Coil wire wrap

Ive also done the same for years. I dont wrap it until it gets closer to the box. BUT i have noticed the Xcal unlike most of my detectors DONT like being wrapped. Ive been told you need to releave the tension on occasions and use some kind of silicone or 303 on it to keep it from cracking.

Can you elaborate? I just got my excal this week and the manual shows how to wrap it. With the length of the wire, what do you do with the excess if you're not wrapping it? Can you provide pictures of how you have yours set up?

I hip or back mount both the excal and the DF and don't wrap either coil wire but keep them straight along the handle. I do think it makes a difference - whether it is enough of a distance that we can hear or not is a different story.

I also hip mount. What you could do is double up on it, about 4-6" and use two zip ties or electric tape to the shaft.. I heard on a prospecting show I think it was Gold fever they had an expert minelab research and development guy I forget his name. But he mentioned to not wrap the coil wire around the shaft on any detector due to an electrical interference it cause's. So I took his advise.

Dirtfishin said:

Just wondering, who here wraps their shaft w/ the coil wire. I keep my coil wire running straight along the shaft on my Excal. I believe there's less electrical interference and also when moving through the water there's not as much resistant making a much easier swing. And also less coil fatigue. Just a though.

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I wrap mine up high away from the coil..

Salt water will create dry rot. People wrap their Excaliburs and never unwrap them. The rubber dry rots underneath. You need to wipe down the rubber of the coil and headphone wires with silicone spray. It will help the rubber stay nice and retain it's ability to stretch and not crack. You also need to rinse the shafts inside and out with fresh water or they will sieze together. Come straight up the shaft with the wire. Leave some slack at the coil for it to bend backwards if you fall or take a Tidal Wave. Fix it to the shaft with this stuff. No sticky mess. No sliding. No jagged edges cutting you. It sticks to itself and pops right off with one slice. If you hip or chest mount you need to create a cable stop for the coil wire. You do not want to pull on the cable where it goes into the housing. If a wave knocks the rod out of your hand or you fall you will pull too hard on the cable.

http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/productdetails.aspx?sku=3073533&source=GoogleBase

Yeah I use Mcnutt silicone, works great...

Terry winds his like I do. I hold the shaft straight up and put 3 velcro strips on the lower shaft and start winding after the lock. Your first strap should be kind of close to the coil to prevent it moving in the water which will cause falsing. You can also use electrical tape. The reason to stand the shaft straight up as it will leave the correct amount of slack depending on your machine and coil size. Do not double your cable with sharp bends. It will cause the plastic sheath to possibly crack or the wires stress inside. Wash the wire with dish liquid often. 303 protectant is great stuff. Use it on the plastic box, the coil and the wire. It will help protect against UV damage. I am not a fan of silicone. There are some plastics that silicone will actually harm. Be careful with silicone, use 303 protectant. Google it.

EDIT: to add, I have never had any interference or loss of depth (that I know of) by winding the wire around the shaft on my Excal or any other machine. Most TV antenna installations tell you to do this to avoid interference. 300 OHM TV wire requires you to twist the flat wire along the entire installation. Wind the wire around the shaft is the correct way IMO. Besides, the wire is shielded just like a 75 OHM TV antenna wire, Sat TV or Cable TV. You don't need to wrap those or you can on an outdoor installation to be sure to eliminate interference. Running the wire straight along the shaft should have no advantage. Wrapping breaks up the pole on long cable runs. I used to install UHF/VHF antennas and we always wrapped the wire from the antenna down the pole. That was the correct installation.

I do mine like Terry's also, one wrap max around the lower shaft, then wrap the rest around the upper part of the shaft.

coil wrap










This is my set up for the coil wrap.

Hey beachin, did you check out mine???

Looks good to me, long as the wire on the lower shaft doesn't flap back and forth as you swing, it's good to go.