Metal Detecting

I got standard MMK coil and it opened after a few months of work on field.
Can't get it back on so I was wondering is it ok if I remove the down protection (plastic) from coil?
Would it be bad or not? I don't mind to get it dirt, as I will wash it anyway when I get back home from the field, but I'm asking if there can happen anything bad with coil if I remove that protection?
Maybe it's a dumb question, but I'd like to remove it as now, as it is kind open (just a bit), the dirt comes inside and it make machine act sometimes giving a signal because of dirt inside.

You don’t have to leave the coil cover on. Indeed I believe coil covers are a very British thing and detectorists in most other countries don’t bother with them.

However they do protect the coil’s sensitive base from knocks and scratches and other damage. Personally I wouldn’t detect without the cover.

Happy to be corrected, but I believe it doesn’t effect your machine’s guarantee either

I read a post somewhere on this forum about putting a bead of silicone around the coil cover to prevent dirt getting in , seems an excellent idea to me . I dont know if this is done much but the chap seemed to know what he was on about .

Hi digger112,
Have an m.m.k. myself and always use with the cover on, it does protect the coil and providing you are careful taking the coil cover off, you'll be able to clean it more efficiently. I must admit I always clean and wash the coil and cover after use. (perhaps I'm a bit ocd lol). Not sure I would put a bead of silicone around it as if stuff does get within and between the 2 surfaces you may get a falsing problem and have even more difficulty in getting the cover off to clean it out.
Others do it differently so its down to your choice in the end.
Len

I also remove and clean the coil and cover after every outing.

And what if I remove that part (down part of protector/plastic) and work in the field without it?
Would it cause any real damage? Scratches are not the problem, I'm asking if there can be caused serious damage?

Hi again digger 112,
I work often on the principle that if it can go wrong it most probably will, so even though generally you arn't likely to cause any damage where you're detecting - 'you might' - so why not use the coil cover?
It dosnt change the operation of the m.m.k. and may save you damaging an important part of the detector.
Again though, 'you makes your choices and takes your chances'.
Cheers
Len

Hi digger. I’ve had a similar problem with one of my Detectors in the past. It looked as if the coil cover was distorted and stuck out in some places so it couldn’t grip the coil properly.
Rather than buy a new one I was advised to soak it in hot (not boiling) water for a few minuets. Take it while it was wasn’t and quickly fit it back on the coil and press in the bits that stuck out.
It was a little difficult but it worked.

But as said in other replies you can use the coil without a cover. The cover is only for protecting the bottom of the coil. There is no denying that a new cover will cost a lot less than a new coil.

In answer to your question

Serious damage ‘could’ be caused over time by swinging the coil and continually scraping the ground with it.
Eventually it ‘could’ ware through the plastic of the coil and moisture would get inside. I have seen one example of this since I started detecting. If that should happen it makes the coil unusable and unrepairable.