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help excal users

M

metalfun

Member
Hi fellow pirates,
I purchased my used excal 800 last summer and I love it! I've not had any problems until today. :-( I changed the batteries while at the lake, and when I started to use it I had an uneven threshold sound. The only time I could barely hear a target was when I put it on pinpoint instead of discriminate. I then went back & put the other batteries back in & still had the same problem. I've often wondered since I've had the machine if my volume control was working properly because I could never get an increase in volume by using the volume control. I could, however, increase the volume by increasing the threshold. I was running my controls at barely audible threshold, no discrimination, and between 12 & 1 on sensitivity. I was only hunting in waste deep freshwater. If this seems to be a problem that any of you guys have ever had please let me know. This was not an erratic threshold, like it sometimes does with low battery; this was just an uneven threshold & when I put a coin on the ground & check it in discriminate it was a very weak signal - even with the new batteries. Please don't tell me that my hunting season is over because I don't have any other water detectors :-( ! Thank you in advance for your advice! HH!!
Anthony
 
A name brand battery, not the cheap stuff you by in the some of the dollar stores. Off brand batteries do not produce a constant power source that you need to power the Excal. Next.......do you have moisture inside of the battery pod? If you do, rinse it out with rubbing alcohol and dry thoroughly. Lubricate the "O" ring with silicone grease........only silicone, not Vaseline or any petroleum based grease (petroleum based grease will destroy the "O" ring). Are the terminals clean in the battery holder? The 3 prongs on the connector, are they in good shape or are they cracked or broken? You also have a rubber washer type piece that goes between the connector and battery pod.......is this clean and lubricated with silicone?
 
Thank you for your response! I'm using Duracell batteries, but I've never put silicon on the adapter cover or the O ring. I'm thinking someone told me last year not to put anything on the rubber washer. It does appear that my short prong on the adapter might be slightly bent; could this be a problem? There also seemed to be a little water on the end of the washer. I dried it off & even tried a different battery pod, but still had the same problem. Thank you so much for your help!
 
volume control==the targets volume
threshold is a optimum point of tuning, separate from the Volume
Detector on, Move cables around check for any wires that affect the vol of threshold or any strange noises
Check coil cover / clean
Had you been detecting And all was fine ...then changed the batteries, then you had the problem?
Let it set out in the sun see if you get any condensastion, inside the pods
Let it dry out for a few days in a warm area... try then
Pray for a fast return...Good Luck..Obn
 
Similar but different. I was playing with my Excal 1000 in the back yard. I just got it back from Minelab and it was $125 and one day short of a full month to get it so it should be in like new condition. That might help the quandry about how long it'll take for a repair and return.
I put the headphones on, turned the unit on; Set the threshold to just below barely audible, and the volume up full. It was hard to hear a target. I'd never be able to hear a target underwater with the hookah compressor running 10-40' away from me or hear the beep if there was any kind of surf or other ambient noise. It acted the same with both the Grey Ghosts and the stock yellow Koss headphones...but the Kosses seemed to be a little louder.
Now if I turned the threshold up just a smidge above barely audible, the targets sounded really loud and I even had to turn the volume down. It seems there is some connectivity between the threshold and volume, I know nothing about. I can get it to work by leaving the threshold running a little louder than I would like, but at least I'll be able to hear the incease of the sound when over a target. Do all the machines work this way or is there another gremlin running around inside the electronics?? Thanks in advance...Jim
 
You guys are scaring me away from the Excal! Back to combing the forum!

Steve
 
Hey Grumpy ... I set the threshold to a barely audible level so I can hear the threshold drop out over iron.
I run the sensitivity up until it starts chattering or falsing on each sweep then back it down just a bit for a nice steady threshold.
The volume is set to about 50 to 60% ... turned all the way up is too loud when it detects a target.

When the battery's are low the threshold tone becomes louder and louder and there is no turning it down with the threshold control.
I have two Excalibur II detectors (one with the headphone mod) and both work the same.

MetalFun ... have you tried the Excalibur somewhere else (your back yard)?
You might have been getting some RF interference.
12 O'clock on the sensitivity should give you a steady threshold in air.
The Volume knob controls the volume of a detected target not the threshold as you have discovered.

Try switching to pinpoint (all metal mode) and see if the detector will work normally in that mode.

Willee
 
Thanks OBN,
I will try all the above but to answer your question,It was working fine untill I changed the batteries.I will keep you guyes posted on what I find out.HH
Anthony
 
Which in turn will keep the water out of the battery pod and away from the terminals. The slightly bent prong could be your problem especial if it is cracked or partially broken. You could also have a broken wire in your head set, or where it connects to the main unit. This will give you a volume problem. Put your headset on and try wiggling the wires with the Excal on and see if you get any different sounds.
 
The battery connector can give you problems, I recently had a threshold problem and when ever the battery was left connected it would go dead when not turned on. Took the connector apart and the terminals were wet and corroded. Cleaned and resealed the connector and works great again!

I bought a battery pack for my excal at onlybatterypacks.com for forty bucks two years ago and it works excellent! In fact I bought a second one this summer.
 
Thanks for the tip.It appears I was running my volume to low and once I put some silicon on the connecter the problem cleared up.HH
Anthony
 
Great news Anthony ... glad to hear it was a simple fix.

Water detectors ... especially salt water units ... require more in the way of maintenance than do land detectors.
They must be rinsed off with fresh water after every use.
The detector should be inspected for any signs of leakage.
With an Excalibur the battery should be disconnected and both pod and connector inspected for water inside.
All rubber seals like on the battery connector, battery door lid, or detector lid, should be cleaned and lubricated with silicone grease every time they are opened.
Cables should be inspected for any signs of cuts or nicks where water might get into it.

The lack of proper maintenance has been the root cause of most problems with water machines and the primary reason there is a shorter warranty on them.

Willee
 
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