Charging problem...

[samuraitrev]

I've been looking forward to metal detecting all week so I got out today on a newish permission in a farmer's field. I was near (what I think) an old well. There's a pile of rocks and you can hear the rain water dripping down below the rocks. Very excited! So I'm all kitted out and I switch on my XP Deus. The control box fires up. Head phones all good but the control box flashes no coil, no coil, no coil...

I charged it for about 5 hours last night but out in the field that little light on the coil wasn't even flashing (as it does once per second normaly). Now several thoughts came to mind
Did I switch on the charger?
Definitely as I remember switching it off
Maybe it's a one off?
No this is the second time it's happened

I tell you what though. I will never leave the house again without turning on my control box to check the coil is fully charged. It will take 2 1/2 hours to charge now so it will be dark by the time it's charged and I can't get out tomorrow then it's back to work.

absolutely gutted

The moral of this tale is: Always check your battery levels before leaving home folks.

:edit: I have no idea why it didn't charge properly....

[mrix]

Hello there, yes checking everything is charged and working before you set off is the way to go
I took a trip to the beach myself yesterday and went through the same process of charging and checking myself.

Did you check the control contacts were seated correctly and not bent on the connection clip while charging ?
What size coil are you using ?
Have you recently updated the software ?

While at the beach yesterday I switched the Deus on and it showed no coil I then realised I had changed the coil from the large to the small since my last trip so just had to pair it in settings, Have you done similar with your situation ?

Just a few idea`s
Cheers
mrix

[samuraitrev]

Contacts were good. Although the coil still had a green light on it (even though it had been charging all that time)
11" coil
It all arrived with 3.2 software
I've only got that one coil. So I haven't switched it with any others.
I will charge it again and see what happens. I will post on here. Thanks for the ideas mrix.

[mrix]

The reason I asked about coil size and software update was that there was an issue with the new 11"" coil and the first version of software 3.2, they later released another software version that was still named 3.2, if all else fails it maybe worth updating just to be 100% sure you have the latest version, I can understand its been working for you already so likely not to be the issue etc.
Cheers
mrix

[samuraitrev]

Thanks for that. I wasn't aware of that. What was the actual 'issue'? It will be a bit of a killer having to reprogram all my custom settings but I'll do it if this happens again.

[mrix]

The issue was not being able to charge the battery on the 11"" coil when the first v3.2 software first got released.
After updating the v3.2 you were then meant to run the battery completely flat and then recharge, this would then resolve the coil charging issue.
Cheers
mrix

[fingers]

If this is the second time its done it perhaps its the charging clip like mrix said..

I must say mine did similar as the clip had not enough strength to make a proper contact with the coil, as my charging clip had cracked across the middle but was still in one piece and it was a loose fit on the coil.

On another occasion I had to pair the coil with the remote again.

Hope its an easy fix for you.

[samuraitrev]

Just to let you know it's fully charged now but I've still lost my detecting day. Ah well there's always next time.

Lesson, well and truly learned

[coupe]

Just to confirm with Mrix I had a problem when I first got my new 11" coil. I was given instructions by Nigel at Regtons should anyone else experience this issue. Hope he doesn't mind me quoting his email:-

Hi Charles, we are now aware that there is a software glitch in V3.# this manifests itself as an incorrect battery status.

To cure this please re-flash the software V2 or V3.2 & then run the coil completely flat, when you’re doing this remember that both headphones and remote have an auto-shut off at approx. 4-5 hrs if you don’t press any buttons so you will need to press any button on whichever controller you are using to flatten the battery, once flat re-charge & then do this again & it will now have the correct parameters to work from & you will be fine from then.

Hope this makes sense.

Regards

Nigel Ingram

Nigel Ingram
Managing Director

For the record. (and yes check everything before you go out)

[argus]

Hi samuraitrev

I have had similar problems I solved them by ensuring that when I put the coil on charge and before leaving it I make sure that the white flashing light on the coil is on continuous.
My problem is due to poor contact between the coil and the charging clip contacts. Sometimes it works first time others I have to wiggle it a bit.
Yesterday I was caught out, the night before I had left it on charge all night but the contacts must have parted because when I turned on in the middle of a field for an afternoons detecting the coil battery showed 1/3 full. I nipped back to the car and got the emergency charger which has an AA cell inside connected it and gave the coil 15 mins whilst I messed around with my GPS. 15 minutes did the job I was still detecting when it got dark.
Get an emergency charger just in case, Regtons stock them http://www.metaldetectorshop.co.uk/shop ... t_id=61874" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

[Chilgrove]

Two possible issues with charging. The first I have personal experience of and the second is obvious if you know about it, but could catch some people out. I recently had a charging problem (in the field found I had only half charge to headphones and coil) and discovered back in my house that I had a dodgy connection in my wall socket. Repaired and all well now. The second is to be careful when connecting the coil charging clip. Not only are the tiny pins easily distorted but due to the projection on the clip beneath the coil when attached, if you stand the coil on a hard surface such as a wooden floor or table then the projection can result in the pins not making good contact. So either stand the coil on a soft carpet or overhang the table to allow the clip to sit on properly.
Howard.