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Do Not Attempt to Disassemble Your Pro-Pointer!!!

M

MHirschmann

Member
Today I took one of my spare pro-pointers and after a couple calls to Garrett, decided I would try to take it apart to dip the circuit board with the hopes of making it waterproof. I know this was a foolish decision to begin with but I have been looking for a better waterproof solution and so I decided I was fine with risking one to try and make it work. There is one phillips set screw in the battery compartment. I loosened this and gently pulled the guts of the pro-pointer out. The second I did this, the switch mechanism to turn the pro-pointer on exploded internally. There were 5 micro parts and they went everywhere. I am very careful whenever I take on a project like this and have had very few things that didn't end up back together. All I can tell you is, DO NOT try to open your pro-pointer if you are thinking about waterproofing it. I will now have to send mine in to get it repaired as there is no way to fix it. I know many of you will say/think I am stupid but I went into this knowing darn well that it might end up badly, especially after Garrett warned me, but I had to try it. Just wanted to share my experience as I have spoken with some others recently who were thinking about opening up theirs to see what was inside/what could be done, DON'T DO IT! HH everyone -Marc
 
PS I just figured out the "trick." If you want to open up your Pro-Pointer, simply pull the rubber push-button out with a needle-nose prior to removing the circuit board. I didn't know that the rubber push-butotn was simply a pinch-in grommet design. Once the grommet is removed, the circuit board comes right out (without causing the push-button to explode). I guess you have to know that to do it right and I did NOT know that. Hopefully garrett can get my mistake fixed for a decent deal. I am not giving up here. It takes trial and error to get things the way you want them. The Pro-Pointer is my favorite pinpointer out there, by far. I will get this project working although I hope Garrett beats me to it by releasing a water-proof version. Please do it for me (and many others) Garrett! Ill keep you posted on what they tell me it will cost to repair my F-up. Its totally my fault, so I don't expect any help at all from them, but it surely would be nice if they decide to help. I'll keep you posted. HH -Marc
 
Thanks for the heads up. I'm still waiting on mine from backorder but I was thinking about trying to waterproof it as well. Keep me posted if you have any success.
 
If you don't use the proper steps on the Prp-pointer you will break it 100% of the time. Remove the battery, remove the screw, push the button in, remove the rubber button cover and slide the unit out.
 
use a condom on it.
 
I vacuum sealed mine with a seal-a-meal! Works just fine!
 
I took mine apart because the speaker stopped working. Tried 4 times to insert the circuit board back in but the multi strand cable kept jamming. Its a very tight fit and the cable has to be positioned right, was impossible to do. Finally the cable snagged on the fragile tiny plastic switch and the switch fell apart. Tried to rewire the terminals but it wouldn't turn on. I should have never taken it apart. Now I'm using my VibraProbe again, built like a tank with no external switch to break.
 
I agree with you Stasys. I have ADHD and so taking things apart to see what is inside has been something I have been doing my entire life. In my adult life, however, I have really tried to make sure that most of what I take apart makes it back together in a functional way. This project was a failure.

Thanks for your link sandnut, that product looks awesome. I definitely see where that product could fit into a lot of my projects and I will certainly get in touch with them and figure out what the limits are.

As for my project, sounds like it will take about $30 and I will have it back good as new from Garrett. I will try again once I get it back, that's for sure. I just wish Garrett would give in and finally give us a waterproof pro-pointer. I know I would buy the first 2.

Thank you all for your responses and happy hunting. -Marc
 
what was wrong with a ziplock bag? :)
 
I agree, do not attempt to take the pro pin pointer apart. Mine got sand in it so I took it apart to clean it. Everything is a tight fit, especually the circuit board with the probe leading down the inside of the shaft of the pointer part. It took me many attemps to get that probe and wire not to bundle up and back up on itself as I pushed the circuit board back in. And there is also the issue of the push button that could get damaged in this process and even knocked off the circuit board. Yes, I got mine back together and it works fine but I wouldn't do it again unless I absolutely had to. I am used to taking electronics items apart and repairing them. If you are not familiar with certain techniques get someone else to do it for you.
 
I love posts like these, they are very informative. As difficult as this may be or seem, I'm sure it's not, IF WE KNOW HOW TO DO IT. I'm certain this is a piece of cake for the Garrett techs, and if we knew the combination we could do it to. People like Mel and OBM have taken on many projects that we might think are monumental, and thru trial and error have made modifications to the Excalibur (and probably others) and posted videos of the process with great success. Although I wouldn't do it, people who do can follow their instructions and at least know what to expect.

My point is, it's people like you Marc, that take these chances and post the results so we don't make the same mistakes. If the results are good then we know how to do it. You will get it right and if you do I hope to be reading about it ..... just don't go broke in the process. LOL
 
He is right. Do not attempt to take the pro pinpointer apart. I took mine apart and luckily I was able to get it back together with no damage. The circuit board is a very tight fit and the on/off switch can snag and break as you pull out the board. The really hard part is getting the board back in again as the antenna at the end of the board bends and twists as you force the board back in.
I took mine apart because somehow I got sand in it at the beach. I could hear it rattling around in there when I shook it. But it is all clean again and working fine. I won't try it again though.
 
fsa46 said:
I love posts like these, they are very informative. As difficult as this may be or seem, I'm sure it's not, IF WE KNOW HOW TO DO IT. I'm certain this is a piece of cake for the Garrett techs, and if we knew the combination we could do it to.

I happened upon this post again. I did a careful study of the very end of the pro pointer with a jeweler's loop. It appears that the very end of the pointer had been open before the final assembly making it very east to reach up inside the barrel of the pro pointer with a probe to pull the antenna into place. Upon final placement of the antenna, an end cap was put in place and forever sealed.
My conclusion is in order to easily assemble it the way the techs do it at the factory is to cut away the end cap and then glue it back into place after you are finished. This is of course a destructive repair meaning it was never meant to be taken apart in the first place. I personally would never do this unless there was no other course of action. Imagine taking a hacksaw and cutting off the last three eights of an inch off the bottom of the probe. But since it might cost 150 to get a new one, and you think you can save your current one, what do you have to lose?
Click to expand...
 
All you have to do to make the ProPointer waterproof is take some hot glue and glue over the speaker hole and let dry!! Get the glue gun real close and force glue into holes and build it up! Then if you need to send it back the glue comes off pretty easy!!!
 
For the price of those things, they should have been waterproof from day 1.
Now they'll probably charge MORE for a waterproof one...lame.
 
I put black electricians tape on the speaker hole still good volume and can use it under water at the beach with no problem.

Best pinner I've ever had.
 
After having my PinPointer run over by a lawnmower (don't ask), the light would come on but not beep or vibrate. So I decided to take it apart & investigate. Sure wish I'd read this post before it exploded during dis-assembly.
 
One of mine stopped working because I could see under the rubber button the switch got corroded. Out of warranty, I coulnt get it out of the case. I didnt use it under water but have used it in some very muddy areas. I try and de breed my other one more often now, as moisture can work its way in around the rubber seal sometimes. CO
 
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