Coinstrike-defective coil-how do you know?

[cdog46]

I bought a Coinstrike some 5 years ago. I feel like a complete idiot because I cannot get it to operate correctly. I haven't tried too hard but... I can only tell you I am not a novice. When I had the very bad disease-metal detectoritis- I had aMinlab Sov, 2 Explorers(1+2), 2 Fisher CZ6's, a CZ3D etc etc etc.

We have this storm coming. I live in Coastal New England. I just pulled my Coinstrike out again & used my ohm meter to see what I could see! And -in ohming out the plugs on each-they both ohm out exactly the same. Two closed (zero ohms) circuits on 2 adjacent pins So 1-2(zero ohms) & 3-4(zero omhs) center pin to 1-2or 3- 4 open & ,the other coil, 1 or 2(same) to 3or4(same) to center pin-also open.

I presume but do not know if that is correct but suspect it is because if 2 pins weren't common to each others-you would not have a coil.


Can any one help me out? It could really be that I'm just stupid. thanks in advance. & stay safe!

 

[jabbo]

I can't help with your ohms readings but the cord could be broken where it goes into the coil. My Coinstrike cord insulation broke at the coil from detecting in thick vines. The cord has two shielded wires. The 2 shields and the 2 copper wires are all used in the circuit. On mine, the outer rubber insulation broke at the coil and a few of the shield strands broke, the broken strands touched the other stranded shield and caused a short. Twisting and wiggling it back and forth by hand I could hear the problem. I bought a new coil and I fixed the old coil by epoxying it to the coil, now it works fine again. Thats the only help I can offer. Dave

 

[jabbo]

Also check the top of the cord, it could be broken there where the metal clamp grips the cord. On mine, the clamp was too tight and it cut through the rubber insulation from being twisted when changing coils, I was able to fix it. At the coil end, the strain relief is very tight and it actually cuts through the rubber insulation. I think that started my problem. On my new coil I loosened the strain relief a little.

 

[MarkCZ]

I bought a Coinstrike some 5 years ago. I feel like a complete idiot because I cannot get it to operate correctly. I haven't tried too hard but... I can only tell you I am not a novice. When I had the very bad disease-metal detectoritis- I had aMinlab Sov, 2 Explorers(1+2), 2 Fisher CZ6's, a CZ3D etc etc etc.

We have this storm coming. I live in Coastal New England. I just pulled my Coinstrike out again & used my ohm meter to see what I could see! And -in ohming out the plugs on each-they both ohm out exactly the same. Two closed (zero ohms) circuits on 2 adjacent pins So 1-2(zero ohms) & 3-4(zero omhs) center pin to 1-2or 3- 4 open & ,the other coil, 1 or 2(same) to 3or4(same) to center pin-also open.

I presume but do not know if that is correct but suspect it is because if 2 pins weren't common to each others-you would not have a coil.


Can any one help me out? It could really be that I'm just stupid. thanks in advance. & stay safe!

Tell me more about how the C$ is acting (or the problem).

(1) The most common bad coil problems are the inability to control or stabilize the detector within reasonable range of controls. (This problem is much like extreme EMI issues, in areas where EMI isn't normally that much of an issue)

(2) Target ID range out of limits on known targets (US Coins) that is to say that a US quarter may fall to the penny/dime slot, Nickle's may fall into Iron range.

(3) And of course you have not working altogether.

Mine with the bad coil worked, but it would drive you NUTS trying to run it! Target ID was off, Nickles wouldn't hit at all (I finely found them low in the Iron range).
It falsed signaled a LOT! even at very low sensitivity setting and High minus # threshold settings.
My co-working had also bought a C$ near the same time I got mine, we switched coils and the Real Detector showed itself! It calmed down,
I had full control of the unit in much more of the normal range (slight adjustments)
Target ID came bad into range.

You need to try a different coil.
If you would be willing to cover the shipping cost and guaranty me MY coil back I would loan you a coil for testing. (I have a small ID Edge coil that has been modified to work on the CS) I would test it on one of my C$'s before I ship it. If your interested you can PM me.

Mark

 

[MarkCZ]

Normal settings for average conditions and coin hunting.
Stock 8" coil.

