SE Durability Issues

[DFXer]

I just came back from the Maine beaches and more parts are failing on my SE. The lobes at the top of the lower shaft are braking off - the coil cover cracked while removing sand - the camlocks will not tighten the tubes and they wobble - a while back the foam grip disintegrated - the plastic bolt and nut will barely keep the coil from pivoting.

I've owned Garretts, Fishers and Whites and never experienced anything like this.

If this thing didn't detect so deep I'd smash it like a rock musician's guitar.

Frustrated,

Paul

 

[XLT-user]

Your having a few problems ..Did it get wet or saturated with salt....I had a whites detector once that really developed problems after hunting salt water beaches..Whites told me salt was inside the unit and that happened at the beach..It's in the air....and penetrates just about everywhere it should not. Even affected the rubber hand grip..So maybe thats whats happened to your unit...

 

[DFX-Gregg]

I think there are different sizes for different coils? Maybe someone knows a little more about this...and the wrong size might be causing your coil problems.

 

[Mike Moutray - St.Louis MO]

the best thing to do is take the coil off and take the 2 plastic bushings out that go on the end of the rod, clean them off and scuff up their face with fine sand paper so that they grip better. And tighten them down tight... I've yet to break or strip out those plastic bolts, but tighten them enough but not too tight. I agree with you on the durability of the detector, if it weren't for all their superior capabilities in performance, they'd be a heap of trash. If you have cracks developing, contact minelab they should warranty that part... they have done so in the past with all of our cracking parts to my knowledge. Good luck, Mike.

 

[DFXer]

Mike,
Thanks for the reply. I'm glad that you agree on the durability issue. For $1500 I expected the quality of a BMW not a Yugo.

The sad part of this story is, as great as the SE is and as much as I appreciate Its depth, I now want to reach for the DFX as I walk out the door. How could Minelab create such a mismatch between the electronics and the mechanicals?

Paul

 

[NH Bob]

n/t

 

[D&P-OR]

PAUL---To me, I think a person is taking a certain amount of risk in using ANY land detector on a salt water beach, especially long term (salt water spray, condensation, sand, etc.) no matter how well the detectors covered. But how can we resist?? I can't!! For me, if I'm going to hunt the beach (salt water) with a land machine, I use one (and one only) designated excellent machine for that type of hunt. That way, if I do end up with a wrecked detector, it's "just" one (very expensive) machine-not several--that's the price. Back in the 70's I didn't have this problem to deal with, cause I wasn't around any beaches. ha---Anyway, this is just my screwed up way of looking at things-I have always been "gun shy" of using land machines on salt water beaches. But I am like most everybody else here. I can't resist a good beach hunt and do like land machines over water machines (in that area) for several reasons. Now don't you multi-machine beach hunters go trying to lynch me over this single machine thing-I'm wishing ALL of you every success out there. Keep your powder (machines) dry!! One last thing-----In defense of Minelab--I think they have improved (some) in quality since they came out. I had the XS (didn't you just LOVE that silly 1/8" headphone jack), the II and now the SE. I've had some problems along the way, but so far, so good with the SE-hope it continues. I've had more problems with the earlier Explorers-less with the newer ones. I chalk that up to improvements but that's just my reasoning. I'm sure others have different opinions. In any case-Paul, I'm sorry to hear about the problems you are having with your SE-I can sure understand your frustration. Listen to the guys on this forum-they will give you some good advice. Sorry for the long post, guys-----I feel much better now!!! Take care, Del

 

[John - Maryland]

I agree about the Foam grip, Mine came off after about 2 Weeks. I replaced it with a tennis racket Grip that's much better. I do notice some wobble. It seems the taller you are the more wobble there is because more of the lower tube is out. No doubt Minelab has room for improvement. With that being said "It's still a great Detector".

 

[Jaichim24]

I bought a used SE in March of this year. The person I purchased it from said they bought it in Nov of 2007, so it theoretically wasn't that old. I'm 6' tall and I need those shafts far apart. I have to report that the upper shaft was so loose that a lot of times when I was trying to pull out the lower shaft the upper pulled out of the camlock. The camlocks went down very easy on both the upper and lower shafts. I did have that wobble from time to time.

Now, I just received a new X-1 probe yesterday (yay!) and I was totally taken aback by how hard it was to push down the camlock after inserting the lower shaft into the new upper shaft. I was equally surprised by how hard the upper shaft camlock was to lock. It was night and day. My SE is now very rigid and solid feeling. Sooooo what's the difference? Can 2 months of use in Arizona from the original owner, and 2 months of use by me cause the shafts and camlocks to loosen up? Was the detector really bought new in Nov 2007? (I suppose I could check the SN) Or, is there so much variation in Minlabs shafts that the original that came with it was smaller in diameter? The first question I can only answer 4 months from now. The second, I suppose I could call KellyCo and see if they will provide me with a purchase date on the unit. The last question, anyone have a micrometer out there they'd like to lend me? Actually, I think I could dig one up at work and bring it home. I'll keep you posted.

So, DFXer, not the solution you probably want to hear, but do yourself a favor and pick up an X-1 probe and you may even solve your wobble issues for a short time. At the very least you'll have yourself one rocking pinpointer!

Jai

 

[DFXer]

Jai,
Thanks for the reply. After your experience I'm now convinced that there is a tolerance issue with these shafts and I have a loose set. I'm fixing the problem with strips of plastic tape to close up the gaps.

My next concern is the bonded halves of the handle. On my SE the joints look very "iffy" and it wouldn't surprise me if they separated. The bonded halves also determine the fit of the upper shaft into the housing.

Regarding the 5 cent foam grip, I replaced it with a wrap of the thick rubber electrical tape used for outdoor applications. It has a tacky surface and the feel is quite good.

My plan is to re-engineer the whole shaft system and make it feel stiff.

$1500 - hhhmmm!!!

Paul

 

[NH Bob]

With mine I have to push hard to get it to bottom out which is about 2 1/2" into the control box. You should feel it hit solid.

 

[XLT-user]

His only good point was..He found 6 rings that day. I did not see him in the water after that little problem.

 

[D&P-OR]

On an XS I had, the top shaft was so loose it kept coming out of the control box-the housing wasn't cracked either. The best solution I found was stretching a kids balloon about a couple inches or so over the top shaft and sticking it into the control box until it hits solid. That worked really well for that problem. You could give it a try-balloons come cheap! Isn't that a kick though, hundreds of dollars for a machine and you got to hold it together with kids balloons. I have never had THAT problem with the newer machines and I think Minelab has resolved a lot of the issues we had early on. But the problems that's being described here are real-there's no getting around that. Won't Minelab work with you at all on this?? If you haven't done it, I'd give them a call and see what they can (or will) do. Del