I just Joined the V3i Club!

[Wannabe Treasure Hunter]

Howdy to all! I have been wanting a V3i, for a while now & ended up getting one sooner than expected because a good deal on a used one came up. Anyway, the machine I have been swinging for a few years now is the MXT Pro, and I really like this machine, but figured if the V3i was all it is hyped up to be that upgrading couldn't hurt. That said while I am trying to learn the V3i, the MXT Pro is still going to be my goto machine. Unfortunately, even though I have a great group of local detectorist to hunt with, none of them swing a V3i, so I have no one local to help me work thru the learning curve of the V3i.

Ok, So Question 1: What program would you suggest for me to use simply to get familiar with the V3i... On the Pro I use Coin-Jewelry Mode, with Gain between 5 & 10 depending on trash in the ground, and for the most part my discrimination set just below a nickel.

Question 2: What is the best coil to get maximum depth on coin size items?

Question 3: What water-proof carrying case would you suggest for storing and traveling with the V3i?

 

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[smokeythecat]

Not sure which settings would be best. Go with what the manual suggests. I would hesitate on tweaking any settings for a few weeks at least. I've heard they are very good machines. There are a lot of good machines out there right now.

 

[AllenJ]

Congrats on the purchase, I'm sure once you get that detector down you'll love it as they have a great rep. That being said I've heard they have a steep learning curve. I would suggest you get on the White's forum and pose your question there. One of the moderators runs the V3i and really sounds like he knows what he's doing with it.

 

[McKinney_5900]

The program I'd suggest is coin and jewelry. Try running with the 5khz filter if your soil and EMI conditions allow it. The 5-bandpass filter gives best depth. I wouldn't change many setting for a while. Too many changes at once seems to confuse the V3i.

Coils. which I never learned to like most of the Whites coils made for the V3i. The D2 was one of the first V3i coils I set aside. Next was the 6x10DD Eclipse. The 6x10 was disappointing in depth, about 7 inches with good VDI was about all I could trust for detecting simple dimes.

I love the 4x6 Shooter. IMO, it gets better depth than the 6x10. It is small though. The 8x6 Detech has found me 9" coins with confidence.

My primary coils I use on mine are either the Detech 8x6 or the SEF 12x10. Whites actually sells the Ultimate 13" so they logically support that it's stability and reliability for working with the 3 frequency multi mode. They caution against using the ones I like. I bought the U13" but it just didn't separate nor feel right compared to the 8x6 and 12x10.

so, 12x10 coil for max, good Vdi depth. I never tried a V-rated 950 concentric White's coil, but I suspect it would be good since the 950 works great on my White's M6. The 950 is also recommended for any salt water beach hunting. The DD coils won't like salt.

I will surely get disagreements about the 10"D2, and I possibly had a lot of trouble with the D2 since I had just started metal detecting and made the V3i my first paid-for metal detector. This machine takes patience. The D2 might be fine.

A good friend of mine who ran an MXT Pro was very happy with the Ultimate 13 on the Pro. Mine is hardly used, but it's always there for trying in good open, clean ground, in good soil. Sadly, I have very few of those conditions around me. It's mineralized, and generally trashy here.

Neat thing about buying extra coils for the V, is that they work on the MXT.

 

[wingmaster]

Congrats on your V3i, I would try Magic's program that you can find at the White's forum you will have to tweak it some for your soil though. I know it works good detected with him a few times he uses the D2 coil and gets dimes at 10"+ all day long. HH

 

[Tahts-a-dats-ago]

Congratulations.

I'd suggest that you stick with the stock programs for awhile. Make only a few adjustments as needed (filters, RX gain, discrimination).

Mixed Mode Pro will likely be a bit too much at first, but if you learn that program it will open a whole new world for you.

Go to Whites forums - there is a ton of information about the V3i there.

Once you've got a good grasp on the basics, you can create/save your own programs (designed for your hunting conditions/style).

I use only the stock DD coil and the 4 X 6 coil. I've had very good luck with both. I have no personal experience with the 13 inch coil, but have read very good reviews of that coil.

I use the Whites detector bag to transport my V3i. I don't believe it is waterproof though.

 

[GreenMeanie]

From what I remember when I had mine was to bump up the pre amp gain some.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

IMHO: Coin and Jewelry to learn the machine and bump up the gain if your soil will let the machine run quietly. Use the preset programs for a while until you learn the machine. Be warned there is a learning curve to this machine with all the setting, that will help you or totally confuse you. Take your time and enjoy the great new detector!

 

[ATPRoDon]

I say keep all the settings default except as someone suggested above the 5Khz filter. I would just use Coin and Jewelry mode and maybe play with Polar Plot remembering its not very useful for a target more then 6 inches down. This machine has a steep learning curve but I also learned a lot of it you may never use. I like the standard 10 inch coil that came with it, I have added the Detech 13 inch Ultimate DD Coil and a 6 inch for high trash areas. I don't think you will find another machine out there that will tell you more about a target before you dig then the V3i.

 

[powrsurg]

Ive had my V3i for a year and for the most part ive used Coin and Jewelry. I decided one day to take my 18k necklace off and see what VDI came up. I was shocked to see it was completely being discriminated. After some research Ive moved to Hi Pro which is an advanced Coin and Jewelry program. On that program my necklace rings in at a VDI of 18. Given this experience I would recommend that you use Hi Pro and read the Advanced Manual regarding EMI, Gain, and Sensitivity.

 

[Wannabe Treasure Hunter]

So, I have now been using the V3i for a few months now, and more frequently in the last month or so, but though I have learned a lot, I am still not to the point that I am confident with it all the time. Right now I am trying to learn how to better deal with EMI at a permission where I was unable to tune the EMI out.

I am only using the Coin & Jewelry Mode with no interest in even trying others till I have mastered this one, because I figure if I take the time to learn C&J, then even with differences in programs, the others will be easier to use/learn when I do decide to venture over to them.

My V3i, is NOT a Wireless Model and I do use Corded Head Phones. I currently have the 10" DD Factory Coil on it, but will be using my 5.3 Concentric on my next outing.

 

[powrsurg]

Sometimes EMI is just impossible to deal with. I’ve had limited success in using sensitivity, gain and frequency offset. Sensitivity and Gain would be moved down. Also try using Hi Pro, I find it’s a much better program for coin and jewelry. Also, sticking with one program may not be the best way to learn your machine. I’d recommend watching instructional videos as there are a lot out there for the V3I

 

[Wannabe Treasure Hunter]

Sometimes EMI is just impossible to deal with. I’ve had limited success in using sensitivity, gain and frequency offset. Sensitivity and Gain would be moved down. Also try using Hi Pro, I find it’s a much better program for coin and jewelry. Also, sticking with one program may not be the best way to learn your machine. I’d recommend watching instructional videos as there are a lot out there for the V3I

Thanks for the suggestions!

Sticking with the one program, might not be the best way, but it is the one I am using, and once I feel that I know it well enough that I actually trust myself and my ability to make on the fly adjustments as needed, then I will dedicate just as much time to learning the next program...

I have been watching videos for about a year now as I was watching them even before I bought my V3i, because I knew I was going to buy one. My biggest issue with videos is that I have horrible internet service and hardly ever make it completely thru a video, due to it taking so long to watch it because of buffering and or it never fully loading without timing out...