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Coil Support Device


Al F

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I’m looking for an after market COIL SUPPORT for a COILTEK 10X5 EQUINOX coil…. I just finally bit the bullet and found one…. I’d like to put a coil support on this coil to hopefully not break the tabs too soon on it…. Does anyone know where a coil support for this coil can be obtained ? ? ?………thanks …..Al

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1 hour ago, Al F said:

I’m looking for an after market COIL SUPPORT for a COILTEK 10X5 EQUINOX coil…. I just finally bit the bullet and found one…. I’d like to put a coil support on this coil to hopefully not break the tabs too soon on it…. Does anyone know where a coil support for this coil can be obtained ? ? ?………thanks …..Al

Yes, you can get one on eBay, but they currently are only sold from the UK and now Italy. Something that printed here would cost maybe $15, which I still think exorbitant will cost you nearly $40 or more. Believe me I've been looking.

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I've used several designs for the Equinox and still experienced broken coil ears.  However, I found a design I like much better and so far, it has worked fine.  It is thicker, stronger and has a side plate that relieves the pressure on the ears through lateral movement.  I also zip tie the coil stiffener to the coil so it is essentially a solid unit.  That way, even if the ears broke, I'd still be in business.

The stiffeners are made by Jim Struglia.  His contact info:  jstrugli@yahoo.com

These stiffeners are not for the Coiltek coils.

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, ColonelDan said:

I've used several designs and still experienced broken coil ears.  However, I found a design I like much better and so far, it has worked fine.  It is thicker, stronger and has a side plate that relieves the pressure on the ears through lateral movement.  I also zip tie the coil stiffener to the coil so it is essentially a solid unit.  That way, even if the ears broke, I'd still be in business.

The stiffeners are made by Jim Struglia.  His contact info:  jstrugli@yahoo.com

 

 

 

Jim1.jpg

Jim2.jpg

Jim3.jpg

That IS a nice one, but it is not for the Coiltek 10x5. 🤔

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    I haven't heard of any of the Nox Coilteks breaking yet! Nor have I seen any tab supports made for them!

   A coil support is a different device to keep the coil in a more fixed position(s)!👍👍

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1 hour ago, rvpopeye said:

Is this just for peace of mind insurance or have some of the Coilteks been breaking too ?🤞 

Pretty sure peace of mind, the 10x5 is a tough lil bugger. Better safe than sorry.

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Coil ear breakage usually comes from overtightning the coil bolt causing them to bend creating a stress point concentrator that is worsened by addition dynamic loads related to the mass of the coil during swing motion and hydrodynamic stress caused by coil profile swing resistance in water (and occasionally by people using their detector like a crutch, hiking stave  or to assist in standing up.  Rarely do these forces combine to break ears that are not under stress to begin with.

If you are using proper, unworn grommet spacers, there should be no reason to tighten to the point the ears bend. 

But frankly, unless you are water hunting, the 10x5 has such small mass, it puts very little stress on the ears vs. the stock or other larger coils even if you do overdo it. 

If you do still feel the need to use supports, especially 3D printed ones, make sure they are solid blocks and not just honeycomb infill otherwise they will just break along with your ears because they are providing minimal bending support. 

Also, unless you are epoxying the supports to the coil form itself, they are not really doing anything to transfer the load away from the ear.  In other words, to have a proper coil ear support, you have to physically modify your coil by adding a permanent adhesive which the manufacturer can claim is a non-approved coil modification, voiding your warranty. 

Since I am not an avid water hunter repeatedly putting extra hydrodynamic stress on the coil and its supports, not a big fan of these things, personally.  If you somehow can't refrain from overtightening the bolts and have to rely on these things, you either don't make them permanent which basically negates their usefulness or you potentially void your coil warranty.  Ugh. (Unless you can come up with a zip tie configuration like Col Dan's, I suppose)

With ML and Coiltek seemingly willing to replace coils under warranty for premature coil ear breakage regardless, hardly seems worth the trip unless you are exclusively water hunting and need to protect from the extra stress of swinging through the water (then again, the 10x5 presents a pretty low water drag profile as well).  That's my take anyway.

I'm all for insurance and peace of mind, but I am not for placebos that just put money in someone's pocket while giving a false sense of security, so do your own research and make sure whatever you end up doing is truly a mechanically sound solution. 

My comments are generalized in nature.  Since I don't use them, I have not done any research that qualifies me to say anything specifically pro or con about any of the ear stiffners recommended above.

Good luck and HH.

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