Equinox 800 - Please Help Sensor Going Crazy!

[Jim34]

First, thanks for all the valuable knowledge, tips, tricks, and recommendations in the forum. Longtime lurker, first time poster.

I bought an Equinox 800 (brand new) in March. Worked great the first few times out. Have not had it on in about 3 weeks, turned it on and it will not stop beeping and cycling through every number sensitivity (hopefully the attached works, no sound obviously but just imagine the nonstop beeping with it). Yes it's on the ground now but no matter where it's aimed this continues to happen.

Things I've tried:

-ensure all connections are tight

-full charge

-remove cell phone from pocket and move it far away

-factory settings reset

-after last use it was turned off and stored indoors and has never been in water/dropped/etc.

Please help!

 

I did search the forums but wasn't able to find a similar issue other than one resolved with removing phone from pocket so if I missed something I apologize.

[Tom Slick]

EMI - Did you try turning the Sensitivity down? Next step, return it to the Minelab service center. 

[TedinVT]

Have you tried moving to different locations to eliminate interference sources such as buried dog fences, electric fences, underground power lines, overhead power lines, cell towers, wifi signals, etc.?  Find some “quiet”, isolated place and give that a try.  If that fails, do as Tom Slick says in the previous response, call Minelab Customer Service and send it in.  Their Customer Service is great.

[Steve Herschbach]

 

[Jim34]

2 hours ago, TedinVT said:

Have you tried moving to different locations to eliminate interference sources such as buried dog fences, electric fences, underground power lines, overhead power lines, cell towers, wifi signals, etc.?  Find some “quiet”, isolated place and give that a try.  If that fails, do as Tom Slick says in the previous response, call Minelab Customer Service and send it in.  Their Customer Service is great.

Thanks for the note. Yes, we started in the same location we ended in last time - very quiet and no EMI. Going to try a few other things and maybe go the customer service route if not working by Monday.

[Jim34]

1 hour ago, Steve Herschbach said:

 

Thank you Steve. Relevant thread but I don't think it's EMI. Quiet location that we've previous searched with no issues. But some good tips there nevertheless. Thanks!

[Steve Herschbach]

If it’s not EMI and you have done a full reset, the odds are very high you have a defective detector or coil.

[Chase Goldman]

37 minutes ago, Jim34 said:

Thank you Steve. Relevant thread but I don't think it's EMI. Quiet location that we've previous searched with no issues. But some good tips there nevertheless. Thanks!

 

Well, that is not necessarily a good assumption.  EMI can come and go depending on time of day, the weather conditions (can make power lines start sparking for example), and from sources that are not readily apparent such as nearby invisible dog fences, underground cables and pipelines, radio transmitters, wifi hot spots, cell towers, cell phones (you covered this one), and nearby detectors.  Some of these sources are busy during the week and quiet during the weekend.  Or they could be busy during the day and quiet at the end of the workday or vice versa.  Atmospheric effects can change propagation paths such that EMI sourced several miles away and not bothering you one day can be load and clear the next.  Also, you didn't mention whether you actually performed a noise cancel - presumed you had but no mention of it in your list of troubleshooting actions.

Nevertheless, if it is doing it everywhere you go, then yeah, it's time to call Minelab.

[kac]

Looks like a stuck button or short in the button. Try clicking it a few times and see if it fixes it.

[Againstmywill]

You aren't by chance trying to metal detect and dig a hole on Skinwalker Ranch?

 https://www.history.com/shows/the-secret-of-skinwalker-ranch/season-1/episode-1

 😱😉