Critterhunter
New member
A couple days ago I headed to the beach. Wasn't planning on water hunting so I had the GT clipped to the shaft on my land rig with meter. Ended up deciding to wade knee deep and do some hunting in the water. While I've got holes drilled just above the coil mount insert on my water rig (stock shaft), even though I chest mount the GT for that, I hadn't got around to drilling holes in my land shaft to be prudent about that too. Keep forgetting to.
Anyway, so you know what comes next. After water hunting I turned the machine off and put it in a horizontal position. Sure enough I saw water run out the top of the shaft and spill over the control box. Even though the machine was turned off, which terminates the battery voltage right at the on/off switch long before it reaches any electronics, I still pulled the battery out just for added precaution should it have got wet inside.
Threw the machine in my damp garage not thinking much of it, because I didn't suspect anyway it really got water inside the control box. Next morning it had pretty much slipped my mind, and as is my normal routine before leaving for a hunt I turned the machine on real quick to make sure all is well. The meter wouldn't power up and I heard a dreaded humming noise in the headphones. I instantly remembered the possible water contamination and turned it off right away and yoked the battery out again.
Stupid me, because while DC electronics often survive a fresh water bath without shorting out and doing damage, there is of course more risk for that if the circuit is energized, while there is almost zero chance of damage if there is no power flowing through the circuit. I should have stuck the machine in my house to dry out with the slightest possibility it got wet inside, instead of in my damp garage. Better yet, I should have took the control box apart and let it dry out for a few days just to be safe before I risked powering it up at all to see if all was fine.
So I did what I should have done in the first place, took the control box apart since it's not under warranty and made sure it dried out should any moisture be present. The control box only has 2 screws you can access when the battery holder is removed. I took it apart and inspected for any water or signs of water stains that showed it had got wet inside. Couldn't see any, so a good sign there, but just the same I was real worried that powering it up before might have shorted out an IC chip or something. If it had, I can troubleshoot the electronics, but if it's a special IC chip only Minelab makes, and not something I could get elsewhere such as a voltage regulator or say a diode or resistor, then I'd be out of luck.
Going through my head was the fact that I had modded the GT with an installed stereo jack for my remote PP switch, and I was thinking Minelab might not even touch it when they saw that and might have told me that I'd need to buy a whole new control box from them. I was thinking that if that was the case I'd see if they'd just sell me a motherboard and I'd do the rest, because there is nothing else inside the control box other than the POT and switch controls on the face plate for the most part. I can clean or replace one of those should they go bad. If they'd sell me a motherboard I'd be more than willing to replace it at my own risk without any returns on it.
Anyway, now the good news...All that "what if" thinking wasn't needed after all, because after letting the control box sit opened for a few days this morning I crossed my fingers, powered it up, and found the GT and meter were all working just fine. Man, can't tell you how happy I was...
So now the tips for possible water contamination or to prevent it in the first place-
First, if you do any kind of water hunting, drill two holes in the shaft front and back just a hair above the coil insert. Stick a measuring tape down the lower shaft to measure where it ends and then mark and drill outside the shaft. Get as close as you can to the insert to insure as much water as possible is drained when in normal hunting position. The one at the back will drain it all out if done right, but I like to use one in the front as well as added insurance should the back one get plugged. Don't drill too big of holes, because that might weaken things, and don't do it if your under warranty on the stock shaft.
Second, if you do suspect water damage, turn it off right away and pull the battery. Even though the voltage terminates right at the on/off POT, if that gets wet inside it might short and energize the rest of the detector, raising the possibility of damage. Don't give in to the temptation to turn it on and see if it's working. If the machine is not under warranty take it apart (easy) and let it set in a dry place for a few days. Some people throw electronics in a bag of dry rice, but since my furnace is running I figured the air was dry enough to do what I needed.
Third, prevention is worth a pound of cure- I've hunted in the rain with my GT and meter without issues on several occasions in the past, being caught without a few plastic bags to protect it. Only issue I ever came across was the meter getting a bit foggy.
Fourth, (and here's the best of the prevention thing)...There are several ways to prevent water contamination even without plastic bags should you get caught in the rain on your way back to your car. The rubber military grade half boots on the switches are a good idea. Covering the speaker with say a taped on plastic lid is also a good idea. But one of the real keys to prevention I never saw discussed before is how the control box is built. If you look at the top of it you'll see a seam right where the face plate joins the box. That's the only way I can see for water to get inside the box from the top. I'd put some tape all the way around the control box following the face plate seam.
If you look at the sides of the control box that is where the seam is where the top and bottom halves join up, so in a way it's like a turtle shell and pretty protective of the electronics from falling rain if the control box is in an upright position. Almost like an umbrella. Might be a good idea to put tape all the way around the sides of the control box to seal that up as well. Besides the speaker/switches on the face plate (pots are much harder to get water into but still a risk), the only other place where a real risk of water getting in is at the coil connector. Maybe taping around that area on the box to seal that would also be a good idea. Then, beyond all that stuff, the only real risk of water is sitting it down in a puddle.
