Minelab SDC2300 information and questions

[Nightjar]

In 10 months i've replaced the skid plates (approx $19 each) 3 or maybe 4 times due to wearing them through.

Have read many posts over the years about the destruction of skid plates.
Have tried it once but the continual noise from the scraping and missing faint signals put me off.
Also most of WA ground has a covering of exposed rocks so you are continually ducking and weaving the coil.
Quite happy to remain an air swinger.
Since the release of the SD2000 through to current 4500 the only skid plate replacement was for one that blew my off my 2100 while heading back to camp on the motor bike.
It all comes down to personal choice and each for their own.

 

[SCROUNGER]

In 10 months i've replaced the skid plates (approx $19 each) 3 or maybe 4 times due to wearing them through.

Have read many posts over the years about the destruction of skid plates.
Have tried it once but the continual noise from the scraping and missing faint signals put me off.
Also most of WA ground has a covering of exposed rocks so you are continually ducking and weaving the coil.
Quite happy to remain an air swinger.
Since the release of the SD2000 through to current 4500 the only skid plate replacement was for one that blew my off my 2100 while heading back to camp on the motor bike.
It all comes down to personal choice and each for their own.

Exactly my point about not wanting to 'brag' about my sdc in my original post Nightjar, because each person has different detecting styles and terrain they detect over and telling one person that sdcs are the ducks guts without knowing where they're detecting might be hurting instead of helping. I personally detect mostly on heavily worked surfaced areas over red clay, fine quartz and ironstone and getting the coil on the ground (as much as possible with regards the rocks etc) allows me (in my opinion) to find more gold. I run my sdc very hot or noisy, but also extremely slowly so 'scratching' from the ground doesn't really make it any noisier for me to pick out very feint signals.

 

[mbasko]

I have seen somewhere that a thicker skid plate was trialled on a SDC but it noticeably reduced sensitivity.
I wore 3 out very quickly when I first got my SDC but have only replaced one in the last few months. I might have eased up on the coil scrubbing a bit? Still finding gold.

 

[PhaseTech]

I've only replaced one so far, but I guess I'm more of a skimmer rather than scrubber

 

[SCROUNGER]

And i suppose it also comes down to actually how much time you're detecting with it as well. It's the only detector i have so it's being used as i say at least 2 days a week and often more during the cooler months.

 

[davent]

Scrounger, I know up here the SDC,s have a reputation, 2nd to none for finding small gold near the surface, they are simply amazing, but do you still find bigger, deeper gold? do you think that scratch plates reduce the depth potential of a coil?

 

[SCROUNGER]

I work very shallow (surfaced) ground davent and to date have only found nugs to 1.5 grams. I found a couple of half grammers the other day down about 200-250mm deep. I've dug bigger metal targets down twice that depth that the sdc has registered on quite easily. I think if i swung over a bigger nugget i know it would definitely register but to my mind they are best suited for very shallow (to 300mm deep) worked ground. Once the depth gets greater than that i start to lose confidence that i'm going to register on gold down deeper unless it is bigger in size. I'm totally confident that if i swung over a bigger nugget in ground say to 400mm or so the sdc would pick it up. Unfortunately where i detect there have been, and still are plenty of people sweeping with bigger machines and getting all the easier/larger stuff imo.
The better pieces i'm picking up are generally in areas where i know the bigger coils can't get into.
Mbasko said in a previous post he thought there may have been some reduction in depth with the use of thicker skid plates according to reports.

 

[Roscoe]

Thanks for all of your feed back. It seems you blokes are happy with your machine and the main issue seems to be the head phone jack. So i will get the extension from PhaseTech first up if i go ahead.

SCROUNGER, I like your idea of leaving it set up and not collapsing unnecessarily and thanks for your honest advice.

Most of the areas i detect are two grassy to use a big coil and i like to do beach detecting with a PI as well. I don't think i will every pay this thing back with gold, but i will give it a go.

What's the best control box cover out there for one these machines?

 

[mbasko]

Black Al's control box covers were/are the go. They have straps to hold the arm cuff open (another little SDC issue with a few different fixes) & the fit + wear of them is great too - mines been in use for over 12 months & still in pretty good nick. I'm usually a DD Leather user & would recommend them but Black Al won me with his SDC cover. Unfortunately I am pretty sure he isn't making them at the moment (he's a member on here so maybe PM him?) so if that's the case I would have to say DD Leather on my past use of their other control box covers.
Both Aussie made so it's win-win either way.

With Nenad's lead, if you go ahead with the SDC, work out your preferred positon of the headphone socket & make a couple of little slits in your control box cover then securely cable tie the socket onto it. This will prevent any pulling etc. being transferred directly to the u-beaut Minelab, rare as hens teeth waterproof socket end causing strain/damage. There is a post on here where Nenad shows how his is setup & I've had mine tethered in a similar fashion for over 12 months with no issues at all. Once done you can then use any type headphone/earphones that tickle your fancy, a booster/speaker set up or even add a Bluetooth wireless system.

 

[Roscoe]

Thanks mbasko, I had a look at that cover you mentioned against the DD leather one and yes that Black Al one has a few nifty ideas built into it. Does he still make them? I noticed rods detectors in the USA have them, but the price U.S including shipping is a bit steep. I will PM Black AL and if not Will have to go with the DD Leather one i think.

I viewed Nanads picture of the way he cable tie the audio lead it to the cover, very neat and a good idea. He is an ideas man that Nanad.

