Whites Spectra V3/V3i Coil Problems - Progress Reports And Experiences

[BHNugget]

I also sent my bad D2 in yesterday,the one I am hunting with had the null shift again.As it is, I cant get the detector to run with an RX over 4 without severe falsing.This is at sites where running an RX of 10 was no problem with a good D2.I know what a good D2 is capable of,trying to convince me that a coil is still good when it cant run at an RX above 4 isnt going to happen.Yes,the coils can still be hunted with but as far as coin type targets,you may as well forget about the 6+ depth range.

[xzlr8n]

No overload problems here, but I have recently experienced a lot of falsing with my D2. The D2 was eventually giving random signals every few of seconds, and I couldn't control the machine at all by rebalancing, lowering (increasing) rx gain, zeroing probe, ect... I switched to my 9.5 concentric and I was back in business.

[CyberSage]

***UPDATE***

July 12th, 2010

I came home today to find a large White Box on my doorstep. I eagerly picked up the box and low and behold it was from Whites Electronics! I ripped open the box to find a brand new D2 coil. I checked the serial number and it was for sure a new coil. I strapped it on the V3 and performed the (RX=15, TX Boost=ON) test, and it passed with flying colors. A quick test in the coin garden told me I was back in business. The coil seems thicker to me than the one I sent in. May be this is my imagination though. I have nothing to compare with. Total time from the day Whites received the defective coil to when the replacement arrived on my doorstep, 21 days. That's not to bad considering the work load Whites must be under at this time.

Thanks Whites!

So, it would seem that irregardless of the testing standards laid out By Carl at Whites, they are still replacing coils that do not pass the (RX=15, TX Boost=ON) test. If you are currently dealing with a bad coil, I encourage you to document it here on this thread and get it sent in to Whites. Keep us posted on your results.

Jack

[Schrecky]

Thanks for the update Jack, I'm still waiting for the two coils I sent in on 6/23 to come back, hopefully soon.

[rcasio44]

Jack,
No matter what they say on the other forum, the D2 is still my number 1 coil on my V. I need the depth. thumbsup01 Rob

[CyberSage]

I agree Rob. The D2 is coil is a very important to the overall performance of the V3. If you are using a Eclipse 6X10 on your V3, as your main coil, you are missing deep coins. Don't get me wrong, there is definitely a specialized use for the 6X10. It's a great coil, but it just can't get the job done in average conditions. I am very happy that's Whites is still taking such good care of their customers regarding this situation.

Jack

[tanacat]

So glad to hear this Jack, now you can get back in the swing of things rofl I know, bad joke, prob been said a thousand times on here...

[CyberSage]

Thanks Tana! lol

[CyberSage]

I spent a couple of hours in the park at the end of the day with the new D2 coil. Even though the coil I sent in would pass the test with TX Boost turned off, there is a world of difference in behavior and sensitivity with the new coil. There is no comparison in stability.

I will be changing the name of this thread in a few days. I would like it to become a place to document issues with null shifting in the V-Rated Coils, a place to share experiences in dealing with this ongoing issue. I think this could be beneficial for a lot of folks dealing with this problem right now. Please keeps us posted with your concerns and results. Thanks

Jack

[Phil]

Let me tell you of my experience with the D2 coil on my Spectra. Last fall I called White's and inquired about sending my D2 coil in because it falsed so badly anytime I even slightly bumped the left side of the coil. It falsed so much I took it off and was using the 6x10 off my MXT and it ran much better. I got sidetracked and never sent the coil in. This spring I hardly used the Spectra and instead was using my Minelabs. In June I called White's to see about the upgrade and asked them about sending in my D2 coil to be checked. I had the box out and even had a letter typed out explaining the problem with the coil. Decided to take the Spectra out one last time before I shipped it to Whites. To my surprise the D2 coil now performs great. The falsing is gone and I have been putting off sending my Spectra in because I've been using it a lot more. I'm pretty much using the same settings I used last year and hunting in the same places. I still want the coil checked but now I have to change the letter. rofl I can't explain what happened, all my equipment is kept in my detector room and it's never left in a hot car. If I take more than one detector along, I always park in a shaded area. I even cover my detectors and coils with beach towels while enroute so they don't get direct sun while in the car. If my coil healed itself do you think my Spectra might upgrade itself to a V3i?

[rcasio44]

Most probably when the epoxy finally cured the null was just right. You probably have a coil that will stay good for the rest of its life. Rob

[Lowjiber]

Phil...

I have a similar 10D2 coil. It will work just fine for a couple of hunts and then goes whacko!!! It won't even work on my MXT when it decides to head south.

I've actually put a slight twist on the coil and it will start working again...only for a short time.

I've been using my 6 x 10 (v-rated) because I can't depend on the 10D2.

Here's a picture of me------>

[pulltabsteve]

I feel your pain...Im also on my 3rd 10DD coil. Lucky for me, my dealer is only 10 miles away and he's the regional distributor for the NE so he changes it out on the spot.

