Hey guys...clean those coil covers!

DIGGER27

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Joined
Feb 13, 2010
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Alabama, by way of Detroit, Tampa Bay, Alabama and
So I have had a Vaquero for about 2 1/2 years and that coil cover was so tight on my 9X8 standard and my 10X12 DD coils that I never thought anything could even get in there.

Hate to say it, and mark your calanders on this date because as rare as this is I am here to say I WAS WRONG.

Unbelievable, I know, but it is what it is.

I was cleaning my Vaq last night and just decided to pry off the cover of the 9X8 and when I got it off I was very surprised to find about a teaspoon of some very fine light colored dirt sitting at the bottom.
Wasn't just sand either.
I am not sure if it was some combination of sand and Kansas dirt or more probably Alabama dirt since I used that coil much more when I lived there.
It might or might not have hurt, but whatever it was it sure couldn't have helped ground balancing and achieving the optimum depth when I was using it.

All cleaned out now and next up is my big DD coil cover and see what surprises that one holds.

The snow is melting around here and this year my goal is older, better coins and silver plus relics so the greatest depth is what I am looking for.

Hopefully this cleaning will help.
 
You'll learn real quick coil covers collect sand if you beach hunt.You need to clean one out almost every time you go hunting.If you don't the water lets the sand slide back and forth and it will make your detector act erratic.I threw the coil cover away for my DFX coil.
 
You'll learn real quick coil covers collect sand if you beach hunt.You need to clean one out almost every time you go hunting.If you don't the water lets the sand slide back and forth and it will make your detector act erratic.I threw the coil cover away for my DFX coil.

I did some beach hunting but not all that much, and this was kind of a very fine, dry silt, but still glad I got rid of it.
 
I'm new to the hobby, so I dont know... Have you guys actually experienced a broken/worn out coil? Do they really wear out like that? I get that a coil cover protects the coil, but it also takes away depth, right? Just curious... please don't shoot me for asking.
 
I'm new to the hobby, so I dont know... Have you guys actually experienced a broken/worn out coil? Do they really wear out like that? I get that a coil cover protects the coil, but it also takes away depth, right? Just curious... please don't shoot me for asking.

Coil cover does nothing to the depth.But if you are a ground dragger like me you need to coat it with something if you take the cover off.if you don't specific areas will wear thru and ruin your coil.
 
I'm new to the hobby, so I dont know... Have you guys actually experienced a broken/worn out coil? Do they really wear out like that? I get that a coil cover protects the coil, but it also takes away depth, right? Just curious... please don't shoot me for asking.

Coil cover does nothing to the depth.But if you are a ground dragger like me you need to coat it with something if you take the cover off.if you don't specific areas will wear thru and ruin your coil.

The cover doesn't matter but If you have the wrong kind of junk inside that coil cover, like a decent amount of my old Alabama devil dirt, it sure can affect your depth among other things.

If you really want to play a trick on somebody a favorite suggestion around here is to sneak off the cover on a buddy's coil, insert a dime and replace the coil cover.
He won't know what hit him.


I have an F2 with 2 coils and a Compadre with one and no coil covers on any of those.
Some people are just crazy nuts about using these covers, and some never cared to use them at all.

They can protect that coil because if you tend to hunt rocky ground and other rough areas I guess you can take some nice chips out of the epoxy most of them use to seal these coils or hurt it in other ways but I never cared that much about this stuff because I hunt mostly in the grass in parks and it is rare that I scrape real hard along the ground, anyway.
I don't mind a few scratches on my coil bottoms, I an not the type to ever sell what I buy and that doesn't bother me.
If I hunted beaches or streams with rough sand, rocks, shells or coral that would be different.
 
I have put electrical tape around my coil cover to keep out the sand I had the tape off for one hunt at the beach and I will never go with out it again I haven't taken the tape off since
 
I have put electrical tape around my coil cover to keep out the sand I had the tape off for one hunt at the beach and I will never go with out it again I haven't taken the tape off since

What happens if you just wrap your coil in electrical tape, like a hockey stick?
 
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Coil cover does nothing to the depth.But if you are a ground dragger like me you need to coat it with something if you take the cover off.if you don't specific areas will wear thru and ruin your coil.

I too am a dragger. I want every inch of depth I can get. As for losing depth because of the cover, yes, the thickness of the coil cover. What's that, 1/16th of an inch. Well worth it to protect your investment.

I clean my coil after every hunt. It gets caked in there which causes multiple concerns. Firstly your coil will be heavier because of the dirt. I swung for 14 hours this weekend (snow was finally gone) which was tiring in itself, I don't want to swing dirt also.:D I'm also concerned that some of that dirt might throw the detector off. I don't know what it's called but as a child I used to go out with a magnet and get like tiny black pebbles that were magnetic. I don't know what it's called but I don't want it under my coil cover.
 
One day at my local beach it adds up fast :shock:
 

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I don't use covers at all, but it would seem logical to apply a bead of silicone around the edges of the cover and it should keep everything out. :yes:
 
What happens if you just wrap your coil in electrical tape, like a hockey stick?

Electrical tape is going to wear out fast. If you want to add protection without a coil cover, use bed liner spray.
 
Bed liner

I have seen others talk about the bed liner option, seems like a good way to avoid the cover altogether. I have concerns in regard to longevity and interference issues but I am going to try it, first I will test the material on a non-metallic surface and apply it as I would when putting it on the coil, after it dries I will just run my detector over the test area and if I get no response I can assume it will not impact performance... I imagine different brands have different additives so it may become a process of elimination. I use bed liner on my bumpers and my rock rails and it works great at avoiding surface mars, I think it's logical to assume it would do the same thing for MD coils.
 
What about spraying a waterproof sylicone spray in a few thin layers? Put the coil cover on and then spray the silicone over it to seal it from anything getting in. I realize I would have to re apply every so often but yall think it would work good?
 
I read the posts and digger I sent you a PM but I found the answer for the F2 from one of your posts. Interesting though:

How is the electrical tape options? Just wrap it like a hockey stick or bicycle handlebars?

I was thinking? What about cycling handlebar tape? It's thicker than electrical tape
 
Electrical tape is going to wear out fast. If you want to add protection without a coil cover, use bed liner spray.
Thanks for the tip, I've been putting off using my 12.5 inch coil (Imaging GTI), because I can't find a cover for it.
I'll pick up some bed liner spray tomorrow!

Roy
 
This is the fix all idea. Go to your marine store, mine is west marine and get some water proof epoxy. It come in white and it cost around 23.00. My Excal coil took two Applcation. Just lightly sand the coil so it will stick put a tape line around the side just to make it look evenly. This stuff is so tough you will never have a coil issue again.
 
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