Third defect, now a Quest Wirefree Mate

Sadly it's a problem with all electronics regardless of price or reputation. It does seem the metal detector and accessories companies try to make things right in most cases. Maybe because the detectorist communicate with each other, the importance of brand loyalty or high profit margins? As in most things stay at it and you succeed. It's a rewarding hobby.

MuddyMo said:

Sadly it's a problem with all electronics regardless of price or reputation. It does seem the metal detector and accessories companies try to make things right in most cases. Maybe because the detectorist communicate with each other, the importance of brand loyalty or high profit margins? As in most things stay at it and you succeed. It's a rewarding hobby.

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You must be right, but what a rash of bad luck. I agree anyone I've had to deal with regarding problems has been great; however, they are not surprised even though it was new items simply unboxed which frankly has me worried about any long-term use.

That I will attempt to. I still have my finds and jars of goods from last time before I quit detecting for awhile, and I hope I can add to them before winter hits at this rate.

I really do appreciate the response.

Sorry to read you’ve had a string of electronic defects sent your way. Things should get better now and soon you’ll be out there detecting. Well at least when this thing that’s going around subsides.
So far I’ve had relative good luck and have not had to return anything except a used Tesoro that smelled worse than a chicken coup.
Keep us updated.
Best of luck out there!

Beachhunter said:

Sorry to read you’ve had a string of electronic defects sent your way. Things should get better now and soon you’ll be out there detecting. Well at least when this thing that’s going around subsides.
So far I’ve had relative good luck and have not had to return anything except a used Tesoro that smelled worse than a chicken coup.
Keep us updated.
Best of luck out there!

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Thanks, it is puzzling, but I even had my wife see if she could make the wireless work with the same result. I guess it was my time. I think I've done one online return before recently, so in the scheme of things I'm still doing good.

Sorry to hear that especially a Tesoro, hopefully you found another to replace it with. I know Tesoro is gone now and all, but I hope to find one for a backup/loner if nothing else eventually.

I will, and HH to you as well.

Personally, I cringed at your choice of product selection. I've had one Quest product, and when I called about the problem it had, they told me 30% of their production models also had it, and to either live with it, or sell it (I'd won it in a contest). Garbage IMO.

Anytime you're not buying quality for the sake of quality, you're going to have a higher chance of running the "oh dang, I got a lousy one." QC methods at the better manufacturers help prevent outgoing problematic systems.

It's just a numbers game. If a higher percentage of products fail at lower-branded prices, you very well can end up with a string of Dang-it, Dang-it, Dang-it, Dang-it events, even with a quality rig like Fisher.

SO happy you went with the Z-LynK system. I've had nothing but praises for mine, since getting years ago. I now run Zynk as a box for my wired earbuds in the summer, and the headphones in the fall/Winter/Spring. Phenomenal product. You're going to LOVE them. I recommend, though, when you do connect up to your second box (the one that is away from the rig), that you move the wire either under your shirt (my preferred method with earbuds), or in a way that won't catch your swing. I went through quite a few wired earbuds till I figured it out. Now, if I'm wearing a tucked-in shirt, I still run the wire through my pouch belt to keep it tight against my chest, and just put my receiver box in the pouch.

You'll be happy with the Whites Pin Pointer, as well. PM me for a free set of Tip Protectors for it. I sell them on eBay, but you've had enough problems with "Life getting to you" that you deserve a little happiness... And I'm glad to pay-it-forward once in a while. No cost or anything, just PM me your shipping address and I'll PM you back the tracking #.

Cheers!

Skippy

Skippy SH13 said:

Personally, I cringed at your choice of product selection. I've had one Quest product, and when I called about the problem it had, they told me 30% of their production models also had it, and to either live with it, or sell it (I'd won it in a contest). Garbage IMO.

Anytime you're not buying quality for the sake of quality, you're going to have a higher chance of running the "oh dang, I got a lousy one." QC methods at the better manufacturers help prevent outgoing problematic systems.

It's just a numbers game. If a higher percentage of products fail at lower-branded prices, you very well can end up with a string of Dang-it, Dang-it, Dang-it, Dang-it events, even with a quality rig like Fisher.

SO happy you went with the Z-LynK system. I've had nothing but praises for mine, since getting years ago. I now run Zynk as a box for my wired earbuds in the summer, and the headphones in the fall/Winter/Spring. Phenomenal product. You're going to LOVE them. I recommend, though, when you do connect up to your second box (the one that is away from the rig), that you move the wire either under your shirt (my preferred method with earbuds), or in a way that won't catch your swing. I went through quite a few wired earbuds till I figured it out. Now, if I'm wearing a tucked-in shirt, I still run the wire through my pouch belt to keep it tight against my chest, and just put my receiver box in the pouch.

