QED QED Info Thread.

[Krisco]

Wow! very excited about the new upgrades! If only I could get the time to go out detecting and start finding gold again. Been way too long but work, weather and women are getting in the way haha Hopefully in the next few days I can post up some QED gold here. Look forward very much to hearing about the auto GB upgrade and price. Whats the THS-A and B controls on the new box???

 

[Davent]

A and B is bias and volume.

 

[user 4485]

THS-B = Bias

THS-A = Volume

 

[Krisco]

Aha....thanks guys :Y:

 

[Krisco]

Coupla tiny buggers but its a QED start!

 

[Davent]

My trip been put back to Wednesday......

 

[user 4485]

Got out again today.
Today I tried the Nugget Finder 14 x 7 Advantage coil. Although not in the exact same area as the other day I was on the same run of diggings or branches of them. Had to re-ground balance a few times but wasn't getting the ground noise like my last outing. Was balancing between 134 to 151 with the NFA & used mode 5 (bias 51-52). Mode 5 or 6 seemed to give the best response to my test nugget out of the higher modes although lower modes were obviously sharper signals but stuck with something a bit higher this time. After mode 7 thru to 15 the signal diminished or even disappeared.
For the first few hours the QED ran great today. No dramas with ground, picking up small targets & some deep too.
After a few hours I got what appeared to be EMI noise? Not sure - may have a problem with the QED?
Since I first started using it I've noticed a very faint intermittent pulse. It hasn't been a problem but today it became louder then constant. The noise remained regardless of moving the coil, keeping it still, having it on the ground or in the air. Not sure if this previous faint pulsing is related or not?
I worked through a number of things to try to eliminate it:
- Tried adjusting the SMR. Made no difference.
- Voltage at 7.1v
- Turned off the wifi & tried headphones direct into the QED. No difference.
- Turned it off then back on. Would be ok for awhile then come back again.
- Tried another coil & the noise came back with a minute or two.
- Moved a km or two down the road. Still there. Check voltage again. Now 7.4v??
- Reset to defaults & went through set up process. This seemed to work & I detected for another hour or so with the QED again running faultless except for the louder intermittent pulse then the constant noise came back again. At this point I called it a day. :N:
Never had any EMI issues out there before & it really wasn't like any EMI I have experienced anywhere. Sounded similar to when the PCB went in my GPX but the GPX wouldn't come good at all after restarting etc.
Anyone else had this happen?

It will be a week or so now before I can get out again so not sure whether to send it back yet or wait to try it again. If the Auto Ground Balance button upgrade was ready to go I would send it now & get it checked at the same time.

 

[Rush]

Wondering what Gain and Volume settings were you using at the time?

 

[user 4485]

Gain 2
Volume 81

Don't think these had anything to do with it?
When it ran good it ran very good.
The noise would just come randomly for no apparent reason?

 

[Rush]

Okay thanks.

 

[Guest]

Got out again today.
Today I tried the Nugget Finder 14 x 7 Advantage coil. Although not in the exact same area as the other day I was on the same run of diggings or branches of them. Had to re-ground balance a few times but wasn't getting the ground noise like my last outing. Was balancing between 134 to 151 with the NFA & used mode 5 (bias 51-52). Mode 5 or 6 seemed to give the best response to my test nugget out of the higher modes although lower modes were obviously sharper signals but stuck with something a bit higher this time. After mode 7 thru to 15 the signal diminished or even disappeared.
For the first few hours the QED ran great today. No dramas with ground, picking up small targets & some deep too.
After a few hours I got what appeared to be EMI noise? Not sure - may have a problem with the QED?
Since I first started using it I've noticed a very faint intermittent pulse. It hasn't been a problem but today it became louder then constant. The noise remained regardless of moving the coil, keeping it still, having it on the ground or in the air. Not sure if this previous faint pulsing is related or not?
I worked through a number of things to try to eliminate it:
- Tried adjusting the SMR. Made no difference.
- Voltage at 7.1v
- Turned off the wifi & tried headphones direct into the QED. No difference.
- Turned it off then back on. Would be ok for awhile then come back again.
- Tried another coil & the noise came back with a minute or two.
- Moved a km or two down the road. Still there. Check voltage again. Now 7.4v??
- Reset to defaults & went through set up process. This seemed to work & I detected for another hour or so with the QED again running faultless except for the louder intermittent pulse then the constant noise came back again. At this point I called it a day. :N:
Never had any EMI issues out there before & it really wasn't like any EMI I have experienced anywhere. Sounded similar to when the PCB went in my GPX but the GPX wouldn't come good at all after restarting etc.
Anyone else had this happen?

It will be a week or so now before I can get out again so not sure whether to send it back yet or wait to try it again. If the Auto Ground Balance button upgrade was ready to go I would send it now & get it checked at the same time.

