Minelab Excalibur 1 (one) Battery pods

[Southern_Digger]

I have an excellent metal detector that I took care of so it would last. Have used it for eleven years, in the US, in the Bahamas; and in some of the U.S. Hawaiin Islands. Suddenly, the mfg. decides to stop making replacement Nicad battery packs for it. Here is my response to this lame business decision... I will not buy an upgraded model of the same just because the mfg. decides to play hardball and stop producing battery packs for the Excal 1. I promoted this company and convinced others to buy and use these detectors-both the Minelab Excalibur and the Explorer. If any of you are facing this same dilemma with the Excalibur 1 and purchased it from my advice, then I publicly apologize to you. Furthermore, if I have to buy another underwater detector because of this stunt, it will not be from Minelab--because I guarantee if they do this once, they will do it again... Be prepared Excal 2 users!

Now, to save them from further embarrassment, I need to purchase after-market Nicad packs for Excal 1 because I have no information that the newer Excal 2 Nimh packs will connect to and work with the Excal 1. Neither do I wish to go to Joe Smoes battery store and have him build me one after I negotiate and pay an extraordinary cost. Simply put, I need to know who makes and sells these. I want to buy them over the counter without awaiting bionic reconstruction of a product that should still be on the market. I just want to charge it up; hook it up; and spend my time detecting--not twittling my thumbs and waiting for a rebuilt. Where can I buy them over the counter and spend my time detecting? Also, I read in someone's post that, these can be purchased where some can be opened to place the over-the-counter alkalines therein, then resealed for underwater use. I have been told these will last up to 25 hrs. That would be a first... Someone please send me a source to obtain these pods.

 

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[Treasure_Hunter]

You can buy replacement batteries from only batteries.com. I replaced mine with 1500 ma NiHM battery and at least 30% more detecting time and battery are under $40.

I'm using excal 1... It works fine it is no big deal at all....

NiMH last about 15-16 hours on full charge.....

 

[Jason in Enid]

No problem with excal2 battery on my excal 1. About to buy the pack TH mentioned to refit my alkaline pack.

Don't stress so much!

 

[Southern_Digger]

No problem with excal2 battery on my excal 1. About to buy the pack TH mentioned to refit my alkaline pack.

Don't stress so much!

I called Kellyco and confirmed that Minelab discontinued the production of Excal 1 Nicad battery pods. I asked if I could use Excal 2 pods and their rep. stated that the Excal 2 Nimh battery pods are not compatible with Excal 1 and they do not recommend my attempting to use them for that purpose. If this is the case, then what is different with Battery Plus NiMH's and that provided by Minelab?

 

[Ace350]

You can buy replacement batteries from only batteries.com. I replaced mine with 1500 ma NiHM battery and at least 30% more detecting time and battery are under $40.

I'm using excal 1... It works fine it is no big deal at all....

NiMH last about 15-16 hours on full charge.....

Hey Treasure Hunter,
Did you use the Alkaline battery pod for the new replacement NiMh battery or the old original Nicad battery pod?
Now I know it says not to use the alkaline battery pod for diving and it is not recommended to open up and reuse the original Nicad but....
I was looking at my original Nicad pod and all it looks like for a watertight seal there is an o-ring and set screws holding it together.
I'm thinking if I add a little silicone o-ring grease to the o-ring and some clear silicone sealer after the o-ring I should be good to go.
What's your thoughts?

 

[Jason in Enid]

Hey Treasure Hunter,
Did you use the Alkaline battery pod for the new replacement NiMh battery or the old original Nicad battery pod?
Now I know it says not to use the alkaline battery pod for diving and it is not recommended to open up and reuse the original Nicad but....
I was looking at my original Nicad pod and all it looks like for a watertight seal there is an o-ring and set screws holding it together.
I'm thinking if I add a little silicone o-ring grease to the o-ring and some clear silicone sealer after the o-ring I should be good to go.
What's your thoughts?

Don't put any kind sealer on it. The Alkaline and nicad pods are exactly the same. If its a few years old then replace the o-ring and give it a very light coat of silicone grease (NOT the rtv sealant) on it and re-assemble with the new battery. Just make sure that the body, cap and o-ring are completely clean and free of any particle of sand, salt, grit or hair before reassembly.

 

[Ace350]

Thanks for the quick reply with the tips Jason.
As far as the silicone rtv sealant, I was going to put a little of it on the outside edge of the pod where the cap & pod meet.
Thinking it would be a little extra leak insurance and it would also hold on that little black cover. I have the older blue Excal.
The sealer peels off pretty easily if I ever need to replace the battery again. Could you tell me why you would think that the silicone sealer on the outside is a bad thing?

 

[OBN]

Don't put any kind sealer on it. The Alkaline and nicad pods are exactly the same. If its a few years old then replace the o-ring and give it a very light coat of silicone grease (NOT the rtv sealant) on it and re-assemble with the new battery. Just make sure that the body, cap and o-ring are completely clean and free of any particle of sand, salt, grit or hair before reassembly

The most important thing is just what Jason said. Inspect All / O-ring, silicon grease, and completely clean. RTV silicon on the outside will not hurt anything other then it's something you will have to clean off next time around. And it is really not needed other then a dab to keep the black shrink wrap on.

 

[NYwaterhunter]

WTHeck is going on?
I have an excal from 1998 Blue headphones and an excal from 2011 (Excal II) I have 4 battery pods and they all work fine. (two new, one old, and one aftermarket)
You mean to tell us that Minelab will not offer Battery pods that are interchangeable from the Excal 1 to excal 2 ? (from now on)
That would be total BS!
If that is true, it sounds to me like Minelab doesn't give two sheets about the consumer and only cares about the bucks.
I hope that is not the case. It is Minelab's responsability to take care of their customers. No different than Tesoro, Whites or any other top brand names.
Very informative post Southern Digger.
I have been very Happy with Minelabs service recently, but if this is true it will make me think twice on my next purchase.

