A question about rain

[Billy Bedrock]

Hi

I've been using my X-70 with some success for nugget hunting in NorCal (New 49'ers member).
This was all done in the heat of this past summer.

Now that rain is here, I am curious about the ability to find much in wet, even saturated ground in my search areas.

I'll take care not to get the control box wet. I'll not detect while it is raining and I'll rely on the 6"DD 18.75

Any thoughts on what I'll run into with the wet ground?

Most targets are 1 gram and less.

Billy

 

[Mick in Dubbo]

Just better target signals and easier to dig recoveries. you only need to worry about the 5x10 coil, as it's not waterproof. The control box can handle a small amount of rain on it, but as you are doing, I wouldn't push the friendship. The 6 inch coil is waterproof.
Mick Evans.

 

[Billy Bedrock]

Thanks Mick,
appreciate the answer.

I thought someone posted it being more
difficult as the water would act as a conductor.
I'm pleased I can use it this winter.

Billy

 

[Beale]

I have hunted in the rain with mine. Put a 1/2 gallon size (or smaller) freezer bag over the control box. I then take some rubber bands or string and tie up the bottom part. I just keep on hunting as long as it is not a downpour. This is IMHO, Beale.

 

[nero_design]

With the 6" DD HF coil, you can really have a lot of fun with this detector in the rain. I'd use the environmental cover and then do what Beale suggests and put a freezer bag onto the control box. Watch out for humidity though... give your control box a chance to acclimatize to the cooler weather if raining. A few people have had trouble with their X-Terras due to fogging up in tropical heat etc when coming out of an air conditioned environment/car/cabin etc.

The 6" coil would be ideal for we circumstances since it should cut through the water in the ground without much trouble and the field is stronger on this coil and allows for a bit more soil penetration. The Elliptical is better for covering larger areas of dry ground though (larger signal footprint than the 6") although it probably won't penetrate the wet soil nearly as deep. The 6" coil was designed to be submerged and I've used it myself with great success in the creeks here. I'm going out in 48 hours when the rain stops to try my luck in a new creek system with this very coil. one of the advantages of having a waterproof coil as sensitive as the 6" is that you can poke the coil into streams and in submerged cracks that other detectorists never try. You may find nuggets of any size and you will even be able to detect for clumps of alluvial gold deposited in areas where the volume exceeds 0.1 grams or more. If the water is running, bring some earphones or you may not hear the fainter signals.

NOTE: I put a layer of black Duct Tape onto the underside of my 6" coil. This coil doesn't come with a cover, and the shell of the unit is fairly thin. By adding Duct Tape, I can then knock my coil around a little in the creek or against sharp rocks and not worry about damaging it or splitting the thin cover.

Wish I was in California! Good luck Billy!

Cheers,

Marco

 

[Billy Bedrock]

Thanks for the messages:

I have the ML cover and don't care for it. I rarely use headphones, the thickness of the cover blocks the beeps. I use a sandwich size Zip-Loc all the time, and it works fine. I used my unit for a couple of weeks without any cover and the letters on the keys were wearing off. Powdered dirt on the fingers makes a great abrasive.

I did not think about the bottom of the coil. I've bumped it around a bit. I wonder if anyone has used GLUVIT. I have used that on the bottom of drift boats (whitewater river boat w/oars). It's very durable. Until I figure that one out, it's black tape. Thanks for the tip.

I like to snipe the upper reaches of a couple of creeks on the claims. It's a great pastime when the weather gets to 100 degrees. I could use the detector, but I like the mask and snorkel and seeing the sparklies underwater. They look so big and beautiful with the waters magnification. Plus, I'm a bit of a klutz these days. Wading in a creek with my X-70 would be inadvisable.

You guys are great, thanks for the tips.

Billy