Treasure Classifieds Forum

Recently picked a trio of metal detectors as a combo package on ebay. I caught the listing shortly after it was posted. Had a buy it Now price as well as make an offer. I made an offer and figured I would have to wait for the seller response---nope. He had an automatic accept if the offer was high enough. As soon as the submit offer button was pressed, got an instant message "....you have just purchased...."
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Took a gamble on these working, as the seller was selling for a neighbor and could not test them.
Really wanted the Compass X-100 to be working. If I sold the other two detectors, basically then got the X-100 for free.

After unpacking and checking them over, it was time to see if they worked.

The White's 6000 Di series 3, had no battery holder (C-cell). Wired up a AA cell holder, turned the detector on and it powered up. Works fine.

The Garrett CX II, took for ever to get the battery hatch cover off. Fixed that then popped in some batteries, bingo--powered up and works just fine.

Then it was the X-100's turn. Popped in batteries, turned on the power switch, not a peep. Oh-oh, I thought...
Popped off the top and bottom from each other and checked the power connector hooked up to the battery, not a thing.
Took a look in the battery compartment, spotted the problem, one of the battery tabs was bend inwards. No contact.
bent the tab back out, checked the connector, ya-hoo, power. Buttoned the detector back up. It works. But, had some scratchiness out of two pots, couldn't get a steady threshold out of the tuner pot unless it was in auto.

Figured I maybe just cleaning the pots would be a quick fix. Or may find the need to replace the pots, something I really didn't want to do since the circuit board is encased in some wax material. The pots were encased in the wax and didn't see any of the usual access breather holes to spray cleaner into them. After scraping the wax off, found each one had a very small hole. Was able to inject De-Oxit cleaner into them, turn the pots back and forth, then left them over night.

Tonight, I started re-assembling, gosh darn the tone control trimpot fell apart. Knew I didn't have anything like them around. Checked by box of RV6 mini precision pots, found the exact value. And by soldering it directly to the circuit board, it fit perfectly, enough clearance to fit thru the original hole on the top of the case. Now I have a real pot for tone control instead of that cheap junky trimpot.

After finishing re-assembly, popped the batteries back in. Crossed my fingers and turned on the power switch..............
powered right up, no more scratchiness, let's say, everything now works as it should.
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Better you than me, Sven! What you said in your post is WAY over my pay grade, and if I attempted what you did, I'd have small parts laying all over the floor for the next 2 years, lol. Bravo, on a job well done. May I ask why you wanted the Compass so badly? Probably one of those oldie but goodie units that everyone still loves, like the Los Banos CZ's, the Shadow's, the etc. Could it be because the Compass hits Canadian coinage better? I've heard many complain about how bad the Minelabs and other machines do with your currency.

Guess I shall add that I have also been playing around with an older 1984  Teknetics Mark 1.
It's a chest mount version. Works excellent the last time I went hunting with it.
Like the X-100 has a bunch of controls.
To keep up with the Jones, it's getting some performance mods done under the hood.
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Adding:
Fine Tune Ground Balance control: You will be able to take the ground balance positive or
negative to as far as possible, while being stable, for the site your hunting

Notch Window control: This will allow you to make the
notch 4 times wider or 8 times narrower.

Discrimination Fine Tune control: This will allow you to fine
tune iron out almost to the very edge but it will give a very distinct popping sound.
This along with a small coil will be the very best park or trashy area detector

Depth Mod : about an extra inch when you are able
to run the sensitivity control really high.

May add the Phase Adjustment as an external control, good for some extra depth.

Finally still deciding a battery mod, replacing 14 AA batteries with several 9 volts or? Then it will be done.


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Sven, how many older units would you say you have total? Can you also fix the newer, computerized units like the Minelab's, F5's, etc.? If someone was smart, they'd make you the designated repair tech for the entire region up by you

Why the Compass X-100, still a very highly desirable detector to own and use.
It's just one of the top of the line detectors from the 1980's that was out of my price range, it was like $750 back then, think min wage was about $2.50 at the time?
Like the Tek Mark 1, prices are affordable these days. Now have a second chance at seeing what I missed way back then.

Can say all metal mode performance is exceptional and on par with many upper end detectors of today depending upon soil conditions. Most vintage detectors lack depth performance or target ID in disc mode compared to todays detectors. But, if your just digging for items down to about 5-6", there's no issues. The Mark 1 from my tests has better disc depth and ID ability to give an accurate ready deeper. With the performance mods, should be on par with many current detectors depending upon the soil conditions as its only a 2 filter detector. Found a 10" coil for the Mark 1, air test depths are impressive.

Just have to wait a few months to see how the X-100 works and see how much improved the Mark 1 is in an  actual hunting situation.

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I only have a handful of older detectors, fix them up, use them, sell them to fund the next project.

I'm far from being an electronics tech, mostly self-taught. Modern day digital detectors with software programming is way out of my league. And the parts are so tiny, almost impossible to repair unless you have a microscope..LOL  Cheaper to just replace the circuit board than attempt a repair. Older analog detectors with standard size electronic parts, I can manage to trouble shoot for problems and make repairs.

Older detectors are tinkerable and fun to learn on. Especially if you got it free or cheap in non-working condition and get it working. If not, always some one who will buy the parts.

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Ohh, pretty sure, I'll be keeping the TEK Mark 1 in case anyone was wondering. Was able to use it a couple times just before winter snows set in, found it to be a joy to use....have to keep it.....

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The Mark 1 does extremely well with the Canadian funky claddage coins. A big bonus.

I'm not a clad hunter at all, just doesn't get my juices going. But if I lived in Canada, I would have ZERO problems digging clad signals, since you guys have the $1, $2, and now the $5 coins. In the right spots (beaches, parks and other high traffic locations), it would be doable to find $30 or $40 per outing. Wouldn't be easy, especially since the $5 coins are newer if I'm not mistaken, but it's doable. Halves are damn near impossible to find here in the states...even newer ones. That only leaves quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies. One would have to dig a LOT of quarters to find $30 worth. You guys are doing it right up there, Sven. The U.S. still has pennies for crying out loud. They're essentially useless, IMO. As are nickels. I think dimes should be the lowest coinage we make, and the $1 bill should be taken out of circulation and a $1 coin should be made the standard.

Imagine 10 or 15 years from now when there's millions of those $5 coins in circulation up there, many of which have been dropped. You guys are going to have a field day

Congrats on a nice deal I'm sure you love! And in the end, it all worked out. Glad you got the x-100 working! They look like some pretty cool detectors.

I am envious of your skills at repairing detectors , it would be fun to be able to pick up a used machine and make it work like new. Being able to try out that many detectors would be great.
   I hope your new toys make some great finds for you.
Pat

Nice work Sven. I like to see your posts about the older machines and how you bring them back to life. Even if you are self taught, it's obvious you are very good at it. And your work is very neat and clean. I would really like to learn more about the workings of the old boys. I did get a very old White's unit going again last year  by replacing one of the pots, but that is about as much as I can do.

Getting the White's going by changing a pot is a start.............good for you.
Many older detectors with mechanical controls  have seen a lot of dirt and dust. Eventually the part fails.
Plenty of problem detectors just need some DeOxit spray cleaner shot into the pots to rejuvenate them
and the detectors are good to go. Generally that will put a smile on your face.