Waiting, waiting, waiting...

[sprailroad]

The reply's in regards to recovery speeds were helpful, makes sense, and since "Vferrari" uses a Deus which seems to have the same option, I'll go with that and learn to work with it, although I will most likely second guess myself using it. Sealed battery pack, not so fond of it so far, yes, I already carry spare battery's with me, so of course I could carry a portable charger instead, but to me, it's to remember to charge the charger, and when if say you are "primitive" camping for some time, where would you charge the charger? Where as I can pack in a 24 pack of AA's. Anyway, it's still a wait and see thing. I do also look for the guys who "pre-ordered", and it is because they will put it through it's paces, it's not their first rodeo, and I'd would like to read what THEY have to say about it. So.....moving on.

 

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[relicmeister]

The variety of cell phone charging packs runs the gamut from $5 units that could power a phone for a day up
To $40 ones that hold large power reserves. Though I don't know much about the Equinox power consumption
I think keeping the machine powered up
Will be quite easy, and cheaper than
Alkaline batteries

 

[vferrari]

Also, regarding rechargeable built-in batteries. I have a Deus - you charge up the coil, control unit, headphones separately (ugh, but they give you a three-headed charger so you can do it all at once). I can typically get upwards of 15 to 20 hours detecting time on a single charge. I seriously do not worry about my battery not being charged in the field. The other thing about being able to use cheap cell phone battery-based emergency chargers is that if you are really on some wilderness metal detecting hunt without access to power (really?) then you can always bring a lightweight cell phone solar panel for charging a at your campsite to charge not the detector but a spare cell phone emergency charger battery. Take two of these things with you and you can always have one with you as an emergency backup for the detector while the other is solar charging back at your Himilayan metal detecting base camp. It is not hard folks. People have to routinely go on extended wilderness trips with electrically powered medical equipment such as CPAPs. No need to have to carry a backpack full of AA batteries into the field anymore, unless that is what you are stuck with on your detector.

 

[sprailroad]

I only asked a simple question/concern vferrari, didn't deserve the sarcasm. By the way, the "Himalayan" metal detecting base camp is closed for the season, but feel free to go anyway. It must be nice to be you.

 

[vferrari]

I only asked a simple question/concern vferrari, didn't deserve the sarcasm. By the way, the "Himalayan" metal detecting base camp is closed for the season, but feel free to go anyway. It must be nice to be you.

Tried to inject humor into a dry subject. Sorry you were offended. I see a lot of folks expressing concern about having a detector with a non-user-replaceable battery pack and how to maintain/charge them for extended field detecting sessions

With cell phones or at least electronic point-to-point communication, gps and electronic light sources almost a necessity for safe extended primitive outback adventuring and with less "necessary gadgets such as cameras being routinely used in these situations, my point was the battery charging problem has been addressed by the electronics industry for some time with solar chargers, windup chargers, and lightweight high capacity lithium storage cells. If you venture to a primitive site for an extended detecting outing, a detector with rechargeable batteries would actually be preferred vs. replaceable dry cells. The detector manufacturers catering to third world gold prospecting being conducted for extended periods in remote locations are utilizing rechargeable lithium batteries as the power source of choice for these applications for the reasons stated. It's where the detector manufacturers are headed in the future. Hope this helps explain it better.

 

[cudamark]

To me, a user non-replaceable battery would not be a plus. Batteries eventually go bad regardless of which type they are. Being able to slip a new one in without having to ship it to the factory service center would save money and down time (look at the Deus design) . Not only that, but, new battery technology and manufacturers might come up with a better and cheaper replacement (i.e. RNB batteries). Being able to try something better would be more attractive to me.

 

[sprailroad]

Hey vferrari, we're good, it's not like I'm going to stop reading your comments and input, you come out with some really good things. I think "cudamark" has a good point though. As far as the sealed battery pack, I understand about the waterproof aspect, but I'll bet that the EQ 600 & 800 would be 95 % land use. Detectors that the divers use might like the sealed part. Now, would I NOT buy the 800 because of the battery pack thing?, of course not, and for what I said about the "primitive" part, fella's, truth be known, after all the years etc, I avoid primitive, I'm more built for comfort now, and my idea of camping would be a nice cabin or cottage. (with electric). So...back to the original thread, it's still a waiting game to see what the end result will be.

 

[relicmeister]

I'm hearing from people with good intel
That Equinox shipments may be on
track for December, and the new
pinpointers in November

 

[vferrari]

Hey vferrari, we're good, it's not like I'm going to stop reading your comments and input, you come out with some really good things. I think "cudamark" has a good point though. As far as the sealed battery pack, I understand about the waterproof aspect, but I'll bet that the EQ 600 & 800 would be 95 % land use. Detectors that the divers use might like the sealed part. Now, would I NOT buy the 800 because of the battery pack thing?, of course not, and for what I said about the "primitive" part, fella's, truth be known, after all the years etc, I avoid primitive, I'm more built for comfort now, and my idea of camping would be a nice cabin or cottage. (with electric). So...back to the original thread, it's still a waiting game to see what the end result will be.

