F2 - Nice at Times - Frustrating at Times

Low batteries can cause that, overhead power lines, underground sprinkler systems, very trashy areas. I would have began by trying the discriminate button, and seeing if I was able to quiet it down some.

Mine once did that when I got water in it somehow. Lucky for me, after a week or two of leaving the battery compartment open, it dried out and fixed itself

Another thing, check the connector for the coil and earphone jack. I also noticed when I use ray o vac batteries that they are slightly looser than energizers....

Not sure but it's sounding like you'd like to introduce it to a tree. Like in a roundhouse swing. Someone familiar with it will chime in. I would be checking "EMI" or some other interference. Possibly battery connection. Hope someone nails it for ya though.

Interesting you say water ... I was detecting the day before in a light rain. So, just take the batteries out and let it air out? I was about to throw it into the stream and go buy a E-Trac.

Thanks

roekle said:

Interesting you say water ... I was detecting the day before in a light rain. So, just take the batteries out and let it air out? I was about to throw it into the stream and go buy a E-Trac.

Thanks

Click to expand...

Yeah, luckily its only water and not coke or something like that. When mine happened I was hunting a creek trying to find a guys lost wedding ring. I waded out in the water further than I should have probably.

Shortly after leaving the water I noticed the symptoms you described. Sounded like a pinball machine. Like you I was frustrated and wanted to wrap it around a tree because I couldn't figure out what just happened.

All i can think of is I either sweated on the display and it got inside, or I got the box/ battery compartment wet or something.

I just left the battery cover off ,let it sit. Checked it out a few days later, same thing... I looked up info to send it back, got discouraged about that too... Decided one day about 3 weeks/ month later, and bamm back to good and no real damage that I can tell.

One thing, if you don't get lucky like I did, when you send it in, don't mention the water possibility

The F2 runs very hot. Turn down the sensitivity a LOT, and that should help. Also, lift the coil in the air and see if it still beeps - Only power lines should cause it to beep in the air, unless you're standing next to a car or something.

It sounds like you may just be in a very trashy area, and you're hearing all the numerous metal targets. Testing your coil in the air should confirm.

Also make sure you aren't wearing metal toe boots.

I had it happen for a couple of reasons. One was poor battery connection (maybe.....as near as I can tell). I opened the battery compartment door, checked the batteries, put them back in, and presto. It could also have been that removing all power reset something.

The other times, are because of serious EMI from electric fence. That I can deal with because it's rythmic. It's annoying to say the least, but I can mentally compensate. If you ran into some heavy EMI from a dirty transformer or something, then that could be an explanation. The only real help might come from a closed top coil, as they tend to be less sensitive to overhead influences.
Lastly, turn the sens down. But only as a last resort. And only as much as you need to to be tolerable.

Unless you got the control box wet, a sprinkle of rain shouldn't have caused a problem. I carry a rain coat (<-read 1gal ziplock & plastic springclip) and hunt in the rain with my F2. It's been sprinkled on before getting dressed for the weather several times with no ill effect.

The F2 is an unstable machine the only time it doesn't chatter is when its turned off. I run it as hot as I can with the 10inch coil and It has found me my best finds to date. I run the sensitivity either full or one notch down and discriminate out only iron.

A few tips may help you find older stuff.

1. Try to dig only signals that are deeper than 3inches or so in pinpoint mode, unless its a quarter signal (79-83) because a clad quarter is still a quarter and that's laundry money.

2. Deeper silver dimes don't always ring up in Dime range on your VDI screen. I notice they bounce from low zinc readings to dime readings and sometimes hit as low as nickle and high as quarter. If you get a consistant mid/high tone from multiple angles and its deep.. Dig it.

3. Zero in on your pinpointing. You locate the general location of a target using your pinpoint mode. Then release the pinpoint button move the coil in toward the target and re-pinpoint it again. This usually significantly narrows the pinpoint field and will tell you EXACTLY where the target is. Your target will be directly in front of where the shaft meets the coil. I found that out because its in the instruction manual under the pinpointing section.

The F2 is a fantastic machine.. It pinpoints 10x more accuratly than my Minelab does.

"The F2 is an unstable machine the only time it doesn't chatter is when its turned off"

I totally disagree, my machine almost never chatters. Where you got that idea, I'll never know.

My F2 is very reliable and I would turn down the sensitivity to one or two bars and maybe run the machine in the zinc, dime, quarter mode to see what happens. All I know, when you hit a coin with the F2 you will know by its distinctive sound and display number.

Let us know if you have it fixed.