Possible Problem With My XLT

[MarkCZ]

I put up a post in the Whites XLT forum (here) about a problem with setting or changing the "Audio Modulation" see link below,
http://www.findmall.com/read.php?41,1803106

So far I haven't got any replies or help from that post.

My main question here is,
If I have to send the detector in for service where is the best place to send it, to get it the best going over? and possibly the best price or price break.
I live in West Virginia.

Thanks

Mark

 

[Larry (IL)]

I would call White's service, Sweet Home and see what they say Mark. Also service in Sweet Home seems to be a bit more thorough although any of the service centers will get the job done.

 

[Monte]

#1.. Without hesitation I can tell you that the best point of service, in my opinion, is the White's factory service in Sweet Home, Oregon.

#2.. If you have any questions, please call my cell phone. I will be in range or out hunting today and tomorrow (Thursday and Friday), but you can leave a message and phone number and I will call you back.

Now, if you're comparing the audio in the Disc. mode, make sure you don't have the AC Sensitivity or Pre-Amp Gain maxed out or way too much as that can cause there to be a little difference. Also, checking a coin at 2" isn't the best method. I'd select a factory preset program w/o modifications. Select Modulation 'On' and then use a coil, flat-to-the-coil, and check the audio response as you pass the coin across the coil's center axis at 3", 6", 8" and maybe 10". Then, select Modulation 'Off' and double check the more distant readings. That's where you will notice an audio difference.

Just some thoughts, but as Larry IL said, it might not hurt to call the White's service department in Sweet Home, first.

Monte

 

[cadman_us]

Another vote for Sweet Home.

 

[MarkCZ]

#1.. Without hesitation I can tell you that the best point of service, in my opinion, is the White's factory service in Sweet Home, Oregon.

#2.. If you have any questions, please call my cell phone. I will be in range or out hunting today and tomorrow (Thursday and Friday), but you can leave a message and phone number and I will call you back.

Now, if you're comparing the audio in the Disc. mode, make sure you don't have the AC Sensitivity or Pre-Amp Gain maxed out or way too much as that can cause there to be a little difference. Also, checking a coin at 2" isn't the best method. I'd select a factory preset program w/o modifications. Select Modulation 'On' and then use a coil, flat-to-the-coil, and check the audio response as you pass the coin across the coil's center axis at 3", 6", 8" and maybe 10". Then, select Modulation 'Off' and double check the more distant readings. That's where you will notice an audio difference.

Just some thoughts, but as Larry IL said, it might not hurt to call the White's service department in Sweet Home, first.

Monte

Okay, today I checked it again!
I used the factory preset "Coin Program" (un-modified )

First, I air tested indoors, = no modulated audio, or to say 2" from the coil sounded the same as 8" from the coil (US quarter)
When into the Pro menu options until I found the Modulation selection, I changed it to "OFF" pulled the toggle and air tested it again, same results!
From there I pushed the up arrow key to go back to the last changed menu option, (modulation) it was still set to off! I selected the modulation option,
pulled the toggle to return back to search mode,
Same results, 2" to 10" the same response.

Test # 2
I have a two year old coin test garden, I have coins @
3"
4"
5"
6"
8"
In the factory preset coin mode the 8" was an iffy hit at most so I just left it out.
The audio response on the,
2"
4"
5" and
6" was the same with "modulation" selected, or "off" was selected.

The menu selection (able to choose) is working, it just doesn't seem to do anything.

Now my other detectors that's just built with modulated audio work fine, in that close targets sounds close, distant targets sound more faint.
My Omega has pretty nice modulated audio,
My ID Edge might have a bit to much modulated audio,
My, 1266 has good modulated audio,
(the above units is the only other reference I have for modulated audio, and they are not being mentioned here for ANY comparison to the Whites XLT. I referenced them only to state that I have some knowledge of what modulated audio sounds like)

I haven't tried another coil yet, but I don't see it being a coil?

So, does it sound even more like a trip bad to its creator??
I do have an 8" coil I could try if somebody thought it could be that? (My XLT is a rainbow model with the stock 950 coil)

Thanks for everybody's replies!

Mark

 

[MarkCZ]

Last night I set down with the manual and the detector, plugged up a set of headphones and for about an hour I went through the manual along with the detector setting by setting, step by step and I wasn't able to get the detector to operate with ANY modulated audio.

Now, I did find that if I selected "V.C.O" on that in pinpoint mode the detector had somewhat a modulated audio but that's only in a all metal non motion mode.
I started to leave the VCO set to on, but targets close to the coil really got unpleasantly loud and it didn't still have modulated audio in motion discrimination mode. This may also be a hint to more of the problem, pinpoint mode with VCO "ON" targets got REALLY loud at the coil, but in Disc. motion mode targets just as close to the coil were not near as loud but rather a good max volume. (Target volume in these test was preset)

I also tried setting the modulated audio On and Off while in the factory coin preset program, but I still wasn't able to get it to work.

So, unless somebody else has something to try I guess the XLT will be going back to it's creator for a checkup. I do plan on calling Sweet Home first, maybe they can talk me through something and if they can't then I guess they will give me an RMA number (or other return for service #).

Another question, I know that with the XLT I can select any one of the presets programs and then just save that to one of the custom programs and will it overwrite it, but is there a way to just do a "Reset To Default" a back to out of the box program?

Thanks for the help and all the replies

Mark

 

[Monte]

A lot of sunny faces to welcome it at the Sweet Home, Oregon factory and I'm sure they can get it fixed. Not working would annoy me, to be sure.

Monte

 

[widebody]

[size=large]wouldn't count on free shipping. your rainbow xlt is about at the least seven years out of warranty. not saying they won't. just saying i wouldn't count on it. the rainbow series ended in 2003. in 2004 they changed the decal and called it the e-series. they do great work and have been very leinent so here's hoping for ya.

HH[/size]

 

[MarkCZ]

Okay, day three of trying to get to talk to somebody at Whites that knew something about a detector other than to redirect my calls from one desk to another.
Today I talked to "Todd" who was very helpful. I told him the problem I was having with my XLT and how I could hear the difference in the Modulation setting of "On" or "Off",
he wanted to know if I had tried it in the field, I told him I had tried it in my over two year old test garden.

Conclusion,
He said he doubted there was a problem with the detector. He said that he had also had trouble hearing the difference in the modulation on and off. He said that at the time of the XLT's that the modulation setting just didn't do a lot as compared to some models that are just built with modulated audio.

I talked to him about the idea of just checking it out and tuning it up. He said that that unit doesn't really ever need much in the way of tuning and that by its design it self test when you turn it on,
it air balances,
it takes ground samples and adjust for that.
He said that unless has some other non working issue that it should be fine. He never indicated to me that I couldn't send it in, he just didn't feel or think the unit needed anything.

So I guess I just need to take it detecting.

Thanks everyone for you post, replies and you help!

Mark