Jim in Idaho

That's correct. Another part of this story is that your battery pack will last longer (more charge/discharge cycles) if you don't charge to the max voltage. I use a buck converter to charge my packs. That converter allows me to set the max voltage I charge to. That adjustability also allows me to use the charger to charge both 3-cell and 4-cell packs. In the case of my TDI SL, I like to limit the charge to 16.0 volts. That both protects the detector, and increases the pack life. I get about 4 hours of use, but with both packs I'm good for an entire day.

Jim

It depends on the number of cells. 14.4 volts is the nominal voltage for a 4-cell pack. max voltage for that pack is 16.8. The nominal voltage for a 3-cell pack is 11.1. Max voltage for that pack is 12.6. Using a charger for a 4-cell pack to charge a 3-cell pack is NOT a good idea.

Jim

Really Nice! Welcome to the forum. They're much nicer than anything I've found.

Jim

For the most part, you can only discriminate ferrous from non-ferrous. You'll have to dig all the shell casings, and birdshot, and pulltabs if you want to find the nuggets. I usually dig everything when nugget hunting, as using discrimination will cost you some sensitivity. Each person has their own view on discrimination, however. Sometimes the site your detecting has so much iron junk, you simply have to use it.

Jim

Yup....I was a member on the Whites forum. Welcome!

Jim

There are few aftermarket coils made for gold detectors. Notice there are none for the GB2, GM24K, Equinox, or the older Whites Goldmaster series, though there were a very few for the GM's back in the day. These are all VLF's. The Pi's are a whole 'nuther story.

Jim

The problem with both Ni-cad, and NiMH batteries is that the nominal voltage is 1.2, not 1.5 like carbon and alkaline batteries. So, if you use them, and can only get 8 batteries in the pack, the nominal voltage of the pack is less than 12v. That definitely robs you of depth in the TDI's. You can charge the Ni-cads and NiMH's to a slightly higher voltage (1.37v),  but they drop to the 1.2v pretty quickly.

Jim

I had the same issue with my 6 x 10. Put up with it for more than a year. Whites ended up replacing it with a new coil. The problem was at the top right on the coil. Any pressure exerted there caused falsing. So, when swinging to the right, any contact with anything caused the junction of the rod.coil to put downward pressure at that spot, and I got a false signal. Same thing happened with anything bumping the bottom of the coil, especially on the right bottom. Whites let me keep the bad coil. Eventually I'll get around to making a "bridge" to span the bad spot, with new mounting ears, and can use the coil as a backup, assuming they won't be available anymore.

Jim

Guys, my Wirehaired Pointing Griffon (R.I.P.), Max, got lame while hunting chukars. I left him in the camper, and took my shorthair, Annie, out to hunt. I didn't realize Max could see us out the little window above the bed. When we got back, and I was about 50 yards away, I noticed the view in that little window was simply all yellow. When I opened the camper door I realized Max, in his frustration and jealousy, had completely shredded every cushion in the camper. The yellow I saw was all the foam rubber that had been covered with the upholstery. After that I never refused to take Max again...sore feet or not...LOL

Four 18650's and one 1.5v AA will add up to a max voltage, at full charge, of 18.3, and will stand a good chance of blowing the 16volt caps in the power supply. I strongly advise you not do that.

Jim

Good job, Karelian! Kinda wish I could find a cheap original version and do the same.

jim

I have used a Viet Nam era Alice pack for decades. I started with a Jansport frame, but it had a mishap (don't ask), and I recently changed to a Molle frame. That Molle is the best setup I've ever used. Totally adjustable, and fits like a second skin....just awesome.

Jim

9 hours ago, tboykin said:

That sounds perfect. We will check out towns before moving. I had enough of the big city life in LA and prefer tiny towns. I have good memories of growing up in small towns and wish the same for my kids.

I liked Hawthorne, Tom. Lots of great desert/mountain country, and Walker Lake right there. (the "sink" for the Walker River). Reasonable occasional driving distance to Reno, and even shorter to Minden/Gardnerville. One of my younger brothers lived most of his adult life at Smith Valley, which isn't far.

Jim

By the way....Chris and I spent a night in Hawthorne...must have been 10 years ago. They had closed the Army base, and that place was like a ghost town. I mean NOTHING was going on. We were the only customers in the restaurant, and the only people at the motel. It was eerie. I could probably have bought a house really cheap. I haven't been through there since, and have no idea what it's like now.

Jim

Bets of luck, Tom! My wife doesn't like detecting either, though she enjoys rock hounding.

Jim

Whites was a privately held company. The owner is old. The next generation either was incapable, or unwilling, to take over the company. So, when things got tight, the owner bailed out. I don't see a thing wrong with that, from my perspective. I did the same with my business about 25 years ago, though I did start another.

Jim

I'm going to miss him. He seemed a genuinely decent guy, and made some really good contributions to the forum.

Jim

Yeah...me too. He ran a good site. Hope he fully recovers.

Jim

Seems to me, as I recall, this happened once before with them. Maybe late paying their bill?

Jim

I can't take credit for that, Steve. Somebody on another forum sent it to me when I posed the same question. Wish I could give him credit.

Jim

Here's a diagram

Flak, it was over 99 here today.....that's almost unheardof. Combine that with the 4500' elevation, and I can't stand to even be outside. Can't imagine what it's like for you guys down south.

Jim

Seeing that video of Whites really brings home what a tiny company they actually were. Makes their accomplishments even more impressive, too.

Jim

That's a pretty interesting detector. if I didn't already have a TM808 with Cave Mode I'd probably buy one. Both operate at around 7khz. Whites at 6.59, and Garrett at 7.62. No display with the Whites, but a much cheaper price. Whites website says they're now out of stock on the TM808.

Jim

No wonder i couldn't find it. I didn't realize it was an accessory for the GTI2500. Would have been nice to know that. I'm curious about the frequency the 2500 operates at. Couldn't find that spec in the catalog listing.

Jim