COIL LIFE?

[B.T]

I was talking to a person the other day who reckons you should turf your coil after a year, or two max, depending on how heavy its use is, as they deteriorate after excessive use. Quicker than most people think they do. Me I would get a newie after perhaps 3 years.
He reckons the inner shielding breaks down as does its overall sensitivity due to knocking about.
Now mine does get mass use and abuse due to detecting amongst rough rocky ground where you cannot help but bang it into quartz rocks and the likes, dozens of times a day. No matter how careful you try to be. My stem and control box look out of place when compared to my coil, they look 95% whereas the coil 70% on the "wear scale" (which I just made up but sounds good).
I know they dont last forever, nothing does, but how true do you guys think this may be. Getting rid of your coil after just 1 to 2 years!
The other day I found ten bits for 2 1/2 grams, small I know but still the right colour, and to be honest thought the depths they came from considering their size was great. Am I though, without knowing it slowly but surely loosing a bit of punch, a bit like just a couple of straws at a time disappearing from the stack? And if it is measurable, technically, is it so insignificant that one shouldnt freak out about it?

 

[Doctorcoinz]

The answer is its hit and miss whether a coil lasts a year or 20 years , its just pure pot luck honestly. I have a 20 year old compass and the coil is the original , it works and looks great still after all those years.. Some modern coils do seem to fail way too fast , some are faulty out of the box even.. Personally i have had virtually no problems with coils going duff. I dont knock them on rocks as this is a killer for coils. Getting moisture inside the coil will kill it too. I would also bet that many faulty coils are not really faulty in the coil it self but probably a coil connector problem or coil lead with a hairline break in the wire!..

 

[nugget71]

you weren't finding anything at all, I mean lets face it you're still producing the yellow and everything seems to be going fine with your machine so whats the problem? Yes everything if well used can sustain wear and tear over a period BUT like the old saying goes " if it ain't broken don't fix it". If you stop finding that yellow stuff B.T then I would start freaking out......Lol.
Cheers!

 

[Doctorcoinz]

Personally i would change a coil after about 3 years heavy use , coils can last 20 years or 2 years its like playing the lottery wether your coil goes bad or not!. Thats a load of bull though about changing your coil every 12 months most coils should last 3 -10 years minimum..

 

[B.T]

Yeah, I was sus on the recommendation to change so early but had to ask. The guy who said it is supposed to be an electronic "whiz" , just happens to own a detector shop too, not an Aussie one. Probably wants to generate more sales huh But you gotta find out first before you write something off as wacko.

 

[kris]

A coil can be pulled apart and overhauled ,things can get loose a mate of mine had problems with his sd 8inch mono it was pulled apart reglued as good as new.also check the plugs ext.
kris

 

[Digger]

I can't see a coil becoming less sensitive over time. I may be wrong. But in my mind, from an electronic standpoint, it will either work or it won't. A detector coil is simply a couple coils of wire, placed strategically in a hard shell. As long as the coils of wire are intact, and separated as designed, it will continue to work just like it did the day it was made. On the other hand, if the shell becomes cracked or broken, and allows water or dirt to penetrate the inner workings of the coil, it will need to be replaced. If either the transmit or receive circuits develop an open circuit, the coil will need to be replaced. If the windings short out, it will need to be replaced. But in each of these instances, the coil will simply stop working. It won't gradually lose it's sensitivity. With an X-Terra, if the microchip in a coil fails, the coil will have to be replaced. But, since it has a microchip in the coil, and that microchip communicates via a data link to the control housing, the LCD will tell you if your coil isn't working. CE = Coil Error.

I can see having to replace a coil due to physical damage. But I don't believe a coil will lose it's sensitivity, simply due to age.

JMHO Randy