Does anybody know of a box that is even smaller than the above GSI (?) box. Probably not because it looks like there is just enough room for the GT control box in that one. Who has a link to the cheapest source for it? Also, I noticed in the threads I linked to that the above box had some foam cushion material around the GT to keep it from moving around and bumping into the box. That gave me an idea. Why not line the box with something that will absorb a lot of water like the material in baby diapers. That way if it does leak you'll have plenty of time to save your GT as the material sucks up the water for a while. I would figure you'd notice the box getting foggy due to the moisture. I'd also throw a few of those silica packets in there that they put in electronics boxes when you buy something new from the store because they really soak up moisture well. In fact, I think you can make those things at home with some simple ingredients so you can probably look up something on that on the web to make your own.
Rather than using waterproof cable clams for the coil and headphones cables to exit the box I'm thinking why not just drill a hole in the box for the cable to come through. Then seal the box/cable in that area on the outside and inside of the box using Shoe Goo, which is a really thick clear waterproofing rubber cement that can be found at places like Walmart. It dries clear and stays rubbery and is meant for repairing boots, shoes, waiders, and other things. If you gob it on both sides of the hole that the cable comes through I'd figure it stands no chance of leaking, and since it stays soft there shouldn't be any chance of cracking it with use.
On my water rig the 10" Tornado coil is always going to be my water coil so I don't need to remove it via some waterproof connector. Same with the headphones. Just buy a pair that will always be used with the water rig. They don't even have to be waterproof since your head is almost never going to get under water. The headphone cable will be waterproof anyway since they come insulated of course on any headphones. I just figure it would be a real cheap way to waterproof a Sovereign without the need for special waterproof connectors and all that. To test your box and the coil/headphone cables to insure they aren't leaking just sink the thing under a weight in your bathtub for a few hours. Without the control box inside it you risk nothing. The headphone or coil connector getting wet isn't going to hurt them. Just spray them with WD40 to displace any moisture and prevent rust.
If you have a favorite land coil then just use whatever you don't plan to use on land anymore as your water coil. In my case the 15x12 is my land coil and the 12x10 might become my other land coil when I get one. The 10" coil seems too small to me now so it's going to stay as my permanent water coil for now on. That is, unless I prove to myself that the 10" is deeper than either SEF coil in which case it will go back to being used on land.
Think about it. You could buy a Sovereign control box for like $50 to $70 alone off Ebay, a waterproof box for $25, and since you already have coils and such for your land unit you can build a water proof unit for almost nothing.
Fir469- Do you have a link to that box? From the sound of it it seals better than the GSI box and is maybe smaller since you said it just fits your GT? It would have to be a clear box like the GSI box above because I want to be able to see if anything is leaking.
Jbow, for some of us the price tag of an Excalibur is out of the question. Not only that, but I don't care for the heavy clumsy design of the shaft and such on one. If I bought one I'd be making my own straight shaft for it and changing a few other things. The Sovereign route is much cheaper, even if you had to buy a complete older Sovereign for say $300 to $400 to build one with. By the time you bought a box and all that you'd still be half the price of an Excaliber. Another advantage is it would be real easy to change coils on the Sovereign, less weight, etc. In particular for guys who already own a Sovereign and several coils like I said you can build a water unit for almost nothing. I'm not knocking the Excalibur, just saying that some of us can't afford that much money. If I had a grand to blow I'd rather spend it on an Etrac and then buy a water proof box for my GT for when I want to water hunt.
Best thing about all this is that you'll have the best/deepest water unit on the market regardless of what anybody else paid for some other brand of detector. Nothing beats an Excal or a Sovereign, on land or water.
