Metal Detector Mods

[user 4485]

Woodys new 5000 mods supposedly include some work so a GPX will detect small gold like a SDC. When asked if this could be turned off if causing or thought to be causing issues Woody replied:
"It is difficult to turn a mod off, it can be done but it would need fet or relay switching, both methods would create signal loss or noise generated by the relay contacts, switches would also cause noise in the sensitive input part of the circuit. One of the biggest problems that we have with detectors is the coil connectors, the tiny resistance of the contacts actually introduce noise into the circuit."
My take on that is if your not using the mod/s you still don't have your "normal" machine back but I could be reading it wrong?

 

[old hand]

My under standing is with the front end gain and 3 position switch they cannot be turn off , a friend has a 5 with mods it took him a long time to sort out the best way to use it but he is happy with the performance of the detector regards john

 

[user 5286]

Done a few tests and have had contact with several other serious 5000 user who have had the latest mod done. In mildly mineralized ground the modded 5000 outshone the standard and held my undivided attention for quite some time. "However"... A check of some stinking hot ground I've done well on in the past, I couldn't shut the machine up and a steady threshold was impossible to achieve.

I'm sitting on the fence re this mod at the moment, and certainly won't be modifying my unit in the near future. From what I've seen and tested, including personal feedback from our You Tube Channel, the 5000 isn't a superseded machine by a long shot, and in my book isn't out of its league when compared to the GPZ 7000 if one looks at the big picture of detecting locations and scenarios encountered within these locations.

No one machine does it all, "Including the 7000", but in the current climate the standard un-modded 5000 together with its comprehensive arsenal in versatility, still stays on top of the shelf as far as I'm concerned. ( My personal opinion only of course). Not saying this view won't change down the track.

The new coils coming out are an option worth considering, but till the new NF hits the market, and I can compare the Coiltek to its competition, I will keep my opinions somewhat reserved. New coil configs are certainly going to improve the capabilities of the older machines, so I hope this research and innovation continues to progress. On a footnote, I'm not overly happy with all the hype over the new NF's changing their coil sizes mid stream and leaving their supporters in the dark for far to long. :/

Wal.

I agree with Wal 100%...

While mods running on a bench might show great improvement, and minor improvement in relatively mild ground, performance increases usually mean noise/instability..

I feel like minelab push the detectors out the way they are for a reason, so you the customer aren't throwing away buckets of money on an unstable "over-powered" detector..

Not saying mods aren't worth considering, just that mods alter the normal operation of the detector to "enhance" performance..

 

[Ridge Runner]

The Silly Part about doing these mods is, We Complain like hell when A Company tries to worm out of fixing or replacing something And Here We Are Talking about Giving Them A Reason To Turn their Backs on A Person, It does not matter if that machine has found 20 Ounces or 2.0 Grams in 5 years, When they go wrong you want it Fixed full Stop, There is A Perfectly Good Reason Why Minelab Never Did The Mods And Who Would Know Better Than Them,

Converting An Old Minesweeper is One Thing, But stuffing up A Purpose Made Prospecting Machine Is Crazy, Yes Some of them Might work Ok, But when it goes wrong You Are On Your Own, No Grey Areas There.

John

 

[Ivo]

Hi just found this topic would any one know if Ishmael is still doing mods to detectors ?

 

[Nightjar]

Try here Ivo,

http://www.minelabmods.com/joomla3/

 

[vstrom]

Auman does mods he's on forum send him a message I can vouch for his work did my level 3 mods on my F1A4 GREAT BLOKE AND VERY HELPFUL. :Big difference after upgrade.

 

[Ivo]

Thanks nightjar

 

[Ivo]

Thanks vstrom

 

[Ridge Runner]

I watched a few of them mods on YT that Woody does and one he does to a 4500 was pretty amazing, I have never approved of messing with The GPX series because they are such great machines but some of those mods are game changers for sure,

That Woody Is A Wizard with what he knows,.

John.

 

[user 4485]

That Woody Is A Wizard with what he knows,.

John.

There's a lot of people that would use other describing words :lol:

 

[Ridge Runner]

That Woody Is A Wizard with what he knows,.

John.

There's a lot of people that would use other describing words :lol:

I saw a video where he had a 5k and 3x 45s and a ZED and one of his 45s with a 11" was blowing all the other out the water and it was quiet too,

Personally I don't like messed with Detectors and would not change any thing in mine, But it was good to see what they can do with the different levels of mods.

John.

 

[user 4485]

As stated before I don't rate most YouTube vids as a reliable source of true performance capabilities.
Reports seem 50/50 on the GPX mods & that's not good enough for me to put money into them. If I had an older machine that owed me nothing, maybe, but then you need to consider a total upgrade v the costs of modding - most aren't cheap.
I prefer to err on the side of caution. Ismael Jones has a blog on his website Minelabmods about the pitfalls of modding at all & states there is no need to mod a GPX. Coming from a respected modder I tend to take notice of that. He's obviously not in it just to milk people's money.

 

[Ridge Runner]

It seems a few of the guys with GP Extremes and GP-3000 seem to be doing well with their mods, But could those targets have been found with a standard machine we will never know once they have been dug, Although the videos look impressive I can't help thinking that what one mod gives it has to have an opposite effect elsewhere within the machine and I am sure the factories set machines up to give the best overall performance, So mods are not a thing that I feel comfortable with and as you say does the cost involved offer a good enough return or would a person be better off buying a newer machine again with better overall features, I have never used a moddded machine because it is not a gamble that I am prepared to take, but the video's are impressive.

John.

 

[gef12]

Just searching and found this old topic ..
Mods are good especially if you have an older machine. Electronic parts can degrade over time and start to loose their performance as it originally was.
Also since the late 1980's electronic parts such as OPAMPS, MOSFETS, caps, and Diodes and Transistors have improved somewhat. Similar components can be purchased these days with better specs. eg Lower noise , lower switch on values and faster slew rates etc etc .
I have an SD2000 and GP3000 and these are very good units IMHO. No I do not do mods for others.
Happy hunting.
:Y:

 

[thefitter]

Hi all, just wondering if anyone has or is using a modded detector ? Please dont answers if your going to bag the business or the owner ,was only wondering how they go

 

[stevewilko]

I have thought about my 4800 failing at some point, therefore to persue the possibility of modifying in contrast to simply repairing whether it has potential merit?
So a good thread I think, thanks in advance

 

[AngerManagement]

Depends on the Detector and what do you mean by MOD...

Plenty using all sorts of Detectors that have various mods performed..

 

[stevewilko]

Depends on the Detector and what do you mean by MOD...

Don't know enough about it to qualify an answer for you, AM, but I would be looking for greater depth if possible, also to learn of other enhancements in modifying my GPX4800

Thank you,

stevewilko

 

[madtuna]

Have used both a 4500 and a 5000 that had been modded.
Wasn't real impressed and firmly believe the 5000 was actually worse.

Not to mention if you do ever need ML to take a peek, they won't touch it.