Detech 15 x 8 Mono Coil Test/review

Hi everyone
I promised a few weeks ago that once i received the Detech 15x8 mono coil I purchased from Ebay that I would review and post the results. Well i received the coil last week and went up to the Golden triangle and used the coil for about 8 hours on the GPX 4000. The first thing I noticed when I unboxed the coil was the the cable was a lot flatter and slightly thinner that the Minelab and Coiltek coils mmmmm Not a good start was my initial thought, also unusual is that the cable going into the coil sits fairly high towards the top of the coil, thought I must have put the coil on upside down, but apparently not, as the stickers were all facing the correct way.The coil seems sturdy enough and appears to be well built and well balanced. i have used Detech coils before on my coin detector and have found them to be quite good.
Well i didnt find anything at depth but I did find shot gun pellets .22 bullets and casings along with quite a few pieces of tiny wire. The coil seems to be quite sensitive. One thing I did notice was that the coil seemed to run very quietly, with almost no hot ground interference ( in saying that the area I went to was a new area but around Talbot is normally pretty hot) It was so quiet that I was doubting that it was working correctly, so I buried a 5 c piece at 11 inches and it detected it easily even lifting the coil about 5 inches off the ground it was still getting a faint signal.I then buried a 2g nugget at about 8 inches and the signal was clear , lifting the coil approx 3 inches off the ground i was still getting a faint signal. I recorded the tests and have posted the links if you want to look at them
Conclusion, my initial impression is that the coils seems to be quite sensitive and very quiet ( quieter than the Minelab, Coiltek and Nugget finder coils that I already own) I intend, in the next couple of weeks, to take the coil to some ground that I know is very hot and see how it performs. Will post the results then but all in all ( even though on my first outing with the coil I didnt find any gold ) i was reasonably impressed in the way it performed, better than the known branded coils ? ( certainly quieter), I will reserve my judgement until I have spent some more time using it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWnvu9YiOOE
[youtube] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0B4n6mQkYc [/youtube]

Regards
Nortonterry

That's a pretty good test nortonterry and the signal response was quite nice and clear. I good comparison test would be if you actually come across an undisturbed target, to video the walk up and signal response of the Detech as compared to a similar size NF or Coiltek or Minelab. On the whole though, a thumbs up for the Detech coil from your brief tests.

thanks for that mate.
I have been wondering how you got on with that coil.
I`m looking forward to the next report
cheers dave

G'day Fellow prospectors.

After a couple of weeks testing 3 new coils on the Victorian goldfields,designed by Detech to suit Minelabs range of PI detectors,I have come to the conclusion of the following test results.
The new range of Detech coils,on the GPX series detectors,such that of the 15x8 mono coil,I found it to be up there with the best of them.As a matter of fact,the coils I tested(15x8 mono,12.5dd,and 18x15dd) all performed flawlessly on all the GPX series detectors especially over sections of medium to high meneralized ground.
I would also like to state that I am in no way affiliated or associated with Detech (of Bulgaria) but just another prospector,putting some of Detechs newly supplied production test coils through their paces over some of Victorias mineralized goldfields.
On first inspection,the build quality of Detech's new range of coils,designed for gold prospecting on Minelabs pulse detectors,SD to and especially on the GPX range,was impressive to say the least.Solid, very well made,with skid plates that hug the coils outer body bottom perfectly,with no sign of any visible gaps between base of coil and skid plate.On the,GPX 4000,4500,and 5000 the 15x8 mono as well as the other 2 DDs performed almost flawlessly.As a matter of fact,three small nuggets were found (on ground we had all thought flogged in the past) on the same day,by three different operators which were given the 15x8 mono to see what they though of the coils.The largest of nuggets being 3.25gms was found through mineralized soil,sitting in clay,at a depth of over 11+ inches coupled to a GPX 4000.The other 2 half grammers,one was found with a 4500 and the other with a GPX 5000.
The main thing that surprised us all,was how quiet and smooth the 15x8 mono ran over mineralized ground,as compared to similar sized Commander,Coiltek and Nugget Finder monos,and of how less prone it was to surrounding E.M.I noise as compared to the others.As a matter of fact,it was less prone to E.M.I over any given area on any given day.How Detech managed this while maintaining excellent stability/sensitivity,I don't know,but I do know when tested not only by myself over several different locations,but by other experienced operators of my group,all were amazed at its quietness and smooth operation over the hotter sections of mineralized ground.
I found this hard to believe,but regardless of any coming criticism,when running sensitive smooth on the 4000 or Enhance in the 4500 and 5000,the new Detech 15x8 mono not only matched the sensitivity and depth on targets of similar sized coils from Commander,Coiltek,and Nugget Finder,but under some instances,surpassed them both in sensitivity and depth under normal ground operating conditions.
The 15x8 I tested,showed no signs of being "bump sensitive" (falsing when banged into obstacles) or giving off any spurious ground signals when changing ground conditions,balanced well and kept it's ground balance stability very well,under most ground conditions.Sensitivity was up there with the best of them.I too like Nortonterry would have preferred to see a softer,thicker,rounder,cable and plug(going into the coil),set a little further down,to the right and closer to the shaft,but in no way,does this deter on the coils outright performance,the way it is set now.
Detech's new range of Gold prospecting DD coils designed for the GPX series detectors,were similar.Excellent sensitivity to the tiniest of target shrapnel,with the added advantage of running quieter than any similar sized dd on the market.So quiet at times to the point where I had to stop and check the coil with the odd target making sure it was still on and operating.
The surprise of the two DDs was that of the 18x15 S.E.F butterfly coil which showed brilliant sensitivity on tiny metallic targets for its size,as well as depth and stability over highly mineralized sections of ground.This 18x15dd,was a bit of an eye opener and worked flawlessly on the SD 2200 and brilliantly on all the other GPX series machines,maintaining high sensitivity under most ground conditions,whilst at the same time running exceptionally
smooth.For it's size,it was quite capable of picking up a 0.5 gram nugget at 4+ inches depth in hot ground and a 3 ounce lead sinker at over 23+ inches.
As for Detechs new range of coil durability,time will only tell.One thing I can safely conclude,is that the production coils tested,are built with quality in mind,and perform brilliantly on a range of Minelab pulse detectors which leads me to believe they'll be around for a long time.

