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An idea for Minelab to consider - Cables

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Post  slimpickens Mon Dec 05, 2011 12:02 am

An idea for Minelab to consider - Cables Short_11
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Post  xenon Mon Dec 05, 2011 12:48 am

Like it. Simple to set up and minimal costs involved
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Post  themrburns Mon Dec 05, 2011 2:56 am

There are in my opinion a lot of design changes which could be made to the setup to make it much much easier . A spring loaded wire system inside the tube itself would actually mean no coiled wire round the coil. I have used this system before with radios when the antenna might be at various lengths.


This idea would be easy to mod onto an existing minelab and would be good however!

cheers,

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Post  nero_design Mon Dec 05, 2011 6:24 am

An idea for Minelab to consider - Cables Original

Our coil cables are all pre-taped taped right up the side of the lower-shafts. To change them, all we do is attach the lower-shaft and then turn it over the top shaft a couple of times before connecting it to the coupling on the control box.

If you do this, always be sure to leave enough room to be able to tilt the coil on the end of the iso-rod or you may put undue stress on the grommet that plugs the cable into the coil casing.

A "Junction Box" part way in the cable (to break the cable in the middle) might be a problem because it would be (1) a source of interference, (2) a weak-point on the cable, (3) unprotected and therefor more prone to damage by the user and (4) yet another set of pins that could fail or dislodge or lose contact. It might also be another location for the EMF of the detector to 'anchor' to... but I'm not so sure about that.

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Post  Guest Mon Dec 05, 2011 7:14 am

I notice quite a few of the chinese detectors are fitted with the coil cable running up inside the stem and connected to a curly lead from the control box. The connectors are friction type and will eventually fail to hold together. If you do use an intermediate connector then it should be a dust & moisture proof screw locking type.

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Post  byronbinalong Mon Dec 05, 2011 7:36 am

I hope the lady doesnt use those boots for detecting? = leather soles etc .... but Nero, I like the idea of the tape,but must be a PITA to renew
Cheers
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Post  Beer Beeper Mon Dec 05, 2011 9:08 am

Yes OR why not have a non-metallic Junction Box or connection directly right at-on the coil.

So the coil itself has no cable, and a person hooks up and un-hooks the coil cable right at the coil. It would then be much easier and a snap to change coils.

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Post  nero_design Mon Dec 05, 2011 9:11 am

byronbinalong wrote:I hope the lady doesnt use those boots for detecting? = leather soles etc .... but Nero, I like the idea of the tape,but must be a PITA to renew
Cheers


That's my wife's Western-style cowboy boots. She wears them on her farms in North America where rattlesnakes are a problem. She finds them comfortable and prefers then over wearing the snake gaiters.

An idea for Minelab to consider - Cables Medium

Only problem I've had with the tape is that bugspray causes it to get very "gummy" and it will stick to your fingers a little if you've gotten some on the tape whilst spraying yourself.

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Post  evan2010 Mon Dec 05, 2011 10:04 am

Gday Nero, whats that camo tape called? Is it an adhesive cloth type? Cheers Evan
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Post  Newhunter Mon Dec 05, 2011 11:34 am

She would not get to many targets with that set up. The coil is not connected to the control box LOL.

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Post  slimpickens Mon Dec 05, 2011 12:01 pm

Beer Beeper wrote:Yes OR why not have a non-metallic Junction Box or connection directly right at-on the coil.

So the coil itself has no cable, and a person hooks up and un-hooks the coil cable right at the coil. It would then be much easier and a snap to change coils.

You are right on the money there Beer Beeper, you would then only need one cable and one bottom shaft and you could secure the coil cable pretty tight all the way up to the control box. It would have to be a very good waterproof cable connector, but it would be an easy design for the brilliant minds at Minelab Sleep Sleep to invent, I'm sure scratch Sleep


Last edited by shiraz on Sun Dec 11, 2011 10:05 am; edited 1 time in total
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Post  detectoraid Mon Dec 05, 2011 12:25 pm

Just do a search for gun wrap tape.
It is self clinging no sticky residue.

Minelab already did a cable inside the shaft with the Quattro.

And Nero is right …… every added connector is just another source of noise and potential problems.
And Nero is right ….. just mount all your coils on stems for a quick change.


I did a bit of cost analysis on the junction concept and came up with around $40 USD retail.
Just look at what aftermarket power leads sell for if you doubt my calculations.
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Post  nero_design Mon Dec 05, 2011 12:39 pm

evan2010 wrote:Gday Nero, whats that camo tape called? Is it an adhesive cloth type? Cheers Evan

An idea for Minelab to consider - Cables Large

It's called McNett CAMOFORM Self-Cling Camouflage Wrap - each roll is 2 inches wide by 12 feet long. Usually you need more than one roll to do an upper and lower shaft. Helps prevent all scratches and dirt scuff from affecting the shaft. It sticks to itself but not to other things. Stops rattling noises and the ACU (Digital Camo pattern) matches my custom control box and arm rest covers:

LINK TO RANDOM EBAY SELLER WITH SAME ITEM... have not bought from this seller.