 

[Red Gweilo]

Hi Roscoe

Just to back up some of the posts above, spent this last weekend with the SDC around Turon Gates/Wattle Flat, NSW.

The skid plate is only a wee bit scratched...but I'm a skimmer...and the sound was fine. I don't like headphones in case I can't hear a wild pig charging at me...but god knows what Minelabs must sound like to anyone else nearby. Something spooky from the X Files, I imagine.

And picked up not a scrap of gold in 8 hours' trying...but a nice collection of 1850s nails, horseshoes and big round lead bullets. Then again, I had a baby with me so couldn't really get off the well-beaten track.

I loved it to be honest: I know the unit was performing perfectly and any lack of loot was down to me and the location, not the SDC.

 

[Red Gweilo]

Hi Roscoe

Just to back up some of the posts above, spent this last weekend with the SDC around Turon Gates/Wattle Flat, NSW.

The skid plate is only a wee bit scratched...but I'm a skimmer...and the sound was fine. I don't like headphones in case I can't hear a wild pig charging at me...but god knows Minelabs must sound like to anyone else nearby. Something spooky from the X Files, I imagine.

And picked up not a scrap of gold in 8 hours' trying...but a nice collection of 1850s nails, horseshoes and big round lead bullets. Then again, I had a baby with me so couldn't really get off the well-beaten track.

I loved it to be honest: I know the unit was performing perfectly and any lack of loot was down to me and the location, not the SDC.

 

[SCROUNGER]

Hi Roscoe

Just to back up some of the posts above, spent this last weekend with the SDC around Turon Gates/Wattle Flat, NSW.

The skid plate is only a wee bit scratched...but I'm a skimmer...and the sound was fine. I don't like headphones in case I can't hear a wild pig charging at me...but god knows Minelabs must sound like to anyone else nearby. Something spooky from the X Files, I imagine.

And picked up not a scrap of gold in 8 hours' trying...but a nice collection of 1850s nails, horseshoes and big round lead bullets. Then again, I had a baby with me so couldn't really get off the well-beaten track.

I loved it to be honest: I know the unit was performing perfectly and any lack of loot was down to me and the location, not the SDC.

Keep at it Gweilo. The gold WILL come mate.

 

[Roscoe]

Just to let you fella's know i have ordered the SDC. I have just got to sort out the Audio cable and control box cover.

 

[spikegold]

Nice mate ya won't regret it.
Just to clear up my issue about crazy noises coming through headphones, well I decided to take a closer look at the plug end of the headphones and noticed that when a leaf had found its way into the plug end and was skewered by the tiny pins causing a short of some sort and the crazy noises. I had blown into it before thinking maybe it was dust but had never inspected it close enough. Just got a toothpick and carefully got it out. Problem solved no more cray noises.
Just glad I don't need to send it back as that a waste of time and gold

 

[aussiefarmer]

mine is working great now I found some gold with it :lol: :lol:
but I do have a few questions

do they tend to false more as the batteries get down within a couple of minutes of the low battery alarm sounding ?
(I think mine does )

mine also falsies if I make sharp movements or bump a stick etc , is this common with detectors or do I have something loose ?

should the sdc flat line after a ground balance in all conditions or is it normal to have a flicker in the second light occasionally ?
(it does make me have to check and check again if it was a real beep or a falsie .)

I can find junk deep with it , would it be fair to say it should find gold at the same depth, if the size of the junk and gold were the same ?
(probably just the way of the day but all the gold I found was within 100mm of the surface, found shotgun pellets down about 250mm)

once the sun got to a certain spot and it started to heat up the sdc diffidently didn't run as smooth , but was still useable and I have noticed this on every outing .

 

[aussiefarmer]

Bump bump

 

[mbasko]

The SDC is regulated & you shouldn't have any performance difference from putting fresh batteries in right up until it shuts down on low power.
My SDC never falsed due to bumps at all. If detecting gully sides or other uneven ground I found I would get the odd false signal when/if the coil lost contact with ground. It loves having ground under it but can get the yips a bit if you suddenly part company with it.
The lights will flicker due to ground conditions etc. As long as they aren't jumping right up for no reason I don't think you've got a problem.
If your finding deep junk then if you swing over similar sized deeper gold then you should get it. Gold tends to "hide" better at depth than junk though. Tricky bugger it is.
They can get chatty but don't know that it's specifically heat related. EMI can be higher during the afternoon too. I found mine became chatty with wind? Not sure why but it was. An auto tune or three usually gets it to a usable level - well I never stopped because of it anyway & thru the chatter still found gold. It's not everyone desired language though :lol:

 

[aussiefarmer]

Excellent mbasko that has help i do find my self off the ground a bit usually in rough going or as i am walking back and it does chirp a bit , i was thinking it was the sudden movement but that mskes sense . The wind definently makes it rougher .
As for the low battery i was probably due for a break and waving it around willi nilli , best tip i have had was pump it real fast when ground balencing before that i thought the button was stuffed but now i can get it to behave

 

[Roscoe]

Aussiefarmer, Sorry i can't comment about you problem. I got my SDC2300 and haven't had a chance to take it out to the Goldfields yet. Has been to bloody hot, but i have taken it beach detecting a couple of times. It done the job OK, but struggled on a beach that i frequently detect. But to be fair, a lot of PI's i have used here struggled.