Weight of each coil; 15x8 mono approx 835gm
12.5 DD round 1055gm
18x15 DD butterfly open spoke 1032gm

Last but not least,I would like to thank Mr Svetoslav of Detech Bulgaria and Detech themselves,for kindly supplying me with the above mentioned coils for comparison testing here on Victorian goldfield soils. Svetoslav,is also a member of this forum,under the Avatar name of Slavitoooo. So any further questions as to coil technicalities/prices etc,please refer to him.
I would also like to thank Harry,Dave & Ray for their involvement & independent opinion and view,regarding the testing of these new coils.
Below are some pictures of gear as well as coins,lead sinker & nuggets used in the testing of Detechs new range of Gold Coils on the GPX series detectors,as compared to other coils in our possession.

Cheers Guys Kon.

great report kon
thanks very much
dave

Sounds good but if something goes wrong what a pain in the ass to sort it out send it back and forth, skid plate wears out then you have to get one from there I will stick to Australian made coils but good read anyway and was it a nice calm day ???? If so most coils run like a dream anyway .

Hi all, I was with Kon on this trip. I detected a small gully with my 14” NF solid round mono, found nothing, came back to camp and took the Detech 15” x 8” mono back to the same gully and found that .5 gr nugget. The nugget was between two rocks about 10” apart that the 14’’ couldn’t get into. So I would say that that coil is going to be great for rocky gullies. You can shove its long sensitive nose into a lot of tight spots. And yes it runs very quiet. Cheers harry

Nugget man,I'd have to agree with you on that one.It would be great to see a local distributor/supplier for repairs and spare parts,here in Australia,for the product is good and works well.As for the nice calm day,unfortunately no.(by the way,I did state "less prone to E.M.I" but not entirely free) Cloudy with sunny periods and wind in between,but the moment we went back to putting on the 14x9,17x11 and 14 round NFs over the same area of ground,(E.M.I Ayatollah),stated singing at his best.

Cheers Kon.

Well fair enough kon at lest you answered my question thanks still I will stick to nf coils but hope they find a supplier hear then I mite try one .

That was a great review Kon, Harry and Nortonterry, they sound like a very capable coil. As was said about spare skid plates etc, maybe when ordering the coils they should order spare skid plates as well to suit said coils. Then if the original ones wear out at least you would have spare ones, also when you replace the old one reorder another spare and you should have that before the replaced one has worn out. Just my thoughts anyway. They defiantly sound like a very good coil.

Cheers.

Mike.

Hi guys I have been also testing the Detech 15"x8" mono over the last few weeks.
The results have been fantastic, this is a very stable coil over varying ground types, the coil runs so quietly which enables you to hear the slightest murmur in the threshold.Ive been working ground that has been flogged over the years and have been able to pick up nuggets.
The coil is very sensitive to small gold have found down to .2 gram. Pin pointing with this coil is a dream.
Great size coil for covering a fair amount of ground still able to poke it into tight areas in amongst the bushes, and being of solid design no or little snagging on sticks and rubble on the ground. So many coils suffer from bump and false signals from being on the ground the Detech seems to handle it without any problems. Great coil

Regards Stinky

Yeh Mike,I rarely put my stamp of approval on anything these days unless its proven beyond doubt.To be honest,I really didn't have great expectation as to their performance prior to putting them through their paces against the competitions,here on Victorian soil,but to my surprise,the new Detech Coils designed for gold prospecting on the Minelab GPX series detectors not only work,but work well under most ground conditions.I'd be the first in boots and all,criticizing them If they didn't.
Nortonterry is 100% correct in his translation of what he saw and explained on his You Tube video test.

Cheers Kon.

Yes just read this thread
And think I need to get one
And give it ago

Great review guys. Been wondering about these coils and whilst we like to buy Australian, this is the first time we definately have competion from overseas.

