Minelab SD2200 tips, settings, questions

[Goldandsand]

Just wondering what thoughts are on sd2200, for a step up from a VHF for gold and how much to pay for one as I may be able to purchase one from a relo in good knick .

Thanks to all advice and opinions given , Goldandsand :/

 

[KeeponDiggin]

Gday mate, i paid under 1500 for my SD2100 and that was with a spare coil, skid plate, pick and a few other bits. Id be expecting 1K or thereabouts.
It is a P.I machine as youd be aware of and they like mine are manual ground balance machines. i find with mine that it, in some ways talks to you in the sense that it tells you the mineralisation under foot and when it is need of a balance, some times often, other times hardly at all in quiter ground.
the good thing is they work! ive found gun shot lead, .2 through to 3 gram pieces. the experiment for you is headset or external speaker, each to their own i guess, i like having both, if its windy i like to shut out ambient noise where i can.

good luck out there and i hope you manage a good unit.

 

[Goldandsand]

Thanks keepondiggin ,
Helpful info I've been doing a little home work rang a few dealers all seem to think its a good detector they said about 1500 for basic set up also looked at gum tree and they range from 1500 to 2400. Forgot to mention the one I'm looking at has 3 coils 2 x DD 1 x mono 2 of the coils look like they have never been used , ex speaker , harness , bungee cord , 3 x batteries 2 look like vidieo type with charger , soft case + aluminium and A few other little things.

 

[Ground Noise]

Thanks keepondiggin ,
Helpful info I've been doing a little home work rang a few dealers all seem to think its a good detector they said about 1500 for basic set up also looked at gum tree and they range from 1500 to 2400. Forgot to mention the one I'm looking at has 3 coils 2 x DD 1 x mono 2 of the coils look like they have never been used , ex speaker , harness , bungee cord , 3 x batteries 2 look like vidieo type with charger , soft case + aluminium and A few other little things.

I used a 2200d (green box) and it was a good thing for finding deep targets. Manual ground balance is a pain and ground noise masks lots of small signals. Double-D coils work well on them and I also did well with a coiltek 10x5 mono on it.

Original brick battery weighs a ton, but the videocam batterys are ok except for losing their recharge abilitys. Best to have 3 at least so you can run at peak performance all day. Chuck one on the car charger while using another to detect.

There are a couple of lots of serial numbers that are sought after because they are supposed to "work" better...the one I owned had a 45--- serial number.

 

[Goldandsand]

Thanks Ground noise , ended up getting it also 3 x video batteries I will have to check the serial number. I am having great luck with it finding .22 cal lead

 

[AussieTreasureDigger]

I have just purchased a Minelab SD2200V2 detector to use in my gold patch, cant wait to start swinging it, i am already writing up a shopping list of new bits i want for it 8)

I have been looking out for a PI detector for ages and this one? well the price was too good to refuse.

I have 260 acres of access to pvt land that is straight along an old lead, plenty of diggings and mullock heaps.

I used to own a GP Extreme back when they were new, but i broke my neck and there went detecting for 10years, but i know my way arond and extreme this shouldnt be too much different .

These things punch deep enough from all counts and for what i paid for a harldy used box and a heap of goodies i am grinning.

Anyone have some experience and thoughts on this old bird.?

 

[Diggerdude]

Great detector. I have used a few and would be confident of finding gold with one if I happen to run over my gpx again :8 . It mostly about technique, I have seen operators pulling out just as many nuggets as a 5000 when working together. Once you get used to it I'm sure you will find lots of gold.
Good luck

DD

 

[AU Fever]

Hey ATD, I had a chat with a bloke I met the other day in the field who had a V2. He said they were a top detector and if I ever saw one for a decent price to grab it. He ended up trading it in for 4500 and although he didn't admit it I think he regretted it.

Mind if I ask what you paid for it?

AU

 

[AussieTreasureDigger]

Thanks DD

technique i have, used to find my share back in the 90's, so its not so much that, its more about knowing the machines up to it and i am pretty confident it is. I will give it a few full weekends in the hot ground and i am sure i will get used it pretty quickly

 

[AussieTreasureDigger]

I just drove from Melbourne to Bendigo return this morning and now have the machine home. I will do some renewals of batteries and leads etc, it will look like new when i am finished.

 

[Guest]

Was wondering if anyone has had any experience with Link Technologies alternate 7.2v lithium ion battery set up for the SD series? Is it any good?

Also has anyone used one with the supplied speaker set up? Is it worth the extra to get it as well or better off using another set up?

Are there any other suggestions as to a good, reasonably priced set up for the SD2200D?

Cheers
Matt

 

[Jim.]

Hi all,

Matt, I have used a 2200 with a Link 7.2 battery system. The extra voltage really smoothed the threshold out and was a great lightweight addidtion to the detector.

I didn't go for the Battery Speaker combo as I already had a couple of signal boosters to use.

for my money, I wouldnt run an SD under 7.2 volts. it makes that much difference. I wouldn't be without a signal booster either, as I dont like to miss those iffy whispers.

I always ran DD coils with my 2200, they seem to behave much better than with a mono.

