Coil overcurrent

[DigDeep]

Hey there everyone, I was trying out the Sharp timings today in a little patch trying to squeeze out one more nugget and when I switched from Sharp to Normal timings on the front plate the detector went dead silent and on the back screen it said "Coil Overcurrent!" I turned it off and and then back on again and it seems to be okay.

I looked in the manual and all it says is this happens when the detector is turned on and off too quickly.

Anyone else encountered this?

I was using an 11" Mono commander coil.

Thanks for any input.

DigDeep

[spencer]

I have had it happen several times when switching from normal to sharp, or normal to sensitive extra. It doesn't seem to do anything to the machine aside from requiring it to be power cycled.

Coil selection does not seem to be a factor either; I've had it happen with 16" nuggetfinders, as well as the 18.5" x 12 inch Coilteks.

[DigDeep]

I have had it happen several times when switching from normal to sharp, or normal to sensitive extra. It doesn't seem to do anything to the machine aside from requiring it to be power cycled.

Coil selection does not seem to be a factor either; I've had it happen with 16" nuggetfinders, as well as the 18.5" x 12 inch Coilteks.

Good to know I am not the only one with this.

It only happened once and was fine after I restarted it.

Thanks Spencer.

DigDeep

[nuggethunting]

Hey DigDeep,

I never had it happen to my GPX, but seen it happen to a friends a few times. He would just shut it down for a few minutes and then power it back up. He wouldn't have any more problems once he done this.

Take care,

Rob Allison

[DigDeep]

Thanks Rob.

Was it when was switching the timings on the front plate?

DigDeep

[dutch john]

Howdy everyone... (Rob are you out there?) By coil overcurrent, is this also known

as coil overload? If so while it can be annoying but does this usually just happen

when when the signal and the searchcoil are momentary too close to each other?

Now another question? DogDeep and I were discussing "soil timings" and I am learning

much from him as he is a sharp and knowlegeable... A light dawns, the GPX 4000 and

4500 have a switch to change the electonic pattern of the pulses in unisec, which is

also known as "pulse delay." This is critical in determining if the signal gives a high

or low response... the soil/timing switch in sensitive gives a quick pulse delay and

while it enhances small shallow nuggets it also can enhance the ground responce and

also that of any other targets...

With any change in the pd setting it is very important to re-ground balance as the

return "measurements" of the pulse are changed by the length of the timing...

I now think the "sensitive" as a short delay; "N" a longer delay and the "salt" a still

longer delay; each delay now needs a re-ground balance setting...

To summarize... the selected pd is critical in optimising the best responce of

a gold nugget... A nugget is never pure, they can contain various alloys of

contuctive metals, and even non-cinductive "iron." Also the physical shape;

mass, and shape of the nugget: its size, and shape: irregular, circular, spongy,

and all other factors.

Now I will make another obsrvation... the shortest pd optimises all signals, but

because all signals are optimised, some may come in stronger and others weaker.

So it may be that the detectorist's skill in reading the ground, knowing the

shape and conductivity of the gold sought is most important.

Now, I suspect that what I just said needs correcting and I welcome this as

this is how I learn... Jim Straight

[Jonathan Porter]

Very good Jim, probably the only thing you have missed and which is in the Minelab detectors favour is that they are effectively two detectors in one, which means where one channel is generally at its least sensitive the other is at its most sensitive. This alters depending on which timing you select as the cross over pattern is optimised for Normal detecting timings where you can achieve the detectors maximum depth potential. By electing to use the unit it Sensitive or Salt you move the cross over points around which means some certain sized nuggets will give minimal response compared to Normal timings.

Hope this helps,

JP

[dutch john]

Jonathan... Thank you. Jim Straight