Having trouble setting the Threshold on XLPro

[wainwright]

Hi Everyone, First off I want to apoligise for having my first post here to be about asking for help. I have been enjoying reading and studying the last few months all the great info that you all have provided here. Thanks tremendously.
Well I am in my early 60's and for some reason waited this long to get interested in metal detecting. I am very lucky it seems, to have gotten as my first detector a Whites XL Pro that a friend sold to me that he got at an auction.
The problem that I am asking about is that the Threshold setting is just not working right, it was working fine the few times I used it in the first couple of months that I've had it.
When the problem started out you could adjust the tuner knob and it would have a threshold and then it would just fade out to silence within just a few seconds. Now I just can't set it at all, I turn the tuner knob up and when I pull on the trigger it makes a hum for maybe one second and then silent.
I am able to set the ground balance and the detector actually seems to be working but in a silent mode or as if you turned the threshold down to silence.
The only thing that I have done to it that I can think of is that I left it in my truck for a couple of hot days about three weeks ago. That was when it first acted up ..
I have changed batteries, used different headphones and used it without headphones, and tried a different coil. It hasn't been around any moisture and/or air conditioning.
Also the SIG BAL knob seems very sensitive when it's like this, barely touch it and it blurts out a hum for about half of a second. I've also have turned it on and let it warm up for a while and it was the same.
Thanks for any advice.
wainwright

 

[Hombre]

Well wainwright,

It does'nt look like the 6000 Pro XL /XL Pro users are currently onboard, so maybe I can help. I've been using the 5900 Di Pro SL (CB) since last fall, so I'm a little rusty with the 6000 Pro XL. I just pulled it out of storage and read up on the manual as a refresher. It is a little complicated if you go by the manual into the advanced section, but yes, you can set it up at the little triangle presets at the beginning of the manual and do alright. So, a few questions, if you don't mind......are you running the detector at pre-set? Also, do you have the Signal Balance adjusted too high without ground balancing it after adjustment, you will lose your threshold. Every time you adjust the Signal Balance it should be ground balanced again. The Threshold should be set in the G.E.B. Disc. with the search coil above the ground at about one foot in the air instead of waist level as the manual states. When doing the Auto ground Balance you should have the coil about 8" in the air for the "AIR" beep which it does immediately. Then place coil about 1" above the ground and do the pre-set triangle mark Auto Trac. keep coil motionless and wait for the beep, which will take a few seconds to do as the electronics are analizing the soil. Make sure you are not placing the coil over any metal in the ground while doing the ground balance. To check ground balance, pull the trigger to put the detector in G.E.B. Norm (all-metal), and raise and lower the coil from 8" above ground to within 1" above the ground. Pay attention to what the threshold sound is doing as coil is aproaching the ground, it should remain the same or rise in tone a little

As you get used to operating the 600 Pro XL, you can turn up the Signal Balance (sensitivity/gain) and then re- ground balance it with the auto trac, then "lock" the auto trac in the middle position so ground balance will not track to the trash in the ground, this adjustment will get you deeper targets and let you sweep at a more comfortable sweep speed. Also placing the Power switch to "Hot Rock" Accept will add a few inches to depth, only if your ground has no hot rock issues. So, are you with me so far? One last point, do all adjusting to the Pro XL away from all EMI such as overhead power lines, high tension electicity and transformers. I will follow this thread if you have anymore questions.

 

[wainwright]

Hi Hombre .... Thanks so much for your time on this, I really do appreciate it. I'll go out tommorrow and go through all your suggestions and see if I can come up with more details on the problem. A couple of things to mention is that yeah, I have tried starting out with all the settings on the presets and the other thing is that I can't get it to produce a threshold sound to use to check my ground balance with. It does beep OK when doing the ground balance routine but it doesn't have a threshold hum to adjust or set. The detector does seem to be working and will beep when scanning a target and also the ID meter seems to be working OK but it's just operating silent till it goes over a target. I've tried using all the different modes and it's the same but one of them the threshold sound stayed on at maximum loudness. I think that was in the Geb/Norm mode.
Thanks again,
wainwright

 

[leslie]

Looks like you need to send it in to Dr Whites, detectors don't like the hot truck treatment,

and leaving it in the truck has caused the problem, Whites will sort it for you, keep us up

to date Wainwrite, you have a fine Detector, and remember not to leave it in a hot truck

again.

H H and Good Luck.

Les

 

[TC-NM]

Hey Wainwright,

The original manual is quite daunting to say the least. I trimmed it down, put the high points and printed it of the set-up of my XL Pro in a couple of sheets of paper & carry it on me whenever I go detecting.

So here is a quick set-up:

XL Pro Quick Set-Up for General Hunting

1. Place all controls to their preset position except MODE, set this to GEB/NORM Squeeze and Release Trigger on the handle.

2. Hold the coil at waist level. Squeeze and Hold Trigger; adjust TUNER control for slight threshold. Release Trigger.

3. Keeping the coil at waist level, Push the AUTO GEB switch to AIR and Hold it. . . wait for

 

[wainwright]

Hi Guys and thanks for all your help. From what I can tell is that the Threshold setting just doesn't work any more and I will try and send it in to see if it can be repaired. I do appreciate your time and knowledge. At least I learned a couple of things from the experience and I will be sure and let everyone know how it turns out. Thanks again, wainwright

 

[Hombre]

Hi Guys and thanks for all your help. From what I can tell is that the Threshold setting just doesn't work any more and I will try and send it in to see if it can be repaired. I do appreciate your time and knowledge. At least I learned a couple of things from the experience and I will be sure and let everyone know how it turns out. Thanks again, wainwright

If you send it in to White's, talk to the people in Sweet Home, I think they do a great job there. My one and only experience with them was good.

 

[SilverHuntr]

n/t

 

[wainwright]

Hi All .... Thanks again for all the replies and help.

I sent it in to Sweet Home and they made it like a new one. Replaced the circuit board and one of my coils and the connector for
the coil cable.... all at a really reasonable cost.

The whole transaction went really smooth, mailed it to them cross country by Priority Mail and they had it in two days.

They set up a web page that you can go to and check the status of your equipment, received, in repair, what is being done to it and so on, I think I liked that the best of all.

I'm almost sure that the majority of the problems were caused by getting it so hot by leaving it in my truck. One other thing that I wanted to mention though was
that when I looked down into compartment where the battery case slides in, it had some acid residue down on the back wall from leaking batteries.
My battery case was clean and didn't have any residue on the inside or outside or the contact points. Their repair statement said that the circuit board was contaminated so I assumed
that it was this powder that they were talking about. So I guess if anyone who has one of these that it would be a good idea to inspect it with a flashlight every so often.

Anyway ... Thanks again for all your suggestions.
wainwright

 

[leslie]

Great news Wainwright, you have a great detector in the X L Pro.

No more hot truck treatment

You take care and have fun with the X L Pro

H H and Good Luck.

Les