You'll be happy with the Whites Pin Pointer, as well. PM me for a free set of Tip Protectors for it. I sell them on eBay, but you've had enough problems with "Life getting to you" that you deserve a little happiness... And I'm glad to pay-it-forward once in a while. No cost or anything, just PM me your shipping address and I'll PM you back the tracking #.

Cheers!

Skippy

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Have seen a lot of negative reviews on quest items so i was glad to get a working pair of headphones. This pair has no powered electronics so that could be part of it

I'm sure this was just a string of coincidental issues but it happens, especially with mass market or budget items. Hopefully everything will be worked out quickly by the vendors.

For certain things like cen tech or HF power tools it's worth it to me to have to replace at some point because other brands are 10x the price. Heck they may even last forever after the "burn in" period.

No excuse for quest though. They aren't cheap but seem to have quality issues anyway..

I don't like Quest/Deteknix detectors. I kind of like their pinpointers. I do like their headphones and wireless stuff. I have three different sets of Quest headphones (one for my XP ORX WS audio module) and two wireless headphones/transmitters. They work great and I have not had any problems in three years of use. I use one set with my Teknetics G2+ and the other one on my Minelab SDC 2300.

The Garrett Z-Lynk system is fantastic.

Good luck with getting it all sorted.

Jeff

Skippy SH13 said:

Personally, I cringed at your choice of product selection. I've had one Quest product, and when I called about the problem it had, they told me 30% of their production models also had it, and to either live with it, or sell it (I'd won it in a contest). Garbage IMO.

Anytime you're not buying quality for the sake of quality, you're going to have a higher chance of running the "oh dang, I got a lousy one." QC methods at the better manufacturers help prevent outgoing problematic systems.

It's just a numbers game. If a higher percentage of products fail at lower-branded prices, you very well can end up with a string of Dang-it, Dang-it, Dang-it, Dang-it events, even with a quality rig like Fisher.

SO happy you went with the Z-LynK system. I've had nothing but praises for mine, since getting years ago. I now run Zynk as a box for my wired earbuds in the summer, and the headphones in the fall/Winter/Spring. Phenomenal product. You're going to LOVE them. I recommend, though, when you do connect up to your second box (the one that is away from the rig), that you move the wire either under your shirt (my preferred method with earbuds), or in a way that won't catch your swing. I went through quite a few wired earbuds till I figured it out. Now, if I'm wearing a tucked-in shirt, I still run the wire through my pouch belt to keep it tight against my chest, and just put my receiver box in the pouch.

You'll be happy with the Whites Pin Pointer, as well. PM me for a free set of Tip Protectors for it. I sell them on eBay, but you've had enough problems with "Life getting to you" that you deserve a little happiness... And I'm glad to pay-it-forward once in a while. No cost or anything, just PM me your shipping address and I'll PM you back the tracking #.

Cheers!

Skippy

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Indeed trying to save a few bucks (or even spending extra for brand names) in buying everything to get restarted in the hobby, including a few treats I always wanted, didn't pan out.

Beyond the pinpointer issue, however I assumed Quest must be like many of the newer international detector companies I never heard of and worth trying (much like Nokta and others). Of course though that doesn't mean all their products match-up to their detectors or accessories.

Great to hear about the Z-Lynk and Bullseye PP, and what I am hoping. They incidentally are both set to arrive Saturday, so perhaps Sunday will be great hunt. Nice to hear some pointers, and I will try them on the Z-Lynk.

Many thanks for the offer. I have sent you a PM but I am more than willing to at least cover shipping.

shellhouse said:

I'm sure this was just a string of coincidental issues but it happens, especially with mass market or budget items. Hopefully everything will be worked out quickly by the vendors.

For certain things like cen tech or HF power tools it's worth it to me to have to replace at some point because other brands are 10x the price. Heck they may even last forever after the "burn in" period.

No excuse for quest though. They aren't cheap but seem to have quality issues anyway..

Click to expand...

I was the same with my Cen-Tech PP and it lasted two years and many hunts for me. That is the strange thing of HF stuff, either it breaks the first use or tends to last.

No worries with the vendor, the return was accepted and is on the way back for a refund. They have been great on other purchases and all around, but as they are not a sponsor I won't mention them.

jmaclen said:

I don't like Quest/Deteknix detectors. I kind of like their pinpointers. I do like their headphones and wireless stuff. I have three different sets of Quest headphones (one for my XP ORX WS audio module) and two wireless headphones/transmitters. They work great and I have not had any problems in three years of use. I use one set with my Teknetics G2+ and the other one on my Minelab SDC 2300.

