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How Does The 15x12'' Equinox Coil Compare To The 15'' Coiltek Coil?


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I spent a few hours yesterday with some Mano a Mano testing on the ML15 and the CT15.  

Disclaimer:  This is what I observed in my testing, my ground, my occasional surmising, and feedback from the targets I marked.  Your results will most definitely vary.  I am not a scientist, nor an engineer... just a guy trying to find the best way to use the equipment I have.  I am also not trying to speak poorly of either coil - as both have merits.

I ran both coils with the exact setup - including noise cancel setting (it took me a few times to get the same setting though they were pretty close between the two) and pumping for the ground balance on the first coil - resulting in 0, then ensuring same on subsequent coils.  Park 1, 50 tones, Horseshoe, Recovery 6, F2=6, Sensitivity 20.  

I marked 10 targets with the ML, then followed the same path with the CT and marked any additional tones.  Then went through the process again starting with the CT and followed the same path with the ML marking any additional targets.  Targets ranged in depth, wanting to better understand the VID comparison at varying depths as well as the sheer depth from each coil. 

Unfortunately, nothing spectacular for the virtual finds table (I guess I need to tag along with Gerry to his silver fields :)), but I wasn't expecting anything but some results I could use on other locations.

Without diving into the details of each dig, what I found was:

  • Both coils have similar depth in my ground, which is also to say - neither coil is deeper than the other - at least in the targets I tested.  I found the audio feedback to be very similar on deep targets.  One specific target was a piece of smashed copper tubing that was 15" deep (I'm lucky this ground was conducive to digging), and gave me a similar faint-ish signal bouncing between 17 and 20 on both coils - (quarter for size reference):
  • 20210426_103221.thumb.jpg.0a3372ebb4fa0496bd9d66076103f050.jpg

 

  • I mentioned this in my earlier post - I am finding it more difficult to pinpoint the CT coil, as I don't think the hot spot is centered on the coil.. more testing needed.  But using the wiggle back method works, as long as there are no other targets under the coil (which is 3" wider than the ML obviously), especially on the deeper, more faint targets.  I have some initial ideas on how to approach pinpointing with the CT, having swept over the ML targets with it... but again, I need to do more testing to verify my thoughts.

 

  • ID's are somewhat equal on each coil with one exception noted - the CT coil seems to false on rusty iron more than the ML.  Again, this was one test run, however in my test method listed above, I found 4 additional targets with the CT following the same ML path... all were repeatable (one way... which is the fall back to keep from digging iron I understand) and ended up being bent nails when dug - and this was in F2=6... if I was running F2=0, this may have been a different story - more testing needed.  When I started with the CT on fresh targets, the ML didn't find any additional targets, and 3 of the CT targets ID'd as iron with the ML.  One wheat seemed to hit a little harder on the ML (9"), but I was going by memory, and the swing path was most likely slightly off... so difficult to tell.  Both coils gave me the "dig" tone and id.

 

  • It should not go without mentioning (again) the weight of the CT coil is noticeably heavier than the ML.  I will most likely feel the effects of that if I were to spend a long day detecting with the CT.  I am also interested to see what it feels like in the water - hopefully a trip to the beach soon to test it out.  

So, my first test I was able to target a range of coins and trash at depths between 4" and 9" (plus the one dig down to 15"), both coils accurately ID'd the non-ferrous targets (I recovered several clad coins and a host of copper pennies - including 4 wheats, no silver on this hunt, several ring pulls and square tabs, along with some aluminum trash and 3 or 4 .22 brass casings). 

Again, one hunt, one guy, non-scientific, my opinions.  For my own edification, I will want to continue testing at different locations before I determine if there are any advantages for one over the other.  As I led out with - there are most likely merits on both - just want to identify where each of them fit in my hunting. 

~Tim

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59 minutes ago, Tiftaaft said:

I spent a few hours yesterday with some Mano a Mano testing on the ML15 and the CT15.

Excellent writeup, Tim.  I like the disclaimer (which, IMO, applies to everyone who does detector and accessory comparisons of any kind.)

When you flagged targets with each coil before following up to see what the other coil showed, did you only flag targets which showed (exclusively) non-ferrous tones?  If so, did either coil find a non-ferrous target that the other 'thought' was clearly ferrous?

I was curious about how the extra weight of the Coiltek Nox 15 would feel.  Obviously the impact will vary from one detectorist to another, but sounds like you clearly noticed it.  FWIW, I took the ML 12"x15" out for a 3 hour hunt yesterday.  I haven't used that coil much and at least one time in the past I thought that the weight was oppressive, but yesterday (on flat ground with fairly uniform length grass -- especially important) it didn't really bother me.  When leaving I took it across a slope and then it was quite noticeable.  Obviously everyone has his/her discomfort threshold for coil and detector weight, and in my case it seems to vary with time, and not in just one direction.

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it's an excellent test of large coils ...... Tim..👍:wink:

Which explains a lot ... I think both coils are quite similar in detection .. according to me 15 "Coiltek can have an edge on many larger objects ... maybe in buckle size ...

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14 minutes ago, GB_Amateur said:

When you flagged targets with each coil before following up with to see what the other coil showed, did you only flag targets which showed (exclusively) non-ferrous tones?  If so, did either coil find a non-ferrous target that the other 'thought' was clearly ferrous?