I agree with you and cudamark about the downside to sealed batteries. It is the same argument that folks use against sealed phone batteries. However, with phones, the user has usually moved on to a new phone before the battery permanently dies. Probably not the case for a metal detector. That's what happens when you try to be the ideal detector for everybody, there is always going to be something that is preferred for one group that is not preferred by another. Just as you have argued the primitive camping thing both ways, I look at the sealed battery design choice as neither a deal maker or deal breaker as far as I’m concerned. I think this back and forth discussion is helpful for all those considering this detector because it makes them think about things they might not Otherwise think about. So it's all good.

 

[CharlesUpstateNY]

Or we could go back to 4 pound detectors with user replaceable batteries... ah...no.

 

[vferrari]

Charles you know well that a light weight machine could be built with user replaceable/swappable recgargeable Li Ion batteries.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Charles you know well that a light weight machine could be built with user replaceable/swappable recgargeable Li Ion batteries.

Of course it can, but then you have everyone *****ing because it went to **** after water got into the battery compartment even though they were lazy sots and didn't clean the seals.

Making a detector "water proof/resistant" changes a lot of end-user design criteria

 

[CharlesUpstateNY]

Of course it can, but then you have everyone *****ing because it went to **** after water got into the battery compartment even though they were lazy sots and didn't clean the seals.

Making a detector "water proof/resistant" changes a lot of end-user design criteria

I wouldn't want to warranty the machine, cost and weight would increase which are two key design goals for this machine also. I get vferrari's concerns, I had the same concerns before I purchased the Deus...for about 5 minutes then dismissed them as it is what it is.

 

[CharlesUpstateNY]

Charles you know well that a light weight machine could be built with user replaceable/swappable recgargeable Li Ion batteries.

I have built submersible waterproof Minelab Explorers, I mean you can do something like use an Excalibur battery housing but that adds a lot of weight. There can't be even a pinhole opening anywhere, one of the big issues is heat. On a beach out in the hot sun any air inside the unit heats up and expands forcing air out any opening. Then go dunk it in the cold ocean water whammo the air cools, shrinks, creates a vacuum and sucks in sea water. So its not just an issue with say splash proof or wave proof, if you are going to hold the unit underwater it will need to be very well designed. Could you do it on the Equinox yes, would it negatively impact the design criteria of keeping the machine lower cost and lightweight yes. I would increase the cost of the machine to cover warranty failures and repairs if the battery was user detachable.

 

[vferrari]

Point taken. Wow, you are invested in that position. Lol. I think some of the heft associated with the Excal, however, is attributed to it being a 100ft dive machine vs. a ten-foot plunker like the Equinox, Max/Pro, and MX Sport.

Frankly, as I’ve said before, I don't have much issue with the non-replaceable battery, but scratching my head on why wired phones are not also supplied with the high end Equinox (like with the lower end machine) since it is supposed to be a water machine. Equinox 800 user will have to shell out additional $ for a set of water resistant, wired headphones.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Point taken. Wow, you are invested in that position. Lol. I think some of the heft associated with the Excal, however, is attributed to it being a 100ft dive machine vs. a ten-foot plunker like the Equinox, Max/Pro, and MX Sport.

Frankly, as I’ve said before, I don't have much issue with the non-replaceable battery, but scratching my head on why wired phones are not also supplied with the high end Equinox (like with the lower end machine) since it is supposed to be a water machine. Equinox 800 user will have to shell out additional $ for a set of water resistant, wired headphones.

yeah, but they did the same thing with the CTX. It's waterproof(resistant) but it doesnt come stock with waterproof headphones. I would say that means that Minelab expects the majority of users to be strictly land hunters.

 

[vferrari]

yeah, but they did the same thing with the CTX. It's waterproof(resistant) but it doesnt come stock with waterproof headphones. I would say that means that Minelab expects the majority of users to be strictly land hunters.

Do you know if the jack has a special connector or is it a standard 1/4" jack with a gasket or something? Not familiar with the CTX 3030 headphone jack configuration.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Do you know if the jack has a special connector or is it a standard 1/4" jack with a gasket or something? Not familiar with the CTX 3030 headphone jack configuration.

CTX has a special screw on waterproof headphone connector. The connector for the equinox appeared to be a double ended 1/8" headphone jack. However the pics of the control box has a screw-in connection that is being assumed to be the headphone connection. Unfortunately I cant find any pics of the stock headphone wire plugged in (except from a long distance)

 

[vferrari]

We'll see when it come out then. Thanks for the info.

 

[bigboar]

CTX has a special screw on waterproof headphone connector. The connector for the equinox appeared to be a double ended 1/8" headphone jack. However the pics of the control box has a screw-in connection that is being assumed to be the headphone connection. Unfortunately I cant find any pics of the stock headphone wire plugged in (except from a long distance)

here you go