99 Iron Disc.
7-8 Sensitivity.
Minus -10 -15 Threshold
Notch in all options.
I usually keep averaging OFF.

Caution! the factory preset coin program can be TO hot for many areas where normal EMI would be found,
near houses,
traffic,
electrical power lines,
ect..

Mark

 

[jabbo]

n/t

 

[MarkCZ]

Center pin isn't used! (no connection)
Open up the connector and take a look at it, its easy to do.

Look on the side of the barrel connector up next to the screw ring and you will see an open slot (see first picture)

Take something like a small screwdriver and push in on the silver locking tab (see second picture)

Now, while holding in on the tab use the other hand and push on the cable, (or pull the metal housing back up the cable, the connector comes out the front of the connector) (See the third picture)

Once inside look at all the connection and make sure they're soldered good and nothing is crossing any of the pins (except for pin 3, it should have a wire jumper going to the strain relief/ground arm).


P.S. The connector shown is the old connector from the bad C$ coil I had, I cut it off and the cable before I threw the coil away.

Here is the connections inside the plug,
Pin 5 = unused

Pin 1 = White
Pin 3 = White's shield

Pin 4 = Red
Pin 2 = Red's shield

Pin 3 and the strain relief/ground arm is jumped together. (so you should get full continuity between pin 3 and the metal housing of the connector)


I'll get you the Ohm's reading in another post.

Mark

 

[MarkCZ]

Here you go (Pin Readings)

Pin 1 to Pin 3 =893 ohm's (pins 1 and 3 are a circuit)
Pin 2 to Pin 4 =3 ohm's (pins 2 and 4 are a circuit)

Pin 1 to 4 = No Connection
Pin 1 to 2 = No Connection

Pin 3 to 4 = No Connection
Pin 3 to 2 = No Connection

Pin 3 to metal housing 0 ohm's (full continuity)

Sum,
Two circuits,
Odd numbers = One circuit
Even numbers = One circuit
The two have no connection between them.

Hope this helps.
Keep us posted. (or update us)

Mark

 

[MarkCZ]

The C$ has a way in making you think its difficult to use, its not!
If you strip away the confusing and just focus on the needed.

Beach hunting?
Coins or coins and relics (figure coins, and you would want to include gold ones)

Run full Iron Discrimination!
Turn on salt mode!
Turn averaging OFF!
Notch all items in (showing all black blocks)

Next is your sensitivity and threshold settings.
Keep in mind that on the C$ these work in conjunction with each other.
Good starting point,
Sens =7 to 8
Threshold = -10 to -15

Now if the machine is really quite at these settings then you could go up from there,
Sens = 9 to 10
threshold = -5 to 0 (a threshold setting above 0 moves the machine from a silent search to a running threshold tone, but it gets really jumpy which, is to say it wants to false if there is any interference at all). Just keep in mind that these increased setting is really running HOT!

If the starting settings make the machine noisy then you can back them off some and still get really good results depth wise. So if the detector is unstable at the starting settings then back them down in conjunction with each other (move one down a little and if its still a little unstable then move the other one down, like this,

Sens = 7 to 8
Threshold change to -20 to -25

If its still unstable then drop the sensitivity a little,
Sens =6 to 7
Threshold keep -20 to -25

Don't make the move up and down some high tech science, just adjust one a little and then the other, don't try to make Large adjustments with one, adjust a little on one, then a little on the other. (I usually start with the threshold but the order isn't as important as working them in conjunction a little at a time)

Bad settings would be something like this (notice the spread between the threshold and the sensitivity, which I believe to be a bad idea)

Bad settings!
Keep in mine that HOT (max) settings is "sens =10" "threshold =0"

Sensitivity = 9 (the closer to 10 you get the hotter the setting)
Threshold = -60 (the closer to 0 you get the hotter the setting)
In this group of settings the sensitivity is hot, but the threshold is way to the low side, or to say a wide spread between the two.

Sensitivity = 2 (2 is near minimum)
Threshold = 0 (0 is max or near max, as you move UP in minus numbers means a milder settings)
In this group of settings the sensitivity is very low while the threshold is near max

Hope this helps.

Mark