Equinox 800 missing silver

[jmaclen]

I enjoyed learning and using an Etrac for the last 6 months. So many people similar to Cherry Picker and Robby4570 have said some amazing things about the Etrac. I agree with them, it is an amazing detector.

However, there is one big issue with the Etrac and it’s not its weight. It is its inability to handle even moderate amounts of magnetite (iron) and volcanic mineralization.

Let me put it this way. I can run my Equinox 800 using its stock 11” coil in any mode, multi or single frequency at 23 of 25 sensitivity at most locations around here if EMI isn’t too bad. On the same ground in Auto Sensitivity, my Etrac using the stock Pro 11” coil never got above 10 and in Manual sensitivity I could run it at 17 of 30 tops without it starting to sound off on the ground itself. 17 on the Etrac in this dirt will get about 9” depth on a US quarter and 7 to 8” on a silver dime. Using Auto Sensitivity 10……subtract another inch at least on those targets.

My Equinox at sensitivity 23 will easily hit a 9“ silver dime and hit a US quarter or nickel at 11”+.

So CTbadbilly, check your iron mineralization levels before you go out and buy a used Etrac or CTX 3030 and NO, I don’t want to hear it. I‘m well aware that I live in a place with some bad dirt. So what. The Equinox handles it better, period

 

[markinswpa]

If you're looking for Silver, get a used E-Trac or a CTX3030 both of them are Silver magnets for me! And far better than a 'Nox 800 (yes, I get to say that... I have one of those too) in trashy sites. On the beach, with the 15 inch coil on, my 800 LOVES quarters, dimes, and Silver jewelry down deep.

My CTX3030's first Silver...

View attachment 590254
​

And an as-yet-unidentified artifact from the site of an 1850s Plantation house

View attachment 590257
​

Robby hard to judge the size but could that be the top of a cane or from the pistol grip on the butt of a shotgun. Whatever it is , cool find.

 

[graybeard]

All Metal to be sure you weren't using some sort of discrimination pattern, that discriminated out the dime if its ID was being dragged down by iron in the hole.

...and ya, if the tech told you there was nothing wrong with it (as you said he did), even though he couldn't hit a dime at 1"-2", then he should be fired.

What all metal mode? The horseshoe is not all metal it is a discriminated metal mode. The only way for to get all metal is to run it in pinpoint. Very few detectors actually have all metal mode to run in. If running a DFX with VCO and mixed mode and raising the DC sensitivity up it gives a better chance of hitting most of the metal in the ground.

I was glad when I traded the Equinox 800 for an Etrac, because I was getting tired of digging all the beaver tail pulltabs and canslaw.

 

[jmaclen]

What all metal mode? The horseshoe is not all metal it is a discriminated metal mode. The only way for to get all metal is to run it in pinpoint.

Digalicious clearly said "All Metal" referring to discrimination pattern not mode. Even using Pinpoint on the Equinox models, all that does once again if put the Equinox in the All Metal discrimination pattern so that all metals are accepted.

 

[graybeard]

Digalicious clearly said "All Metal" referring to discrimination pattern not mode. Even using Pinpoint on the Equinox models, all that does once again if put the Equinox in the All Metal discrimination pattern so that all metals are accepted.

Discrimination pattern on the Equinox still does NOT hit all the metal that is in the ground!!!!!
End of story!!!

 

[jmaclen]

Whatever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Diga]

Discrimination pattern on the Equinox still does NOT hit all the metal that is in the ground!!!!!
End of story!!!

That is irrelevant to the discussion, and also and misses the point.

Here's an example of my point:

Not too long ago, someone posted on another forum that their detector wasn't hitting a coin they buried. As it turned out, there was also iron in the hole that significantly dragged down the ID of the coin. The coin wasn't being detected, because he was using a discrimination pattern that notched out the dragged down ID of the coin.

That is why I suggested using All Metal. Better yet, before burying the coin, check the darn hole and plug to make sure there is no other metal (especially ferrous) present.

 

[Beachhunt1]

Discrimination pattern on the Equinox still does NOT hit all the metal that is in the ground!!!!!
End of story!!!

This is correct. In discrimination the Equinox will not hit all metals. With the horseshoe mode turned ON>>>All metals will be detected.

 

[Martin_V3i]

Why would anybody fresh bury anything to test, much less three things in the same spot, without running with zero discrimination first. I've seen the Deus 1 machine fail on me just re-burying a find instantly in freshly dug holes for planting..

ANY freshly buried coin like that needs wide open discrimination pre-bury, certainly afterwards. IMPO, it is the planter who skewed this experiment. I've seen it done by some veteran dectors though. Go figure.

 

[jmaclen]

Why would anybody fresh bury anything to test, much less three things in the same spot, without running with zero discrimination first. I've seen the Deus 1 machine fail on me just re-burying a find instantly in freshly dug holes for planting..

ANY freshly buried coin like that needs wide open discrimination pre-bury, certainly afterwards. IMPO, it is the planter who skewed this experiment. I've seen it done by some veteran dectors though. Go figure.

Yep, a person can sometimes get away with using iron discrimination if they are testing targets at a beach with virtually inert sand.

Planting targets in freshly disturbed dirt that has any level of iron mineralization can cause issues even on shallower freshly buried targets even if the plug is absolutely perfect.

The best way to prevent possibly missing that freshly planted target is to use zero discrimination and as little iron filtering as possible.

