Sovereign Depth Compared To Explorer/E-Trac/Etc?

[Critterhunter]

I know the QXT does not weigh much with ordinary batteries and will run down to 7-7.5 volts before it quits (after quite a few battery warnings on the display).
Very long run time on almost any batteries.

The weight of the pack and the coil make the SOV heavy...take both off and see how light it is.

HH

Yea, I think the weight is primarily due to the coil, battery pack, and the needlessly robust shaft. I noticed the coil has some very thick and heavy epoxy on it's bottom. Never seen that before and would figure it wouldn't be needed with the coil cover. They don't weight these coils so they can be used on the Excalibur, do they? The Sunray 12" weighs 1/2 oz or so more than the 10" Tornado coil as far as I can tell from checking online. It seems the claim to being lighter was against the old 10" BBS coil? I'm almost tempted to buy that 8" coinsearch (?) coil that everybody seems to love just because I'm having some trouble hunting in the woods with the 10". Not only is it hard on my arm even with the box hipmounted, but the open face design seems to be snagging every little branch as I sweep. This is the primary reason I'll be keeping the QXT Pro for now, to make it easier on me while scouting out new locations. After I locate a likely spot I'll go back in with the GT and work it slow.

Like I said, I can save just over 3 ounces by going to a lipo pack. I'm thinking of replacing the upper shaft with an aluminum one. Professional window cleaning poles from Home Depot or even those car wash brushes have the lock ring and can be easily drilled for the snap dimple to lock in place. I'd like to replace the lower fiberglass shaft with a carbon fiber one, but it'll taking some searching to find the right size. I'd have to destroy the stock shaft so I can remove the coil mount to insert in it. I'm finding that the stock straight shaft and 10" coil is still harder on my arm than the QXT even with the box hipmounted.

By the way, after 1 drain down to .1 volts and then a recharge the stock pack is holding almost 1400ma. That tells me they are good quality cells and that they haven't started going down hill yet.

 

[Art (NWOH)]

I think the purpose of the heavy coils is twofold..........
Waterproof coil that does not float..for the water hunters...
And it is also very rigid..does not flex and fault very easily if you bump something.

A coinsearch, S-8, or S-12 will cut weight quite a bit. The Tornadoes are lighter than the BBS, but are still pretty heavy.

Open coils are always a pain in the woods. I thought at one time that David had some solid bottom coil covers, but I could be wrong.

HH

 

[Critterhunter]

Is the S-12 lighter than the 10" Tornado? I thought it was 1/2 ounce heavier but could be wrong. Coinsearch is a solid coil, aint it? Not only would it lighten up my wood's hunting, but also prevent the coil snags. And, from what I've read it'll still get much deeper than my QXT with the 9.5" coil. That may be my solution for woods hunting. If it's easier on me I won't need the QXT. Is the S-8 a solid coil and is it as good as the Coinsearch? Minelab 8" Tornado is open faced I think, so that's out of the question.

 

[Art (NWOH)]

S-8 is an open coil.

Rick may be a better one to talk to about the differences between the S-8 and the Coinsearch.

All the open coils are going to be stick snaggers.

I don't have a good scales to compare, but I am sure that the S-12 is lighter than the T-10.

HH