 

[Ace350]

Ok, thanks for the tips Jason & OBN

 

[PI PETE]

Buy from american manufactures that understand customer service!

 

[Jason in Enid]

Buy from american manufactures that understand customer service!

Take your crappy crying somewhere else. Funny that some with a "no whining" avatar is whining.

 

[HARRASS]

I have 2 excals, one of the original models and an excal II. I had to modify my first set of battery cases to fit the second. I have given up on the recharables. I have 2 cases that hold AA batteries. I find they last longer than the recharables. I get my AA batteries from Costco, 48 for a dozen dollars. I have also picked up a couple of battery holders that hold 8 AA batteries. If need be it takes a few minutes to change which I keep as back-up. I always check the silicone and if it need some I give it a shot. When I get the low battery signal I change cases and reload the used batteries at home. I can get 2 to 3 outtings with 1 set of batteries. Hope this helps you and happy hunting. From the frozen north... Gary

 

[cudamark]

I have a couple of ExCal 1's myself. Not the early spear/seasearch type but the next generation. The Ex 2 battery pods work just fine with them. My original NiCad crapped out and I got the replacement Ex2 pod from KellyCo. I have the alkaline ones too as a backup. On a related note, one of my alkaline pods developed about 20 cracks in it virtually overnight. I put it away in the closet and on the next hunt I found the cracks. I contacted Minelab and many of the detector stores to see if they had heard of that problem and/or know why and was told they never heard of that problem. Seems kinds strange that it would only happen to mine. I figured that they must have had a bad batch of plastic or something. Anyone else heard of that problem? Mine still worked but was no longer waterproof. I ran a bead of epoxy over all the cracks and still use it for non-water hunts.

 

[snooksion]

I have a couple of ExCal 1's myself. Not the early spear/seasearch type but the next generation. The Ex 2 battery pods work just fine with them. My original NiCad crapped out and I got the replacement Ex2 pod from KellyCo. I have the alkaline ones too as a backup. On a related note, one of my alkaline pods developed about 20 cracks in it virtually overnight. I put it away in the closet and on the next hunt I found the cracks. I contacted Minelab and many of the detector stores to see if they had heard of that problem and/or know why and was told they never heard of that problem. Seems kinds strange that it would only happen to mine. I figured that they must have had a bad batch of plastic or something. Anyone else heard of that problem? Mine still worked but was no longer waterproof. I ran a bead of epoxy over all the cracks and still use it for non-water hunts.

there are 2 reasons for this. seen it about 20 times. #1 you tighten the connector way too tight!!!!! cracks them.#2 they get old and dry rot

 

[HARRASS]

I have the same problem, one case leaking with noticable cracks in the case. I was thinking of spraying leakseal on the outside. It hardens into a durable rubber-like coating. I had to replace the guts. It was all rusted where the batteries touch metal. Any feelings on this idea before I add this coat of protection.

 

[wreckee]

Battery pack

I have 2 excals, one of the original models and an excal II. I had to modify my first set of battery cases to fit the second. I have given up on the recharables. I have 2 cases that hold AA batteries. I find they last longer than the recharables. I get my AA batteries from Costco, 48 for a dozen dollars. I have also picked up a couple of battery holders that hold 8 AA batteries. If need be it takes a few minutes to change which I keep as back-up. I always check the silicone and if it need some I give it a shot. When I get the low battery signal I change cases and reload the used batteries at home. I can get 2 to 3 outtings with 1 set of batteries. Hope this helps you and happy hunting. From the frozen north... Gary

I know this may be a dumb question but if I making a pack for my old Excalibur 1 then how many standard AA batteries do I need to use,8? I've got some old plastic 8 cell battery holders for a Sony ICB 1000 walkie talkie and understand that radio shack still has compatible holders for these old units as I purchased some 2 years ago and they fit these old 1975 walkie talkies. I'm now off to the garage to see if this holder fits into my old Excalibur 1 pod.
I'm back.... YEP it fits, well the old Sony holder fits in the pod but the new ones are in the walkie talkies and I'm not digging those out. But there should be no reason that they don't fit also. All I need to know now is do I use 8 AA batteries?

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Excalibur requires 8 AA 1.5 volt batteries.

FYI, you can buy 1600 MAh and 3000 MAh batteries for the excal, 1600 last about 18 hours between charges and 3000 will last more than 40 hours between charges. Good luck finding AA that will last that long. Original batteries were 900 then 1000 MAh...

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[WaterWalker]

All the Excalibur battery pods will power the any of the Excaliburs. The only problem is when it comes to fit, the Sword (original) battery pod has square mounting ears and will not fit into the angled mounting ears of the Excalibur and Excalibur II control housings. I cut my Sword battery pod ears off at a matching angle so it would be interchangeable.

Alkaline: 8 AA at 1.5 volts each in series equals 12 volts.
Rechargeables: 10 NCads or NiMH at 1.2 volts each equals 12 volts.

That is the difference and why 8 or 10 cells.

Simply put - as for the mAH rating, the higher the rating, the longer they will power your detector and the longer they will take to charge than a lower mAH rated battery.

As for Li-Ion cells they produce 3.7 volts per cell and need special care especially in charging.
Like everything electronic, the components are being improved to give the consumer a "better" product.
And of course, we always want the newest and best for all of our toys.

 

[cudamark]

You might also look into the RNB rechargeable batteries for the Excal.