My Personal Method Of Ferrite Balancing

[Jonathan Porter]

Quick-Trak equals Forced Fast GB on both Ferrite/X Balance and G balance simultaneously, so it is not advised to use Quick-Trak unless the Ferrite is present. In Semi Auto Mode Ferrite/X balance equals Locked Ferrite/X balance but slow tracking G balance, hence why I slowly pump the coil after releasing Quick-Trak and why I continue to pump the coils occasionally during detecting sessions because it is slowly tracking the G balance. In SEMI-AUTO MODE Ferrite/X balance is LOCKED!!!

G balance changes often, Ferrite/X balance only changes if any of the following happen, Big temperature change of the electronics when in any mode (Auto, Semi-Auto or Manual), Saturation signal when in Auto Mode, Salt signal when in Auto Mode. When in Semi-Auto Mode Saturation and Salt cannot effect the Ferrite/X balance only the G. When in Manual Mode everything is locked unless Quick-Trak is triggered, however it is strongly advised the Ferrite be present when doing so.

I can’t be any clearer on this subject now, hope this makes sense. Remember in SEMI-AUTO MODE the FERRITE balance is LOCKED and can only change if the temperature of the electronics moves or changes a lot. Usually this happens mostly in winter between first start up and about an hour later as the electronics go from dead cold to operating temperature. In SEMI-AUTO MODE ground cannot effect the Ferrite/X balance only the regular G balance.

JP

 

[Rob Allison]

Hey Guys,

   Jasong - Yes, I was in the same area, but not the exact location.  In Semi-Auto the unit seems to run smoother from what  I noticed vs. Auto mode.  I used to always run Auto, but found at times it got noisy even after a ground balance with  the Ferrite. 

JP - No question you are an expert on all this, but I can tell you, it' down right confusing.  You wouldn't believe how many emails I have gotten from this thread, asking me if I really understood all this X-balance, G-balance, temperature change, using the Ferrite or NOT, what mode to be in, and should you use the Ferrrite.  Most of all the customer have stated, "it don't show any of this in the instructional manual?"

I must tell you, the customers that were on fence about buying a GPZ 7000 just jumped back.  Reading this for a new customer, or someone thinking about purchasing is way too confusing.  

I'm real surprised Minelab hasn't clarified any of this.  If it wasn't for you, most of us wouldn't have a clue about all this technical stuff.  

[jasong]

1 hour ago, Jonathan Porter said:

G balance changes often, Ferrite/X balance only changes if any of the following happen, Big temperature change of the electronics when in any mode (Auto, Semi-Auto or Manual), Saturation signal when in Auto Mode, Salt signal when in Auto Mode.

I've seen you say this often. If this is true, how is salt affecting the ferrite balance? Salt is not a ferrite. Salt is a conductor, like gold. So, will gold and other conductors affect the X balance too if salt does?

Also, what I can't wrap my head around is this:

1.) Ferrite is X.

2.) X is in our soils, thus ferrite is also in our soils.

3.) Semi auto tracks to the yellow ferrite presumably because that component isn't in our soils, and we now keep X constant to the ferrite and not our local changing soils.

4.) X continues to change in our soils but our X value in our detector stays steady. IE: not tracking the ferrite in the ground anymore

So, how is that not causing noise as the soil's X component changes yet our detector is staying tracked to the ferrite?

Why not just keep the detector always configured to the ferrite by adding some kind of offset into the firmware if it needs the ferrite data and not our local X soil data?

[Andyy]

And …. Saturation only affects X balance, not ground balance. 

And …. Semi Auto locks the X balance when you release the button (I proved this well in my testing) but allows the ground balance to track slowly. 

As an added note, my 14" coil was smoother in Semi Auto, than when I used to always have it set to Auto.  As JP has mentioned in the past, if you don't want to use the Ferrite, then he suggests Auto, but if you use the ferrite, we should lock it in with SemiAuto.

we will figure this out, yet...

As I questioned on a different link, what exactly saturation is …. still has me confused. 

[flakmagnet]

I can't pretend to understand x-ground signals and temperature changes and such, but I can conclusively say from direct experience that Semi-Auto is the way to go in the places where I detect. The change after the update was subtly profound. Recently I have changed the User button to be able to switch to Manual when messing with a target signal. Sometimes I use it and sometimes, when the signal is apparent, I don't.

But...

I love this discussion.

[MSC]

Thanks JP, I continue to learn, very much appreciated.

