A peek inside the Nox control head.

[m.youtube.com]

Welcome to modern electronics device construction. Looks like about 4 replaceable parts - none repairable.

Rick Kempf
Gold Canyon AZ- where there is no gold

The control head looks like it will be replaced as an end unit if anything goes wrong inside. One member on another forum with an error code on 600 model unit, this is exactly what happened. His unit returned to him has a new serial number.

Manufacturer service facility doesn't need much support equipment, or even highly trained folks to fix broken units.

Box change is all.
So folks with a spare coil, if they have a problem, and the coil can be eliminated as problem, the control head with handle w/battery should fix.

A no- brainer really.
No massive footprint needed to fix actual detectors.

This was the trend also when I left the AF some 15 years ago too as far as avionics equipment repair on aircraft.

And to support customers worldy- good choice.

And this all possible really with the good folks of Fed Ex, UPS, DHL, etc.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/2018 01:29PM by tnsharpshooter.

It would be neat, in the future, when they come out with the next version of the Nox, if we could just buy the new control box and just replace the older one. No need to buy new coils, shaft ,etc.

Dean



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/2018 02:45PM by bado1.

Well....... I was chastised and called a troll on another forum when I posted that the main unit of the NOX will not be able to be repaired but rather replaced. That means when the warranty expires there will be no repairs available to the main unit and the only option would be to purchase the complete control unit.
I am not passing judgment as I own both the 600 and 800 models just stating facts.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/2018 02:42PM by choppadude.

It's a throw away world we live in.

It doesn't matter if the head is reparable or not. To the end user all that matters is if a detector unit can be brought back into an in commission status. So how much will the pod with new battery cost??
If it can be bought after warranty expires for a decent price where a person can use their wireless, rod and coils and save some bucks vs buying a whole new unit, this should be fine.

The Equinox likely will be like all other Minelab units, support won't be provided forever.

Would sure beat seeing a unit laying around for weeks like some CTX units did awaiting on actual internal repairs.

I have talked of modular made detectors here in the past.
How this would contribute to keeping units going at a much simpler process.

Seems Equinox is one such animal.

Equinox might actually be the smartest designed detector made to date for maintenance.
Seems battery change is simpler vs Deus even as far as remote.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/2018 03:04PM by tnsharpshooter.

Only problem with this scenario is the cost of replacement units. If Minelab’s previous practice is anything to go by, they will be extremely pricey.

The biggest barrier to selling high-end detectors is the fact that too many folks tend to hang on to decades-old machines instead of buying new ones.

NOt accusing ML of any “evil” here, it’s just that metal detectors catching up with the 21st Century will mean the old days of (for example - as I have experienced several times) Whites Service dept keeping a “back room” full of obselete parts (some even used, servicable ones) and fixing your 25 year old machine for $100 including return shipping are long gone.

Rick Kempf
Gold Canyon AZ- where there is no gold

Intact or fused or integrated designed metal detectors are a thing of the past, or should be for the Wise detector manufacturers.

Key is be able to do and keep detector strength and integrity uncompromised.

So some of my dreams are coming to fruition.

Really KISS principle.
Hard some times for the real educated and real intelligent to see this though.

Sometimes it takes another manufacturer to shine the shiny light on before they do.

I don't think folks realize how much influence Xp has had on the entire industry.

Think about it.
Wireless headphones !!!!
Internet updatable !!!
Wireless pinpointer !!!
Li-Pro battery use !!!
Look where we are with these now.
And when did the Deus come out initially?
[www.xpmetaldetectorsamericas.com]

We have other manufacturers chasing here on these.
It's OK though.
If you can't beat em, at least join them. Lol



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/2018 03:56PM by tnsharpshooter.

tnsharpshooter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The control head looks like it will be replaced as an end unit if anything goes wrong inside.

Or outside. Appears that if the keypad goes bad, you buy a new detector.

I do notice as of late.
Balloon costs of shipping larger packages.

Keep packages small for warranty work returns sure adds up.

