Any advice on how to deal with dead CTX3030?

[meden]

Hi All-

I bought my CTX3030 in my home city of Dallas 3 years and 2 weeks ago. As I was going to be living in Singapore for a few years I took it with me and used it once - worked fine. The second time I tried to use it it would not power on. As the nearest repair center was Australia and it required a lot of expense to export it to Australia and re-import it to Singapore just to get it repaired, I waited until last November when I was visiting the US for a few weeks and hand-carried it back to the US and sent it to Minicab's repair facility in Florida. They sat on it awhile and literally called me as I was boarding the plane back to Singapore to tell me they could not find anything wrong with it, and so they sent it to my US home.

I move back home last week... bought a new battery just-n-case, fired it up - and it still won't turn on.

Of course, the warranty has now expired.

I now have a three thousand dollar boat anchor. Is my only option to send it back to them again and hope they really find something, or are there independent repair shops in the Dallas area where I can have a real human being look at it?

Any advice greatly appreciated. Thanks, Mike

 

[jas415]

With the timeline being correct, and you did send it in for repair and they sent it back under warranty, then I would again call Minelab, explain the situation, and see if they would again take a look at it. You say it won't power up, no noise, no screen, nothing??

I realize these may sound really stupid, but I assume you tried a different battery set, alkalines? Your charger indicate green lights, indicate a full charge?

There are several CTX users in the Dallas area and I think there is a dealer there also. You might just take it in to a dealer and see what they say. Maybe use their battery/ies.

If you need a CTX user pm me and I will get you some ph numbers there.

And for whatever reason I cannot PM you. One more thing, try disconnecting the cables, the coil and the other cable that interfaces the screen and control buttons with the control box and battery. Ck the pins on the one that is not the coil connector. I have heard of cases where the cable was a bit loose or a pin was bent. I know the control box cable on mine tends to get a 'kink' in the cable as the battery compartment slides back to switch out coils, then forward again to latch

 

[D&P-OR]

The OP doesn't have enough time/posts to send or receive P.M.'s.----You will have to communicate through emails or phone.-----Hope he gets the problem resolved.

 

[meden]

YOU-ARE-A-GENIUS!

The issue was in fact the quality of the connection between the control box and the screen.

To fully express my gratitude would bankrupt my supply of superlatives. Let me know if you are ever out my way - drinks are on me.

Cheers, Mike

 

[Electriken]

Hello everyone,
What a great story just goes to show the power of joining a club or a forum when someone has a problem all you have to do is ask and someone will know how to fix it or know someone who can. Being a Electrician whenever you have a problem you first check the power supply and also check the wiring / connections and if all else fails read the manual?

Regards Electriken
Barwon Heads Vic
Australia

 

[GKMan]

YOU-ARE-A-GENIUS!

The issue was in fact the quality of the connection between the control box and the screen.

To fully express my gratitude would bankrupt my supply of superlatives. Let me know if you are ever out my way - drinks are on me.

Cheers, Mike

Glad to hear it is working! Great advice Jas..

 

[jas415]

Very glad I could assist. Sometimes in our present day world off all the complexities, we often forget the simplest! I 'ditto' the above regarding being on a forum of metal detecting folks that always want to help!

 

[lomoch]

So, I'm curious...ML said nothing wrong with it. Yet a loose/faulty connection? I wonder if they even looked at the damn thing? If so, why did they not screw the cable down right before sending back?

 

[jas415]

I assume, probably like th3 tech also, that when it was turned on at the shop it somehow powered up. Cable in the right spot, whatever. If it works and appears to be ok, I guess he should have done a more thorough checkout: take the cables off, disassemble it, put it on a bench to test it, etc.. but with the 2 to 3 weeks backlog they have to repair stuff, they might have been in a bit of a hurry to gt to the next one, that did not power up!

That is why I have suggested that some sort of online diagnosis could be done. A software update to Exchange 2, with some 'pc to CTX' data exchange, that would quickly run diagnostics on the software and firmware, maybe on the coil power and responses. If something was bad, the software could then bring up a RMA#, and instructions to ship, all the while sending the serial number, correct name and address of the warranty holder, or even the out of warranty owner, to the repair center getting it in some sort of in-house line for repair.

In today's world, an LG washer or dryer is so 'tech' that one can bring up their smart phone, dial an 800 number and the washer/dryer will exchange information with the phone to diagnosis the unit. Most cable and computer companies can diagnose or repair stuff via internet.

 

[scoins]

no advice ;-( but mine was dead out of the box from new never got to use it

 

[Robve66]

My second hand CTX looked dead after 5 weeks also...
After keep trying to switch it on for about half an hour it finally would come alive...
Next day same problem....and the day after...
I turned it back in and got my money back and bought a brand new one... At least 3 years of warranty now....
Tomorrow hunting with my brand new CTX...