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EX-cal II years of service

R

rottonr

Member
I read a lot of posts of machine problems and sending in their machines. I am wondering if they are the minority or not so much the majority but way more then there should be.???


I got my Ex-cal II (No modification other then the shaft) in the winter of 2012 so it has 5 years of fresh water hunting with maybe a week of winter salt water hunting thrown in a year and no major problems. I did have to get a new battery and replace the knob caps.


How about a survey? Your machine, years of use, salt or fresh water, modifications, problems.
 
I bought my first one in 2010. No issues what so ever. I don't go deep though.
 
Within the first 10 hunts the pinpoint knob came off. I really love the machine but I wish they would fix those knobs since its such a known problem. I've only had it in fresh water.
 
No problems for about 5 years. Sporadic use tho, mostly salt beaches on vacation.
Only mods (until I get Joe's kit later this month!) are a straight shaft and knob guard.
 
Yeah, the knob issue is well known. Both of mine have replacement knobs, shafts, modded headphones, new batteries as well as the remote pinpoint mod. I even put a 12x10sef on one. The knobs can be had at your local Radio Shack. You have to be very careful with the pot's. They're known to fail but usually last quite a few years. My original Excal 2 has had zero issues but I pretty much baby them.
 
When I purchased my Xcal I put a knob guard and straight shaft on it before I ever took it to the beach.

I did have a problem with my Excal II after the warranty expired and it had to go to the shop twice to get it repaired. I had lost concentration and hit a rock with the coil. My Fault. Machine would work sometimes and sometimes it would not detect a quarter at an inch. The machine actually had two problems and the intermittent coil was overlooked the first time as the machine worked when they tested it but would work some times and sometimes it would not. It took them a while to determine that it was the coil. While they had the machine in the shop they changed the upper "O" rings on the control shafts as they tend to dry out and need to be replaced every year or two.

My Xcal has more than paid for itself in the three and a half years that I have owned it.
 
same as you, got new battery and replaced caps and have lubed O rings but have never had problems and oh yes, did shell out for some GG phones...
 
Holy Moly, that's alot of machines!!!!!!
 
Well i have a problem with mine and its been almost two months now i sent it in to kellcyo(they are the ones that fix the machines for minelab) and still dont no what wrong with it.Because i have not herd from them.
What i here there so back up. But going on two months
How much issues do they have with there machines. Are there that many machines broken
 
Back about 1995 I bought a used Minelab Sword (original Excalibur) which I still have and use.
The problems I have had to repair were open power cable (twice), leaking O-rings, leaking around control knob tube and the control housing (the tubes were originally glued into the control housing), leaking battery tube (originally the bottom was a second piece which was glued into the main tube, replacement of the battery (first time with Sun-Ray, second time with a MAXXPACK), a minor repair on the headphone speaker hardware and replaced all knobs with brass and stainless steel fastening knobs. The two modifications I made were the addition of the waterproof WOT coil connector and WOT coil and cut the ears on the battery pod to fit the Excalibur 1000. The Sword is still going strong and is packed to go on vacation in a couple of days. I have about 5000 hours in the water with this detector.

About 2002 I bought an Excalibur 1000 as the Sword was down with a bad power cable, I was leaving on a vacation the next day, and no time to repair the Sword.
The problems I have had NO problems to fix on the Excalibur 1000, I have added replacement knobs with brass and stainless steel fastening knobs and replacement of the battery, upgraded the battery to the RNB 3000. I have about 7000 hours in the water with this detector. The Excalibur 1000 is also going strong is packed and is also ready to go on vacation. Vacation for me, hard work for the detectors.

I did not mention a lower shaft that was destroyed when a bus driver in Cancun closed the door before I got the Excalibur into the bus. The general maintenance items such as the spring clips, nuts and bolts, and adding a bit of epoxy PC7 to the inside of the coil ears as they wore and the teardrop shaft washers. I also used Whites dive shaft handle until I went to Carbon Fiber Over and Under travel shaft - only one shaft to pack! Oh yes, I do pack 2 lower shafts.
 
Have owned owned 4 excals, still own 3 excals, 10 years of using them, total of 3 trips to repair center and one was my fault when detector fell off my truck and cracked the coil, next was a short in headphones and last was an oscillator went out on one.....
 
If its broke its happened to me.... just as Joe lol. mine went several times the first year ....ML told me i hunted to much. Honestly, they were right. I hunted 6 to 8 hours 7 days a week. I swapped over to the Blues some time back, dont hunt as much, and moved the pod back 4" from the cuff keeping the pod out of the water more. Havent had much trouble since.
 
I have used my excal 1000 going on 10 years. Never had a problem till now. The cable wire from the headphones is corroding and actually flaking off. The heat here in Florida is harsh on plastic or rubber. Dries it out and splits or cracks it. I need to find out where to send it for this repair. Nor sure if I should send it to Kellyco or someone else since it is not an electronic issue, just wiring.
 
I have have an Excal 2 for 6 years NO PROBLEMS ! I also have a CTX-3030 that has been in Minelab Warranty Repair for 6 weeks. I am fed up with Minelab an will never buy another one of their products
 
I bought my Excal II brand new in 2008, excluding the straight shaft the only real mod it has is an Ikelite connector setup for Gray Ghost headphones that Minelab did for me when their service center was in Las Vegas. I just sent it in to Kellyco a couple of weeks ago to replace the coil as the insulation on the original is deteriorating, it's been strictly a salt water machine and other than the coil has never had a problem - even the original battery is holding out well.
 
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