Imagine how much shipping cost was accrued with the MX sport being transported back and forth.
Or even the might CTX.

And this cost is likely figured in somewhere in the selling price.

Just like autos. There is a fudge factor for the expected and unexpected.

For detectors obviously the fudge factor is less.

One reason why Xp extended their warranty period on Deus units/components.
The darn things did better than their original estimations turned out to be.
And the units likely were more popular than they thought would be in USA too.
So their capital built quickly allowing for a higher risk - hence extending warranty period.



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/2018 04:01PM by tnsharpshooter.

I just want to know why someone would tear up a good detector just to show the insides?/??

Doesn't seem like there is much to it,.... until you get out the magnifying glass.

An experienced electronic device designer who looked at the video commented that the keypad cannot be replaced. Bad keypad - new control unit...

Looks like another ML device to sell prior to warranty expiration.

Rick Kempf
Gold Canyon AZ- where there is no gold

Mine appears to be one of several with a questionable screen,,,why do they want the entire unit back? Is each unit tuned to the coil?

They don’t (apparently) want to mess with “bits and bobs” - simpler to ship you an new detector. These things don’t actually cost much to make - handling returned pieces and sorting out the bits costs money.

Rick Kempf
Gold Canyon AZ- where there is no gold

X2




Flintstone Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I just want to know why someone would tear up a go
> od detector just to show the insides?/??

So what about replacing the battery. Looks like it's in the handle.Can it be done without shipping it in? Or be done at all (surely you can).

Minelab has stated the battery is user replaceable.

Welcome to 21st century electronics, most of them are throw away once their life span is over. In this case, the life span, given the warranty seems to be 3 years. Sounds about right, that's similar to the lifespan of cell phones these days. Within 3 years, Minelab or Nokta/Makro will have something better out anyway that will obsolete the Equinox.

Waterproof units are inherently more complicated to repair than ordinary ones. Unless the mechanical package is engineered just right, it will leak - just see the CTX’s woes for evidence of this. If it is done just right, it may make it difficult to get repeated watertight integrety if opened. Simple designs like White’s beach machines are pretty straightforward, but as they get more complex, problems arise. After repair, the box has to be pressure tested - this extends shop time and labor costs.

Easier just to bond the whole thing in one welded-up package and call it a day.

The same engineer who told me that the touchpad wasn’t replaceable, confirmed that slicing open with a Dremel was likely the only way to open the thing.

Rick Kempf
Gold Canyon AZ- where there is no gold



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/20/2018 01:09PM by lytle78.

I cannot confirm that Minelab has ordered one of these robots.

[youtu.be]

Rick Kempf
Gold Canyon AZ- where there is no gold

Cal_cobra Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Minelab has stated the battery is user replaceable
> .
>
> Welcome to 21st century electronics, most of them
> are throw away once their life span is over. In t
> his case, the life span, given the warranty seems
> to be 3 years. Sounds about right, that's similar
> to the lifespan of cell phones these days. Within
> 3 years, Minelab or Nokta/Makro will have somethin
> g better out anyway that will obsolete the Equinox
> .

Brian hit the nail on the head. Same as cell phones. And, that time period for "obsolescence", is getting shorter. I like the competition between ML and Nok/Mak. I will gladly welcome new tech to my detector stable every two/three years. Keeps thing interesting.

Dean

Way different than cell phones.

The pace of innovation in phones has slowed recently - the limits of what can be done with new tech in terms of actually improving the user’s experience is being reached.

This in spite of the fact that there are tens of thousands of talented hardware and software engineers working on these issues - and companies are investing hundreds of millions of dollars every year in this work.

Metal detector design and development.

There are likely not more than a dozen or two top-flight engineers working on these issues - and that all work for companies which are TINY compared to cell phone companies.

The limits of extracting usable information from exciting eddy currents in buried metallic objects have been nearly reached. Improvements in the actual user experience are very hard to achieve.

To expect big improvements very 3 years from the detector industry is probably more than they can deliver.

Rick Kempf
Gold Canyon AZ- where there is no gold