Excal Deficiencies

[Diver_Down]

We all know that Minelab's Excal is pretty awesome in it's performance, but what in your opinion are some of it's dificiencies?

I've seen people complain about the battery. Maintaining a charge/ Unable to charge/ etc. Does the Excal come with the option to work with standard alkaline batteries? Say you are on a hunt and the battery goes dead, can you go to a convenience store and load up some AA batteries and get back to the hunt or are you limited to what charge the battery packs hold?

I've also seen problems with the knobs. Is it a design issue? Do they come off/ break off? Or do they just spin freely from "overuse"? What is the remedy?

Also, it seems that the coil is hardwired and modifying/changing a coil requires your own handy work and nullifying the warranty. True?

In addition to the coil being hardwired, the headphones are hardwired. If the headphones need replacing, then it has to be done at the factory? With the heat/sun in Florida, I've had problems with the rubber/plastic insulation on headphones in the past where it deteriorates. With other manufacturers, you can just replace the headphones and keep on hunting.

I've read that some people will utilize a straight shaft that gives better balance than the stock shaft. Some have developed their own while others have used an Anderson straight shaft. Is this correct?

What other deficiencies have dedicated excal users experienced?

 

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[Sandman]

I would not call these deficiencies. They are designs that could be changed to what some would call a improvement and others would say is not necessary. Shafts are a personal choice. I hang my Excal from my neck so the balanced shaft is no problem. Most detectors are hard wired with head phones and coils because a lot of problems are solved that way. Tesoro is the only manufacturer that has changable coils that I know of for its water units. Garrett is the only one with changable head phones for it's Infinium LS. All the others are hardwired.

I haven't had any problems with my battery pack which is a Sunray NIMH pak an it is going on its fifth year. I don't think changable batterys for the Excal would work as to many people would find problems with closing the pod correctly so it won't leak. Bad enough that some install the batteries wrong. I've even done this myself and felt like a newbie when I saw CZ-20 had a battery installed wrong. No wonder it wouldn't turn on.

I have never had knob trouble an mine are the old slide on ones. A fix is to install all new knobs with stainless steel set screws. Minelab doesn't do this because of the cost increase for materials an most wouldn't notice the improvement anyway.
Any changes to the Excal can void the warranty just like the other manufactures warranties.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

We all know that Minelab's Excal is pretty awesome in it's performance, but what in your opinion are some of it's dificiencies?

I've seen people complain about the battery. Maintaining a charge/ Unable to charge/ etc. Does the Excal come with the option to work with standard alkaline batteries? Say you are on a hunt and the battery goes dead, can you go to a convenience store and load up some AA batteries and get back to the hunt or are you limited to what charge the battery packs hold?

I've also seen problems with the knobs. Is it a design issue? Do they come off/ break off? Or do they just spin freely from "overuse"? What is the remedy?

Also, it seems that the coil is hardwired and modifying/changing a coil requires your own handy work and nullifying the warranty. True?

In addition to the coil being hardwired, the headphones are hardwired. If the headphones need replacing, then it has to be done at the factory? With the heat/sun in Florida, I've had problems with the rubber/plastic insulation on headphones in the past where it deteriorates. With other manufacturers, you can just replace the headphones and keep on hunting.

I've read that some people will utilize a straight shaft that gives better balance than the stock shaft. Some have developed their own while others have used an Anderson straight shaft. Is this correct?

What other deficiencies have dedicated excal users experienced?

I have 2 of the AA battery packs available for Excals (I have 2 Excals). They say you can not dive with them, but I have never had a single problem with any leaks using them in the surf chest deep, and I used them for a long time my first Excal had a bad battery and rather then get a new one I kept using the AA batterypod......

Stock knobs are friction knobs and just push on, they do break over time from use, either the top comes off or they fall off. I replaced the threshold, pinpoint, and volume knobs with better knobs (larger, easier to turn) that have a set screw, I prefer the allen set screw as it is easy to tighten and remove. I use either stainless steel or brass screws. Minelab says the set screw can cause a burr and cause a problem when they work on the controls replacing o-rings, but I have been doing this for at least 3 years, and never had a single mark or burr from using them. I have sent my Excal in to Minelab and they have never said a word about it having any burrs.

Coin is hard wired, in, as long as Excal is under warranty you do not want to do any mods on it, it will void the warranty. I installed a Coiltec WOT coil on one of my Excals using a splice about 18 inches below where it enters the control housing. Excal was several years old and no longer under warranty.

