure to equalize, each time I reinstall the battery, I can hear the speaker pop and the volume remains low, I'll let Minelab deal with it.


I'll contact Minelab Monday and get the issue on record and send it in after my vacation.. I've already had 3 Profind 35's go bad since February, one went nuts and 2 leaked. I've been really lucky up until this year with Minelab products.

Dan,
After reading your post and doing to thinking, I decided to go into my battery compartment on my 800 and see what it looks like in there.
This is the first time I have ever taken it apart and my detector is about 10 months old and has never been in the water.
I removed the control pod from the shaft and then removed the battery cap.
while holding the battery out of the way, I looked into the well and noticed a small hole about 3/16" in diameter next to where the wires from the battery go through and I can actually see the edge of the circuit board through the hole.
If water gets past those two O rings, it can then easily get into the control module.
I also noticed that both O rings were completely dry with no grease what so ever on them.
Although they seem to fit snug, I think the addition of silicone grease would further help in added protection from water getting in.
I am surprised this was not done at the factory.. it also helps prevent sticking while trying to remove the battery for replacement.
I have a Sand Shark and they recommend to apply silicone grease before each use, which it do and I have never had an issue with leaks.
Still using the same O ring after 8 years and no leaks at all.
I believe this is the source of the leaking issue and want to thank you for posting which made me look at mine to see what I could find.
I would feel comfortable about taking mine in the water now.

 

[Joe Black]

I’m not planing on submerging mine because I’ve lost confidence with it for water hunting. I’ll stick to my Excalibur.

 

[Dan(NM)]

I have my RMA # and will send the control pod in after my vacation. I took my battery out after my last land hunt and ran my finder inside the housing, because the screen fogged up again. It was wet inside and I'm positive water has gotten to the electronics inside the pod.