Is Anyone Actually Getting Any More Depth With the 15" Coil?

[Erik in NJ]

I've purchased a number of the bigger aftermarket coils for my Explorers in the past, but they always seem to end up collecting dust in favor of the stock coil. Sure you get better coverage, but they make the machine unbalanced (more so than they already were) and I never noticed any improvement in depth. Also none of the machines were able to adjust the depth gauge accordingly to compensate for the different sized coils. Other than the extra coverage, does the 15" really give you any extra depth? Thanks for any insight.

 

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[ColonelDan]

I've had similar experience with larger coils....with my CTX. While they may give me a few centimeters of added depth, they're not worth the extra weight and imbalance in my view...and that's just my view. Other's experience may very well differ.

 

[DizzyDigger]

Eric, I'm not familiar with your machine..does it have a
option in the menu for the specific size of coil being used?

A coil is basically a transmit/receive antenna, and the standard
coil it came with was most likely tuned to the machine at the
factory for the lowest VSWR .

By changing to a larger coil, the VSWR may change as well, meaning
it may not transmit and receive with the same level of performance as
the stock coil the electronics were pre-tuned for.

 

[vferrari]

Short answer to the OP’s question: No.

The Equinox stock coil seems pretty optimized for the Equinox, depth wise. The 15” coil is an elliptical with a 12-inch width. On an elliptical coil, the width dimension is what primarily determines relative depth performance vs. a round coil. Given that the stock coil is 11” then you can see you will only get marginally better depth performance with the 15” elliptical, at most an inch, more likely a fraction of an inch (i.e., a wash). The 15” elliptical advantage is primarily associated with the additional 4” width in swing coverage per sweep, which enables you to cover more ground, faster. Typically, it is a coil that would be used for wide open field hunting. It really doesn’t give much if any performance/depth benefit.

A 15” round coil on the other hand could potentially punch deeper, but weighs a lot more than an elliptical and also would suffer more from lack of sensitivity to micro targets.

 

[MackDog]

My 15' equinox coil is awesome. Coverage is the main plus, also goes about 1 1/2" to 2" deeper. It separates so well, I'm constantly find good targets with trash in the hole. Pulled a Canadian fish scale on it's side from 8" plus. It only comes off my detector to water hunt.

 

[cudamark]

My 15' equinox coil is awesome. Coverage is the main plus, also goes about 1 1/2" to 2" deeper. It separates so well, I'm constantly find good targets with trash in the hole. Pulled a Canadian fish scale on it's side from 8" plus. It only comes off my detector to water hunt.

Mine doesn't even come off doing that!

 

[Terry Soloman]

Use it with 4-5kHz, and slow down your swing speed. Silver dimes at 12+ inches.

 

[Donut]

Remember the control head puts out the same signal to each coil. You could be confused on depth in then with different coils because the smaller the coil is the tighter the pinpoint below the coil. You would have to be dead on with a small coil but will separate better.
Doug

 

[MackDog]

Mine doesn't even come off doing that!

theres so many split shot sinkers I use the standard coil

 

[MackDog]

Remember the control head puts out the same signal to each coil. You could be confused on depth in then with different coils because the smaller the coil is the tighter the pinpoint below the coil. You would have to be dead on with a small coil but will separate better.
Doug

have zero complaints on separation with this coil

 

[MackDog]

This is what the 15” coil found today


This was a 32 piece jewelry spill also found a 1906 S Barber dime

 

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

My 15' equinox coil is awesome. Coverage is the main plus, also goes about 1 1/2" to 2" deeper. It separates so well, I'm constantly find good targets with trash in the hole. Pulled a Canadian fish scale on it's side from 8" plus. It only comes off my detector to water hunt.

This is what i see as well. The Equinox 15" Smart coil is a great choice for the beach as well. At least in Florida where we go every summer. All I try to swing there unless I am in some faster moving water.