 

[Diga]

ANY freshly buried coin like that needs wide open discrimination pre-bury, certainly afterwards. IMPO, it is the planter who skewed this experiment. I've seen it done by some veteran dectors though. Go figure.

I've seen and / or read about that many times as well. Almost as much as I've seen live digs, in which the hunter in a trashy park, haphazardly ground balances, without even checking to make sure there isn't metal under the coil. In a trashy park, there's a very good chance that they ground balanced over a piece of metal of some sort.

 

[CountyWorker]

I’m still waiting for a screenshot of the email. The allegation the OP made about what was communicated to him by a Minelab tech was a serious one.

 

[Diga]

I’m still waiting for a screenshot of the email. The allegation the OP made about what was communicated to him by a Minelab tech was a serious one.

That screenshot won't appear. Reason being, the chances a Minelab tech told him that it's ok that his 800 can't hit a 2" deep coin, is ZERO.

 

[Beachhunt1]

an sometimes get away with using iron disceen sitting theere for maby years. rimination if they are testing targets at a beach with virtually inert sand.

Yes, this is why beach hunters have an advantage, We bury our targets in the wet sand and the id true to form on anything that has been buried for years!

 

[graybeard]

This is correct. In discrimination the Equinox will not hit all metals. With the horseshoe mode turned ON>>>All metals will be detected.

Do you believe that the Equinox with horseshoe turned on will hit every bit of metal in the ground?
If you believe that all I have to say is wake up and stop dreaming.

 

[Beachhunt1]

Do you believe that the Equinox with horseshoe turned on will hit every bit of metal in the ground?

EVERY piece of metal that is big enough!!! The Equinox is very good at small items!!!

Prove me wrong!! Youtube would be a good place for you to start.

 

[robby4570]

Robby hard to judge the size but could that be the top of a cane or from the pistol grip on the butt of a shotgun. Whatever it is , cool find.

I don't think so as to a cane or pistol grip. My first thought was the back of a hairbrush handle. But someone with more knowledge and experience offered up that it may be a medallion from a "Shako" hat. Of the style of military hats in the late 1700s to mid 1800s. Since it has the hook on the back, a thread ir lace could have attached it to a hat. Thanks, if i get a solid ID on it I'll certainly update everyone.

 

[robby4570]

So CTbadbilly, check your iron mineralization levels before you go out and buy a used Etrac or CTX 3030 and NO, I don’t want to hear it. I‘m well aware that I live in a place with some bad dirt. So what. The Equinox handles it better, period

So, you just want to come out and make brash statements and not accept any rebuttal? I'm sorry but you don't get to do that. He asked a question and deserves to hear both sides. I can't help him with his 'Nox as my experience has been similar to his. There are several voices out there with proven backgrounds that say FBS and FBS 2 are both better on Silver than Multi IQ. IN MY GROUND here in Louisiana, MY 'Nox 800 is nowhere as good as either MY E-Trac or MY CTX3030 (which I hate to admit is far better than my E-Trac on really deep Silver). I love hunting trashy, Iron infested sites with either the E-Trac or CTX3030 in TTF mode. That mode is a game changer for me in those conditions.

You are correct that he should make every effort to verify he's getting his best performance out of that 'Nox before buying another machine... but I stand by my advice to thing about getting an FBS or FBS2 machine if he wants to focus on Silver.

How Metal Detectors Work | Knowledge Base | Minelab Metal Detectors

Minelab Metal Detectors' guide to understanding the basic principles and operation of metal detectors and the key things you will need to know to become a detecting pro.

www.minelab.com

 

[jmaclen]

So, you just want to come out and make brash statements and not accept any rebuttal? I'm sorry but you don't get to do that. He asked a question and deserves to hear both sides. I can't help him with his 'Nox as my experience has been similar to his. There are several voices out there with proven backgrounds that say FBS and FBS 2 are both better on Silver than Multi IQ. IN MY GROUND here in Louisiana, MY 'Nox 800 is nowhere as good as either MY E-Trac or MY CTX3030 (which I hate to admit is far better than my E-Trac on really deep Silver). I love hunting trashy, Iron infested sites with either the E-Trac or CTX3030 in TTF mode. That mode is a game changer for me in those conditions.

You are correct that he should make every effort to verify he's getting his best performance out of that 'Nox before buying another machine... but I stand by my advice to thing about getting an FBS or FBS2 machine if he wants to focus on Silver.

I am not making any brash statements. I just happen to live in one of the areas on this planet where companies like Minelab, Nokta and XP finally made VLF detector technology that will do a halfway decent job of living up to published specs.

My advice was actually to check the natural, not man-made, iron levels in the area he hunts.

No, the Etrac and BBS, FBS, FBS2 are not the best VLF detectors for moderate to high levels of magnetite, maghemite, hematite, or areas with volcanic and heavy iron rich mantle type rocks similar to basalt.

No VLF detector will work at its optimum, published or user reported levels in bad naturally mineralized dirt. Some do it better than others.

So, unless you have detected a lot in ground like this with a variety of great VLF detectors and watched them fail, year after year like I have, please, just relax. For the majority of detector users, this issue never happens and your Etrac versus Equinox experience sounds about right. It just isn't my experience where I detect. My experience is just as valid and real as yours.

 

[jmaclen]

The “finding high conductive silver coins in all conditions” that you highlighted is simply not true. Just like Multi IQ made all single frequency VLF detectors obsolete. The word ALL is simply not accurate in either case.