Troy Shadow X5 aftermarket coils??

[Daniel Tn]

I recently acquired a Troy X5 for a really good deal that I couldn't pass up. It came with 3 coils. At any rate, all but one of the coils are concentric coils. Troy had a small DD coil made for the X5 that was targeted for small nugget hunting...it's like a 5x10 size, and it came with my machine.

I've been reading on the forums where people have asked about other coils working on the X5, and they always get a prompt "NO". So I want to ask this here, but since you guys are more technically adaptive to making and modding things....I will ask it like this:

Are there any coils on the market that can be MODDED to work on the Troy X5? The machine runs at 19khz. What I'm wanting, is simply a bigger DD coil. DD coils handle my soil better than concentric coils. I don't know enough about the technical side of modding things, but if simple enough (like swapping out coil connectors) I could do that no problem.

I also read in an earlier thread here, about a guy that was making his own coils to fit the X5...so I'm assuming this SHOULD be do'able.

What I would really like would be something like the DeTech 13" Ultimate coil to fit the X5...they make it for several different machines, including the Teknetics G2 which also runs at 19khz.

I think the coil connectors can be bought...if not, I can scrap one of the X5 coils that I don't plan on using IF it would make the bigger DD coil work.

Thanks for any help you can provide!!

[sinclairuser]

what you may have been told is partly true the g2 teknetics may well run at 19khz
but this not the only consideration its L factor(ie how many henries) may be different!
what you need to do is get an inductance meter/ohm meter and get the inductance and resistance L and R of ALL YOUR COILS and first see if there is a differance if readings are the same/within 1%
post that info here the gurus will be able to help you better if they know the freq,L and R of your coils
thanks ally x

[ivconic]

I had X3 and X5 so far. Sold X5 several weeks ago.
I tested Fisher Quicksilver concentric coil with X5.
Coil is 28cm, usually coming with Fishers CZ5, CZ7 and CZ3D.
It works with X5 pretty decently.
All you have to do is to replace connector and solder pins to fit X5 connector.
Everything seems to fit; Disc is working nice, GB is working nice too.
Depths are decent.
So if you can obtain Quicksilver coil by good price than i would suggest you to try it.
Or you can make your own coil.
Not that hard task at all.
Just measure resistances and inductances of original coil and obey them when making your own coil.
About those Troy's i noticed one important thing (maybe a great help for you);
those usually do coming to EU market slightly "unGEB-ed" !?
Other words; is possible that you can't properly GEB you Troy on some of local soils in Manual GB mode.
So what you have to do is to open Troy X5 and locate internal GB trimmer and slightly readjust it to correct that "lack".
To adjust it properly you should first turn back front panel GB potentiometer to MIDDLE position. Since it is multiturn you should count turns and find out the middle position.
Once you do that: open box and locate GB trimmer, somewhere in the middle of pcb as i recall (i did not remembered well, damn).
Than adjust that trimmer just to reject ferrite chunk. Use a chunk from some radio ferrite antenna.
That's how you will adapt your Troy to suit and GB even on most mineralized soils.
Later you will know that middle position of front panel GEB is actually "null" position respecting to ferrite.
When turning CW it will "lose" GB and turning ACW it will "stiff up" GB.

Cheers!

[Daniel Tn]

I don't have an inductance meter but I do have a knack for digging up info hahaha.

I was able to find several threads where people had measured their X5 coils inductance and all of them are right there with one another. Here is what I got from it:

1mH (TX) and 6.5mH (RX) seems to be the the ticket for the coils.

I did find a schematic sheet for the X5 on the Geotech forum itself, in which the guys had all the info for the DD coil that Troy made. The info for it was:

Lt - 1.1mH / selfrez = 255kHz
Lx - 6.5mH / selfrez = 87kHz

So now with you all knowing that info, would my next task simply be to try finding inductance levels for other coils currently available on the market, and see where they read? Then trying the ones that read close (if any)?

[ivconic]

I don't have an inductance meter but I do have a knack for digging up info hahaha.

I was able to find several threads where people had measured their X5 coils inductance and all of them are right there with one another. Here is what I got from it:

1mH (TX) and 6.5mH (RX) seems to be the the ticket for the coils.

I did find a schematic sheet for the X5 on the Geotech forum itself, in which the guys had all the info for the DD coil that Troy made. The info for it was:

Lt - 1.1mH / selfrez = 255kHz
Lx - 6.5mH / selfrez = 87kHz

So now with you all knowing that info, would my next task simply be to try finding inductance levels for other coils currently available on the market, and see where they read? Then trying the ones that read close (if any)?