[BHNugget]

I recieved my new D2 from Whites today.Didnt have a lot of time to use it,but made it out for a few minutes before dark.The first thing I noticed is that the coil only gave a recommended gain of 4 in the air (no I havent got the V3I upgrade yet).Every other new D2 Ive gotten from Whites has been spot on with a recommended gain of 15 in the air.Although the recommended gain was 4,I cranked it up to 10 with no excessive falsing and it seemed to run smooth,so I guess I'll see what happens after work one night this week.

[Schrecky]

Back on June 23 I posted on this thread that I was sending my D2 and Super 12 coils back to Whites for replacement. Both of them were generating a lot of false signals and noise when the coil is held in the air (or on the ground) and softly giggled. They were making noise when they touched anything and also at the end of a swing. In addition they both also overloaded with RX=15 and TX B=on.

With my 9.5 and 5.3 coils I was not experiencing either of these annoying on going problems. They do not make noise when giggled or overload with RX=15 and TX B=on.

Today I received both coils back from Whites, it took 28 days. There was a note on the invoice that said Replaced both coils under warranty. Both coils out of tune.

I took all four of my coils out to my coin garden where I have quarters in the ground at 7, 9 and 12.

Results using the Coin & Jewelry program with RX=8 and Disc=85.

Coil 7 9 12
5.3 solid no sig no sig
9 solid erratic no sig
10 solid solid no sig
12 solid solid no sig

Also, the only coil of the four that now overloads with RX=15 and TX boost on is the 12. If I turn the RX to 14 it no longer overloads.

NOTE: If I increase the RX and Disc settings I can get much more depth out of all four coils, the three larger ones picking up the 12 quarter.

I hope that this will be the end of my coil problems but this is my 3rd 10 so time will tell.

[Lowjiber]

Let me tell you of my experience with the D2 coil on my Spectra. Last fall I called White's and inquired about sending my D2 coil in because it falsed so badly anytime I even slightly bumped the left side of the coil. It falsed so much I took it off and was using the 6x10 off my MXT and it ran much better. I got sidetracked and never sent the coil in. This spring I hardly used the Spectra and instead was using my Minelabs. In June I called White's to see about the upgrade and asked them about sending in my D2 coil to be checked. I had the box out and even had a letter typed out explaining the problem with the coil. Decided to take the Spectra out one last time before I shipped it to Whites. To my surprise the D2 coil now performs great. The falsing is gone and I have been putting off sending my Spectra in because I've been using it a lot more. I'm pretty much using the same settings I used last year and hunting in the same places. I still want the coil checked but now I have to change the letter. rofl I can't explain what happened, all my equipment is kept in my detector room and it's never left in a hot car. If I take more than one detector along, I always park in a shaded area. I even cover my detectors and coils with beach towels while enroute so they don't get direct sun while in the car. If my coil healed itself do you think my Spectra might upgrade itself to a V3i?

Phil...Like yours, my 10D2 (my second one) has been sailing off into La La Land about every other hunt. When it loses its mind, it won't even work on my MXT. However, when sanity returns to the critter it works like a new one (for a while).

I just sent my Vision (serial #16) back to Sweet Home this morning for the V3i modifications and put the coil in the box with a letter similar to the one you originally wrote. I described the intermittent nature of the beast and told them to simply throw it in the trash if they decided that it was okay because it is of no value at all to me as it is.

I'll report back what they say. I use my Vision about 80% of the time and it works great with several coils (6x10 DD, 6 Shooter, 12x15 SEF, non-V rated 300, etc). The 10D2 is the only coil that can't seem to make the grade. 8/

[BHNugget]

It'll be another 2-3 weeks for me.The new D2 I just recieved falses and overloads at an RX of 15 without even turning TX on. :bangahead01:

[CyberSage]

I have renamed this thread and made it a Sticky. We can use this area to document coil issues and experiences and share feedback from Whites. We would certainly welcome information directly from Whites employees as well.

Jack

[toehead]

So am I interpreting this correctly? If you used the 10 dd coil on a MXT or DFX would you still have the same problems with the coil as they don't operate at the same freq.as the V3? How would a user of this coil on say a DFX test it? PAG only goes to 4? Or do I just have this wrong?
Not planning on buying the 10dd for at least a few months, would hope this would be figured out by then.
Thanks for any input.

[BHNugget]

toehead, not sure on the other detectors.I think its the V3s 22.5 freq that gets really screwed up when the D2 is out of null.Most places I hunt Im using 3 freq best data.Usually with the lowest filter (5 band),a long RD and swinging very slow looking for deep targets.With the V, theres no mistaking the D2 going whacko.At sites Ive previously hunted with an RX of 10 or 12,running an out of null D2 there will result in extreme falsing with the RX set as low as 5.The DFX or MXT might not have these problems as they run a lower frequency,but I wouldnt promise that.Tommorrow, the D2 they just sent me and another I bought when my original went out of null are going back to Sweet Home.I just hope they get them back quicker than this last round.Right now Im reduced to the 6x10 and 4x6 coils I have,neither of which have the potential of a good D2 for deeper targets.At least not in the ground in this area.I used to run an MXT four or five years ago and would love to see how the D2 would perform on that detector.