MINELAB F1A4 ex military metal detectors - tips, settings, questions

Hi Guys,

Apparently the F1A4 unit has an odd coil connector plug be default. Does anyone know of a good instructable on how to change the coil plug over, or make an adaptor lead for the standard minelab coils?

Same with the headphone jack.

Thanks

James

Might be something here:
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=7098

Thanks Mbasko, exactly what i need!

Using the above resources, i have completed the coil plug mod!

Picking up my coil today, so we'll see if it can find anything!

Not bad for $3.95 and a distraction while watch tv!

With only the coil plug changed to the standard plug can you run a 18 x 4 nuggeteer coil?

I know it uses an 8inch mono default, but I haven't got that one.

Should a standard mono coil work off the bat?

Any mono coil your 18x4 will work .

The coil doesn't seem to work at all, but it has been reterminated on the plug. I'm grabbing another one from a mate today which hasnt been molested, so hopefully that will work.

either that or I've wired the plug wrong.

Those PM coils: I've tried about a dozen of them (on SD, GP, GPX machines) and I reckon only half if them actually worked at all.
I've been meaning to cut one open... I wouldn't at all be surprised if it's empty inside

Pulled the whole thing apart. And yeah had wired both wrong. The first picture down halo posted of the coil plug is reversed, so that was wrong, and i had wired the Nuggeteer coil backwards(maybe)

Long story short, its working now. Not as sensitive as i had expected, but there is so much emi at my house that its lucky to work at all. I the quick test i did before work t was picking up a gold ring at about 8 inches in the air, but it wasn't rigorous test.

The F1A4s were based on SD2100 circuitry, so based on my experience with the 2100s, the mono coils that should work great on an F1A4 would be:

- 11" Mono Minelab
- 12" Nugget Finder Advantage
- 14x9" Nugget Finder Advantage
- Original Coiltek 11" Mono
- Detech 12.5" round Mono

Cool thanks Phase!

Try the Detech 15" x 12" DD Butterfly coil.
Jaros

Jaros said:

Try the Detech 15" x 12" DD Butterfly coil.
Jaros

Click to expand...

For hot ground yes yes.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Detech-15-x...-Minelab-E-Trac-Explorer-Safari-/171280963052

Looks cool but i'll give the coils i've got a go first(plus the 11" thats coming)

Hi Marauder the ebay link you have is showing the wrong coil for the F1A4 this is the one for sd gp and gpx and F1A4
http://phasetechnical.com.au/product/15-x-12-sef-double-d-coil/

Thatsa' the babi i'va gotta!!

I`ve got an 11inch mono coming from, nuggeteer. Gonna give that a crack when it gets here. Have you used a similar one on yours jaros?

No, i haven't.-don't even get out to use this much at all.

No, i haven't.-don't even get out to use this much at all.

Hi all,

For all of you Minelab F1A4 owners out there, I have electronic copies of the original ADF owners manuals and servicing manuals.

If you would like them, send me a pm and I will email them out to you.

Cheers
Philthy