There are other patters available and it can be used to make pressure bandages for snakebite or to splint broken limbs. I've also wrapped it over the knife sheath to make it much less obvious.


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Post  goldtimer Mon Dec 05, 2011 1:19 pm

Personally, I reckon a good few scratches and dents on a detector gives it a bit of character! Laughing

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Post  evan2010 Mon Dec 05, 2011 1:33 pm

Thanks Nero, Much Appreciated!! Very Happy
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Post  sandy2010 Mon Dec 05, 2011 2:34 pm

nero et-al.....
Because we are constantly fine tuning our approach to detecting, I would appreciate your opinion(s) re. my "improvement"......I use Nitto self-fusing butyl rubber tape all along the coil lead......I work on the theory that the lead acts as an aerial ( it also says on the packet that it minimises any corona effect )........
However even if my theory is incorrect it stops any damage to the lead in the scrub.

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Post  nero_design Mon Dec 05, 2011 3:50 pm

sandy2010 wrote:nero et-al.....
Because we are constantly fine tuning our approach to detecting, I would appreciate your opinion(s) re. my "improvement"......I use Nitto self-fusing butyl rubber tape all along the coil lead......I work on the theory that the lead acts as an aerial ( it also says on the packet that it minimises any corona effect )........
However even if my theory is incorrect it stops any damage to the lead in the scrub.

Nitto tape should be good. I'm told that winding a coil cable around the shaft is only a problem if the cable is would many times in the same place - which probably produces some sort of amperage jump or something similar. Some have even written articles (in the 80's and 90's) on the importance of ensuring that the first winding goes over, rather than under, the lower shaft on the first turn. I like to run the cable straight up the side of the shaft... especially if it's a Nugget Finder Coil (sometimes they have a shorter cable) or if I'm using an extended lower shaft to keep the coil as far from me as possible.

But that Nitto Tape (which I find to be low tack) is going to be great for this application.
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Post  slimpickens Mon Dec 05, 2011 5:12 pm

Nero, the colour co-ordination on the detectors is just gorgeous, thank you for posting a reply. However the drawing I put up is all about the junction box and it's pro's and con's.


Last edited by shiraz on Wed Feb 22, 2012 5:10 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Post  Mechanic Mon Dec 05, 2011 6:06 pm

G'day Shiraz,

One problem I see with mounting any sort of junction down closer to the coil is the plug will then be closer to the coil and will cause false noise whenever the coil moves in relation to the plug as the plug has a metal casing and also metal pins inside the plug. Even if the plug was not moving in relation to the coil, I am led to believe that some ferrites in the soil will cause a false response due to the metal being present. Hmmmm could that explain the "halo effect"?

I believe the Minelab F3 mine detector has curly coil lead on the inside of the shaft which is then pulled through the inside of the upper shaft and connected inside the control box. See page 17
http://www.minelab.com/__files/f/4473/4904-0004%20Service%20Manual%20F3%20Jan%2010%20Iss%203.pdf

Cheers Mick

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Post  slimpickens Mon Dec 05, 2011 6:33 pm

Hi Mechanic, The junction box would be mostly made out of plastic I would imagine, and ground balancing the coil with the junction box in place should cancel it out. The whole upper shaft is made out of metal anyway and so is the locking pin although there are non metal shafts and locking pins available. Others mount video cameras on their shafts and it doesn't seem to affect the coil.
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Post  chopppacalamari Mon Dec 05, 2011 7:18 pm

If the plug was down near the coil that would make it easier get water and dirt in the plug. I'd like to see minelab make the unit waterproof or at least splashproof so we can still detect in the drizzle.


Dicko..
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Post  hoolahoopa Mon Dec 05, 2011 11:07 pm

i have always thought about why the cable could not be detached from the coil by some sort of connection a bit like the one that goes into the control box. then the cable would not have to be touched just unscrew/unplug the cable from the coil and replace.
i know this would mean a whole set of new coils, but sooner or later that is going to happen anyway.
in regards to a shaft for every coil well that could be very expensive for some people, with shafts being $50 or more.
but at the end of the day if you are changing coils its probably time for a break and a cupper so whats a few minutes anyway.
regards
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Post  Guest Wed Feb 22, 2012 4:57 pm

a power lead that lasts like the detectors...sick off buying power leads
cheers
stoppsy

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Post  Guest Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:07 pm

stoppsy wrote:a power lead that lasts like the detectors...sick off buying power leads
cheers
stoppsy

How many have you had to buy? the detector comes with one and Ive had the 4500 since it came out (a fair while ago now) and have never had to replace a power lead yet, although we do carry a spare just in case.

What I would like on a new model is a switch that says "big n deep" with the quietness of the smooth class of timings. That'll keep the Mrs digging for awhile. Laughing

cheers dave


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Post  Guest Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:20 pm

i'v went through 2 on the 4000 and i'm on my 2nd on the 45. i thake the leads off from the battery and the detector after i finished using them.
cheers
stoppsy

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Post  slimpickens Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:51 pm

An idea for Minelab to consider - Cables Minela16

Very Happy
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