Metal Marauder
Elite Member
Waiting on the fresh water rinse results...
I dropped my E-trac in the water :( *UPDATED*
- Thread starter SalemScott
- Start date
HullGuitars
Forum Supporter
don't ask me how I know this stuff.... I WILL NEVER TELL!!!!!!
When dealing with salt immersion......
NEVER TURN ON A MACHINE when there's even a small chance of ANY MOISTURE being in it! That voltage overload message you got is meaning that some connections are being made that aren't supposed to be!!!!! That can fry the boards faster than anything. Get a few gallons of distilled water, and rinse the machine really good.
A lot of people aren't going to like what I say next.....
Make a mixture of 1 part d-nat alcohol to 3 parts distilled water. This will clean out any other corrosives left behind, and make all existing moisture evaporate 15 times faster. Its usually 60 times faster than water but since its only 1/4 alcohol that's reduced to 15 times faster "gassing" than water.
After you have shaken all the water/alchohol mix you can get out, sit it upside down in front of 2-3 small fans.....(computer fans from radioshack work great!and will be useful in the future!)
Let sit 48 hours, honestly 2 hours is plenty since you used the alcohol but just to be safe 48 hours. This will cure any issues UNLESS YOU HAVE TRIED TO TURN THE MACHINE ON WITH MOISTURE STILL IN IT... which at that point its probably never going to work properly again.
I hope this helps and you can get your baby back to working.
Another thing to look at is electronics contact cleaner. Removes any contaminants and locks on to any moisture evaporating it in seconds.
When dealing with salt immersion......
NEVER TURN ON A MACHINE when there's even a small chance of ANY MOISTURE being in it! That voltage overload message you got is meaning that some connections are being made that aren't supposed to be!!!!! That can fry the boards faster than anything. Get a few gallons of distilled water, and rinse the machine really good.
A lot of people aren't going to like what I say next.....
Make a mixture of 1 part d-nat alcohol to 3 parts distilled water. This will clean out any other corrosives left behind, and make all existing moisture evaporate 15 times faster. Its usually 60 times faster than water but since its only 1/4 alcohol that's reduced to 15 times faster "gassing" than water.
After you have shaken all the water/alchohol mix you can get out, sit it upside down in front of 2-3 small fans.....(computer fans from radioshack work great!and will be useful in the future!)
Let sit 48 hours, honestly 2 hours is plenty since you used the alcohol but just to be safe 48 hours. This will cure any issues UNLESS YOU HAVE TRIED TO TURN THE MACHINE ON WITH MOISTURE STILL IN IT... which at that point its probably never going to work properly again.
I hope this helps and you can get your baby back to working.
Another thing to look at is electronics contact cleaner. Removes any contaminants and locks on to any moisture evaporating it in seconds.
Silverfishin
Elite Member
don't ask me how I know this stuff.... I WILL NEVER TELL!!!!!!
You probably just read my prevous thread..
SalemScott
Forum Supporter
So you want an update on the rinse results? I came home from work, put the battery in and hit the start button. It started playing the minelab startup song like it was supposed to and went to the thresh hold just like it is supposed to...now the problem is the screen is just a solid black and eventually clears to nothing. So it worked except now the screen doesn't work. It no longer says 'voltage overload'. I guess it will now go off to minelab and see what they have to say. Thanks for all the help everyone.
DantheDeepDigger
Junior Member
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2013
- Messages
- 64
Sounds good! Get it?
Who needs a screen readout anyway. Type, depth & size can all be heard with sound. Go out and find some treasure!!!
Who needs a screen readout anyway. Type, depth & size can all be heard with sound. Go out and find some treasure!!!
Digsalot
Forum Supporter
Thanks Greg,
I never told you about dunking it (the first time I used it) because I felt a bit like the village idiot when it happened.
I was used to my excal and had a brain fart.
You'll understand when you reach my age Scott,
Sorry It hasn't work out for you. You may still have moisture in the screen.
You can always try the putting it in a bag of rice trick for a couple of days as one last attempt.
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Jressman
Elite Member
I'd give it a day or 2 before you send it back.
Last winter I dropped my Teknetics T2 in a river while crossing it. Like a fool I tried turning it on and it didn't work. Opened it up and put it in front of fans for 48 hours and it would turn on, but the screen was blank. Waited another 2 days in front of fans and it powered up just like it was never wet, and honestly it's been a hotter machine since going for a swim than before.
It's going to take at least 4-5 days to dry that water out completely even with fans.
Last winter I dropped my Teknetics T2 in a river while crossing it. Like a fool I tried turning it on and it didn't work. Opened it up and put it in front of fans for 48 hours and it would turn on, but the screen was blank. Waited another 2 days in front of fans and it powered up just like it was never wet, and honestly it's been a hotter machine since going for a swim than before.
It's going to take at least 4-5 days to dry that water out completely even with fans.
SalemScott
Forum Supporter
OMG!!! Jressman, you are a psychic! I just woke up for work this morning, hit the start button as I'm walking by and it started right up, working screen and all. I can't believe it. This experience has taught me I ABSOLUTELY need a back up machine. I'm will eventually pick up a Sovereign Gt and use that at the beach. Needless to say, I will be at the beach tonight and hitting it hard. 
SalemScott
Forum Supporter
OH, in my excitement I forgot to mention...a BIG thank you goes out to all of you that helped out during this. Is is truly appreciated.
AWESOME!!!! LOL Now get enough gold to GET or MAKE a WATER machine!!!!
So happy for you actually. Great news for starting the day.
So happy for you actually. Great news for starting the day.
Roger B
Forum Supporter
Awesome!!!
Glad to hear you are back in action!
bottlecaps
Elite Member
good job Scott !!!!!
Ice Scratcher
Elite Member
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2012
- Messages
- 18,347
Great news!!!
Good luck and hit em hard!!
<*)))>{
Good luck and hit em hard!!
<*)))>{
OMG!!! Jressman, you are a psychic! I just woke up for work this morning, hit the start button as I'm walking by and it started right up, working screen and all. I can't believe it. This experience has taught me I ABSOLUTELY need a back up machine. I'm will eventually pick up a Sovereign Gt and use that at the beach. Needless to say, I will be at the beach tonight and hitting it hard.
Good to hear... maybe you should look into a tether system so if you let go of the detector it stays out of the water...
Metal Marauder
Elite Member
Awesome! You were moments away from taking it out in the backyard and smashing it to bits Your frustration was really coming through loud and clear. Glad this worked out for the best 
Your frustration was really coming through loud and clear. Glad this worked out for the best
SalemScott
Forum Supporter
Well, I went out last night and the E-trac ran like a charm. Oddly enough, it seems to be running at a higher sensitivity than normal, running most of the night at 28 in auto +3, which is higher than normal. I didn't find anything of value but did pull 2 'nice' junk rings with no markings. It was just nice to be out there and I'll be back out tonight...low tide is 9:30pm.
Roger B
Forum Supporter
That's awesome! A guy I detect with has his detector clipped to his belt with a short strap. It doesn't interfere with his swing but he can just let go of his detector to dig and it won't fall to the ground or water.
Good luck & HH
Sandbox
Full Member
How close were you to trashing it?
