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Equinox 800 depth?

sandgroper

Elite Member
Joined
May 18, 2016
Messages
4,233
Location
Western Australia
Today I had the opportunity to test one of the new Minelab Equinoxs at an open day for a prospecting supplies shop, and I was really keen to find out how deep it goes. So what we did was buried a shilling (silver coin, about the size of a quarter) about 9in down in soft sand. To my surprise, and to the surprise of the bystanders, the equinox did not pick it up. I know the CTX would've given a clear signal. So, one of the operators in charge changed the mode (we were on both park 1 and park 2) and also put the sensitivity to max, but still we got nothing.

So we thought we'll take 2in of the sand away, and this time we got a few blips, but nothing that would make you stop to investigate. Finally at 5in we got a clear repeatable signal.

I am not sure what happened there, but 5in for a $1000+ detector is pretty poor. I swung from a few different directions, and the instructor played around with the settings for a fair bit, but what we saw disappointed quite a few of us. Maybe the detector was faulty, and I do understand that the detector is quite new in the game, but I know for sure I won't be buying one anytime soon.
 
Brutal news lol, hope it is a lemon. I have not ordered one yet. Seen an air test on a nickel hitting 17 inches though![emoji50]

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
Brutal news lol, hope it is a lemon. I have not ordered one yet. Seen an air test on a nickel hitting 17 inches though![emoji50]

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

I think there is something about nickels that make them easier to pick up with detectors. I noticed some of the videos od the deus hitting amazing depths they were using nickels. I have seen this on other machines also.
 
Today I had the opportunity to test one of the new Minelab Equinoxs at an open day for a prospecting supplies shop, and I was really keen to find out how deep it goes. So what we did was buried a shilling (silver coin, about the size of a quarter) about 9in down in soft sand. To my surprise, and to the surprise of the bystanders, the equinox did not pick it up. I know the CTX would've given a clear signal. So, one of the operators in charge changed the mode (we were on both park 1 and park 2) and also put the sensitivity to max, but still we got nothing.

So we thought we'll take 2in of the sand away, and this time we got a few blips, but nothing that would make you stop to investigate. Finally at 5in we got a clear repeatable signal.

I am not sure what happened there, but 5in for a $1000+ detector is pretty poor. I swung from a few different directions, and the instructor played around with the settings for a fair bit, but what we saw disappointed quite a few of us. Maybe the detector was faulty, and I do understand that the detector is quite new in the game, but I know for sure I won't be buying one anytime soon.

Doing a test by burying a coin is not the same as say having a test garden or finding a coin that has been buried for years... these tests where one buries something are irrelevant because they don't take in the consideration of the halo affect that a long buried object has.
 
Doing a test by burying a coin is not the same as say having a test garden or finding a coin that has been buried for years... these tests where one buries something are irrelevant because they don't take in the consideration of the halo affect that a long buried object has.

Yes, I see what you're saying but the ctx, and my xterra70, would pick up freshly buried coins at that depth, so I don't see why the equinox shouldn't be able to do the same. I'm interested to hear about other peoples' tests...
 
My Equinox will pick up a 9" deep quarter, dime too.

Even dug a medium sized button(real thin) the other day at something like 10.5" deep.

Equinox is sounding off on my 11" deep nickel been buried for around 6 months.

Now soil mineral levels will drive some, just like all other VLF detectors.

If weather will permit I will go to a clean field and test Equinox on some freshly buried (plug intact) on a dime, Quarter, and nickel.
Ground is very wet though.
Will report mineral levels in soil tested by commenting on Deus mineral strength meter.
 
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My Equinox will pick up a 9" deep quarter, dime too.

Even dug a medium sized button(real thin) the other day at something like 10.5" deep.

Equinox is sounding off on my 11" deep nickel been buried for around 6 months.

Now soil mineral levels will drive some, just like all other VLF detectors.

