Interference From metal in the body

[horizon]

Hi everyone.
After an accident in late February of this year in which I dislocated my ankle and broke my lower leg in four places, I have had to have numerous plates and screws inserted to repair and stabilise the leg.
My question is is there anybody else who detects with metal in their lower body that detects? And how much grief do they get from interference from their metal implants.
I run the gpx5000 with a coiltek 14 inch elite. While I won't be able to walk for another 3 months, I am hanging to get back out there. I hope am not walking though the bush blanking out the machine with every step.

 

[Jaros]

Usually they use Titanium for implants-i don't think it affects detectors.
Jaros

 

[BigWave]

Hi H. I asked a similar question recently as I'm due a knee reconstruction. I was told that many still detected after one, but needed to adapt their swing style: i.e away from the leg with metal that's advancing. With it being your foot rather than knee, you'll probably need to swing out one side a bit further if you've a really sensitive detector (GPX/GPZ). I was told that we all adapt. Good luck mate!

 

[Tathradj]

A few people with implants have come to grief with a 7000.
Those with a 5000 adjust their gait and swing pattern to
compensate.

 

[nuggetino]

Have accidentally gone out wearing steel capped boots and was able to avoid too much disruption by extending my reach and taking smaller steps. If the screws and plates are not at the tip of your foot and rather in your ankle you may well be able to detect without making any adjustments.

 

[belladonna]

horizon,

Read Redfins, comment #7 @

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=13927

Regards

Ian

 

[horizon]

Thanks for the responses and info everybody. Hopefully all is not lost and I can adapt to keep enjoying this great pastime. I will have at least one thing in my favor, going slow!!!!!

 

[silver]

I detect in steel cap boots about 99% of the time and I do alright, mind you, I'm only treasure hunting with an ACE , but with sensitivity on max nearly all of the time.
If I'm hearing the boots at all any time in continuous proximity mode I can still tell when there is more than a boot there, as easy as pie.
And at least I know I've got the thing turned on too !

 

[BigWave]

All the best for your recovery horizon. Just thinking of getting back out there will, no doubt, greatly aid your full recovery.

 

[longjok]

Hi newbie, longjok here.

I have a left leg made of titanium alloy; my first detector was the gpx 3000 brand new, and before I bought it Barry Johnson of Wedderburn closed up shop and took me out in the field to test drive it. I had the same concern as you. Now the lump of metal I carry round is seriously large, and WILL give a signal. That said, with the smaller coils and a standard shaft length there is little interference with normal use. I now run a wifi gpx 4000 with booster and longer shaft and have no problems with mono or DD coils of Coiltek or Nuggetfinder UP TO16inch diameter.

Larger than this and I do get interference. I have found a couple of small patches and after working em every which way with my coils, I then get mates who can run larger coils to work them over again and we split the finds.
Cheers.

 

[NeilM]

horizon

I have metal in both legs - plates and screws
metal in one finger and wrist.
All from 1992

sdc2300 doesn't go off at all and I did test all. . Must be titanium

(sub moral to this is - Don't get run over)

nm

 

[BigWave]

Guys, Titanium is electrically conductive and will set off a metal detector (viz at airport scanners). Having said this, the following extract is from Wikipedia:

Titanium is not a good conductor of electricity. If the conductivity of copper is considered to be 100%, Titanium would have a conductivity of 3.1%. For comparison, stainless steel has a conductivity of 3.5% and Aluminum has a conductivity of 30%.

Thus a Titanium knee would have a much reduced impact on a detector than a Copper, or Gold knee.

 

[horizon]

All the best for your knee replacement Bigwave. I hope your downtime is minimal and you can get back out there without too much trouble.

 

[BigWave]

Cheers mate. All the best to you as well.

 

[BigWave]

Hi horizon. I tried out my 4500 last weekend with a Titanium knee. I was using 14*9" Evo and 11" Commander mono coils. So long as I keep the coil edge at least 1.5 ft away from my boot, I was able to avoid any impact. When it does, it makes a distinctive noise (unlike a nugget), so it's easy to learn to ignore the occasional hit. By the second day, I rarely made the mistake. Best of luck with your recovery and on getting back into the field.

 

[AtomRat]

Glad to hear you're back on foot BigWave! Look out goldfields!

 

[BigWave]

Thanks Atom

 

[Ramjet]

I get EMI interference from all the electrical activity in my massive brain. :lol:

 

[BigWave]

What - one side of your cranium interferes with the other? :lol:

 

[Old Fred]

Hi everyone.
After an accident in late February of this year in which I dislocated my ankle and broke my lower leg in four places, I have had to have numerous plates and screws inserted to repair and stabilise the leg.
My question is is there anybody else who detects with metal in their lower body that detects? And how much grief do they get from interference from their metal implants.
I run the gpx5000 with a coiltek 14 inch elite. While I won't be able to walk for another 3 months, I am hanging to get back out there. I hope am not walking though the bush blanking out the machine with every step.

A mate of mine has plates in both legs, dont worry him.