Just a thought..Is heat a factor?

Well aware that excessive heat and electronics don't mix. Detector manufacturers warn about leaving units in closed cars during the summer might adversely affect electrical components. What about using the detector for hours out in the hot sun since the majority of detectors are black or very dark in color. Exceptions are some Tesoros and Garrett's Ace series. Would the heat build up inside detectors enough to slowly reduce the efficiency of the components thus reducing the units efficiency. This also applies to coils which are by the most part all black. Just wondering why manufacturers are producing dark colored units. Planned obsolescence?

Direct sunlight on a black control box.....outdoors........ is so negligible on electronics deterioration. It does affect it; yet, very minute'.

Aesthetics is the largest reason for black coils. A white color does provide slightly better thermal stability; yet, the industry prefers black. Not for built-in obsolescence.

Back in the day I always painted,with nonmetallic black paint, my coils for Combat conditions.A white coil could be seen across 3 ridges.

I prefer white coils when I can find them..

Mainly because I can see them in low light!!

Seems everyone is going the black route now....

Keith

“I don't care that they stole my idea . . I care that they don't have any of their own”
-Nikola Tesla

hunt2getm Wrote:
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Well aware that excessive heat and electronics don't mix.
What about using the detector for hours out in the hot sun?
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There is an effect brought on by the sun.

Rusty Henry told me of the effects brought on by the sun while he
was gold hunting in Australia.
The best hunting was nearer to dawn and dusk. When the sun was
blazing there was a loss of performance pretty much across the board.

The loss is attributed to the sun's "energy". Particles I assume, that more
or less "fog things up". Instead of crisp and snappy, a bit mushy.

So I guess some type of "solar shielding" would be worth looking into.
But, when it comes to particles, shielding is not an easy proposition.

Some high-end search-coils are moulded from graphite-loaded plastic, which would presumably make them a darker dirty grey colour. So for aesthetic reasons, black colourant is used. The graphite forms part of the screen/shield around the coil windings.

Pimento Wrote:
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Some high-end search-coils are moulded from graphite-loaded plastic, which would presumably make them
a darker dirty grey colour. So for aesthetic reasons, black colourant is used.
The graphite forms part of the screen/shield around the coil windings.

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That is called "Monolithic" material.
Tesoro makes use of that material in the manufacture of their coils.
I think their housing are made from the same material.

So Tom..... the coils arent as much a problem as the box then? Is it because extreme heat can cause moisture inside where as coils are completely sealed?

It is a major 'plus' that most modern coils are hermetically sealed....... usually via epoxy. Control boxes most always provide 'air-gap' between PC boards/electronics and control box ......... which provides tremendous temperature delta/differential....... from the actual container/box. And............ you are outside..... whereby 'some' air-movement is continuously circulating around the container/box/housing.