Big Boys Hobbies

in maui and having problems with my dualfield. Please help

M

mikespellman

Junior Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2011
Messages
78
Location
sacramento
Im in maui on vacation and I got a dualfield for the trip and its not working out for me. Im only getting signals on very shallow targets. I am having trouble maintaining a threshold. I have tried many different settings. With it at factory settings ... knobs pointing to arrows the threshold is stable untill I start moving then it goes crazy. And most of the time the threshold drops out like a minlab null . The only way the threshold is stable enough to use is with the gain all the way down to 1/4 turn. My budy is using a single frequency vlf fisher gold bug pro and can get signals deeper than my dualfield wich shouldn't happen im getting like 3 inches of depth. Please give me some advice cause right now im about to see how far the dualfield can swim on its own. Thanks
 
Sounds like you may have a leak in the coil. Go into shallow water and submerge the coil. Take it up to dry land and tap the coil flat on the sand. If the thresh-hold jumps around, probably a leak. That happened with mine a couple of times.

Will it happen on wet sand, without the coil being wet at all???

SSC:p
 
Yes it happens all the time wet sand dry sand and in the water. The only way to get a stable threshold is with the gain all the way down. And then it will only find stuff near the surface. If I turn up the gain to the arrow it won't even find stuff on the surface.
 
Maybe PM Chris at Alohametaldetectors or call him. He gives free rentals for forum members if I recall correctly. He is on Oahu I believe.
 
Is your wire wrapped well around the shaft?

Also are you always using it close to the other md? Perhaps some interference. I know the cz and the DF don't play well together.

The dualfield is a loud machine overall though. My first time out I was worried it was freaking out, but when I took it on the beach it made sense, and signals jumped higher out of the thresh, and the threshold would break on signals.
 
Electrical/radio interference can be a bear to deal with with PI machines!

Where I hunt there are many sources and the signal can get erratic with lotsa falsing. (Sounding off when there is no target.)

Some days are better than others. Yesterday started out well and as the waves picked up and stirred up the water Mr. Dual Field started chirping like a bird.

I still recovered 37 targets in waist deep salt water in 2 hours.

Tomorrow it may not let out a peep!

Bought this one new in '09 and it has never been serviced and has been "rode hard" for sure.

GL&HH,

CJ
 
If you are new to that machine you might not know the threshold is not smooth like a constant hummmmmmm. It will sound more like a hive of bees buzzing up and down, not what I would call stable. If you are only getting shallow targets (how do you know this) then maybe there is a problem. Be sure your coil wire is straight up the shaft to the first locking knob before winding and be sure it is secured all the way to that point with either tape or velcro. If you are air testing the depth know that PI machines do not air test well at all.
 
I have the cable straight up the shaft to the second shaft lock and it is taped tight. Having issues even when its the only detector on the beach. Also was thinking it might be emi but you can hear that and I tryed another beach away from any sources of emi and had same issues. Also its not like a waver of the threshold it goes from full volume to nothing constantly almost like an excalibur nulling over iron than going over a good target. When I turn the gain down all the way then I get a stable threshold with a little waver but I can work with it for super shallow stuff. I burried a quarter in the sand at 5 inches and couldn't pick it up no matter how I set it. I have read pulse power from cjc and I fully understand the machine and how its supposed to work. Im going to try another set of brand new batterys today just to make sure. Thanks everyone for their suggestions. Any more tips would be great.
 
Mike, try to contact Aquaman, he has a Whites DF but is in Oahu as well. When we would hunt he would indicate that if moisture ever got into the control box it would do what yours is doing....also, have you checked your headphones? I had a similar problem with the headphones on my Excal and it was a faulty wire on the circuit board as well as an undercharging battery. Just a thought.

Paul
 
Take a good look at your battery pack. Make sure the + & - wires are well sautered. Also make sure you AA battery coils provide a good connection. I once placed one of the 8 batteries the wrong direction and it resulted in a similar situation with the detector acting very squirly. I've also has moisture get in my control housing as Buellride mentioned but that led to the detectors total demise. Look for cracks in your coil wire especially near the coil.
 
Thanks for all the help it turned out that the batteries were low brand new pack from the store. Last time I buy batteries from a mom and pop liquor store. Bought a new set today and it worked good. I am learning that a pi machine is a whole different animal. Very sensitive to everything. Thanks again for all the help.
 
:gottaluv: This thread and the responses is why this is about the best Metal Detecting Forum out there!! Like minded people willing to help from thousands of miles away!! :hat3::urock:
 
Interesting... I too was a little weirded out when my batteries went down mid-hunt. Only thing with mine was that it was a constant repeatable rise and beep sound, like a see-saw. But once I thought about it and turned the threshold off the "battery test" sound was very low and pointed me in the right direction.
Careful if your md gets jarred too though, this can loosen batteries from the underside of the battery pack.
 
Glad you are "back in the game" Friend!!:thumbsup:

When I converted to an external rechargeable battery pack I stopped having such problems. (An ugly mod, but very useful for me!)

All I have to do now is be sure I get the switch off. (I accidentally missed the off position while wearing heavy gloves and had a dead machine next time out!!):(
 
You guys are awesome!!! Way to help out a guy in a bind with fast and great info. I hope as I learn I will be able to help out others as you have done. My hats off to all of you. Happy Hunting
 
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