Sovereign GT speaker didn't work until headphones where plugged in then taken out?

[JASONSPAZ1]

My buddy has a Sovereign GT just like I do. Anyway the other day he informed me that he turned on his GT and no sound came out of the speaker. He made sure his thresh-hold was turned up but still nothing out of the speaker. Then when he plugged his headphones the sound came out of the headphones, and then out of the speaker once the headphones where unplugged just like any detector should normally work. He told me he spent an hour trying to get the same scenario of no sound from the speaker to happen but everything worked fine? I told him perhaps there was some debris in the headphone port which made the detector think the headphones where plugged in? Anyway I told him I would post in here to see if anyone has ever had the same problem.Like I said everything works fine now It was just one instance of when he turned the GT on there was no sound coming out of the speaker until he plugged headphones in and then took them out.

Thanks
HH
Jason

 

[Critterhunter]

When a headphone plug is plugged into the jack, there are certain physical connections broken inside the jack that then shut off the circuit going to the internal speaker, and instead route the audio then to the headphones. This is how my remote PP switch mod is used on my GT, to bypass the stock switch when it's plugged in and the remote pin point trigger is thrown a certain way.

Dirt or oxide build up in the jack can cause the problem you described. Usually a little non-residue contact cleaner sprayed into a stereo jack will fix the problem.

Or, could just be the jack hadn't been used in so long that the physical moving parts were frozen up and wouldn't move when the plug was plugged in or removed. Stuff like that needs to be used here and there, to prevent this and also rub off any oxide build up via the physical action of doing so.

I make it a habit once in a while (about once a month or so) to move every dial (pot) into complete rotation on my GT several times, and also to throw all the switches back and fourth several times as well. Pots can build up oxide on them and cause dead spots or erratic behaviour, and switches can get gummed up just like that stereo jack probably did.

Just contaminants in the air can coat things over time. If you are a smoker, stick your machine in a room where it won't be exposed to it all the time.

By far the most common problem with electronics isn't a component failure, but rather a loose wire, cold solder joint, or something like oxide build up on a physical contact. Battery holders, switches or POTs, coil plugs...All of these types of things where the flow of electricity is through a physical moving (IE: not soldered) connection. That's where issues usually are when something isn't working right.

Good reason why many rechargeable packs have the cells soldered together. To get around that, when I use rechargeables in something and don't solder them together, and also won't be removing the batteries for charging so that physical action cleans the contacts on things, but rather charge them right in the holder they are in, then I coat the contacts with a very slight film of dielectric grease to prevent oxide build up. In low current situations such as a detector even a tiny bit of oxide formation can stop the flow of current.

 

[JASONSPAZ1]

Thanks Critter! So in short you have heard of this happening to the speaker before?
I want to convince my buddy that he doesn't have to panic and send his machine back to Minelab. I will be sure to print out these answers.

Thanks again
Jason

 

[Critterhunter]

No, I would not worry about it. I guarantee you it was either a dirty stereo jack or the moving physical contacts in it sticking. There are no electronics in the box that decide whether the headphone or the speaker is used. It's just a "switch", so to speak, and even if it did fail one day anybody who knows how to solder can change it out in a few minutes, once the box is taken apart. There is no dicey circuit boards or other things to worry about near that jack. It sits pretty much on it's own on the face plate. Think of it as something as simple as a car door lock that is hard to open once in a while with a key. There isn't any kind of electronics involved, just physical action.

I've been kicking around the idea of replacing that jack with a smaller one, as my headphones use a much smaller plug and I hate how a plug size adaptor makes things stick out too far when working the woods sometimes. I keep worrying I'm going to clip that plug adaptor against a tree and break it off or something. I really should buy a right angle adaptor instead.

One of these days I may wire an internal wireless headphone transmitter right to the stereo plug, so that when *no* headphones are plugged into the jack instead of the internal speaker being used, the transmitter transmits the audio to some wireless headphones, and when a headphone jack is plugged in normal non-wireless headphones work as well. Seems like the ideal setup, and I'm going to run the transmitter off a voltage regulator so no need for a battery for it and it will just come on when the GT is turned on.

