The Minelab Equinox 800 is a Piece of Junk

[fishstick]

Half of my digging is in Pennsylvania and the other half in Virginia!!!

LOL!!!

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Minelab PRO-FIND 35 Waterproof Pinpointer Metal Detector for Experts with Tone ID & Adjustable Sensitivity - Grab it through Amazon!

[beep1971]

I'd agree, it's pure junk

 

[treasureguy56]

Make no mistake , the 800 is a more complicated machine - but I have found the rewards to be worth it . I do not believe a beginner should be starting out on this machine ( Im not saying that your a beginner - I was just throwing that out there ) . I have had no real issues with this technology that a little reading in the manual or help from the folks here could not help me with , just want to stress this isn't your grand daddy's machine .
Al

 

[vferrari]

UPDATE: I think these minilab headphones are only good for a couple of hours on a charge. Today, I charged up the WM 08 module and connected it to a pair of Grey Ghost NDT's and it worked flawlessly all day long. I think the module is the ticket. The Grey Ghost headphones were very warm and comfortable in the cold wind. I also noticed that the module runs off wifi instead of Bluetooth, but I think the Minelab phones will be better in the summer when it gets hot. Just have to remember to bring the cord so they can be plugged into the module when the battery dies.

Other than that, the detector worked very well. I didn't have to drive to the hunting location, so yes, there were a couple of cold beers in my treasure pouch. I dug up a couple more wheat's and some clad, {no silver}, but nevertheless, it was a beautiful day and a very pleasant hunt.

5-tones instead of 50? thats something I didn't think of. I do admit that yesterday all that jingling was driving nuts, but I think I am getting used to it. So i might just leave it alone, but thank you for pointing this out.

You have a problem with your headphones if they are unable to last for an all day 10+ hour or more hunt. Have done that multiple times.

BTW WM08 is the same radio technology as bluetooth - its not WiFi its Wi Stream, just a ML trade name for their proprietary wireless audio they use. Same as Quest or Garrett's proprietary wireless audio systems.

5 tones is easier to deal with. You can even do 2 tones (ferrpus/non-ferrous). Keep it simple until you get more confident with it. It's all in the link I provided you above.

 

[ripvanb]

I started using the Equinox 800 after only ever using the Tesoro Compadre and have had great success with it. I agree with others that 5 Tones is a good setting to start with. 50 tones is still overwhelming for me. yeah like vferrari said those headphones should definitely be lasting you around 10 hours on a full charge. Maybe you're not turning them off after? Good luck!

 

[cudamark]

With my 800 and wireless headphones, the battery in it lasts longer than the one in the detector. I've never had it go dead during a hunt. I do find it a bit finicky during start up even after it gets properly paired initially. I find that it works best to start the detector first, then as soon as you hear the first beep, you immediately press and hold the start button on the headphones until you see the blue light come on. Immediately release the button and wait a second or two for it to connect. If you need to shut off the detector at any time, also turn off the headphones and repeat the start up procedure when you want to hunt again. Any delay or gap in this procedure or holding buttons too long can result in having to go through the complete re-pairing procedure as if it was never paired in the first place. Hopefully this situation can be improved upon in future versions.

 

[smokeythecat]

I have noticed with small headphone batteries, you will have to recharge them before the main coil battery. They are just smaller and need it. Doesn't matter what brand.

 

[pepperj]

It's any relationship, takes a while to get to know how to finish each others sentences.
1000 hrs on any machine before I know it.

 

[LoyalistDigger]

I went on a hunt today and decided to give the Nox 800 a shot. After about an hour in the woods around an old cabin where I found a lot of old coins with my Tesoro Tejon, I got tired of digging a lot of garbage signals with this detector, so I made my way out to the road where I was given permission by a woman to search around her 100-year-old farmhouse.

Early into the hunt, I dug a wheat penny and an old token. Nature called, and I went off into the brush to take a leak. When I came back the wireless headphones would not reconnect to the metal detector under any circumstances. It ruined my entire hunt and I wanted to bash this thing into the side of a tree.

My wish is that I would of had my Tejon. The Minelab Equinox 800 is a real Piece of Junk.

You can download an instruction manual. Try it sometime...

 

[mike b]

I've made the equivalate of mortgage payments multiple times over with my Equinox. I disagree with your assessment.

