12 Volt Minelab 5000

Is anyone aware of any GPX5000 being a 12 volt system? Everybody else talks about 7.2-7.4 volt systems. I know it sounds strange, but mine is a 12 volt system. I took apart my original battery and found 3 Lithium Ion batteries running in series reading 4.18- 4.19 volts each for a total of 12.57 volts. My manual says 7.4 - 8.4 volts. I took 1 Lithium out of the circuit. My control box then shows a battery with low power and a reading saying 0% battery power remaining. This is on 8.3 volts. My unit came with a European style charging adaptor that puts out 12.3 volts. My detector has all three Genuine Minelab security seals. On the control box, Detector head and also on the box it came in. The toggle switches are 3 position and not two as some counterfeits have. A friend of mine that has a ML5K thinks it is the real deal, but is also confused about the power. It runs normal at 12 volts and gives me low battery at 8.3 volts. Should I split the difference? I ordered 25 Panasonic 3.7 volt Lion batteries and a few 5 pin connectors so I can make custom mod batteries.
Anyone there who has seen this problem before?

If you purchased it new from a Minelab dealer then take it back and question them and also Minelab about it. If you modify it your self you will void the warranty.

All the batterys should be 8 Lithium cells 2 in series and 4 pairs then in parrallel.

cheers dave

Hi Hartcore1
This is very unusual,maybe you can check the menu items as they are often incorrect in non-genuine detectors.
Steve

G;day Hartcore1,Welcome to the forum.

First of all,there should be 4 batteries either side of your battery box circuit board. As Dave stated,only 2 batteries are in series,the other 6 are joined in parallel configuration,in order to give you the Amp/hours run time,a total of 8 single Li-Ion 3.7-4.2v cells.The volts measured between each individual cell of,4.18 to 4.19 is that of a fully charged individual cell and all cells checked individually (one at a time) should come up with pretty much the same voltage readings.If you found only three batteries in your control box connected in series giving you 12+volts coming out of your battery power socket,then it cant be an original Minelab GPX 5000 Battery box. Nothing makes sense here.By the way as Deutran stated,did your machine function properly in the first place?,for it be under warranty (if new) and there'd be no need to fix or repair anything,apart from bringing it back to the dealer you purchased it from.That's if he's still there and hasn't vacated the premisses?
         
           Cheers Kon.