 

[JASONSPAZ1]

Please keep us posted if you take on that project.
Thanks again!
Jason

 

[JASONSPAZ1]

Thanks for the info critter. I think for myself I want to get a can of that electronic contact cleaner. Could you take a look at this link to see if this is a good brand to get at the Home Depot.
I hope it is ok that I am posting a link with this post.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/100398344?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=non-residue+contact+cleaner&storeId=10051&N=5yc1v&R=100398344#specifications

Thanks
Jason

 

[Critterhunter]

First, once again, do NOT clean those pots unless you are having issues. That contact cleaner is the one that has a lubricating ingredient. It, like WD-40, will in the long run lead to dirt being attracting and causing further issues. Only use that lubricating type contact cleaner when an item clearly calls for it to be needed due to physical moving action that needs lubrication. Pots or switches in general don't need lubrication, and any form of film from that on a POT surface is for sure going to risk doing funky things to the resistance between the surface area and the feelers that ride over it. Not so much a risk of doing something bad with switches, but over time the lubricant will attract dirt.

That can you posted a picture of looks identical to their other product by the same company, which they also sell at Home Depot, but you'll not it says "non-residue" contact cleaner. That's the stuff I have. I just used it to fix a jammed up Pro Pointer switch where dirt had gotten down past the rubber switch cover due to wear, and then sealed over the leaking rubber switch cover with a big thick layer of clear silicone to insure no more dirt got into it. My friend I did the repair for has used it a good bit since then with zero issues. Only weak point in the Pro Pointer is that switch cover, but to be fair he used the snot out of the thing since they first came out without issues until just recently.

 

[JASONSPAZ1]

Here I was about to do preventative maintenance which could have resulted in further issues. I will leave everything as is. I am having no problems with my GT and what would have ended up as me getting advice for a friend would have caused problems for me.
So thanks for your reply before I headed out to Home Depot.

HH
Jason

 

[deepdiger60]

A simple can of compressed air i use without any oils the kind you can get at a good PC place i open my box at the end of each season and blow out all the fine dust and dirt amazing how much fine stuff gets in there between the seems of the control box . Jim

 

[Critterhunter]

Hey Deepdiger, besides covering the speaker hole with some painter's tape or something like I've been meaning to do for eons, and besides the military half boots I use on my switches to keep dirt and moisture out, I've been thinking of sealing that seam the runs across the top front area of the control box with either tape or perhaps some Shoe Goo, which should peal off easy if I ever need to take the box apart.

The top half of the GT control box is like a turtle shell. Follow the seams and you'll see what I mean. By sealing the tops/sides of that front seam where the face plate meets the box, and also any other seams of the top half meeting the bottom half, it should give me extra confidence in a drizzle or also prevent dust from accumulating inside the control box. Might be a good idea to also seal around the coil connector where the seams meet there.

Last time I had the box apart, which was the second time I have done so or so, I was amazed to see how much dust was coating things inside. I guess from those hot dusty days hunting in the heat of summer. Scum like that over time is the very thing that will find it's way to the pots or switches and start causing problems. It also ain't exactly healthy for circuit boards.

One thing to watch for, if any of you hunt around salt, is if the motherboard shows any signs of rust then it's worth taking the chance to save it now before it takes a long slow death over time as it corrodes further. Of course make sure there is no battery plugged in, and clean that board with some proper non-residue electrical contact cleaner meant for doing such things to get any further salt or grime out.

The stuff usually evaporates very fast almost like magic. I used it to clean all the grime out of my friend's Pro Pointer after I cleaned the switch, and let it flow out of the bottom of it with the battery and battery cap removed. If there are signs of rust though, after cleaning it it might be worth then spraying with some kind of anti-corrosion protectent meant for circuit boards.

Be careful though, as some protectents will conduct electricity and that could fry the board. Not sure if the other can of contact cleaner at Home Depot containing a lubricant has a protectent in it, and if it can be directly sprayed onto circuit boards, but I know stuff like that exists. If rust is showing up cleaning the board with non-residue electrical cleaner is good to wash away salt or other grime, but it won't do anything to stop the rust.

While I'd never use lubricating or protectent containing electric contact cleaner on pots or switches, a board with no physical moving part contacts shouldn't have any issues with such a thing, providing it's meant for electronics like that.

Years ago I had a boom box in my garage keep fussing about when I'd turn it on to work on a car or do some project. The volume sliders had dead spots in them and it would make the radio get all static or the volume to go either completely dead or very loud. I didn't have any contact cleaner handy, so I just used a can of WD-40 to spray as best I could into the face plate of the radio around those two left/right speaker sliding volume controls.

Well, it's been years later and that boom box still works like a charm. Can't believe I didn't take that 5 seconds to fix that all the years prior I'd get frustrated with trying to get the volume set right on it without it doing funky things.