Jeff

Hi,
Is there any chance of a link to the 15X8 coil? I can't seem to find it on the detech website here www.detech-metaldetectors.com/ Have I got the correct site?

Thanks

Bicter, try http://www.detech-metaldetectorsaustralia.com.au/

I've got the 18in butterfly coil on my 4800 in Europe and I love it for treasure hunting.
Didn't think it would be much use on gold.
Now I wish I bought it back with me to try on the gold fields.
I guess I'll have to buy a couple of the mono's to give them a crack here in Aus now.

You've got a reputation now aurumpro as being one of the best reviewers out there. I'll be eagerly hanging out for your results.

CostasDee wrote:Bicter, try http://www.detech-metaldetectorsaustralia.com.au/

Thanks Costas, I was looking for an overseas link. The 15X8 doesn't show up on their international site. I did see the aussie site but I usually try to get to the source first (for most accurate info)
Regards
Terry

CostasDee wrote:You've got a reputation now aurumpro as being one of the best reviewers out there. I'll be eagerly hanging out for your results.

Mate the 18in butterfly and the 21in butterfly ended up being the ONLY
coils that I carried for the GPX 4800 (treasure hunting) I like them that much!
The 18 in basically lived on the detector, because:
-1 it gave better depth.
-2 its accurate discrimination depth was better than the others.
-3 very light weight compared to the other DD's (as they are all solid design)
-4 the price was very reasonable!
-5 They were less sensitive to EMI.

We used them for hours every day for 3 months and I'm a scrubber and they showed no sighn of weakness.
I was very happy with my purchase
I also have the 13in ultimate and the 8in butterfly DD's for the etrak and love them too, I only wish they made them for the CTX 3030

Had I have known that stevoslav made mono's I would have bought a couple and bought them back with me to give them a crack on gold

Bicter,the few coils going on E/Bay a while back,were production test coils and at the time not yet in full production pending further site field test reports,as to their performance.I cannot say myself if they will definitely be put in full manufacturing production until we hear more from Detech themselves.You might have to email Detech of Bulgaria to hopefully find out more and if and when they intend distributing or selling them here.

Cheers Kon.

phoenix wrote:great report kon
thanks very much
dave

Hey Dave here is a whole new range of coils you can put into your collection mate
Wombat

Oh Wombat... please... he doesnt need encouragement...

Hi guys the coils now offered on eBay are full production coils all covered by a 2 year warranty
These coils are fully waterproof.
The range of mono & DD coils is still growing - Open coils plus fully closed and also the SEF DD range.
We are keeping stock of the coils here in Australia and spare skid plates as well.
Please check out our Australian Web site. www.detech-metaldetectorsaustralia.com.au
We welcome any queries unanswered on the website.

Regards Stinky

Just stumbled across this thread, excellent reviews and thanks. Must admit have thought about a coil or two so these would be a good option.

Good to read about those whom have actually used them.

Cheers

Much appreciated Peter.Thanks for the updated info and for informing us as to their availability and Australian Distributor.

Cheers Kon.

I picked up one yesterday a 15x8 .We took it out to a test patch and gave it a run , using a gp extreme with a external speaker the only other coil around the same size was a 14x7.The test patch is sixpences that are all 1940 s they are buried at 3 inch intervals starting at 6'' and ending at 21''.The one at 15 '' both coils picked up OK and were running stable when it came to the 18'' one the 15x8 coil there was a brake in the threshold enough to say check it out and i think with head phone it would be a dig me,as for the 14x7 the 18'' could not be recognized .Next week i hope to give it a good run on the extreme
cheers john

I have been considering ordering either a Detech 15x8 mono for my gpx 4000 or possibly a NF Adv solid mono 14x9 as an all around use coil, has anyone got any more reports of actual nugget finds with nugget wt  and depths with this Detech coil yet? Thanks.

Gold Bug Snipper,be assured that the 15x8 will find gold.Through my testing,I found that the 15x8 Detech,has the sensitivity of a coil smaller than the 14x9,yet goes as deep if not better on targets than the 17x11 NF. I use it as my standard coil on a 4000.It has already found me gold,one piece (1.8 gram nugget) of of which was found 6 inches down in reasonably hot ground but could be clearly picked up 4 inches above.Not saying that the 14x9 or 17x11 wouldn't or couldn't have done the same thing,just that this coil did and did it well.I can also recommend their new 8 inch round and 11x6 monos,which are both dynamite on the smaller sub grammers at depth,whilst maintaining good stability over the hotter sections of mineralized ground.
PS,forgot to add,keep in mind that,the gold has to be there,within reach,in the first place hey?"
       
            Cheers Kon.

Kon, thanks for your reply, my detecting partner and I have quite a bit of experience with Detech coils for coin and jewelry hunting with mxt's and m6 detectors, and we are sold on them for that purpose, my detecting partner has found 27 grams of 14K using three different detech coils in the last couple months in the local parks, etc. , this is what raised my interest in possibly buying the 15x8 for my 4000 minelab, so thanks for the details you provided, I think I will order one soon.