I have had no problems on any of the 3 Excals I have own (sold 1, still own 2) over the last 4 years with headphones deteriorating. I had to have one headset repaired from a broken wire in the left earphone.

I use a balanced straight shaft on both of my Excals, one I bought the other a friend and I custom made.

Of all you listed, I would only call the knob problem a deficiency. It is an easy fix with after market knobs. The excal is rated to 200 feet for being waterproof, I have used a Whites Beachhunter ID and it leaked twice in the battery department so I got rid of it. I prefer the setup Minelab uses over the other brands, I like the seperate battery pod, less chance of leaking into the actual unit.

Yes it would be nice if you could change coils on the Excal like you do on the Tesoro water machines, but I would not call it a deficency on the Excal, just a design difference. On the headphones, most of those detectors made for deep underwater hunting youu can not replace headset by simply plugging in another headset.

All in all for saltwater beaches you can't go wrong with an Excal, it is by far my choice for hunting in the water.....The only time I dig iron is when I'm bored and decide to see what that "null" is..........

 

[Diver_Down]

I would not call these deficiencies. They are designs that could be changed to what some would call a improvement and others would say is not necessary. Shafts are a personal choice. I hang my Excal from my neck so the balanced shaft is no problem. Most detectors are hard wired with head phones and coils because a lot of problems are solved that way. Tesoro is the only manufacturer that has changable coils that I know of for its water units. Garrett is the only one with changable head phones for it's Infinium LS. All the others are hardwired.

I haven't had any problems with my battery pack which is a Sunray NIMH pak an it is going on its fifth year. I don't think changable batterys for the Excal would work as to many people would find problems with closing the pod correctly so it won't leak. Bad enough that some install the batteries wrong. I've even done this myself and felt like a newbie when I saw CZ-20 had a battery installed wrong. No wonder it wouldn't turn on.

I have never had knob trouble an mine are the old slide on ones. A fix is to install all new knobs with stainless steel set screws. Minelab doesn't do this because of the cost increase for materials an most wouldn't notice the improvement anyway.
Any changes to the Excal can void the warranty just like the other manufactures warranties.

I wasn't sure of the battery pack configuration, if they provided a "back-up" option to use alkaline. Couple threads below this a poster is having problems with his/her battery. Seems like a costly fix/replacement. If the machine has to be sent to the manufacture, then there will be downtime unless you are fortunate to have an additional machine.

My Garret Sea Hunter MK 2 has replaceable headphones and coil. Never had any leaks and it has been used while diving over 100'.
Last fall, the rubber insulation deteriorated and exposed some of the wires on the headphones. I just replaced them, sent the orig. headphones back, and they were replaced. No downtime for having to send a machine back.

Also, I've seen the knob issue discussed before, and it seems that for such an expensive machine that they could have eliminated such a trivial issue. I agree that the straight shaft is a personal choice, but there seems to be an overwhelming majority that prefers this configuration. It would seem to me that Minelab could offer an option to accommodate this majority.

 

[Diver_Down]

I have 2 of the AA battery packs available for Excals (I have 2 Excals). They say you can not dive with them, but I have never had a single problem with any leaks using them in the surf chest deep, and I used them for a long time my first Excal had a bad battery and rather then get a new one I kept using the AA batterypod......

Stock knobs are friction knobs and just push on, they do break over time from use, either the top comes off or they fall off. I replaced the threshold, pinpoint, and volume knobs with better knobs (larger, easier to turn) that have a set screw, I prefer the allen set screw as it is easy to tighten and remove. I use either stainless steel or brass screws. Minelab says the set screw can cause a burr and cause a problem when they work on the controls replacing o-rings, but I have been doing this for at least 3 years, and never had a single mark or burr from using them. I have sent my Excal in to Minelab and they have never said a word about it having any burrs.

Coin is hard wired, in, as long as Excal is under warranty you do not want to do any mods on it, it will void the warranty. I installed a Coiltec WOT coil on one of my Excals using a splice about 18 inches below where it enters the control housing. Excal was several years old and no longer under warranty.

I have had no problems on any of the 3 Excals I have own (sold 1, still own 2) over the last 4 years with headphones deteriorating. I had to have one headset repaired from a broken wire in the left earphone.