WARNING: As always, take my advice to person, property, or blowing a hole in the universe that might change reality as we know it, at completely your own risk and your risk alone.

 

[JASONSPAZ1]

I always have the speaker taped over and always wrap the control box in a plastic bag with the hipmount bag put over that while it is on the rod assembly. Any opening is the bag I make sure are sealed shut. The best I can do whenI use my GT at the beach.

 

[Neil]

this works great, have used in some good winds on the ocean beaches with sand flying. 1 gallon sized plastic bags on box before you mount box. punch hole with headphone plug and its completely sealed for most environments we hunt in. The tape and boots are an extra protection. I have some full boots coming for my black widows toggles.

 

[JASONSPAZ1]

I do the same thing. I then put the hipmount bag over that setup as well.

 

[Critterhunter]

Yep, great ideas. When I chest mount my GT for water hunting I stick it in a plastic ziplock like that too before sticking it inside the Minelab chest/hip mount bag. I rubber band around the hole in the bottom of the bag I poked through for the coil cable connector, and also poke the headphone plug right through the bag like that. Once I have the controls set where I want them I zip lock the top of the bag closed. I figure it might save my GT should I trip, so long as I don't linger in the water too long.

A while back I did a bone headed move. I was intending to only hunt the dry sand so I didn't put the GT on my water rig (stock shaft), and instead when I decided to do a little water hunting I waded down into the water with my light weight land rig I built, which on that the GT stays mounted on the shaft.

Anyway, I've known for years that if you intend to water hunt with a land rig and the machine mounted to the shaft, that it's a very good idea to drill a hole just a hair above the coil mount insert on the shaft to insure all water drains out. On my water rig, even though I don't mount the box on the shaft for that, I drilled two holes to help water drain from the shaft when I leave the water. One at the back side of the shaft, so that when in normal hunting position the water will drain completely out, and one in the front, to act as a backup should the back one get plugged. Stick a measuring tape down the lower shaft to find exactly where the coil mount insert ends, and then mesaure precisely outside the shaft and drill the holes. Not too big or you might weaken the shaft, but not so small that it will easily get plugged.

Long story longer, after water hunting with my land rig, I left the water and completely forgot I had only drilled those holes on my water shaft. Sure enough, despite how many horror stories I've heard in the past with various machines, I sat my GT down flat on the ground and water ran right up and out the end of the shaft. Somehow, where ever, water had got inside the control box. I didn't know it at the time but suspected it, so just to be safe I immediatly pulled the battery out of it, just in case it would short the off/on switch and juice the motherboard with power.

The next day, I had forgotten about the potential of my GT getting wet perhaps, and turned it on as I always do to check it's OK before heading out for a hunt. Well, it made a loud humming noise. I quickly turned it off and cursed myself for risking doing that. Usually, so long as electronics aren't powered, being sunk in water won't hurt them. It's when power is on and stuff starts shorting, but even then if you quickly cut power and let it dry out completely, it'll probably work again.

I had stored my GT in the damp garage, so I bet if I would have thrown it in the house like I always do now, it would have dried out on it's own over night. So I took it inside and took the control box apart. Didn't see anything wet or signs of water stains, so I let it sit open like that for another day or two before risking trying to turn it on again. Well, thank God it did work fine after that. The water it was exposed to was fresh water. Had it been salt water, I would have washed the board good in some non-residue contact cleaner or I have even heard of people using warm water, and then let it dry real well before trying to power it up. Salt sitting on a board will cost it it's life eventually as it eats away at things. If I hunted around salt water all the time I would spray the board with some kind of protectant that is safe for electronics so salt in the air can never get to it.

Some people will stick wet electronics in a bag of dry rice, as the rice will suck up moisture real quick. I'd rather just open the thing up, wipe off any water I can get at, and then let it dry out in a nice dry low humidity place somewhere in the house. Just don't put it in front of the furnace vent. That's too hot for comfort.

PS- There are now products on the market you can buy that are a clear liquid. You spray electronics and the outside case of the device with this stuff. It's amazing how it will sheet water right off. I even saw youtube videos where they'd take a cell phone, submerge it in this stuff (without a battery), let it dry, and then throw it into a glass of water powered up and there cell phone was on under water with no issues. Don't think I'd risk that with a detector, but only use it for the accidental dunking precaution. The POT controls and switches probably wouldn't like the stuff used to protect things. Cell phones with sealed button style keypad switches don't have any openings for the stuff to get into.