Minelab call their coils for the Equinox detector as “smart”. However, the manufacturer clearly didn’t expect that hobby enthusiasts would put their neat piece of work first thing in the x-ray machine. I want so much to believe that the word smart is not just defence against manufacturers of aftermarket coils, and not yet another marketing trick in order to slap an extra $300 on top of their coil’s price. By the way, have you seen how much the coils for the Minelab Equinox 600 and Minelab Equinox 800 cost? Check it out and you’ll respect great and mighty Minelab again.
The Minelab EQX 15 DD is a new additional coil for the Minelab Equinox 600 and Minelab Equinox 800 (the coils within this detector series are interchangeable). Size: 15 inches. It means, first of all, increase in detection depth and scanning speed if to compare with the standard Minelab EQX 11 DD coil.
But whatever depth increase or faster speed you get, you should start first by comparing the difference in weight. Supposing your coil weighs 3 kg, your arm will get tired in 10 minutes and you will have to finish your hunt. So will this depth increase help you much?
Of course, the Minelab EQX 15 DD coil doesn’t weigh 3 kg. Even despite the fact that the coil has been declared as smart, its weight with a coil cover is 670 grams. By comparison, the stock 11 DD coil weighs 515 grams (with a coil cover). The difference in weight is 155 grams. In theory, as for the round (almost round, 38х31 cm) 15-inch coil this weight is quite reasonable.
But it’s just in theory, as when trying the coil you feel more mass at the end of the shaft at once. It’s clear that if you get used to search with the 11-inch coil and then change it into the 15-inch one, you will feel the difference by all means. Even if the weight isn’t too much perceptible, you will definitely feel the coil’s sailing capacity. However, all these sensations are normal when using large coils, so that would be just as good to hunt with.
How deep the new coil will detect. The Minelab EQX 15 DD can give you a detection depth increase of up to 8%-30% compared to the stock Minelab EQX 11 DD coil. The figure directly depends on the find size: the larger the target is, the deeper the detector will see it.
As an example: a copper sheet with the size similar to that of the usual school exercise book got a 35 cm increase in the ground (compared to the 11 DD coil). A small copper coin was detected at a 5 cm greater depth. The maximum depth, at which the coin was “seen” to both sides as a non-ferrous target (it was a silver one), was 35 cm in the ground. Meanwhile, the 11 DD coil gave a very dubious signal to that very coin, it sounded like iron. Detectorists usually don’t dig such signals.
Note that you most probably won’t be able to use this coil without a coil cover as its entire bottom is covered with “cells”. Due to the latter, the manufacturer can lower the coil’s weight by reducing the amount of epoxy resin that is poured inside (the coil has greater weight mainly because of the epoxy resin). Plus, plenty of partitions provide improved stiffness properties and should ensure overall reliability of the coil.
These drain holes on the coil bottom are a good thing, but they always get clogged with dirt – resulting in the coil’s increased weight and produced noise. And the latter is not just words. Here’s a classical example: you had a perfect hunt on the sea beach, walking on sand and in water. The Minelab Equinox can be completely submerged in water, but by way of example it’s enough to submerge the detector’s coil only. After your beach outing, you didn’t use your machine leaving it at home for a couple of weeks. Next time, when you go out detecting, you come to the field and find out… first, it’s not standard, as for this spot, ground balance (it differs from usual figures). The point is that the salt water under the coil dried up leaving the salt behind. And the more space for water is, the more salt water will leave. And while the ground balance changing is the thing you can go along with, because of this salt you may suffer from real interference. You should be aware of it and take it into account after hunting on salt beaches. As a matter of fact, this is the case of any search coils (with the cells on the bottom or without these ones) that are used with the coil covers on them while metal detecting.
All about the Minelab EQX 15 DD is collected here (news, tests, comparisons with other devices, different reviews and opinions). Plus, on Knowledgebase pages there is additional information you should know before buying the Minelab EQX 15 DD. The experience of others will help you save your time and money. Happy hunting to everyone!
