Who's running a NEL THUNDER coil on their E-trac ?

[Explorer.se]

I bought a AT Pro for my boy. But I use it more than him. I had it in the river once. Gonna need some water proff head phones for sure if I do much of that. I also picked up a 5x8 coil for it and it does really well on all hunts. My other detector is a upgraded AT Pro to the LTD2. Just a killer machine and has found me many keepers. The good thing about the AT Pro is I can get much closer to large metal than my etrac or F75 when hunting tot lots.

The reason I am following this post as I am wondering if buying another coil for my etrac is needed. I really dont get to hunt with my large coils much. I already have 4 coils for the etrac, was happy with all of them. So far 10 inches is about the depth Im hunting. But could go deeper if I wanted.

You have a nice arsenal of detectors there JD!

 

[Bryan V]

Just wanted to give a first impression of the Nel Thunder I just received.
I have not been on a hunt with it yet but did do some test garden and air testing with it
comparing it to my Gen 5 Nel Tornado.
Both in air and ground, my new Gen. 5 Tornado is about 3/4" deeper then the Thunder.
I was thinking this might be the case since depth is usually based on width rather then length of the coil.
Hope to get out this weekend to try it out. I like the foot print of the coil so we will see how much of a difference
it makes as far as separation..
I have been extremely happy with the Tornado so the Thunder is going to have to really impress to stay in the lineup.

Bryan

 

[Explorer.se]

Just wanted to give a first impression of the Nel Thunder I just received.
I have not been on a hunt with it yet but did do some test garden and air testing with it
comparing it to my Gen 5 Nel Tornado.
Both in air and ground, my new Gen. 5 Tornado is about 3/4" deeper then the Thunder.
I was thinking this might be the case since depth is usually based on width rather then length of the coil.
Hope to get out this weekend to try it out. I like the foot print of the coil so we will see how much of a difference
it makes as far as separation..
I have been extremely happy with the Tornado so the Thunder is going to have to really impress to stay in the lineup.

Bryan

Cant wait to read your results because I was thinking of getting the Thunder but might just stay pat with the Tornado even though I have not had a chance to use the Tornado as of yet. Please keep us posted!

 

[floodplaindetector]

That is surprising to me as NEL gives a higher depth rating to the Thunder over the Tornado on their website.
Maybe the Gen 5 Tornado is deeper. I have hit some of the deepest dimes I have ever dug with the Thunder coil but
it is all about which footprint sees it better at a given site.

Both in air and ground, my new Gen. 5 Tornado is about 3/4" deeper then the Thunder.
I was thinking this might be the case since depth is usually based on width rather then length of the coil.
Bryan

 

[Bryan V]

I agree. Matching the coil to the site is more important then just pure depth of each coil.

I was always curious about Nels depth rating between those two coils because
I have always read and observed that coil depth is based on width, not length of the coil.

I just recently switched over from the CTX to the Etrac and while I still had my CTX I did some depth testing with both detectors.
The 12"x13" Tornado on the Etrac was equivalent to my 17"X13" CTX Coil. Both 13" wide.
Putting on the 15" WOT coil on the Etrac allowed it to surpass the CTX / 13x17 combo in depth.

Real world hunting is the real test but today in my test garden the Tornado was clearly the depth winner..
Not sure what they changed in the Gen 5 coils if anything but I sure have enjoyed running my new Tornado over the last month.
I wasn't trying to knock the Thunder. Just stating observation from my back yard.
Hope it turns out to be a keeper..

Bryan

 

[floodplaindetector]

Hi Bryan, just curious, which coin you used for the 3/4 inch depth advantage on the tornado.
when I air tested my NEL 15 inch attack against the thunder coil I matched it exactly.
The Thunder seems to perform and separate well in junky parks for me so I keep it on for a variety of sites.
I believe it has more depth than the 11 inch stock coil.
I may have to try a new Gen 5 tornado also as I am all about results also.
Keep us up to date on your comparisons. I appreciate your info.
thanks!
Dave

I agree. Matching the coil to the site is more important then just pure depth of each coil.

I was always curious about Nels depth rating between those two coils because
I have always read and observed that coil depth is based on width, not length of the coil.

I just recently switched over from the CTX to the Etrac and while I still had my CTX I did some depth testing with both detectors.
The 12"x13" Tornado on the Etrac was equivalent to my 17"X13" CTX Coil. Both 13" wide.
Putting on the 15" WOT coil on the Etrac allowed it to surpass the CTX / 13x17 combo in depth.

Real world hunting is the real test but today in my test garden the Tornado was clearly the depth winner..
Not sure what they changed in the Gen 5 coils if anything but I sure have enjoyed running my new Tornado over the last month.
I wasn't trying to knock the Thunder. Just stating observation from my back yard.
Hope it turns out to be a keeper..