I use a balanced straight shaft on both of my Excals, one I bought the other a friend and I custom made.

Of all you listed, I would only call the knob problem a deficiency. It is an easy fix with after market knobs. The excal is rated to 200 feet for being waterproof, I have used a Whites Beachhunter ID and it leaked twice in the battery department so I got rid of it. I prefer the setup Minelab uses over the other brands, I like the seperate battery pod, less chance of leaking into the actual unit.

Yes it would be nice if you could change coils on the Excal like you do on the Tesoro water machines, but I would not call it a deficency on the Excal, just a design difference. On the headphones, most of those detectors made for deep underwater hunting youu can not replace headset by simply plugging in another headset.

All in all for saltwater beaches you can't go wrong with an Excal, it is by far my choice for hunting in the water.....The only time I dig iron is when I'm bored and decide to see what that "null" is..........

Thanks Treasure_Hunter. I didn't know of the AA battery pack. Good to know. Is it included with the Excal? or does it have to purchased separately? Also, last year there was a poster in the Beach/Shallow water section, that had to send their machine in to replace the headphones. There was a long turnaround of over a month and half to get back to hunting. With my Garrett Sea Hunter MK 2, I can replace both the headphones and coil. It has had no leaks and has been used below 100'.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I have 2 of the AA battery packs available for Excals (I have 2 Excals). They say you can not dive with them, but I have never had a single problem with any leaks using them in the surf chest deep, and I used them for a long time my first Excal had a bad battery and rather then get a new one I kept using the AA batterypod......

Stock knobs are friction knobs and just push on, they do break over time from use, either the top comes off or they fall off. I replaced the threshold, pinpoint, and volume knobs with better knobs (larger, easier to turn) that have a set screw, I prefer the allen set screw as it is easy to tighten and remove. I use either stainless steel or brass screws. Minelab says the set screw can cause a burr and cause a problem when they work on the controls replacing o-rings, but I have been doing this for at least 3 years, and never had a single mark or burr from using them. I have sent my Excal in to Minelab and they have never said a word about it having any burrs.

Coin is hard wired, in, as long as Excal is under warranty you do not want to do any mods on it, it will void the warranty. I installed a Coiltec WOT coil on one of my Excals using a splice about 18 inches below where it enters the control housing. Excal was several years old and no longer under warranty.

I have had no problems on any of the 3 Excals I have own (sold 1, still own 2) over the last 4 years with headphones deteriorating. I had to have one headset repaired from a broken wire in the left earphone.

I use a balanced straight shaft on both of my Excals, one I bought the other a friend and I custom made.

Of all you listed, I would only call the knob problem a deficiency. It is an easy fix with after market knobs. The excal is rated to 200 feet for being waterproof, I have used a Whites Beachhunter ID and it leaked twice in the battery department so I got rid of it. I prefer the setup Minelab uses over the other brands, I like the seperate battery pod, less chance of leaking into the actual unit.

Yes it would be nice if you could change coils on the Excal like you do on the Tesoro water machines, but I would not call it a deficency on the Excal, just a design difference. On the headphones, most of those detectors made for deep underwater hunting youu can not replace headset by simply plugging in another headset.

All in all for saltwater beaches you can't go wrong with an Excal, it is by far my choice for hunting in the water.....The only time I dig iron is when I'm bored and decide to see what that "null" is..........

Thanks Treasure_Hunter. I didn't know of the AA battery pack. Good to know. Is it included with the Excal? or does it have to purchased separately? Also, last year there was a poster in the Beach/Shallow water section, that had to send their machine in to replace the headphones. There was a long turnaround of over a month and half to get back to hunting. With my Garrett Sea Hunter MK 2, I can replace both the headphones and coil. It has had no leaks and has been used below 100'.

AA battery pack for Excals is currently $69, they recently went up.

Winter time is the slowest time as far as repairs, has the quickest turn around and the best time to send a unit in according to Trina in Minelab. Right now the turn around time for repairs is 20 days if they have the all the parts in stock for what ever the problem is. You can't count the shipping time to get a unit to them or back from them as part of the turnaround time either, Minelab has no control over how long it takes. I know on mine it was about 5 days shipping to and from each way....

 

[Keppy]

I had the Double AA pack for mine it is good for wading or surf hunting for if you drop it in the water it will not hurt it . You should just not dive with the Double AA pack.