Because if you remove the battery holder you'll see two holes there.
Far as I can tell the box clip recesses on the top of the control box don't provide an entry way into the control box for water.
I might even decide to use Shoe Goo to seal these seams and such, because in my experience this stuff waterproofs things great, stays pliable, and will peal off cleanly without leaving gunk behind, at least on other things I've used it on, but I can't say how easy it'll peal off the Sovereign's control box.
Of course the best way to play it safe is to not get it wet in the first place. While I've hunted in a slight rain with my GT on a few occasions, that was only because I was far back in the woods and just couldn't bring myself to leave and have to make the long hike again on another day. We've got to take good care of our Sovereigns now that they are no longer made. I suspect Minelab will still fix the GT and Elite for years longer than the 3 year warranty of the GT still being able to be bought new up until December here, but just the same we've got a rare bird in our hands now that needs preserved for future hunts and future hunters years from now. It's truly a machine with a legacy. Just like a classic car, don't take it out in the rain. And the reverse side of that coin is don't let it sit in a hot car or trunk. The LCD on the meter alone might go bad. Come to think of it, I'm not going to store it in my garage anymore either, because when it freezes outside that too could possibily shatter the meter being liquid crystal inside.
PS- Besides sealing the seams/coil connector, I was thinking about using a rubber band to attach a short plastic bag around the face plate to keep moisture or dirt out. So long as you leave enough bag slack hanging off the front of the face plate, it'd still be easy to throw switches or turn dials.
Side Note- If anybody should dunk your machine, if it did get real wet inside, after it dried I'd find a spray can of something that is approved for cleaning and protecting electronics again rust. Especially true for a dunk in salt water. Many even say if you dunk electronics in salt water, after removing the battery, it's a good idea to dunk/wash it in fresh water to get all the salt out, then protect it with an approved electronics safe cleaner/rust preventer. If you don't do that chances are it's going to die a slow death as it rusts. Didn't see even water stains in my GT, so I'm not going to worry about this slight fresh water exposure, but I plan to open it back up in a month or two and see if I see any signs of rust. If I do then I'll take action.
Oh, by the way, I just recently saw this new product that you spray your devices with like cell phones and such. It repels water amazingly. They even took like an IPhone still powered up and stuck it in a glass of water with no issues. That ain't going to save your Sovereign though if it's dunked under water, but it might be some added insurance again a splash from a wave or rain. The water literally sheets off like a duck shedding water right off it's back.
Warning: Use any advice at your own risk, and never open up a machine that is under warranty either.
Anyway, so you know what comes next. After water hunting I turned the machine off and put it in a horizontal position. Sure enough I saw water run out the top of the shaft and spill over the control box. Even though the machine was turned off, which terminates the battery voltage right at the on/off switch long before it reaches any electronics, I still pulled the battery out just for added precaution should it have got wet inside.
Threw the machine in my damp garage not thinking much of it, because I didn't suspect anyway it really got water inside the control box. Next morning it had pretty much slipped my mind, and as is my normal routine before leaving for a hunt I turned the machine on real quick to make sure all is well. The meter wouldn't power up and I heard a dreaded humming noise in the headphones. I instantly remembered the possible water contamination and turned it off right away and yoked the battery out again.
Stupid me, because while DC electronics often survive a fresh water bath without shorting out and doing damage, there is of course more risk for that if the circuit is energized, while there is almost zero chance of damage if there is no power flowing through the circuit. I should have stuck the machine in my house to dry out with the slightest possibility it got wet inside, instead of in my damp garage. Better yet, I should have took the control box apart and let it dry out for a few days just to be safe before I risked powering it up at all to see if all was fine.
So I did what I should have done in the first place, took the control box apart since it's not under warranty and made sure it dried out should any moisture be present. The control box only has 2 screws you can access when the battery holder is removed. I took it apart and inspected for any water or signs of water stains that showed it had got wet inside. Couldn't see any, so a good sign there, but just the same I was real worried that powering it up before might have shorted out an IC chip or something. If it had, I can troubleshoot the electronics, but if it's a special IC chip only Minelab makes, and not something I could get elsewhere such as a voltage regulator or say a diode or resistor, then I'd be out of luck.
Going through my head was the fact that I had modded the GT with an installed stereo jack for my remote PP switch, and I was thinking Minelab might not even touch it when they saw that and might have told me that I'd need to buy a whole new control box from them. I was thinking that if that was the case I'd see if they'd just sell me a motherboard and I'd do the rest, because there is nothing else inside the control box other than the POT and switch controls on the face plate for the most part. I can clean or replace one of those should they go bad. If they'd sell me a motherboard I'd be more than willing to replace it at my own risk without any returns on it.