If weather will permit I will go to a clean field and test Equinox on some freshly buried (plug intact) on a dime, Quarter, and nickel.
Ground is very wet though.
Will report mineral levels in soil tested by commenting on Deus mineral strength meter.

Great, thanks! Those depths sound about right. Maybe the equinox just really hates our soil! :lol:
 
recovery speed.

the default is very fast and clips depth.

on a nox 600 with 0 iron bias and 1 recovery i can airtest coins 14-18" depending on coin. Now I lose 4-5" in ground but still really good. exceptional on nickels
 
Today I had the opportunity to test one of the new Minelab Equinoxs at an open day for a prospecting supplies shop, and I was really keen to find out how deep it goes. So what we did was buried a shilling (silver coin, about the size of a quarter) about 9in down in soft sand. To my surprise, and to the surprise of the bystanders, the equinox did not pick it up. I know the CTX would've given a clear signal. So, one of the operators in charge changed the mode (we were on both park 1 and park 2) and also put the sensitivity to max, but still we got nothing.

So we thought we'll take 2in of the sand away, and this time we got a few blips, but nothing that would make you stop to investigate. Finally at 5in we got a clear repeatable signal.

I am not sure what happened there, but 5in for a $1000+ detector is pretty poor. I swung from a few different directions, and the instructor played around with the settings for a fair bit, but what we saw disappointed quite a few of us. Maybe the detector was faulty, and I do understand that the detector is quite new in the game, but I know for sure I won't be buying one anytime soon.

Very interesting. Thanks.
 
recovery speed.

the default is very fast and clips depth.

on a nox 600 with 0 iron bias and 1 recovery i can airtest coins 14-18" depending on coin. Now I lose 4-5" in ground but still really good. exceptional on nickels

Yes I did notice that it is was very quick to respond to targets, definitely much quicker than the ctx
 
You

Did the test in sand , and didn't use beach 1 or beach 2, funny i found a 1939 mercury dime at 12 inches on the beach a few days ago :roll::laughing: with the Equinox 800 in beach 1 , sensitivity 24, dry sand, you did something wrong bro., were you in Multi ?
 

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Doing a test by burying a coin is not the same as say having a test garden or finding a coin that has been buried for years... these tests where one buries something are irrelevant because they don't take in the consideration of the halo affect that a long buried object has.

X2
 
Yep I hearing you need to decrease the recovery speed to go waaayyy deep!

Depends on your soil mineralization. Speed level 5 will do nicely. I dug pull tabs at up to 11.5" deep in sand with good ID using level 6 speed wise.
Lower conductors more forfiving on the speed setting for depth.

There will be a lot of gold found deep over time with the Nox, bank on it!!
And the parks better get ready for the Nox, cause deep nickels will be pouring in.

Expect to see some $2.50 and $5 gold pieces to be had too, and the tiny $1 gold piece, it is in trouble big time with the Nox.

Just need more Noxes added to the army of detecrorists., let them get the feel, then game on!!!

How do I know this?

I am at over 60 hours run time with the Nox. It will hunt. Many many eyebrows will be raised over coming months.
 
Did the test in sand , and didn't use beach 1 or beach 2, funny i found a 1939 mercury dime at 12 inches on the beach a few days ago :roll::laughing: with the Equinox 800 in beach 1 , sensitivity 24, dry sand, you did something wrong bro., were you in Multi ?

Yes we may have done something wrong, but we must've stuffed up pretty badly if we can't make a detector read a coin at 5in :lol: I don't think we tried the beach mode (I have no idea what difference it makes), but we were in the park, and the soil we used was from that park. Perth parks are generally quite sandy.
 
Sandgroper

? # 2 Did you ground balance the machine ?, from your headline thread opener , you didn't mention a ground balance at all, Australia with that soil over their , has to be done. PS if your hunting in that terrain in your pick , field 1 or 2 might have been better, sand -- Beach 1, happy hunting Earl
 
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