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I Give Up

I do not recommend the V3i mostly because it is complicated. You have to lock the auto track GB , because if you set the machine down to dig a target it is still trying to auto balance and if you have the coil partially over anything trashy or angled in the air some, it is still trying to balance. So basically if you do not lock it, you need to re balance it after every target you dig. Best way is to GB in a clean area and lock it, then every so often find another clean place and re balance it and lock it again. The stock D2 coils are horrible, EMI is a killer for V3i, they are very sensitive and most people have them running too hot. Best small coil i had for mine was detech 4.5 x7, and large was the ultimate coil made for the V3. Some settings can mess with other settings and you can get the machine so out of whack you want to wrap it around a tree. Unless you are very experienced i would steer clear of it.
 
I think thats a common mistake most noobs make with nearly all detectors...To their detriment, they try to run them too Hot for the location/situation...best to go light at first and ease on into the hotter settings once a guy gains an understanding of what the dirt is saying...I can see where the V3i would be more motor than most noobs could handle..Heck, after reading the replies, I doubt I could handle one efficiently...

I'm sure theres a few out there that figured it out and knock down nice finds with their V3i...
 
I did a air test today on the V3i with the stock coil and it was hitting on my 1/2 dollar at 11.5 and my dollar at 12.5" I figure it wont get that in soil but who knows. The soil here in the parks is awesome... my only thing is I really dont like the depth of the little shooter coil, it picks out things close together but at the cost of depth.

I do want that detech 13" coil and maybe the detech 8x6 SEF coil but the wife needs the smaller coil for her AT Pro before I get those..

It all comes done to soil and settings. I dug a 14.5" button from a pair of levi's with my 950 concentric. Soil mineralization was minuscule (signal loss of less than 1% due to mineralization).

I have mixed feelings about the Detech U13. I just don't find as much with it as I do with the 950, stock 10DD, or the 6x10. I was using the U13 when I found my last barber half. There is too much trash in the places I hunt to use so big a coil. I am going to start gridding using the 6x10 and once it is clear of trash I will bust out the U13 to see what it finds.
 
I did a air test today on the V3i with the stock coil and it was hitting on my 1/2 dollar at 11.5 and my dollar at 12.5" I figure it wont get that in soil but who knows. The soil here in the parks is awesome... my only thing is I really dont like the depth of the little shooter coil, it picks out things close together but at the cost of depth.

I do want that detech 13" coil and maybe the detech 8x6 SEF coil but the wife needs the smaller coil for her AT Pro before I get those..

my only thing is I really dont like the depth of the little shooter coil, it picks out things close together but at the cost of depth

The 4x6 is one coil you can run with full gain, 15. I can get equal depth from it that I get from the 6x10. Stellar seperation.

Don't discount the Shooter for depth alone.
 
The At Pro is a great machine. If you're not getting along with your whites switch.

I had the at pro for a year and I went to the deus to better suit my style of hunting. After using the Deus the At Pro seems like a turn on go kids machine with the options that I never had before

Do some research though. I follow a few UK communities for techniques and detector advice. Those guys across the pond know their s**t I feel like way more than Americans do. Dont believe me? Look up the show Diggers :laughing: Jk. Maybe Soccer would be a better comparison.
 
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I would love a DUES, I heard they are real lite... Every joint and muscle in my body hurts like #$^% all the time so it would help with the weight issues.
 
I would love a DUES, I heard they are real lite... Every joint and muscle in my body hurts like #$^% all the time so it would help with the weight issues.



My Deus Lite runs 1.9 pounds. Swinging my 8000 Omega seems like a lead weight on comparison.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I have owned a V3i since 2010. I seemed to always come in last in group hunts. The stock D2 coil is a weak link, and the 6x10 Eclipse never did well in my soil. The eclipse did fine on the M6 though.

I bought an 8x6 SEF and had wonderful improvement,,,my best silver days for a week+. The FBS Minelabs seemed to still hold top rung in digs though. The Whites MXT ALL PRO and M6 machines actually get great results compared to the V3i also.

So, I bought into a MLab SE Pro last year. I had/have a veteran SE user show me the ropes, and it's been a game changer!

I'll keep the V3i. With signals 6-8 inches or less, it saves lots of digging bad stuff via the analyis features. Beyond that depth, you're gonna dig lots of iffy signals and find nails.

What I believe that happens with the V3i is that it's ground balance ain't that good, and the thing gets screwy with just one or two too many adjustments. Many-a times I've been very pleased after a factory reset. How long had I spent hunting with a confused machine before doing that???, nobody knows.

I can personally trust my M6 better, and friends with MXT Pro machines beat out the V3i at the end of most group hunts.

Oh well, I'm using the Minelabs until I have a special need for the features of the V3i. Finding someone's lost gold rings is a great example. The V can really line up on gold rings if you know the general VDI range.

I don't blame anyone for giving up after time.

Good to hear you're getting on well with the SE Martin. Did Mike help you out?
 
Whites makes a fantastic machine, and always has. The biggest knock on the V3I seems to be it's a finicky, overly sensitive machine with a massively complex manual of operation that requires continuous adjustment. I do know that if one takes the amount of time (which is not inconsiderable) to learn every setting and how each and every one interacts with the other, then and only then can it be used effectively. Good news; works a treat when you've put in the dozens of hours required to master adjusting it just so. Bad news; Just about every manufacturer makes detectors that can equal or exceed the performance of the V3I at a comparable price point that does not require a college semester length course to master.
 
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