Usually same or similar inductances may lead to another coil that can be used with non origin detector.
But you have no guaranties that it will work exactly that good as original one, until you try it.
Because of electrical balancing that may differ between various coils.
Coil electrically and physically balanced for one detector may not suit to another detecor, despite same or similar inductances and resistances.
Yet, same or similar inductances are good guideline for a start.
I tested X5 with Quicksilver coil just for fun and it happens that those almost do suit to each other. Plain coincidence.
Quicksilver is designed for CZ5,CZ7 and CZ3D which are operating at 5kHz and 15kHz. Other hand; X5 is operating at 19kHz.
Inductances of both; X5 original coil and Quicksilver coil were similar, along with resistances.
So i just wanted to test that and later turned that Quicksilver really can be used with X5!
Besides, both; Troy X5 and Quicksilver coil were made by Fisher, anyway, same kitchen.
So i guess any other custom made coil for Fisher CZ series will also work decent with X5 too.
Since you are searching for DD; i would suggest you to find SEF or Excellerator DD coil which is made originally for Fisher's CZ series and try it with your X5.
I guess there are more chances to obtain custom coils for Fisher CZ than for Troy detectors.
Like i said, once you get coil; all you have to do is to match coil and X5 connectors.

[Daniel Tn]

That's why I was hoping the G2 or Gold Bug Pro coils might work on the X5...there are several after market DD coils for those. I have a friend with a G2...may see what I can dig up on the numbers on those coils. He doesn't like the 13" Ultimate coil he got so I might snag it for a good deal if it might work.

I didn't know they ever made a DD coil for the CZ series. That is what everyone wanted for them but never got. Somebody said the coils for a Tesoro Lobo would work on an X5 but not sure.

[ivconic]

That's why I was hoping the G2 or Gold Bug Pro coils might work on the X5...there are several after market DD coils for those. I have a friend with a G2...may see what I can dig up on the numbers on those coils. He doesn't like the 13" Ultimate coil he got so I might snag it for a good deal if it might work.

I didn't know they ever made a DD coil for the CZ series. That is what everyone wanted for them but never got. Somebody said the coils for a Tesoro Lobo would work on an X5 but not sure.

I can't tell about G.Bug coils exactly, but i think those will not fit.
I have some scraped coil for Gold Bug 1 and as i recall it is having quite different inductances and resistances.
Maybe coils for Gold Bug 2 are different, i can't tell, never had one.
Also i doubt that coil for Lobo will suit too.
So far, as i know, your choice is limited only on original coils and CZ coils.

[ivconic]

But why complicating?
Buy inductance meter (included in many multimeters that may be founded on market).
It should not cost much, i guess not over $10.
Than make your own coil.
For TX "D" try with 0.35-0.45mm wire gauge and make enough turns to reach 1mH (later when you constrain windings it will rise a bit, i guess just enough as it need).
For RX "D" try with 0.18-0.22mm wire gauge and make enough turns to reach 6mH (later when you constrain windings it will rise to 6.5 - 6.7mH).
Resistance can help you much to distinguish between wire gauges.
You will have to waste few hours and make few plain "D" coils to find out most proper gauge.
Not a problem, trust me.
Once you founded out most proper wire gauge and once you made your "D" coils;
than you wrap them with thin and self adhesive Al tape.
Leave a gap somewhere on coil, 5mm or so.
Use "naked" thin steel wire and make few turns over Al surface, wherever you find suitable for you on "D" shape.
Connect those two wires together and that's "GND" lead to connect to cable shield later.
Than connect proper cable and hook it up to X5.
Put "D" coils one over another and overlap them for 2-2.5cm.
Switch ON X5 and try to "balance" coils to best spot.
Once you find best balance spot - voila, you made it!
Use super glue or hot melted plastic and fix coils gently to each other.
Put them to some suitable enclosure and pour it with epoxy. Wait to dry.
And that's all.
Procedure which i described here is almost the same for all home made coils.
You can search here on forum for .pdf files on making similar coil for TGSL.
There you have photos of each step in procedure.
It is better to make your own coil because it is up to you about coil sizes and other physical features.
You can make any kind of coil you want like that.
I guess all this will cost you 1/5 money than if you buy some coil from market.
And it will take you just day or two to accomplish that.
Cheers!

[kt315]

especcially for you. free coil! if you will win
http://www.findmall.com/read.php?31,...60#msg-1770260

[ivconic]

especcially for you. free coil! if you will win
http://www.findmall.com/read.php?31,...60#msg-1770260

It is White's coil!

[kt315]

It is White's coil!

if you mean Fisher coils in above your post so I do not write you 'hey guy it is Fisher's coil!'. right? good time to test all coils lie around and write us which are working and which are not working, on Troy, ie on Golden Sibre, ie on GMT King Cobra.

[ivconic]

I see.
Well, i don't think White's coils will work fine with Troy.
I don't know exact data for newer White's coil.
Maybe some new White's coil is having similar data to what man need here for Troy, i don't know, can't tell.

[kt315]

ivconic, i follow this matter all the time, believe me, look attached file.

[Daniel Tn]

The Gold Bug I was referring to is the new digital platform one...operates at 19 kHz the same as the Teknetics G2. The coils for it may very well not work but I can get a tester and see where the coils read at on my buddy's machine. He has about every detector known to man and all the coils for them too lol

I'm not that electronically savvy with building things and such. I was the kid that took things apart to see how it worked and then had parts left over after trying to put it back together haha. Thus if I can find one that's already built that would work on the X5 I would be better off than trying to build one of my own.