The Garrett Z-Lynk system is fantastic.

Good luck with getting it all sorted.

Jeff

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Strange how that works out on companies and their products. We all tend to find we like or dislike different products in their line-ups. I actually was looking for the Quest headphone/transmitter package originally but everywhere I found them were sold out, so I settled on the transmitter/receiver combo.

It does look like the Z-Lynk should have been my first choice, but I thought the $40 difference (depending on vendors) was worth trying to save. My wife however gave up on my budget and says if I plan to buy it later might as well buy it all now and be done.

Even when I get this current roundup "done", little does she seem to realize it's never done.

Thanks, hopefully everything will be here and working soon. If not I'll try again.

The saga continued again on my wireless headphone setup today, I will update when there is resolution on that. My White's Bullseye II pinpointer however arrived in a second package and works better than I hoped, so some reprieve in my hobby restart.

The PP also included a White's Certificate of Authenticity that has a copper Roman coin 238 - 415 AD (3rd to 5th century). Has anyone seen the White's included coin before?

I looked it up and the Roman coin themselves tend to sell for $10 or so in the condition of the one I received. Although worn a figure can be seen with some detail by eye, but in the photo it's only partially visible. Definitely the oldest human made object I've ever held or owned - the putty holding it on the paper fell off on inspecting the small coin (0.467" (11.81mm) across the shortest diameter as it is a bit oblong).

That's awesome about the ancient Roman coin! Glad the bullseye is working well.

shellhouse said:

That's awesome about the ancient Roman coin! Glad the bullseye is working well.

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I agree and was pleasantly surprised seeing it. I never thought such a coin regardless of condition would sell so cheap; otherwise, I'd had some in my collection years ago.

Testing the Bullseye II on many different targets, angles, sensitivity, etc indoors the PP is by far much more than the 'ole Cen-Tech even modified - and exactly what I wanted. If it works out on hunts like in my tests, I will have to find some more cash and stash a few of the Bullseye II's away for years to come (in case they too disappear from the retail market).

Sorry to hear of the stuggles you are having out of the box. Remember the old saying "that, that doesn't make you dig pulltabs, makes you stronger" :-)

big treble said:

sorry to hear of the stuggles you are having out of the box. Remember the old saying "that, that doesn't make you dig pulltabs, makes you stronger" :-)

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Thanks, I swear something is going on with many others having problems too. I've seen posts about broken bones, broken search coils, other new pinpointers failing, and another detector having issues out of the box too. In that regard it shows it isn't just me, but is sad all around.

One good thing was I did not receive one of those stimulus checks (due to student loans I assume like tax refunds) - otherwise I'd have a ton more returns in the mail.

I did get the pinpointer tips in the mail Saturday and they fit great, see my photo. Many thanks to Skippy again for the gift!

I see light nearing the end of my purchases on my detector hobby restart. Well several of the remaining problems have been sorted out.

I finally received my full refund from the Quest Wireless Mate system just about one hour ago. What a long drawn out process that was, and one I will not be making ever again with that company or the retailer. Purchased it May 20th, filed a return the same day it arrived May 26th and reshipped it back, and just refunded today. I will simply say they are not a forum sponsor, Amazon, or KellyCo - and I bought that though eBay so regardless how they felt I was guaranteed a refund.

The Garrett Z-Lynk Wireless System I ordered from Bart at Big Boys Hobbies arrived on May 29th, but turned out it wasn't a Z-Lynk. Bart quickly fixed the problem and had a Z-Lynk shipped that arrived June 3rd. I mention it as it seems to fit my luck as of late, and shows what a trusty dealer Bart is - I highly recommend him.

After a battery charge of the Z-Lynk system, I tested it out on my detector a bit and my stereo receiver to see the latency in action, then the transmitter WT-1 turned off on it's own. I then set about doing 5 tests with everything from a loud radio to randomly swinging a coin over my detector every few minutes, and every time it shut off after being turned on exactly 30 minutes later. I searched around about problems with the Z-Lynk and found some have had issues, dated back in 2017.

I contacted Bart and he had me call up Garrett, and after talking to Mary Pinkard she had a free replacement WT-1 unit on the way. She also told me the unit's serial number I had was from 2017, so it seems that was a bad year for the Z-Lynk. The new WT-1 unit arrived yesterday June 9th, and I shipped back my bad unit. I have been in contact with Rusty Curry from Garrett as well, and perhaps he'll let me know the issue my original WT-1 has.

