Finally got the battery for the Excal, now another problem.

[aushunter]

G'day fella's
I finally got the new battery from the supplier, which took 4 MONTHS.
Tried to install the battery into the pod and it won't fit. 4 months with no hunting, man I am edgy.
Now I can't insert the battery into the pod, what else could go wrong.
Well, I charged up the battery and put it into an old cracked pod, as long as i dont get it wet it should be OK.
Hit the ON switch. every thing humming nicely, Gave it a bit of a test with a coin!!! NOTHING aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh.:veryangry:
I rang Minelab in Adelaide in South Oz, reckons at least $450 plus to replace a new coil and they don't guarentee it will be waterproof.
I dont have the cash at the moment to sort this one out just yet.
Is there a way to hone out the pod in some? Has anybody had this problem before?
Im stuck with a brand new battery that operates a non working machine,
Does it sound like the problem is the coil, as it still hums nicely, it just sort of jumps in tone when a coin is passed over the coil.

Any theories certainly won't go astray.
Brad...

 

[pistolpete]

where did you get the battery pak from.? A factory minelab rechergeable pak will not fit into an alkaline holder.if you have the alkaline holder, you can put it into a lathe and bore a few thou out of the inside, that's been done before. just double check your settings, make sure your disc is not set at the upper limit, try your sensitivity in auto and at the 12 o'oclock position. let us know how you make out

 

[normdiver]

I had machine shop bore out all my pods, just have them start boreing about an inch down from the opening so you dont screw up the seal area at the opening, its only tight at the bottom of the pod.

 

[kered]

I got my new battery packs from onlybatteriesareus and one went straight into the alkaline pod no problems(had to pack it out a bit as the battery rattled inside), the other was a bit tight in the main pod but with a bit of silicon grease solved the problem and it went in snug without force. The only difference i can see in the two pods is the main pod is a few thou thicker in the walls compared to the alkaline one on the inner end.
As to the coil problem you could buy a 2nd hand sovereign coil and do the wiring yourself, even put a Wot 15", sunray 12" or SEF on it depending on where you hunt, a lot less than the $450 they quote

 

[aushunter]

G'day lads,
Looks like the machine shop is the go.
I bought the battery from Andersons and had it shipped out to Oz as it was cheaper than buying one here.
In the 3rd photo that Normdiver sent on this post, it is the top battery configuration as you have there in the photo.
It fits into the first half of the pod, but gets tighter towards the bottom.
We have pretty good precise lathes at work here so I'll ask weather I can sort this little problem out.
The original battery configuration was a Ni-cad and had a different battery pattern.
I have been using this machine for years now, so maybe it is time to retire the old girl but I just can't seem to let her go.
Secondly, If the machine is humming nicely I would imagine that the internal electronics is on the good side, but the coil being exposed to the elements has had enough and packed it in.
My wife is a tech and electrical Engineer so if I can get a second hand coil, a snip and tuck will be in order.
Cheers
Brad..