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RIP Equinox...

jl1252

Elite Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2016
Messages
775
Location
NorCal
So my Equinox 800 beeped its last beep this weekend. I had been hunting a large park where I managed to find a 1960 Rosie and a few wheats and after a couple hours of not much else I decided to switch locations.

Hit the power button on the Nox and nothing...was squishy and lacked that tactile clicky button feel that i was used to. Instead it felt as if there was a void behind the membrane. I poked at it for a few minutes and finally found the button off center and recessed super deep, but got it turned off. Havent been able to turn it back on. R.I.P. little buddy...

Still covered under 3yr warranty so I sent it off to Minelab this morning. I was told it could be a few weeks until i get a replacement due to control pods being backordered.

***UPDATE***
I received a call from ML yesterday (8/25) and was presented with two options. 1.) I could accept a brand new pod with full 3yr warranty, or 2.) Wait an undetermined amount of time for a new pod that has been pressure tested from the factory.

I went with option #1 because i dont hunt underwater, and the gentleman i spoke to told me that the new pod carried the same 3 year warranty and would still be covered if i happened to drown it. Also he had no ETA for a pressure tested unit.

But it is good to hear that ML has instituted procedures to make future units more trustworthy underwater.
 
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That's good about warranty. I have a squishy wireless button on one out of warranty. May use an xacto to cut back the rubber around the button to see what's up or disloged.

Anyone else have these issues with side buttons?
 
EQ800 Warranty issues.

That's good about warranty. I have a squishy wireless button on one out of warranty. May use an xacto to cut back the rubber around the button to see what's up or disloged.

Anyone else have these issues with side buttons?

Shellhouse -

If you're speaking of an Equinox 800 being out of warranty - it shouldn't be. 3 year warranty. They were released to the public less than 3 years ago in early 2018. I believe the first units started shipping end of Jan / beginning of Feb. Mine didn't ship until mid-March.

If you're speaking of another machine, sorry i didn't pick up on that.

As for issues with the 'side' buttons on the Equinox control housing - I've not had any troubles at all.

Rich -
 
That's good about warranty. I have a squishy wireless button on one out of warranty. May use an xacto to cut back the rubber around the button to see what's up or disloged.

Anyone else have these issues with side buttons?
Would that void the warranty?
 
Shellhouse -

If you're speaking of an Equinox 800 being out of warranty - it shouldn't be. 3 year warranty. They were released to the public less than 3 years ago in early 2018. I believe the first units started shipping end of Jan / beginning of Feb. Mine didn't ship until mid-March.

If you're speaking of another machine, sorry i didn't pick up on that.

As for issues with the 'side' buttons on the Equinox control housing - I've not had any troubles at all.

Rich -

The Equinox 800 control I picked up had this known issue, and I was prepared to hang onto it long term and accept the lack of wireless button. What I found out when it arrived is that the serial number sticker was removed, and most likely these controls were sold off by Minelab due to defects.

Cutting the rubber membrane would void any warranty, so I wouldn't recommend it. However, depending on what I find with mine, this info could be useful for others in the future if they have issues after the warranties run out.
 
Well, it took 16 days to get from California to Illinois due to the USPS slowdown nonsense, but its finally in ML hands at this point.
 
Well, it took 16 days to get from California to Illinois due to the USPS slowdown nonsense, but its finally in ML hands at this point.

Wow! My 800 died on Wed. I just today sent it to Minelab. Out of curiosity what did you pay to ship it? I didn't trust the USPS so I used UPS but with insurance it was $53.
 
Wow! My 800 died on Wed. I just today sent it to Minelab. Out of curiosity what did you pay to ship it? I didn't trust the USPS so I used UPS but with insurance it was $53.

Yeah, i was quoted $50+ from UPS and my jaw dropped. I went with USPS ground (due to lithium battery restrictions) and paid in the $16 range. After i shipped it i freaked out because i realized I forgot to get insurance :shock:

Anyways, i got the email from ML confirming they had possession of it so i can breathe a little easier.
 
Just to note, I have excellent and usually fast service with USPS. A couple of weeks ago I mailed off a detector to back east from Vale, Oregon. Oversize box increased the Priority Mail rate to just under $42. I did a detector trade with my Dealer, 'Kickindirt', and mailed a Minelab Vanquish Pro Pack in factory box via USPS Priority Mail. With the added measured rate it was under $38. We each received our packages, shipped last Monday and we each got them on Wednesday, little Vale, Oregon to the Elko Nevada area.

Monday of this week I mailed out via Priority Mail a 9 lb. box, well packed, with a White's IDX Pro w/950 coil plus and extra 8" coil and 6½" coil from Vale to southern California. He already received the package, and it was a custom-made heavy-duty box to hold a lot. With the added cost for the box measurements, the Priority Mail coast was $43.85.

I believe the virus-related issues have cased some mail to be a little delayed in some areas, or it's in the minds of the 'antis' who want to blame stuff on the President of the United Sates. The mail system is working just fine otherwise, and when some of the Covid-19 restrictions get lifted and perhaps a few more people are back to work, it will be 'normal' again.

Monte
 
Yeah i was told 7-10 days for ground due to the lithium battery built into the Nox. I went back to the post office i mailed it from after a week of no tracking movement and asked why it was traveling so slowly and was told ground shipments were piling up due to manpower shortages.
 
Every company has defects, glad Minelab is taking care of theirs.

..............I believe the virus-related issues have cased some mail to be a little delayed in some areas, ............and perhaps a few more people are back to work, it will be 'normal' again.

Monte
I've had quick shipments west of the Smokey mtns but 3 packages from new england were late- one a week after due date, one three weeks late and one a month late. I was told it was due to pandemic.

I usually prefer USPS because of they're usually less expensive but mostly because their insurance actually pays if they mess up. UPS tore the living hell out of a package I shipped and returned it to me with no refund. They said I didn't pack it well. BS, after they destroyed the box the packed item was still in good shape. Then they wanted to charge me to reship it. I've packed and shipped over 5000 items sold on feebay and I know how to pack.
 
When my Equinox went belly up Minelab paid shipping. They sent a shipping label. They had to replace control unit. I had it back one week from the day I shipped it.
 
When my Equinox went belly up Minelab paid shipping. They sent a shipping label. They had to replace control unit. I had it back one week from the day I shipped it.

That would have been nice. They never offered.
 
They where sending out shipping labels when they first came out...(If you had to send it in)....I guess to many came back to fix...So the USPS has not been to bad..send a machine from California to Florida....His got there on time ...mine was a day late.
 
Glad it's working out, but would it hurt for them to pressure test all new ones? Guess it depends on the medium.
 
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