Help - Can't get the Gold

[HawaiiTreasure]

I started posting a couple days ago and have gotten some great advise on how to use and protect my machine (Sea Hunter Mark II). Mike suggested I go with elimination set at zero and adjust the threshold as needed. Well I went out today to try it and this time I took some treasure with me, a gold necklace. I scooped out some wet sand and placed the gold in the basket. My normal setting for elim. is 3 (find lots of silver) but it made no sound as I passed the coil over the basket. They were right, I have been passing over the gold.
But here's my problem - I turned the elimination to zero and it still made no sound. I dropped a coin in there to make sure the machine was on and it beeped. The gold- not a peep. I adjusted the setting to every combination and never once got a beep, not even a low beep. And just in case you are thinking the necklace is actually cardboard painted gold, it's not . The machine is new (3 months- only 10 hunts) and looks to be okay. The only defect is a crack in the coil (8" factor). Does anyone know what I am doing wrong or what I can do to make it sound off on gold? If you are suspecting the coil, here's a pic of the crack. Any advise would be great. Thanks Charlie

 

[Beachcomber]

Did you try any gold rings? How about a nickel. Most machines inclduing PI's will not detect a gold neclace unless it's pretty thick or has a gold medal on it.

HH

Beachcomber

 

[Mike (Virginia Beach)]

Well, first of all, your "only thing wrong" is a BIG thing wrong. You need a new coil. At the very least, you need to epoxy that one. But salt water is getting in there and that is very likely the cause of the instability and crackling you mentioned. So I would look into what it's going to take to get a new coil on that thing.

Second, is the gold chain the ONLY thing you tried? If so, bad test. Even the best of machines have a tough time with gold chains. Not that they won't pick them up, but MANY a detector will go right over a gold necklace without a peep. Detectors see only one link in the chain, not the whole chain. If it's stretched out, most machines don't have a chance. If it's balled up then many will find them. Most of the time what a machine hits on is the clasp or a charm/pendant if there is one. Or if it's a heavy chain, no problem. But you need to test with a few different sizes of gold rings. A small thin ladies band, preferrably a diamond ring. Then a medium size ring. You already know it will find a thick one. It's the thin small ones you need to test.

As for the necklace, it may not even find that one with a new coil, but the chances are that you ARE losing some depth and sensitivity due to that crack. But a gold chain does not a good gold test make. As you see, even at max sensitivity settings, you got nothing.

What you need is something like this here:
[attachment 38030 AquamarineRing.jpg]

 

[Mike (Virginia Beach)]

Great minds think alike. I was about half done typing mine when you posted yours. What do you make of the crack, by the way?

 

[HawaiiTreasure]

I knew I came to the right place for help. Thanks Mike and you too Beachcomber. Sounds like good info. The coil is in the mail (Garret is replacing it) and when the new one arrives I will try a ring,the chain was fairly thin. I'm glad neither of you suspected the unit itself, I'd hate to think I had a machine that didn't perform.

 

[newtohunting]

I was hunting freshg water one time and the only gold neckalace i ever found was with the sea hunter. It was 14k white gold but broken in about a 12inch piece. It was the damn thinest chain i have ever seen. I was blown away that the Sea Hunter even picked it up but hence here is the "catch all" if you will. It made a very nasty crackling sound and when i swung the coil one way it faintly beeped towards the left, and to the right, no sound at all. In other words, it may be possible that you just will not get the thin gold chains unfortunately and experience will soon tell. Mike is the best teacher I have ever listened to on this forum. He should write books. But over all, you will have to get a couple of gold chains (borrow them) and practice and see what is going on. A pulse induction unit is an awesome tool but no matter what machine your using, no machine will pick up everything do to depth. From my short experience, I have picked up more junk chains than gold and silver, but its true, thin gold chains may be tough to pick up. Spend the $110 and order the Sea Hunters 10inch coil. Its the place to start before doing any other hunting and missing what could be a great find. This hobby is not as expensive as radio controlled airplanes......hence, fix that coil or replace it NOW!

 

[HawaiiTreasure]

It is a great hobby, and I will take your advise and get the 10" coil. I find I need a backup (never know when your coil will fail). Funny you should mention RC planes. That was my hobby before this one. I was thinking I would get a new plane to replace the one I crashed. Figured that would keep me busy while I waited for the replacement coil.

 

[Mike (Virginia Beach)]

No, I think you're on the right track with the coil. Let us know.

 

[Gulf Hunter]

That crack is definitely an issue, affecting your performance & stability. When the new coil comes in, coat it immediately and allow to cure. Inspect the bottom frequently and recoat as needed. The new settings will get you gold, but the fine gold chains will be like Mike said, tough to read. Don't count on finding a whole lot of those. I would not recommend the 10X14 coil, if you surf hunt. It is real difficult to keep from flopping.