Thanks GBA.  I only targeted non-ferrous on this test... but good comment, marking targets on the ferrous side of the scale is another telling test.  I think that would be a good test running F2=0 as well.  

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5 minutes ago, EL NINO77 said:

it's an excellent test of large coils ...... Tim..👍:wink:

Which explains a lot ... I think both coils are quite similar in detection .. according to me 15 "Coiltek can have an edge on many larger objects ... maybe in buckle size ...

Thanks El Nino!  For future tests and hunts I will try to get more adept at running my GoPro.  Interesting thought on larger items... I'll pay attention to that when I have them out again.  ~Tim.  

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1 minute ago, Tiftaaft said:

I only targeted non-ferrous on this test... but good comment testing on the ferrous side of the scale is another telling test.

I actually wasn't suggesting you dig purely ferrous sounding targets (but it's your time :biggrin:).  If I understood your post, three targets that the Coiltek 15" round indicated having non-ferrous possibilities but that the Eqx 12"x15" showed ferrous only tones all turned out to be ferrous.  If so, could that be either due to coil control or pinpointing accuracy (related properties)?  And did the extra weight of the Coiltek contribute to those (in a negative way)?  Three targets is a very small sample so I'm not suggesting we put much stock in these data.  More testing (and not just by you) will hopefully either clarify and possibly even refute.

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4 minutes ago, GB_Amateur said:

I actually wasn't suggesting you dig purely ferrous sounding targets (but it's your time :biggrin:).  If I understood your post, three targets that the Coiltek 15" round indicated having non-ferrous possibilities but that the Eqx 12"x15" showed ferrous only tones all turned out to be ferrous.  If so, could that be either due to coil control or pinpointing accuracy (related properties)?  And did the extra weight of the Coiltek contribute to those (in a negative way)?  Three targets is a very small sample so I'm not suggesting we put much stock in these data.  More testing (and not just by you) will hopefully either clarify and possibly even refute.

Hey, sometimes a day of digging iron is what the ground gives you! (I have the rusty horseshoe and railroad spike from last week to prove it) 😄  

I agree, the sample size is too small to use as empirical data.  I hope I am wrong (most likely I am) as falsing on iron probably was well vetted by the CT team.

I was thinking that throwing in a few deep iron signals on each "pass" could identify how each coil treats a deep non-ferrous item is a good suggestion you made, especially if one ID'd as ferrous and the other as non-ferrous or vice-versa.  Of course there are always the variables of approach angle, swing angle, swing speed, and other man-made (at least this man) inconsistencies from one path to the next.  I will say that I have spent a lot of time (probably at least half of my total swing time) with the ML15 on the 800 since purchasing it... I know that machine and coil as well as any I have.  The CT "feels" different... just trying to figure out how to use that to my advantage.  👍

 

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3 hours ago, Tiftaaft said:

I spent a few hours yesterday with some Mano a Mano testing on the ML15 and the CT15

Thanks a million for the excellent feedback Tim.. I really appreciate it.. As I said I've been hesitating on buying the CT but from what you and others are reporting I get the feeling that it could provide a depth advantage, especially on the beach.. This is ultimately what I'm after on a patch I've called the 'Silver Mine' where the ML is getting as deep as it can possibly go and there could be more silver coins lurking below.. Again, thank you for your help in making up my mind..   

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  • 2 years later...

Bumping up this thread per having acquired the Coiltek 15" for the Nox 800 today. (Cheers to a certain DP forum member!)

All I have to offer is the results of a wildly unscientific and unsexy 40 minute test at one of my kid's schoolyard. Based upon prior advice from this forum and other sources, I dialed the sensivity down on the Nox to 17-19 and recovery speed down to 3 and used Field 2. So, here we go re: first impressions:

1) This thing is A BEAST to swing. Even after shortening the shaft a couple inches, I'd've had to change swing arms if I went much longer.

2) Pinpointing is a challenge. Needs practice on my end, that's all I can say so far.

3) EMI was less of an issue than expected. I was within 100 ft of power lines and houses (w/all the attendant wifi and EMI producing equipment) at all times. Yeah, the Nox 800 w/this coil was behaving poorly at the higher sensitivity settings, but pulling it down to the 17-19 range made it run fairly quiet. 

4) Hits new targets in pounded ground. I've been over the same ~150x75 ft area multiple times w/the Nox and Legend stock coils...and I suspect the ground has been worked over by prior detectorists. I've pulled a buffalo and wheat previously, and 30+ memorials w/o much in-between on the coin spectrum. With this coil this time I dug 4 targets, and two were coins -- a '69 nickel and a 2019 shield penny. Weird thing is both were in the 6-8" depth range. The other two targets were AL trash reading in the 13-15 VDI range, which I thought could indicate a deep nickel target.

Takeaways: Need to spend more time w/this hog to figure out its strengths and weaknesses. I can definitely see its utility when one needs to cover a big area, cut through (or swing above) surface rubbish and still hit targets at depth. Also, I'd consider swinging this coil a mild version of strength training. 

That's my two (or six) cents, at least. Cheers!

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