Anyway, now the good news...All that "what if" thinking wasn't needed after all, because after letting the control box sit opened for a few days this morning I crossed my fingers, powered it up, and found the GT and meter were all working just fine. Man, can't tell you how happy I was...
So now the tips for possible water contamination or to prevent it in the first place-
First, if you do any kind of water hunting, drill two holes in the shaft front and back just a hair above the coil insert. Stick a measuring tape down the lower shaft to measure where it ends and then mark and drill outside the shaft. Get as close as you can to the insert to insure as much water as possible is drained when in normal hunting position. The one at the back will drain it all out if done right, but I like to use one in the front as well as added insurance should the back one get plugged. Don't drill too big of holes, because that might weaken things, and don't do it if your under warranty on the stock shaft.
Second, if you do suspect water damage, turn it off right away and pull the battery. Even though the voltage terminates right at the on/off POT, if that gets wet inside it might short and energize the rest of the detector, raising the possibility of damage. Don't give in to the temptation to turn it on and see if it's working. If the machine is not under warranty take it apart (easy) and let it set in a dry place for a few days. Some people throw electronics in a bag of dry rice, but since my furnace is running I figured the air was dry enough to do what I needed.
Third, prevention is worth a pound of cure- I've hunted in the rain with my GT and meter without issues on several occasions in the past, being caught without a few plastic bags to protect it. Only issue I ever came across was the meter getting a bit foggy.
Fourth, (and here's the best of the prevention thing)...There are several ways to prevent water contamination even without plastic bags should you get caught in the rain on your way back to your car. The rubber military grade half boots on the switches are a good idea. Covering the speaker with say a taped on plastic lid is also a good idea. But one of the real keys to prevention I never saw discussed before is how the control box is built. If you look at the top of it you'll see a seam right where the face plate joins the box. That's the only way I can see for water to get inside the box from the top. I'd put some tape all the way around the control box following the face plate seam.
If you look at the sides of the control box that is where the seam is where the top and bottom halves join up, so in a way it's like a turtle shell and pretty protective of the electronics from falling rain if the control box is in an upright position. Almost like an umbrella. Might be a good idea to put tape all the way around the sides of the control box to seal that up as well. Besides the speaker/switches on the face plate (pots are much harder to get water into but still a risk), the only other place where a real risk of water getting in is at the coil connector. Maybe taping around that area on the box to seal that would also be a good idea. Then, beyond all that stuff, the only real risk of water is sitting it down in a puddle.
Because if you remove the battery holder you'll see two holes there.Far as I can tell the box clip recesses on the top of the control box don't provide an entry way into the control box for water.
I might even decide to use Shoe Goo to seal these seams and such, because in my experience this stuff waterproofs things great, stays pliable, and will peal off cleanly without leaving gunk behind, at least on other things I've used it on, but I can't say how easy it'll peal off the Sovereign's control box.
Of course the best way to play it safe is to not get it wet in the first place. While I've hunted in a slight rain with my GT on a few occasions, that was only because I was far back in the woods and just couldn't bring myself to leave and have to make the long hike again on another day. We've got to take good care of our Sovereigns now that they are no longer made. I suspect Minelab will still fix the GT and Elite for years longer than the 3 year warranty of the GT still being able to be bought new up until December here, but just the same we've got a rare bird in our hands now that needs preserved for future hunts and future hunters years from now. It's truly a machine with a legacy. Just like a classic car, don't take it out in the rain.
And the reverse side of that coin is don't let it sit in a hot car or trunk. The LCD on the meter alone might go bad. Come to think of it, I'm not going to store it in my garage anymore either, because when it freezes outside that too could possibily shatter the meter being liquid crystal inside.PS- Besides sealing the seams/coil connector, I was thinking about using a rubber band to attach a short plastic bag around the face plate to keep moisture or dirt out. So long as you leave enough bag slack hanging off the front of the face plate, it'd still be easy to throw switches or turn dials.
Side Note- If anybody should dunk your machine, if it did get real wet inside, after it dried I'd find a spray can of something that is approved for cleaning and protecting electronics again rust. Especially true for a dunk in salt water. Many even say if you dunk electronics in salt water, after removing the battery, it's a good idea to dunk/wash it in fresh water to get all the salt out, then protect it with an approved electronics safe cleaner/rust preventer. If you don't do that chances are it's going to die a slow death as it rusts. Didn't see even water stains in my GT, so I'm not going to worry about this slight fresh water exposure, but I plan to open it back up in a month or two and see if I see any signs of rust. If I do then I'll take action.
Oh, by the way, I just recently saw this new product that you spray your devices with like cell phones and such. It repels water amazingly. They even took like an IPhone still powered up and stuck it in a glass of water with no issues. That ain't going to save your Sovereign though if it's dunked under water, but it might be some added insurance again a splash from a wave or rain. The water literally sheets off like a duck shedding water right off it's back.
Warning: Use any advice at your own risk, and never open up a machine that is under warranty either.
Jim