I got busy testing it overnight and now after multiple uses, audio sources, and clock watching I can safely say it does not have the power off issue. I did check and yes it does turn off after 30 minutes if there is no audio, or very quiet audio is used, as it was designed to (as Rusty said in his message). At one point I had the Z-Lynk on non-stop for over 5 hours with my radio and it worked great the entire time. The last thing I am testing now is a new charging cycle to ensure it is problem free, as it was one other problem someone encountered.

I see now one reason my aunt has been a devoted fan of Garrett since joining the hobby in the 1970s. If, or should I say when, I decide to upgrade my detector (or gear) I'll most likely be getting a Garrett from Bart after such service from them both!

Incidentally my NEL Sharpshooter coil arrived quickly from Bart on May 28th and in the middle of the wireless issues. The larger coil works wonderfully on air tests over the stock 5" coil and averages about 2" deeper on air tests. I was just wanting a larger coil to cut down my search time in large areas, but I'll take the added depth too.

Great that things have continued on the positive swing other than having to swap out Z-Lynk stuff and return the quest set.

Have had a run of ebay issues this year, too. It's possible to get the short end of the stick even on ebay with items coming from overseas - delivery times can surpass their guarantee period as well as paypal's.

TCosbyJr said:

Thanks, I swear something is going on with many others having problems too. I've seen posts about broken bones, broken search coils, other new pinpointers failing, and another detector having issues out of the box too. In that regard it shows it isn't just me, but is sad all around.

One good thing was I did not receive one of those stimulus checks (due to student loans I assume like tax refunds) - otherwise I'd have a ton more returns in the mail.

I did get the pinpointer tips in the mail Saturday and they fit great, see my photo. Many thanks to Skippy again for the gift!

Click to expand...

You're most welcome.

Skippy

shellhouse said:

Great that things have continued on the positive swing other than having to swap out Z-Lynk stuff and return the quest set.

Have had a run of ebay issues this year, too. It's possible to get the short end of the stick even on ebay with items coming from overseas - delivery times can surpass their guarantee period as well as paypal's.

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Thanks, yes I even got a few other small odds and ends too. The Z-Lynk is great, but definitely not for TV/Radio use at least for me.

I find mine does a frequency hop (one of the key features) too much for TV/Radio as it causes a momentary silence when it does. On the detector I have never noticed it at all however. So I am not sure if it is from the constant TV/Radio audio, nearby Bluetooth devices (Gaming PC, Phone, Tablet, RetroPie, etc), Internet router, or one of the other devices inside my home interfering with it.

I do very little overseas ordering due to shipment times myself (along with other reasons), and buy local when possible to avoid any delay. However though if a order shipment exceeds PayPal's 180 day guarantee/refund on transactions something is seriously wrong with the sellers shipping.

Not Covered - Disputes filed more than 180 days after the purchase for item not received ...

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It is the bane of eBay sellers, or it least was. eBay guarantees for 30 days, 90 days is their next big push, regardless if the seller selects or says No Returns/Refunds/Exchanges in recent years. So if a buyer looses a eBay claim case, or beyond the time limit, they file with PayPal to get back their money (which comes right out of the sellers account). If though they lose the PayPal dispute claim, or after 180 days, some buyers simply call their credit card company/bank and do a charge back (item not received or as described) or a select few will simply state their "kid purchased it without their permission" which is a guaranteed refund for a buyer that is childless too. I've had it all at one point or another as anyone selling on eBay long enough has sadly.

So as a buyer beyond eBay, or even PayPal too, just know there are options if you don't get what you paid for.

Skippy SH13 said:

You're most welcome.

Skippy

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It is much appreciated. Also the wireless hub works so well we won't have to worry about running a Ethernet cable either - it gets the max 5 bars (old one was 3) and no dropped signal since.

TCosbyJr said:

It is the bane of eBay sellers, or it least was. eBay guarantees for 30 days, 90 days is their next big push, regardless if the seller selects or says No Returns/Refunds/Exchanges in recent years. So if a buyer looses a eBay claim case, or beyond the time limit, they file with PayPal to get back their money (which comes right out of the sellers account). If though they lose the PayPal dispute claim, or after 180 days, some buyers simply call their credit card company/bank and do a charge back (item not received or as described) or a select few will simply state their "kid purchased it without their permission" which is a guaranteed refund for a buyer that is childless too. I've had it all at one point or another as anyone selling on eBay long enough has sadly.

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Those are good points.

In a prior case of long shipping and defective item from overseas, I had to file a chargeback because not only did I open the ebay case in time (barely), they closed it because the time period lapsed... which made absolutely no sense. Then I opened a paypal case and they closed it referencing the ebay case that was closed out which also didn't make sense. Hopefully they've worked out some of those deficiencies by now. Support was pretty bad at that time (last year IIRC) but has been good on the few issues I've run into since.