Reasons To Hold Onto Equinox 800 In Light Of Deus 2

[midalake]

 

It's fun to speculate about all the potential of the new machines coming out and I hope they all live up to the hype.

Lots of people putting lipstick on something that is not in use yet. 

Will be interesting, indeed! 

[strick]

 

Lots of people putting lipstick on something that is not in use yet. 

Will be interesting, indeed! 

Yea nothing like a new high end multi purpose detector to get the dopamine flowing lol

strick

[☠ Cipher]

I do wonder how many equinox breaches were due to users exceeding the limits of protection offered by Equinox. When I see IP68 rating to 10 feet I think nothing more than, “ok, it’s an all terrain machine.” It’s ok to submerge or dunk it for a bit, but not indefinitely. It’s not a diving rig. I think where Minelab goes wrong is by not stressing the time limit involved on submersion, which if I remember is around 30 minutes, and that what they’ve offered is not for diving for indefinite periods. But there are also users who know full well they are exceeding the limits, but continue to do it over and over rather than buying a true diving machine. There are users who do this in plain view on YouTube and then talk about how it’s their 3rd unit. I have one of the earliest Equinoxes and I dunk it every summer. Some of what I do with it could even be considered short diving. But I’ve never exceeded the depth or time limits suggested and never had a single problem. 
 

On the Tarsacci, I don’t think Deus will cut into what it does best. When the technology behind Tarsacci is described it sounds exactly like what it most likely is, Truncated Half-Sine. It’s a different animal than single frequency, multifrequency, or even pulse. My understanding of it is that there is something inherent in the way Half-Sine handles bad ground that couldn’t be replicated through traditional VLF or multifrequency. The nearest comparison would be Pulse, but then you trade off discrimination.

[GB_Amateur]

 

I think where Minelab goes wrong is by not stressing the time limit involved on submersion, which if I remember is around 30 minutes,...

I just looked through the latest manual I have downloaded (version 7, specifed as 4901-0249-01 EN on its last page -- might not be the latest manual...) but couldn't find any time limit for control pod submersion.  Did I miss it?  If not there, where did you get this information?

[phrunt]

I'm guessing by the standard the Equinox qualifies for more so than Minelab specifications, Devices backed by an international standard rating of IP68 are deemed fit enough to withstand dust, dirt and sand, and are resistant to submersion up to a maximum depth of 1.5m underwater for up to thirty minutes and 1 meter for up to an hour.  *Based on test conditions for submersion in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes.

You would hope Minelab's design exceeded IP68 even if that's the standard they had it tested to, I guess on some detectors it has, others it hasn't 🙂

I believe it has IP68 connectors on it.

[mh9162013]

 

I just looked through the latest manual I have downloaded (version 7, specifed as 4901-0249-01 EN on its last page -- might not be the latest manual...) but couldn't find any time limit for control pod submersion.  Did I miss it?  If not there, where did you get this information?

I don't see it in the manual either. The only mention of the overall waterproofness says nothing about duration underwater.

[mh9162013]

 

But there are also users who know full well they are exceeding the limits, but continue to do it over and over rather than buying a true diving machine.

I agree that this probably happens. But from the stories I've read, people are getting water intrusion after a light dunking or brief water incursion of only a few feet. 

I just watched a Youtube video from Gigmaster and he took some close up pics showing cracks in his control pod. I dont' recall how old his machine was, and I think he said the cracks were around the charging socket. He said he wondered if he was getting leaks through these cracks.

[Jeff McClendon]

 

I just looked through the latest manual I have downloaded (version 7, specifed as 4901-0249-01 EN on its last page -- might not be the latest manual...) but couldn't find any time limit for control pod submersion.  Did I miss it?  If not there, where did you get this information?

I have looked for the Equinox IP rating for months…….never found one on the box, in the manual or in any Minelab publication on the Equinox. 

So the acceptable saltwater uses of the Equinox from this excerpt from the manual seem to be questionable:

page 25

Beach 2 — Underwater/Surf

Beach 2 gives the best results when either wading or shallow diving, with the coil and/or detector fully submerged.

Freshwater detecting is only mentioned briefly under Park mode on page 23:

Park Mode is a good starting point for other general uses, such as freshwater detecting, or use for artifact hunting by accepting all ferrous Target IDs.

Otherwise, we have to take Minelab’s word for it (or not) when their published specifications say:  Waterproof to 3m/10-feet.

3m/10-feet is the only “limit” that Minelab has specified.

Deus ll IP 68 rating is the maximum international standard rating as explained by Phrunt. So, the Deus ll exceeds IP68. Interesting that the Deus ll brochures state: 

IP68: Certified for submersion up to 20M, waterproofing and pressure resistance guaranteed.

I am keeping my Equinox 800s. However, I am also interested in an SMF that can handle high iron mineralization that actually is waterproof and pressure proof certified and guaranteed to at least IP68.

[phrunt]

This is an interesting thread on it, https://www.prospectingaustralia.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?id=33659&p=1

If diving is your thing perhaps the Equinox isn't ideal although with 3 years warranty there is very little risk, let it flood and get them to replace it if it ever leaks.  After 3 years especially if it's an Equinox 600 and leaks, you've got your value out of it anyway when you compare it to the price of the Deus 2 or you could just sell it and buy a new one to renew your warranty.

[mh9162013]

 

This is an interesting thread on it, https://www.prospectingaustralia.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?id=33659&p=1

If diving is your thing perhaps the Equinox isn't ideal although with 3 years warranty there is very little risk, let it flood and get them to replace it if it ever leaks.  After 3 years especially if it's an Equinox 600 and leaks, you've got your value out of it anyway when you compare it to the price of the Deus 2 or you could just sell it and buy a new one to renew your warranty.

If I keep my Equinox 600, when its warranty is done, I have thought about the idea of sending it off to Eastern Europe, Russia or wherever and converting it into the SeaGhost or w/e it's called.