Excal II Cable Problem... HELP!!!

[grouperguy]

I bought my Excal just a couple weeks ago used, but in like new condition. It has worked flawlessly and I am really getting to know the machine and becoming more proficient with it.

But yesterday I started having a major problem. Initially it would make a brief popping noise, then go quiet, as if it was turning off, then come right back on. After a while this started happening more often. I eventually determined that the problem is at the coil wire inlet to the unit, as I can jiggle the wire, and support it in a certain way and it will stop for a while until it shifts again. This is very disheartening! And yes, I have been using it mostly hip-mounted, but I've been very careful to properly support the cables and avoid putting tension on them.

1. Is this usually indicative of a fault in the cable itself or inside the unit?
2. Is this a user-serviceable part? For instance, is the sleeve independent of the cable and therefore I could possibly shorten the cable to eliminate the bad section?

I really do not want to be without my Excal, so if there is any way I can fix this myself I would truly appreciate some direction. I am a very technical person with a variety of skills, and I would have no problem going into this unit if that is needed (and advisable).

Thank you in advance for your assistance!

 

[OldBeechnut]

If you have " I am a very technical person with a variety of skills" more then likely you can fix it yourself, shorten cable should be no problem...........video of taking the excal apart, adding a remote PP then putting it back together..I will post a pic of the mainboard connection of the 4 coil wires ........................need any more pic's let me know I have many of all locations (parts) on the excals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrhG4xgE5mc

 

[OldBeechnut]

inside, coil connection to MB

 

[grouperguy]

Thanks again for the photos, OBN!

Is it a good idea to replace the o-rings each time to open up the unit? If so, are they usually available locally or do they need to be ordered? I'm also thinking I'll do the PP mod while I'm in there.

 

[goodmore]

OBN will help you through this. I would like to add a few things. First why not turn something bad into something good. If you ever considered changing the coil to something else now is the time. Secondly I would like to add that the cables are fragile on these units. People that shaft mount have coil issues also. So don't be afraid to hip or chest mount. Good luck with your repair. Now you know why people have a back up. My drive is 2 hrs to the beach. That is if the traffic is moving. I can't afford to get there and have my detector not work. It doesn't have to be an Excalibur. Even an AT Pro will keep you in the game.

 

[OldBeechnut]

I would take a close look at them..real close maybe with a loupe, because I just pulled a 2005 model apart, submerged very few times, had a few O-rings that were dry rotting, all were the top o-ring on the knobs, rest are fine..so I would check them out if it is a older model. One give away are the knobs and there conditions..........if they are the originals.

O-RINGS

Will get back to you on the part numbers on the O-rings..


http://www.findmall.com/read.php?22,1437544

 

[marbien]

This is new get another one.... Dont even think of touching it, Minelab is suppose to exchange this or the dealer you delt with. This is not good !!!

 

[jyt2017]

That sucks. Hope they replace it!

 

[grouperguy]

Holy Cow... the open heart surgery was a success!!! It was a nerve-racking procedure, but was able to remove a 6" section of coil cable and all is working perfectly now! Here is what I did:

First I removed the protective cap from the headphone end then removed both set screws:

The I gently pulled off the end cap. It came off much easier than I had expected. Perhaps too easy? The o-rings look good, but it just was not very tight. I used a pair of needle-nose to lift the plug out of the socket. But notice the other wire? I have not seen this on any other photos on this site, so it was unexpected. It is a single wire coming off the board and is connected to some braided wire coming out of the small board that is epoxied into the end cap. It had a solder connection then a short piece of heat shrink over it. I sliced off the heat shrink then un-soldered the connection.

Next i started working on the other end:

I removed the protective cover then removed the two set screws:

I gently began removing the board from the tube:

Note that it does not just slide straight out, as there are collisions with the knobs. You have to rotate the whole board about 10 degrees, move it past the knobs, move it back 10 degrees, and repeat until the board is out. You obviously do not want to force it!

The board removed from the tube:

I begin to unsolder the 4 wires for the coil and the two wires for the power. Of course I took photos and wrote down the color order of the wiring first.