Bryan

 

[Bryan V]

Dave I pulled the covers off both coils and tried to do some more accurate testing of the Tornado and Thunder.
I used a nice 35 Merc dime for air testing and set the Etrac on Manual 20 sensitivity, open screen.
First detectable thunk. Tornado 1" deeper
First consistent 2 way full signal the Tornado is 3/4" deeper.

Outside in my back yard I have a recently buried (2 months) 8" Clad dime and a 10" Silver Roosevelt Dime.
On the 8" clad dime both coils hit on manual 20 from all directions.
Tornado hit all directions on Auto 21.
Thunder only hit one direction on Auto 22 with weak occasional hits the other direction.
Lowest manual setting to detect in one direction was 13 for Tornado, 15 for the Thunder.

10" buried Silver Rosy.
Tornado hits all directions on manual 20 and one direction on Auto
Thunder hits one direction on manual 23. Not even a chirp in Auto from any direction.
Lowest manual setting to detect in one direction was 16 Tornado, 18 for the Thunder.

One observation that keeps showing up in my in ground testing is how running a manual sensitivity
as much as 3 or 4 points lower then Auto seems to be deeper.
Manual 17 seems to be the number on my Etrac that will hit slightly harder then say Auto 20-21.
Most of the time my detector won't auto above 19 but today it went as high as 22..
That was with the Thunder coil. My Tornado went up to 21.
My CTX would Auto in the low teens in my yard at best.

How do you manage your sensitivity while detecting?

Bryan

Hi Bryan, just curious, which coin you used for the 3/4 inch depth advantage on the tornado.
when I air tested my NEL 15 inch attack against the thunder coil I matched it exactly.
The Thunder seems to perform and separate well in junky parks for me so I keep it on for a variety of sites.
I believe it has more depth than the 11 inch stock coil.
I may have to try a new Gen 5 tornado also as I am all about results also.
Keep us up to date on your comparisons. I appreciate your info.
thanks!
Dave

[/quote]

 

[floodplaindetector]

Hi Brian, you have very good details in your tests. A lot of info. Great job on that.
I usually run auto +3. If I do run manual like you said I have to back it way down. I feel I can get very good depth with auto + 3 and
retain great separation which is important also.

Dave I pulled the covers off both coils and tried to do some more accurate testing of the Tornado and Thunder.
I used a nice 35 Merc dime for air testing and set the Etrac on Manual 20 sensitivity, open screen.
First detectable thunk. Tornado 1" deeper
First consistent 2 way full signal the Tornado is 3/4" deeper.

Outside in my back yard I have a recently buried (2 months) 8" Clad dime and a 10" Silver Roosevelt Dime.
On the 8" clad dime both coils hit on manual 20 from all directions.
Tornado hit all directions on Auto 21.
Thunder only hit one direction on Auto 22 with weak occasional hits the other direction.
Lowest manual setting to detect in one direction was 13 for Tornado, 15 for the Thunder.

10" buried Silver Rosy.
Tornado hits all directions on manual 20 and one direction on Auto
Thunder hits one direction on manual 23. Not even a chirp in Auto from any direction.
Lowest manual setting to detect in one direction was 16 Tornado, 18 for the Thunder.

One observation that keeps showing up in my in ground testing is how running a manual sensitivity
as much as 3 or 4 points lower then Auto seems to be deeper.
Manual 17 seems to be the number on my Etrac that will hit slightly harder then say Auto 20-21.
Most of the time my detector won't auto above 19 but today it went as high as 22..
That was with the Thunder coil. My Tornado went up to 21.
My CTX would Auto in the low teens in my yard at best.

How do you manage your sensitivity while detecting?

Bryan

Hi Bryan, just curious, which coin you used for the 3/4 inch depth advantage on the tornado.
when I air tested my NEL 15 inch attack against the thunder coil I matched it exactly.
The Thunder seems to perform and separate well in junky parks for me so I keep it on for a variety of sites.
I believe it has more depth than the 11 inch stock coil.
I may have to try a new Gen 5 tornado also as I am all about results also.
Keep us up to date on your comparisons. I appreciate your info.
thanks!
Dave

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[metalpopper]

[size=x-large]pinpointing on thunder coil come right at the tip of the top of coil.[/size] Not in front of the coil like on other NEL and the stock coil. So I wiggle around 90 degrees and dig about 1 inch inside the tip of the coil about a 3 inch plug.

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Nalc....the statement highlighted in red.............is just plain WRONG.

I cannot understand why anyone would say such a thing.

Coins in the ground laying at an angle other than normal to your search-coil, will prove to be off centre,

but you're saying that the coil's normal PP position is other than central to the coil......is wrong.....matt.

 

[PennyAtaTime]

Pretty sure He was talking about the wiggle back method of PP.
Not using the pinpoint button.

 

[metalpopper]

Thanks PAT, appreciate your replying, but even 'back-wiggling' pin-pointing is dependent on depth.

Front-tip on a thunder would be indicative of a shallow target, but what about a 8" to 10" target?

That's got to be centre of the coil....matt