[Northeast]

11 hours ago, Rob Allison said:

I must tell you, the customers that were on fence about buying a GPZ 7000 just jumped back.  Reading this for a new customer, or someone thinking about purchasing is way too confusing. 

Howdy Rob.  A message for your 'on the fence' customers from a previous 7000 owner, only semi-experienced detectorist, very minimally experienced prospector and a person with zero affiliation with anyone person or company.  

1) the GPZ 7000 is a very easy detector to set-up and use and is also a very powerful detector.   I was a complete novice when I bought mine and found gold with it quickly.  If you allow it to be, it is very straight forward. 

2) all of this can be as simple or as complex as the end user wishes to make it.  Some people want to know the how, why, when and where of how something works - that's the complex bit . If you just want to know how to work the 7000 then that's easy. 

3) Turn it on.

 - noise cancel.

 - balance with ferrite and Quick Trak in semi auto.

 - release Quick Track and pump ground balance just off to the side. 

 - check ferrite again.  If still making noise over ferrite, balance with ferrite and Quick Trak in semi auto again.  Repeat the above steps until quiete over ferrite and ground.    

 - start detecting.  

 - check over the ferrite sporadically through the day or if the detector seems 'out of tune'.  

4) With minimal practice this sequence will flow easy. 

5) The Ground Mode to choose and the Gold Mode to choose are explained very well in the manual.

6) The default settings are a great place to start and when you get some hours on the machine start to test and play - especially with un-dug targets. 

7) The GPZ 7000 is heavy and expensive but also awesome.  Comes down to an individual's needs and abilities.

8) The GPZ 7000 won't find gold that isn't there.  The best detector in the world doesn't replace research and time on the ground.   

9) JP - I've tried to summarise your balancing process in point 3.  If it is out of kilter please copy and paste it and fix it up  ?

10) If I had the money to buy one and the time to use it I would have a 7000 again in a heart beat.  So if you have the time, the money, the location and the physical ability - get off the fence  ?

 

[flakmagnet]

I agree Northeast. The 7000 is complex in it's make-up but surprisingly simple to use. I was laughing the other day with an acquaintance who was saying that you could screw up almost every setting and find gold with it. Don't be intimidated by the highly technical talk; for the end user there are a few simple steps and if you go over gold you will find it. Obviously you need correct technique - and, yes, a lot depends on that - but it can be learned.

I am sure there are others that post here who will agree with Northeast as well.

[Jonathan Porter]

5 hours ago, Northeast said:

Howdy Rob.  A message for your 'on the fence' customers from a previous 7000 owner, only semi-experienced detectorist, very minimally experienced prospector and a person with zero affiliation with anyone person or company.  

1) the GPZ 7000 is a very easy detector to set-up and use and is also a very powerful detector.   I was a complete novice when I bought mine and found gold with it quickly.  If you allow it to be, it is very straight forward. 

2) all of this can be as simple or as complex as the end user wishes to make it.  Some people want to know the how, why, when and where of how something works - that's the complex bit . If you just want to know how to work the 7000 then that's easy. 

3) Turn it on.

 - noise cancel.

 - balance with ferrite and Quick Trak in semi auto.

 - release Quick Track and pump ground balance just off to the side. 

 - check ferrite again.  If still making noise over ferrite, balance with ferrite and Quick Trak in semi auto again.  Repeat the above steps until quiete over ferrite and ground.    

 - start detecting.  

 - check over the ferrite sporadically through the day or if the detector seems 'out of tune'.  

4) With minimal practice this sequence will flow easy. 

5) The Ground Mode to choose and the Gold Mode to choose are explained very well in the manual.

6) The default settings are a great place to start and when you get some hours on the machine start to test and play - especially with un-dug targets. 

7) The GPZ 7000 is heavy and expensive but also awesome.  Comes down to an individual's needs and abilities.

8) The GPZ 7000 won't find gold that isn't there.  The best detector in the world doesn't replace research and time on the ground.   

9) JP - I've tried to summarise your balancing process in point 3.  If it is out of kilter please copy and paste it and fix it up  ?

10) If I had the money to buy one and the time to use it I would have a 7000 again in a heart beat.  So if you have the time, the money, the location and the physical ability - get off the fence  ?

 

Thankyou Northeast, what Ive been saying can seem confusing because I am being asked VERY detailed questions and then trying to give VERY detailed replies. Like I said previously it should take 20 seconds from the machine switching on till your moving off to find your fortune.

In our shop we call it the E F G approach, alphabetical so it is easy to remember the order.

• E for EMI
• F for Ferrite Balance
• G for Ground Balance

Hope this helps

JP