Having been a constant user of both the PI 1000, & 3000 series detectors for many years one becomes familiar with little tricks to improve the reliability of these machines under working conditions. Although both machines are very rugged and have been built to withstand the rigours of hardwork, accidents can and do happen.
These common-sense ideas could prevent such a problem ever occurring. Both machines are slightly buoyant and as such float and bob around in the water whilst you are attempting to recover your target. This is fine in calm water, however if there are waves about the detectors can and often do move around in the water quite vigorously.
When this happens the cable from the bone conductor or headphones can receive considerable jerks from the detector in the turbulence. This action applies stress to the cable and could cause a failure by pulling the cable out of the housing if conditions were bad enough. By attaching a length of cord between the headphones and stem situated under the housing.
If the cord is shorter than the actual cable, stress then is taken up by the cord preventing any damage to your machine. One day while working in rough weather I accidentally bumped the bottom of my scoop on the shaft on my detector.
Although it was too late to do anything about it at the time, I was concerned that the impact might have damaged the lead from the coil to control box. My mind flashed back to when my mate Jack Bousanquet did the same thing several months ago.
That time the lead was punctured and water entered the lead and coil. It took several weeks before a new coil could be flown out from the UK before Jack was back in the water.
Concerned that I might have done the same thing, I started looking for some form of protection for the cable. I found it in my local dive shop, in the form of a long spiral piece of plastic used by divers to protect air lines and regulators. This proved to be not only a very cheap method of protection but also a very effective one in the process.
The old saying prevention is better than the cure certainly paid off in the long run and the few dollars spent was a wise investment. Above all, it gave me the peace of mind that should I accidentaly hit the lead again, it was protected and unlikely to give me any problems in future. On windy days, the sound of the wind can be quite annoying, reduce this noise by covering outside of headphones with a thin layer of foam similar to the type used under carpets.
Although it does not happen very often, some problems could arise whilst you are working if one of the batteries pops out from the battery holder. A simple rubber band wound twice around the battery holder will prevent batteries doing this. Always dry your detector with a towel before replacing batteries.
and electronics do not mix, it only takes a few drops of salt water on the circuit board to put you out of business. Batteries should preferably be changed before making your trip or well away from the beach. The reason I say this is simply because of sand that could ruin the seal of the O ring causing the housing to flood. In fact, O rings should really be cleaned in methylated spirits, together with the top of the housing and cover.
The O ring should then receive a liberal coating of Silicon Grease, and the unit reassembled. I always use alkaline batteries, although they might be more expensive, they supply a greater current flow than conventional batteries and last longer. I do not recommend using rechargeable batteries because P.I.s are designed to work at 9 volts and need every fraction of voltage to get the best out of the machine. Nicads only supply 1.2 volts against 1.5 volts of conventional batteries so 6 Nicads only supply 7.2 volts that is really insufficient to drive the circuitry, yet alone obtain the performance the detector is capable of.
I cheat with batteries by simply recharging the alkaline batteries with a Nicad recharger I am able to use the same set of batteries several times. However, I always remove the batteries when they get to 1.3 volts and replace them. An 8 to 10 hour charge will bring the batteries back to 1.5 volts making them reusable again.
During a recent test, the P.I. 1000 was used to grid an area of 20 square feet and all metallic targets removed from the area. I then went over the same area using the P.I. 3000 and much to my suprise recovered three gold rings missed by the 1000. The P.I. 3000 uses a threshold tone that can be heard in BOTH ears unlike the old one eared bone conductor of the 1000, which clicks. The 3000s tone is such that when a target is located even the slightest change of tone can be heard.
Which means that the 3000 is more sensitive and capable of picking up thin section rings at far greater depths than the 1000. I guess that is why the technicians in the States designed it in the first place. I was later informed that at the White's factory in the UK where the PIs were assembled someone accidentally double the number of windings on the coil.
During quality control, testing it was found this detector had a depth advantage over other machines. The entire unit was checked out until it was found the coil caused the added depth, from that moment on all 3000s were fitted with the new coil. Another little trick learnt from Jack was using an eight pack AA battery carrier instead of the one supplied.
Yes it does fit into the housing. Jack had cut a piece of mild steel the same length as a AA battery and placed that into one of the battery holders. Jack had a collected many batteries that he used in his machine but did not have enough power to keep the voltage upto 9 volts. Now by replacing his batteries with the old ones and adding an extra one to the empty slot in the battery carrier he got his 9 volts and an extra 4 to five hours use out of his machine for nothing. Maybe this is something you could do with your machine whatever make it might be. You get nothing for nothing in this world, but with a little improvisation and imagination, Jack beat the odds and did get something for nothing.
Happy hunting,
ALAN HASSELL the Wizard maker
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