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DIY Waterproof/resistant Enclosure?

grouperguy

New Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2011
Messages
3
Location
Pinellas County, Florida
Hello all,

I am new to MD'ing and new to this forum. I live on the west coast of Florida and have been breaking in my new Minelab 705 at the beach for the last week. Definitely a learning experience, but starting to get a feel for the machine.

Given that spring break is just around the corner, I figured that I could improve my hunting results by actually going into the water. No, the 705 is control box is not waterproof (or even water resistant?), and I don't want to take a high risk of trashing it. But I figured there must be a way to fabricate a waterproof box that would offer sufficient protection to allow me to wade up to my waist or so.

I've toyed with a few different ideas, but I was thinking of doing this:

1. Purchase a waterproof electrical box at Depot/Lowes. It has a cover that is removable with four screws and has a gasket/o-ring seal.
2. Install waterproof connectors for the coil cable. I figure this might require me to actually cut off the OEM connector, but I don't see a problem with this if done correctly.
3. Either install a waterproof connector for my headphones or permanently mount it to the box using a waterproof fitting.
4. Devise some sort of harness/mount where the box will be as high above the water as possible but still within reach of the existing cable length. Extending the cable length may allow me to actually have it positioned above my head. yes, the hot college girls watching the sunset might look at me like an alien, but whatever.
5. Create my own shaft/coil mount

Pros:
1. Would provide sufficient protection for the control box to allow me to hunt in the water
Cons:
1. Would not allow me to adjust the unit while in use. I don't see this as a huge setback, as I could determine the appropriate settings before putting the unit in the enclosure, but I would not be able to switch into pinpoint mode.
2. Would not allow me to view the display. Again, not a huge setback, as I will likely dig most everything anyway and i still have sound to help me.


Possible improvement #1:
Mount a piece of Plexiglass to the outside of the enclosure so I can see the unit. Alternatively, mount one piece outside and also a piece inside. They could be sealed with silicone or something like that.
Pros:
1. Would allow me to see the unit and have better discrimination.
Cons:
1. Would possibly increase the risk of leakage.

Possible improvement #2:
Install waterproof controls (kinda like what is on underwater camera housings, but would not need to withstand so much pressure) that would allow me to depress some of the touch-pad buttons... pinpoint at the very least.
Pros:
1. Would allow me to adjust the unit on the fly.
Cons:
1. Also likely increases the risk of leakage.

OK, I guess that's about it for now. This is one of my first posts, so please be nice. ;)

And before you suggest it, no, I cannot afford to but a waterproof unit at this time. It was all I could do to convince my wife to let me but this one. :lol:

Thank you in advance for your suggestions!
 
VB Max is the king of the WP enclosers

Sounds like a plan, you may want to give it a run in the water, but a empty case to check and see how she holds up. Max turned me onto the WP bags, Aqua Pac's and the one I have pictured (can't remember the name of it). Think with the cableclams and bag ran me in the area of 55 dollars, I think it would hold up to chest deep, but not much more. I have since came up with a couple other connectors, cheaper. If your interested I can Pm you on them..one's I'm using on the headphones to interchange from detector to detector, there IP68
http://www.bulgin.co.uk/PDFs/Cat83_sections/Buccaneer-2010_400_series.pdf, they run about 10 dollars each, and you can get them from

http://onlinecatalog.digikey.com/WebProject.asp?CodeId=7.4.4.18&BookCode=dsu&PageLabel=3&from=2

super fast shipping...with in 3 days most of the time

Got the bag from Amazon, 15 dollars, as good as the aquapac and alot cheaper.......
 
pics

pictures
 

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Gsi med. Lexan box

There are other boxes out there.....this one just works good
.

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2 CABLE CLAMS.
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land /water/waterproofing/Get a waterproof unit

Don't waste your time, i have hunted Florida beaches with Minelab Excalibur 800s,and 1000s,bought the Surf pi Df (whites) waterproof 799.00 dual field 6 in the middle 12 around it pulse deep,this machine is the machine to hunt the florida beaches and water,picks up the smallest of objects,goes deep,your chances increase on finding some of the 1715 fleet gold after a storm,keep the 705 for land and dry sand,invest in this machine,New England Detectors is great to deal with, dont put yourself in the delema of tring to waterproof your unit other than to find out it leaked, roasted your 705, and voided your warrenty Earl
 
Soft Underwater Case for Explorer ....
Alexander made the U.S.
 

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Good luck, but you are taking some real gambles there... If it leaks, and shorts out, you will be with no unit at all. Recommend you save for a waterproof unit... Get the Dual Field PI.... HH RickO
 
bottlecapbill - chimpmoky

battery is rtv-ed to underside of sepro

clams.............yes sir
 

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Hi Max,

I have been following your post and videos for some time now and must say I love your work! I'm in the process of waterproofing my Explorer II and have a question for you, when you opened up the the small clam what size drill did you use? 18mm?
I'm almost done with mine I'm just waiting for the cable to arrive from Doc's.

Also, I'm gong to try out the wireless bluetooth headphone before I install the second clam, they are now cheap enough to try out. $39.00 at Radio Shack.

Thanks again for all of your great work and sharing it with all of us!

Stumppass
 
working on my own setup now will post pics of the build as it progresses
 

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