Is this normal?

[Dan'O]

I have recently purchased a used 6000 Pro XL and have noticed that if I bump the box or skip the coil on the ground or brush a corn cob that I get a 'beep' and my meter pegs to the right. Is this normal, or does it sound like I have problem? I also get rusty iron pieces that sound like and read, on the meter, like dimes and quarters.
Yes, I'm new to this hobby and have only been out four times now.
I have used the stock 9.5" and the 5.3" coils so far. By far the best results have come with the 5.3". Much easier to pull coin from trash.
Thanks for the help.

 

[GoGoGopher]

Bumping the coil will usually result in a full meter signal on most machines due to the vibrations...
larger heavily corroded pieces of iron usually read in the coin range...I think your machine is behaving normally...

HH,

 

[BarberBill]

Check to make sure your coil cable doesn't have a loop that jiggles as well. Especially near the coil it self. That can be another cause for what you are mentioning. Every detector I've used will give a signal if and when bumped sharply against something so as long as it's working all right otherwise, I think you're okay.
BB

 

[Dan'O]

I really appreciate your help. I've checked the wire loops and all is just as it should be. I found that if I reduce the Signal Balance just a little it seems to be much more stable.

 

[Hombre]

Howdy Dan'O

I have used the 6000 Pro XL for several years, nice detector even though it is a little hard to understand how to get the best performance with it. The main thing is to adjust the signal balance high enough, ( I can get my signal balance to about 2:30 to about 3:00 O'clock on the dail ) but not where it is too high and unstable. The signal balance is a pre-amp gain adjustment, the sensitivity is already factory set to a high setting, and the signal balance is an adjustment to equalize the ground conditions. Too much signal balance and you will not get a good ground balance with it. When you check the ground balance in G.E.B. Norm, adjust the tuner (threshold) sound to a low even huuuummmm. Then as you lower the coil from about 8" to about 1" from the ground, you should hear a slight threshold rise, once you have estabished a good ground balance then "Lock" the ground balance toggle. Every time you adjust the signal balance you must go through the ground balance sequence again, doing the "Air" beep and the "Ground" beep.

Randy

 

[Dan'O]

I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge of tuning. I haven't been adjusting in G.E.B. Norm and will try that from now on. I have used the lock position only once and will be sure to use it from now on. I have found that when using the 5.3 coil I can have a bit more signal balance and my pinpointing, after detuning, is a little easier. The stock coil is easier to tune but not as good at picking apart trash and good targets when they are close together. For example, I found a dime next to a bottle cap with the 5.3 that I passed by with the stock coil.
With the conditions as dry as they are now, south central Indiana, I have confined my searches to gravel parking lots and sand filled areas that have held more moisture in the ground. I'm chomp'n at the bit to go out when the ground is "digable". Till then I will keep practicing distinguishing between trash and clad.
Dan

 

[Hombre]

Howdy Dan'O

I don't think you're quite getting it. The 6000 Pro XL can be a turn on and go detector.....But to get the most out of it you must tweek the signal balance to the furthest clockwise dial position that you can get it and still get a "good ground balance". Do the "Air" beep , then the "Ground" beep to ground balance (you must be in the G.E B. Norm) . You access the G.E.B. Norm (pinpoint-all-metal) mode by either the pinpoint trigger switch or Mode dial. To check ground balance, while still in (GEB Norm) scan the ground in all-metal to find a 'clean' piece of ground (no metal signals in ground), once you find such an area and while still in G.E.B. Norm.......raise the coil about 8 inches above the ground.......listen to the threshold sound (low hum) and lower coil to the the ground to about 1 inch above ground. The threshold tone should stay the same low hum or increase slightly........"Lock" the setting with the ground balance toggle. Then go to G.E.B. Disc. and hunt away. This detector is not too hard to understand, if you have prior experience with ground balancing these types of detectors. I wish you had more time & posts on this forum, then I could coach you through the Personal Mesages access provided on this forum. It is hard to explain how to ground balance in text (heck, the manual confused me) , it would only take a few minuetes to do at an actual hunting sight. Hope this help some instead of confused you.

Randy

 

[Dan'O]

I really appreciate your time. I have read this and used it two days ago and found more than all my previous hunts combined - five outings before that. I found a penny at just over 8" and a dime just under 6", in some very hard and dry ground. The dime gave a good one sided signal while sweeping to the right and a broken yet distinct 'double tap' going back to the left. I had never encountered that before so I dug and there was that dime standing straight as could be.
I can be on line at 11:45pm central time each night or around 8am or so. I welcome all the help you could give me.
This is my first detector and my first time tuning anything even remotely like this.
BTW I just picked up a Garrett pin pointer. I only used it for a half an hour or so but found what I thought was a pull tab at 2" or so, so I used the Garrett and it gave a good signal when pressed against the ground. This is going to save me loads of time in the recovery process.
As to my original concern; I found that when I use the 5.3 coil I don't have the problem as much. When I put the 9.5 coil on, I have to make sure the wire is not loose down at the coil. I see where a piece of Velcro would help keep things where they should be.
I'm going out before work tomorrow for an hour or so to a school building which dates to the 50's. The ground is still very hard but my hopes of finding my first silver are high.

Dan