Minelab SDC2300 information and questions

I am reasonably sure the SDC is power regulated so it gets the same power from 100% batteries or 5%. You can detect without performance loss right up until they are dead flat. Once the battery "alarm" sounds its game over. I usually check mine if I stop for a quick break in the arvo. If I'm planning on doing a few more hours & they're getting low I'll change them, otherwise I just continue. I haven't noticed that there is any power/performance drop if the batteries are getting low. I was heading back to the car once with only one battery LED on & picked up 2 of the smallest bits of the day so it certainly doesn't lose sensitivity at the last LED of battery power left.
Mine last a full day (both the Powerizer & Tenergy's) & I'd estimate 10-12 hours running time. Both sets fully charged have lasted me on a 3 day trip. I do carry at least one set of alkalines though for backup.
I have only used some Kodak Xtralife alkalines & they only lasted about 4-5 hours but would be ok if needed. No performance boost in using them.

Thanks heatho and mbasko.
Pretty much everything i wanted to hear

I've had problems with the batteries running out before the day is done. The biggest problem is that there's no warning, just an audio signal and all drops dead. I found if I turn the charger off when it gets to green and turn it on again in a minute or two it goes back to charging. After doing that twice the batteries easily last all day. Last time the detector restarted lots of times when it was moved quickly or bumped on the ground when putting it down to dig. The batteries are already wrapped with tape so I don't know what else could be done.
With the battery problems and that stupid arm rest that makes it a two handed operation to put your arm through and remove it makes detecting with this machine a very unpleasant experience.
I thought Mrs M was just pissed off after the problems we've had tuning the machine. Now I understand why she just wants to use her White's GMT or nothing at all.
And while I'm having a grumble, What does that useless green button do? Ground balance? I don't believe it. Press it all you like at there's no change. My guess is that if you removed it there'd be nothing connected to the other side.

Moneybox mate, I know yoyu haven't liked the SDC from the start but maaate I think you should start you're own gripe thread or post your gripes in my "Bash a detector thread" it was done specically to keep gripes and complaints from cluttering other peoples threads.

Yes the ground balance button works, yes the detector finds gold, the detector won't reset if you put the battery cover in level. You've been advised how to set the thing up and how they run numerous times, why not sell it to someone who will benefit from it instead of constantly carrying on about it. I'm not trying to hassle you but I think you and that detector are never going to get along, just my observations mate. I can detect 10 hours solid with it and I find it mildly uncomfortable but still very easy to use. It's not comfy to use like a 5000 but it's just not that bad in my opinion.

I've gotta agree with the majority moneybox. I reckon the 2300 is a ripper machine. I get a full 9-9.5 hours detecting (any longer and i start losing concentration) out of a set of batteries. Never had them go flat on me out in the scrub yet. I agree about the arm rest but i've fixed that for myself by inserting some 100mm poly pipe through the arm sleeve and holding in place with a cable tie. I've put a cloth bandaid on two of the batteries (do four and it's too hard to remove them out of the detector) to avoid them wobbling about and loosing contact. I've found that you must also make sure the battery lid is locked firmly in place. I've used the green button successfully to rebalance when i've been trying to pin point small specks and lost them due to machine balancing out over gold.

SCROUNGER said:

I've used the green button successfully to rebalance when i've been trying to pin point small specks and lost them due to machine balancing out over gold.

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I didn't realise you could actually balance out the gold. I find this machine rebalances very quickly. It's impossible to walk anywhere with the coil down. It will continually stop you thinking there was a target but on the second or third swing the target has gone. It must have fast ground-tracking on all the time. My Garrett ATX advises against using the fast ground tracking if it's not needed because it can reduce its ability to find deep targets.

Heatho said:

Moneybox mate, I know yoyu haven't liked the SDC from the start but maaate I think you should start you're own gripe thread or post your gripes in my "Bash a detector thread" it was done specically to keep gripes and complaints from cluttering other peoples threads.

Yes the ground balance button works, yes the detector finds gold, the detector won't reset if you put the battery cover in level. You've been advised how to set the thing up and how they run numerous times, why not sell it to someone who will benefit from it instead of constantly carrying on about it. I'm not trying to hassle you but I think you and that detector are never going to get along, just my observations mate. I can detect 10 hours solid with it and I find it mildly uncomfortable but still very easy to use. It's not comfy to use like a 5000 but it's just not that bad in my opinion.

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Hes Heatho I've got your point. I'll try to mend my ways

If i locate a soft or quite signal moneybox and have trouble pin pointing it. I sometimes stop (which i shouldn't do) moving the coil over the target area and quite often i lose the signal completely. I either have to swing away from the target area a couple of times and let the machine re balance itself and then swing back over the target area to re-locate, or else re balance with the green button if i'm still having trouble. I like the machine because it suits my personality, its idiot proof i reckon.

SCROUNGER said:

, its idiot proof i reckon.

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Ha ha ditto!

Was hope someone may be able to help with a question? Very new to prospecting and still trying to decide on what detector to purchase. At this point I'm seriously thinking the SDC and in all the research I have undertaken it is always spoken about how good the SDC is on fine gold and no real mention of deeper larger nuggets!

My question is-Will the SDC still find bigger nuggets and what sort of depth will I be looking to get out of the machine?

Thank you all in advance.

Cheers Keano

I suggest you have a look at this recent thread covering the same issues: https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=11902

Thanks Grubstake.

Maybe I have a soft spot because it was the first machine I was able to go out with and find gold... and I've come home with gold every single trip since. Can't beat that...

Hi keano, i was out with the 2300 today and two of the specs i got were around 8 inches deep. Unfortunately i haven't found anything much over a gram and that was around the same depth, so i can't say how deep it will detect bigger gold. But i have detected and dug thumb sized pieces of metal down to about 12 +inches in slag heaps, and they were a clear signal, so i reckon if i swing over a decent sized nugget at that depth i'm in with a show.

Apparently 290 grams of this was found with a 2300.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=703965263043301&set=pcb.261888740648161&type=1&theater

Thanks Scrounger and Wooly. Unfortunately I cant open the facebook link, says no longer available. Would have been nice to have a look.

I have decide to go with the SDC. Figure as a newbie Im better off finding quantity over quality. Can look at another detector later down the track.

Cheers Allan

Well i know for me, it's more about getting out in the scrub, and chasing gold gives me a reason to do that. I'd love to find some bigger bits, but not sure i'd want to go for days detecting without finding something on deeper ground. Admittedly i'm detecting surfaced areas that were rich in gold so that makes it easier for me, but i'm finding gold (small sizes) every trip out i do with the sdc now.
I just enjoy the challenge and get a kick out of finding it, no matter what the size. Down track i do intend to buy another machine that allows me to detect deeper ground but at the moment the 2300 is a top machine that suits my needs. I doubt you'll be disappointed if you do buy one. Good luck.

Keano if you can afford it buy the sdc. Of all the machines the sdc will give you the best
chance of finding gold on averages. Maybe not retirement gold but none the less gold.
Simple to use turn on and swing. Just try and be where the yellow is. In me practice bed
i have a.5,1,3 gram at 8 inches and a 7,10 gram at 12 inches all lead and been in the ground 3 mths.
The sdc picks up all targets, ya need to concentrate and listen. Dug a 303 cartridge and half a aluminiun
can at 14 inches the sdc screamed at targets. Polky.

Thanks for the info guys. Purchased the SDC today and can't wait to get out there and get into it. More than happy I choose to go with the SDC.

Thanks again for all the feedback. Cheers Keano

Good luck to you, keano. A lot of users are bringing home gold regularly with an SDC - here's hoping you soon join them.