The board with the wires removed:

The end cap with the wires still attached. It was at this point that I needed to cut the coil wire. Before doing so I slid the strain relief and sealing grommet down the wire past where I intended to cut. Based on my previous jiggling of the wire I knew the short was fairly close to or in the cap, so I just cut the coil wire about 6 inches back. It was a bit sickening, as I knew once I cut the wire there was no turning back. But oh well... life is short!

Next I used a very small pair of side cutters to cut the 4 coil wires as closely as possible to the cap base. Notice that this unit has the wiring totally encapsulated in epoxy. I knew it was not going to be an easy one. Then I used a 1/8" drill bit to start a pilot hole in the middle of the wiring, only going in about 1/8". Then I used a 1/4" bit to remove most of the remaining wire. I went in about 1/4", making sure not to go all the way down to the base of the cap. At that point I was able to pull the individual wires out one at a time from the back side.

Then the entire wire covering was able to be pulled out, leaving this:

Here is a side view of the end cap. This appears different than other photos I've seen before. The protruding male thread is what the strain relief screwed on to. At this point in time I cleaned both end caps as well as the inner part of the tube.

Next I pushed the "new" wire into the end cap, leaving a little extra for working room.

Then I carefully made a circular cut with a razor knife to remove about an inch of the outer insulation. I stripped off about 1/8" of each wire then tinned each. I referred back to my notes and soldered each wire back onto the board. This was very tedious, as there was so little wire to work with, but I managed. I then fastened a wire tie to the cable to act as a stop, then pushed it back down into the cap. I opted to go with Silicone to seal the area, but I suppose you could also use epoxy. The water seal on the wire occurs at the strain relief grommet, so the silicone/epoxy seal is just some extra protection. At this time I reconnected the battery, temporarily reconnected the headphone end wiring, and tested out the machine... no sense in putting it all back together if it was not going to work. But to my dismay and pleasure, the unit worked perfectly and there was no longer a short in the wire! Here is what I had at that point:

Then I put on a healthy amount of lube onto the o-rings, then began reinserting the board back into the tube. I again had to rotate the board back and forth until it nearly reached the end and made contact with the knob extensions. This was a bit tricky, but I was able to eventually push the board over the knob extensions, making sure they were perfectly aligned over the knob extensions and square. I put the end cap back in, making sure that the slot cut in the cap aligned with the board, then reinstalled the set screws and the strain relief.

Next I went back to the headphone end and slid a piece of heat shrink onto the wire, then soldered the connection and hit the shrink with a heat gun, then using the needle-nose to put the plug back on, then reinstalled the end cap and glued on the protective covers.

Finally, my Excal was back in one piece!

Note that this procedure is not for the faint of heart. I actually consider myself very lucky to have pulled it off! But fortunately I will be back on the beach tonight.

 

[grouperguy]

n/t

 

[OldBeechnut]

Great Job, excellent photo's.....Perfect description...And no dealing with Minelab 2 month wait.....I would say of the few Excalibur's I have worked on so far, 80% can be fixed at home by someone with a few skills, A good pair of Glasses, and a strong heart.

Great Open Heart Grouper!! Now go find some Gold!!

 

[Walter L.I.]

n/t

 

[timmysys]

Great post Grouperguy!
Superb photos, Thank you!

 

[Buried Crap NJ]

Now just hit your letter carrier ( mailman) up for some # 64 rubber bands strap them on each end of the wires. This will act as a buffer if you catch the wire on something or drop the headset.The ban will take the pull and not the wire. If you pull too hard it will break. If you really pull too hard too bad you don't know how to treat a delicate instrument!

 

[chillyhiker]

Wow nice job. One question pops to mind though..I thought the controls were hard wired to the board but i guess not looking at the photos. How do they work?

 

[otlew]

Great job and it looks like you hit all the right notes. As far getting the board back in the tube, in my experience you have to hold your mouth just so and jiggle the board

 

[Florida Keys Pirate]

Nice work. Hope I never have to do this !

 

[foiled again tab hunter]

n/t