I'm ready to throw this poc AT Pro in the trash..

[John in Nawth Carolina]

I'v been trying to mount the concentric coil and the connector won't go in. Why do they make it so difficult? First nice day I have off and I'll probably not be able to go detecting.

I should have purchased something else.

 

[Dancer]

You got to calm your nerves. Get a young kid around to do it, than get that piece in the coins.

 

[choppadude]

The coil and headphone connectors on the AT Pro just plain suck! If you notice there is a little tab on the outside of the plug the corresponds with a channel on the plug receptacle on the detector. You can line up this tab to the channel by feel and then just push the male plug home into the receptacle. A real pain the first few times but it does get much easier with practice.

 

[tabman]

Pop a Xanax before you start. It does get easier with practice, but I sure won't be changing search coils out in the field. It's hard enough changing them at home.

I felt like the design engineer needed to be castrated the first time that I had a go at attaching search coil connector to the detector.

On a positive note, the AT Pro sure works well finding stuff.

tabman

 

[John in Nawth Carolina]

Ok, the day was wasted detecting wise. However, a great Margarita at the mexican restarant I'm at righ now has calmed the nerves.

 

[John-Edmonton]

Grab a cold beverage (only one ) Set your metal detector on a table, control box on it's side. Grab a nice light, shine it on the area where the two connectors should join, making sure the pins and plastic attachments line up properly. Now, insert the male into the female connector. kind of wiggling the male connector as you apply a bit of pressure. The two pieces shall unite properly, then begin turning the knurled locking nut, making sure not to cross thread it. Continue putting pressure on the male plug as you keep turning the locking nut. There.......that should do it! You may now grab another cold beverage to celebrate your first coil attachment.

 

[Power Guy]

I agree it can be frustrating for someone with big fingers. Took me a few try's but I finally got it. Just take a deep breath and believe me when I tell you that once you start using this detector you will love it.

 

[John in Nawth Carolina]

My Margarita. was too big. Gotta wait before driving. Just discovered an old 1960s?) baseball diamond in my town. Sort of out of the way. Discovered another one behing the original. Lots of space between them for people to lose coins and stuff. Tomorrow is the day.

 

[JimmyCT]

Sorry to hear you are having a difficult time John. I was over my dad's house the other day and he was swapping out the large coil for the 5x8. I thought he was going to break the detector shaft. I had to intervene before the vein in his forehead started to pop out

Yep, walk away and have a beverage, come back and follow John-Edmonton's advice and it should all work out just fine.

I will state that operating this detector is a breeze compared to changing the coil

<img src="http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-eatdrink008.gif" alt="Smiley" border="0" />

<img src="http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-eatdrink009.gif" alt="Smiley" border="0" />

<img src="http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-eatdrink055.gif" alt="Smiley" border="0" />

 

[coinhunterseth]

I got really frustrated the first time I tried to connect the coil, but now after using it for a year it doesn't seem hard to connect. Don't throw it away, the AT Pro is a coin magnet!

 

[John in Nawth Carolina]

OK, found the issue. Looks like one of the pins on the coil connector was slightly bent. Just enough to cause problems. So I grabbed a small screwdriver and straightened it up a bit. Was able to finally make the connection. Detector appears to work fine.

Very frustrating, to say the least.

 

[JimmyCT]

John,

I am glad it all worked out

OK, found the issue. Looks like one of the pins on the coil connector was slightly bent. Just enough to cause problems. So I grabbed a small screwdriver and straightened it up a bit. Was able to finally make the connection. Detector appears to work fine.

Very frustrating, to say the least.

 

[John-Edmonton]

Yeah!

 

[fongu]

It takes time to connect your coils and headphones the first few times, but once you use the at/pro any length of time, it gets easier. Just hang in there and don't get frustrated and bend your pins.

 

[Johnho]

A suggestion some time ago, that I now do, is that once you have it connected make a mark with some fine white marker on both the connector and the base of the unit in line with each other. Next time line up both marks and, presto, it's in. Another suggestion is to coat that o-ring with some silicone grease. The o-ring tends to slide a bit easier and not try to pop out while pushing. You will get used to it.

 

[mudpuppy]

Yeah, good tip there Johnho! that little oring does try to pop out..

A guy has to be very careful, gently wiggle and snug, wiggle and snug until its all seated nicely....the older we get, the harder it is to 'wiggle and snug' anything!.....our hands are not as dexterous, our eyes are unreliable, and our patience is short, and half way through any chore we forget what we are doing anyway!......just to tie shoes is a major accomplishment...I'm going all velcro..less frustration is what its all about...We all feel your pain and frustration John in NC! its not easy at all!...

Good thing is, this danged Pro will do you proud someday!..I believed these plugs were designed hard to change on purpose, as a 'barrier to entry' for just any old body who wants to swing coil, and also as a tool to teach us patience and a gentle hand for the 'wiggling and snuggling' we may have left in our lives... ..
Mud.

 

[togamac]

I recently sent my AT Pro back for repair. When it came back I could not get my coil connector connected to save my life. I finally called Garrett and they told me that when they did the repairs, a connector may have been switched out and that the new ones were different from the old ones. They sent me a new coil and it solved the problem. I spent close to an hour trying to get the threads to engage and they just would not engage. I don't know why Garrett has two different designs, but maybe they're English and Metric threads.

 

[mudpuppy]

Thats a good heads up there Mac...first I've heard of it!.....I'da cross threaded that mutherhubbard for sure!

Whats up with this?...Do we have to deal with this issue Mac brought to light? Or is he crazy?
Mud

 

[FrankG]

Don't get frustrated.

IMO - Coil and headphone attachment have been my only issues with the AT Pro. It used to drive me nuts and I always worried about breaking pins. I finally took the time to attach and finally mark (engrave a small line) each of my connector housings exactly on the bottom. It made a huge difference for me and I have no more frustrating orientation issues. Now attaching coils an phones is easy. It's still a bit of a pain snugging up the nut given the small amount of finger room but no big deal.