 

[Minelab Matt]

Put it this way....the only thing In my will, will read "bury me with my Nox"

Simple as that - LOVE IT!

Matt

 

[smokeythecat]

I just got rid of my last Equinox. boo hoo. However, that said I have a new low mileage 2015 LTZ sitting in the driveway now. Just put Weathertech liners in her! Couldn't help myself. Remote start, 6 cylinder, sunroof, leather interior, backup camera does not detect all by itself.

 

[Toecutter]

I just got rid of my last Equinox. boo hoo. However, that said I have a new low mileage 2015 LTZ sitting in the driveway now. Just put Weathertech liners in her! Couldn't help myself. Remote start, 6 cylinder, sunroof, leather interior, backup camera does not detect all by itself.

Dang Smokey I got a 800 you can sell for me, but I want a 2015 Tacoma...

 

[Iron Buzz]

The headphones are the minilabs that came with the detector. Just junk, you can't tell if they are on or off. I have an E-trac which is pretty good, but if you like rusty bottle caps and foil, then buy an Equinox. I paid a great deal of money for this detector. I am deeply disappointed.

I can agree with you about the fact that those teensy tiny LEDs are a bad idea, but if that's all it takes for you to write off an excellent metal detector than I don't know what to say.

 

[pulltabfelix]

Check all your connections. And NOBODY needs to really "learn" a new detector like in the old days. Use the factory presents, go slow and remember, if it's not there, you won't find it. Sometimes we find the gold mine, sometimes the mining shaft only. Familiarity with a detector is a good thing but if I didn't dig most "iffy" targets, with any machine I've ever had I would find nothing much at all. The 100 hour thing is for some folks, but you have to dig the iffy stuff. Our machines are now "computers on a stick", and if you trust the computer, you win. Going too fast, having a wide open swing and over tweaking a machine will lead to coming home with less. I dug twenty pieces of aluminum today before I hit a button and minie ball.

Smokey is so correct. I wasted so much time trying out all the new advanced settings and trying to tweak things. But what I accomplished was a highly detuned detector that would not find much of anything. Should have stuck in park or Field 1 and I would have been so much better off. I literally wasted many months thinking I should use all these advanced functions since I paid $800 for this detector. Truth is I really had no clue to what many of them were for because my prvious detector (AT Pro) did not have these features. If you don't believe me ask vferrari how lost I was in those early day.

PS Thanks vferrari and others who help educate me on the 800 and metal detecting in general. Without you guys, I would have sold everything and quit this great hobby. Came very close to quitting.

 

[pulltabfelix]

My Dream. Buy a home so I can hunt in PA and VA during the summer and fall and winter home on the florida east coast to spend the winter. Remember I said it was my dream, not my reality.

 

[CreakyDigger]

Smokey is so correct. I wasted so much time trying out all the new advanced settings and trying to tweak things. But what I accomplished was a highly detuned detector that would not find much of anything. Should have stuck in park or Field 1 and I would have been so much better off. I literally wasted many months thinking I should use all these advanced functions since I paid $800 for this detector. Truth is I really had no clue to what many of them were for because my prvious detector (AT Pro) did not have these features. If you don't believe me ask vferrari how lost I was in those early day.

PS Thanks vferrari and others who help educate me on the 800 and metal detecting in general. Without you guys, I would have sold everything and quit this great hobby. Came very close to quitting.

Good job hanging in there!

 

[Lenrac2]

I'll take it off your hands for $400

I'll go $500

 

[bc5391]

I'll take it off your hands for $400

I'll up that to $450, no need to keep junk

I did not see lenrac2's post, I guess I need to go to $525

 

[ansehnlich1]

I stumbled on this thread while troubleshooting my charging situation. My Nox 800 was on a charge all night and still blinking this morning. I'm thinking I may not have had it connected properly. I cleaned the contact points and have it back on charge....we'll see what it does.

Anyway, I thought I'd add what's popped up out of the ground the past week or so. I have a nice farm to hunt. All this lead was in an area about 25x50 yards.

It's a good detector. When I'm on a site like this one, I dig just about anything that sounds suspicious, including big iron. (chisels, blacksmith cutoff tools, busted horseshoes, railroad spikes, etc.)