PS we found plenty of gold with this setup

Jim & Kerrie

 

[Outlander51]

I just got a 2200d on EBAY too. I was wondering where to buy this alternate lithium Link battery? Can't seem to find them on the Internet?

 

[loamer]

Jim is spot on with his advice - I used to run the 2200 with the 7.2 v set-up, and don't run it on the alternate switch that generally comes (6.something if memory serves me) with the 7.2v setup. The signal booster is a must as you will know there is no volume setup on the box. The DDs are a must and the threashold is smooth so long as the machine is GB'd. I used to GB frequently. ran it in deep, fixed and both channels. I used to run my 7.2v with it attached to the box cover so on glorious wet Victorian days I could enclose the whole setup in a plastic bag. The biggest issue is don't buy cheap batteries or chargers - poor man pays twice otherwise. I had one set of chargers that showed blue for flat - red for charged, go figure.

 

[Marked]

I just got a 2200d on EBAY too. I was wondering where to buy this alternate lithium Link battery? Can't seem to find them on the Internet?

Try here: http://detectormods.com/shop.php

 

[Guest]

There are a few options:
Coiltek - http://www.coiltek.com.au/collections/battery-systems/products/li-ion-switchable-regulator-system
http://www.reedsprospecting.com.au/shop/detail/coiltek-battery-kit-for-sd-gp-detectors/
Reeds were also going to release a replacement system for their previous Lucky Lark system but its not on their website as yet. You could contact them.

Link Technologies - as per Detector Mods link in above post

Minelab Mods "Little Ripper" - http://www.minelabmods.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
http://www.minelabmods.com/joomla/i...t+login+and+be+authorized+to+access+documents.

I opted for the Minelab Mods "Little Ripper" as its a wireless system from the battery to the booster meaning you can have the battery mounted to your control box & the booster on your harness with no wires attaching you to the detector which I find is great. No snagging, no tangling, no inadvertently dragging the detector if you forget your hooked up etc. It works well & I can recommend it. Costs a little more at $390 but well worth it to be wire free! Using a bungee counteracts the extra weight of the battery on the control box but the weight is minimal anyway. Also comes with a great battery management system that can be used to charge other batteries as well. Ismael should have it set up for the little ripper batteries though to make it easy for you to operate. The batteries last for a long time - I have detected for 9.5hrs on the one charge & they still had charge left so Ismael's claim of 10hrs is very plausible.
The battery manager is set up for 12v charging but you can purchase a 240v to 12v 7.5a transformer & cigarette plug adaptor from Jaycar to allow charging from your 240v mains.
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=MP3575
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=PP1997

 

[Outlander51]

Thanks mbasko,
After viewing all your suggestions I thought I might go with the detector mods option given its price is very reasonable although there is not much information on it in the website. Detector mods also alluded to a new wireless system being released in the near future plus AA batteries for the regulator so I don't know when that's due but it sounds good too... Does anyone know any other information about the detector mods option?

 

[Guest]

Whatever you get just make sure the voltage is regulated. The SD's don't like any more than about 7.4v max I think & a higher voltage can cause them to not work or cause damage.
Batteries may be 7.2v but may actually charge to a higher voltage so making sure the output is regulated is important.
The Detector Mods wireless set up I seen isn't a true wireless system I.e. you can use it with a speaker mounted on the control box making it so there is no wires attached to you but if you want to use headphones or have the speaker on your harness you need to be wired. The Minelab Mods system is a true wireless system meaning I can have the booster on my harness wire free & just plug in a speaker or headphones out of the booster. The battery has a wireless transmitter & the booster has a wireless receiver.

 

[Redfin]

G'day Myles, I have a 2200 and have the Detector Mods battery system.
I am happy with it.
I have yet to exhaust a battery and average 6 / 7 hours a day. Next day I use a fresh battery and charge the other thru 12 v battery / solar
While not a true wireless system as mentioned above, not being connected to the machine is a huge plus.
I have used the headphones as well and it is no big deal taking them off for a dig.
The speaker is quite small but loud enough, and runs on 3 x AAA's. Woody said they ran for a week on the bench.
Ron

 

[fabs]

In my humble opinion

Coiltek system: interesting that it has a regulator (dual voltage) is it worth 300$? certainly not, you can buy the battery (2 for 49$ and the charger for 30$), now put it in a small box, you would have a system that cost 100$ (inc 2 batteries) and a couple of hours work. Coiltek though are quite friendly and professional over the phone and always willing to help (part of the price i guess)

linktechnology: I am still laughing at it....it is hardwired, glued and has no voltage regulator, just a thermal break....about 10 times less interesting than a coiltek batt system, half the price, but really look amateurish....had 3 batteries from them, all arent holding the charge and are an embarrassment on the field...you can't even repalce the battery has it has not cradle like the coiltek, no you can through it away, extremely poorly designed (and certainly does not do any good to them as they "pride" themselves on doing detector mods...after what i saw with the battery and also the crude calculation and lack of knowledge on coils, I would not bother in a million years!

So coiltek system is the best so far, butthe price is a pure rip off