Send me a pm or email and i will give you Howards phone number so you speak with him. If the noise occurs when the coil is not moving then its EMI or a circuit or component problem. I will send him your post.

 

[Guest]

QED noise problems? Might be worth doing these simple tests before i give you his contact info.
To discover noise culprits, use the process of elimination

Noise sources can come from the following groups
Connectors:
Coil
Power/Batteries
Audio

Environmental:
Power lines above/ below ground
Comms lines above/ below ground

Before coming to a conclusion that the detector may be faulty remove all potential sources of interference. Change location and disable all potential sources.

Connectors can be eliminated by sitting detector on ground so there is no movement. Walk around and finger tap all connectors. If that passes give the handle a good thump and see if that invokes noise.

This list is not conclusive but a good start.
All QED's are tested before dispatch and so far only 1 has had a fault.

 

[Guest]

The tests above will also reveal any problems due to circuit board dry joints.
Another QED user posted this on my forum this morning.
The EMI pulsing interference etc that Iv experienced has been all caused from audio boosters and audio devices' and my bloody IPhone that I struggle to be detached from these days.
The QED circuit itself is very robust and has proved to be very reliable and apart from going for a swim or having the power supply polarity being reversed is pretty bulletproof.

Mod Edit.
You have a forum. ??

 

[Guest]

Their is also a private QED users board on my forum where QED users can share their experiences and ask Howard any questions.

Mod Edit
Yes and I have a very private forum to run myself.
But, I do not advertise it.

 

[user 4485]

Thanks for the "tests". I'll retry a few things as soon as I can.

"Connectors" - will try the finger tap test as per above
"Coil" - noise was there with 2 x different coils. Will try another
"Power/Batteries" - no previous issue with the same batteries?
"Audio" - no previous issues with the same audio devices? Disconnected/turned off wifi but noise still there - wifi system used previously without issue. Had no phone or any other device on me.

"Power lines above/ below ground" - nil in area
"Comms lines above/ below ground" - nil in area

"Before coming to a conclusion that the detector may be faulty remove all potential sources of interference. Change location and disable all potential sources."
As stated in my previous posts this was all tried. I removed the only potential source of interference (which hadn't caused any issue previously) & changed location. Didn't fix it.

The faint pulsing has been there since day one with or without carrying my phone. On the last 2 occasions I've been out I haven't taken my phone with me anyway so phone isn't the issue. When I do take it its kept on flight mode.
This very faint pulsing is more like a "heartbeat" than EMI noise i.e. rhythmic not spurious like EMI. It wasn't an issue as it doesn't interfere with anything usually - still not sure it's even connected & had thought it may just be something with the QED that is normal. The constant noise that started is an issue & after it started the pulsing or "heartbeat" type noise seemed louder after the constant noise was stopped i.e. after I reset everything back to defaults & started again.

I can email Howard (or he can email me) if he would prefer not to give out his phone number but until I can test things again as per his suggestions it's not much use anyway. About the only thing I hadn't tried is the "finger tap" test but in saying that I did wriggle the headphone connections, recheck coil connection etc. so pretty much covered that as well.
P.s. I had previously used the QED under powerlines & the "noise" that day was acceptable & spurious - I could still detect. Yesterday the noise experienced wasn't acceptable & was constant - I could no longer detect with it.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the "tests". I'll retry a few things as soon as I can.

"Connectors" - will try the finger tap test as per above
"Coil" - noise was there with 2 x different coils. Will try another
"Power/Batteries" - no previous issue with the same batteries?
"Audio" - no previous issues with the same audio devices? Disconnected/turned off wifi but noise still there - wifi system used previously without issue. Had no phone or any other device on me.

"Power lines above/ below ground" - nil in area
"Comms lines above/ below ground" - nil in area

"Before coming to a conclusion that the detector may be faulty remove all potential sources of interference. Change location and disable all potential sources."
As stated in my previous posts this was all tried. I removed the only potential source of interference (which hadn't caused any issue previously) & changed location. Didn't fix it.

The faint pulsing has been there since day one with or without carrying my phone. On the last 2 occasions I've been out I haven't taken my phone with me anyway so phone isn't the issue. When I do take it its kept on flight mode.
This very faint pulsing is more like a "heartbeat" than EMI noise i.e. rhythmic not spurious like EMI. It wasn't an issue as it doesn't interfere with anything usually - still not sure it's even connected & had thought it may just be something with the QED that is normal. The constant noise that started is an issue & after it started the pulsing or "heartbeat" type noise seemed louder after the constant noise was stopped i.e. after I reset everything back to defaults & started again.

