Minelab Sovereign EMI

[Arthur-Canada]

I have a first generation Sovereign that I really would like to use at a site I frequent, but it is almost impossible. I even got a new after-market NEL 6"x9" but still the same. Any idea how to eliminate this problem?

[Joe Beechnut OBN]

Maybe pull the board and see if it is shielded? And check to make sure the shield ground connection has not come loose. Been A while since I've worked on one but seems it was shielded similar to the Fisher CZ20.

[Arthur-Canada]

1 hour ago, Joe Beechnut OBN said:

Maybe pull the board and see if it is shielded? And check to make sure the shield ground connection has not come loose. Been A while since I've worked on one but seems it was shielded similar to the Fisher CZ20.

What do you think the shielding looks like?

[blackflag]

Maybe try lowering your sensitivity or click into auto if you haven’t already tried. Maybe David Keith will chime in, who owns Dixie Detector and is a Sovereign expert. The original Sovereign is a great unit. Good luck.

[Joe Beechnut OBN]

Here is a couple shots of the cz20, I remember the Black Sovereign as being more designed for the job, a silver foil looking shielding that was a three sided piece covering the top and sides?    See if I have pictures, CZ20s below.. only a top piece

No Luck on the XS2 shielding pictures, I do remember shielding was a foil type, thick and was designed to protect the board. Three sided ......So you would know it if you pulled the XS2 a part for it covers the board. I'll keep looking around and if I see I will post.

 

[Joe Beechnut OBN]

Couple shots of my mod-ed sovereign, I gave it away a few years ago to a distant friend. It would match the depth of any machines today .. out of the water. In the water it would go crazy if I tried running the afterburner, which added about 2/3 inches on a dime in the dry/wet sand. Found a few gold using it, only problem was once you set it and put it in the back pack it was a pain to reset.

 

[Joe Beechnut OBN]

Shielding on a GT Sovereign, Black, looks like it folds over the top of the board, you can see the paper clip used. Only worked on a few sovereigns so my memory of them is short. This one I mod-ed the audio if I remember correct to a set of my (Skullie) head phones, and did the pin point mod on it also. I no longer do modifications, with shipping, cost for parts then tax time, to much of a headache. 

 

[Arthur-Canada]

Thank you everyone for all your help.

Last night I took the circuit board out of the unit. I carefully insulated all the components and bottom of the board from shorting out. Then I wrapped it with higher gauge aluminum foil like the type used to make a turkey tray...actually what I used. I grounded it all well and put it back together. Turns on and works as it should.

Now I have to test it out at the location I get all the EMI. Sorry, I forgot to take pictures of how I did it.

[Arthur-Canada]

Guess what?...just tried it at the same problem site and still hear the EMI. Albeit it may be a bit less than it use to be (not sure because could not put in a hunt with it today), but pretty disappointing to say the least!!

Anyone see any holes in my game? Can it be coming from anything else...like the after market 180 meter that is plugged into the box and that the coil plugs to, or the coil wire?