I can email Howard (or he can email me) if he would prefer not to give out his phone number but until I can test things again as per his suggestions it's not much use anyway. About the only thing I hadn't tried is the "finger tap" test but in saying that I did wriggle the headphone connections, recheck coil connection etc. so pretty much covered that as well.
P.s. I had previously used the QED under powerlines & the "noise" that day was acceptable & spurious - I could still detect. Yesterday the noise experienced wasn't acceptable & was constant - I could no longer detect with it.

The finger tap and thump test is important as it can reveal problems like a dry joint.The nature of the QED circuit means that any component failure will usually mean the detector simply won't run. But a dry joint or a connector problem will be intermittent. One of the QED connectors must be pushed in and then locked with 1/4 of a turn. If this is not done then you will get intermittent will noise.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the "tests". I'll retry a few things as soon as I can.

"Connectors" - will try the finger tap test as per above
"Coil" - noise was there with 2 x different coils. Will try another
"Power/Batteries" - no previous issue with the same batteries?
"Audio" - no previous issues with the same audio devices? Disconnected/turned off wifi but noise still there - wifi system used previously without issue. Had no phone or any other device on me.

"Power lines above/ below ground" - nil in area
"Comms lines above/ below ground" - nil in area

"Before coming to a conclusion that the detector may be faulty remove all potential sources of interference. Change location and disable all potential sources."
As stated in my previous posts this was all tried. I removed the only potential source of interference (which hadn't caused any issue previously) & changed location. Didn't fix it.

The faint pulsing has been there since day one with or without carrying my phone. On the last 2 occasions I've been out I haven't taken my phone with me anyway so phone isn't the issue. When I do take it its kept on flight mode.
This very faint pulsing is more like a "heartbeat" than EMI noise i.e. rhythmic not spurious like EMI. It wasn't an issue as it doesn't interfere with anything usually - still not sure it's even connected & had thought it may just be something with the QED that is normal. The constant noise that started is an issue & after it started the pulsing or "heartbeat" type noise seemed louder after the constant noise was stopped i.e. after I reset everything back to defaults & started again.

I can email Howard (or he can email me) if he would prefer not to give out his phone number but until I can test things again as per his suggestions it's not much use anyway. About the only thing I hadn't tried is the "finger tap" test but in saying that I did wriggle the headphone connections, recheck coil connection etc. so pretty much covered that as well.
P.s. I had previously used the QED under powerlines & the "noise" that day was acceptable & spurious - I could still detect. Yesterday the noise experienced wasn't acceptable & was constant - I could no longer detect with it.

I have pm'd you Howards email. Hope it works as i am not familiar with the system here.
The noise you describe has been seen by another QED user with a wireless system and it was EMI being picked up by the wireless receiver.When he reverted back to the speaker only system it was gone. It can also be caused by some wireless system transmitters particularly if placed directly on the control box.

 

[user 4485]

Went out to a TSR just out of town to try a few things this afternoon.
Tried with headphones only first up. Went through set up for the area & got it running ok for the area. Detected around a small area for a few minutes & no noise like yesterday.
Sat the detector down & done the finger tap checks. The only noise from these was a slight "chirp" from tapping the headphones jack - noticed that the locking nut was loose. Tried to tighten it but it loosens again but don't think this should be a problem?
Next I gave the handle a good thump & immediately got a similar noise to yesterday albeit intermittent. As the power lead runs through the bottom of the handle on the Detech set up I investigated it more. Finger tap & wiggling etc. produced no noise on the control box side. I then gave the battery side a bit of a wiggle & more noise. By placing a fair amount of pressure on the power lead coming out of the handle on the battery side I was able to replicate the noise from yesterday. I had routed the cable so it wasn't at the bottom of the shaft to prevent damage but it seems that the position if it may have been the root of my problems? I've now re-routed (still off the bottom) with a lesser angle & now taped along the shaft to the battery connector to prevent any movement. This seems to have fixed the problem as afterwards giving the handle a thump or putting pressure on the power lead didn't cause any noise although I ran out of time & won't know for sure how it goes now until I get a day in next week.
I could hear the very faint pulsing through the headphones still but this is very faint & wouldn't prevent hearing a target - sort of like the QED cycling or a very faint, intermittent threshold? I tried the wireless set up again & while the pulsing is more noticeable through wireless connection all the other audio seems to come through louder with the wireless to for some reason? The wireless doesn't appear to have any other adverse effects?
Thanks for the suggestions to track down the issue - hopefully it is just the power lead & there are no further problems.

 

[Guest]

I had a loose locking nut on my gpx 5000 and it was the cause of "a noise" I had on it for 7+ months until it finally came loose and damaged a part that cost $$ to get fixed by minelab.
So maybe mbasko, you need to get that sorted.

 

[user 4485]

Yeah will do mate. Will be trying to find another nut &/or loctite on this one to stop it coming loose.