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I just completed upgrading my Tesoro Vaquero to a Vaquero 3D Triple Discrimination system that performs justlike the Troy X3 and X5.
I had initially planned a more ambitious modification for this Vaquero but since the 3D Silver Sabre uMax has performed so well I limited this one to basically the same mod I performed a couple of months ago on the Silver Sabre uMax. I have taken a better set of photos this time in the attempt to show the process better. Some of this post is a rehash of the previous mod but at least I’m plagiarizing myself.
THE PURPOSE OF THE MODIFICATION: I added a 3 position momentary switch that returns to the center position when not activated. 1. First I set the detector to discriminate out foil. This is the center and default setting of the toggle. 2. Pressing down the toggle activates the Nickel and below discrimination. When released the toggle pops back to the center position. 3. Pressing up on the toggle activates the Zink and below discrimination. Again, when released the toggle pops back to the center position.
SO THIS HOW IT WORKS: 1. The first signal means a target above foil is under the coil. 2. Press down on the toggle. If the signal goes away chances are the target is a Nickel, Can Slaw or a Gold Ring. 3. If the signal did not go away Press the toggle up. If the signal does not go away it’s probably a non-zinc coin or silver. If it did go away it’s probably a pull top or zinc.
Components used:
1. One 3P3T Switch that I purchased from Digikey. Part No. M2026ES1W01, cost was less than $8.00.
2. Two 100K OHM trimmer Potentiometers that I got off eBay. I got a pack of 5 for $4.59.
3. Wire was the third item used in the Mod. I bought 28 gauge for this mod but once I thought I was finished the machine didn’t work. I found that the 28 gauge wire had broken in two places. So I dissembled everything and went back to the 24 gauge wire I had used on the Silver Sabre. By better planning the routes the wire would take I was able to minimize the lengths of the wires and ended up with a much better final product. I only had black and white colored wire so the lengths that need to be red I colored white wire red with a marker.
VERY IMPORTANT: TAKE LOTS OF PHOTOS OF WIRING AND CIRCUIT BOARD AS SOON AS YOU OPEN THE COVER. Two wires came loose from the circuit board while I was doing this mod. I was able to locate where they went from the photos I took and reconnected them.
Picture 1: shows the wiring schematic on the left and the switch connections on the right.
Picture 2: The parts used are shown in the top half of the picture. The bottom half shows the wires attached to the switch. In the background is the hook up shown by the switch manufacturer. Picture 2: The parts used are shown in the top half of the picture. The bottom half shows the wires attached to the switch. In the background is the hook up shown by the switch manufacturer.
Picture 3: It turns out the best location for the toggle switch for me is centered at the bottom of the detectors faceplate. Since I never use the frequency toggle that comes with the Vaquero I decided to use that position for the discrimination toggle. The frequency switch is an On-Off-On toggle. So when it is in the center Freq 1 position it is actually Off. So I just cut the wires grouped them together with a piece of heat shrink and abandoned them in the housing. I left a tiny bit of the wire on the switch so I can reattach the wires if I ever decide to return the machine to factory condition.
Picture 4: This shows the mod wiring, switch, and trim pots in place. There are annotations that hopefully helf explain what I did.
Picture 5: This one just shows how careful thought to routing of wire and placement of trim pots resulted in a fairly neat easy to close assembly.
Picture 6: TaDaa! One Vaquero 3D - Triple Discrimination metal detector.
The great thing about this mod the circuit board is not involved at all (unless you screw up, cause a wire to pull free, and have to reattach it. Only one wire is taken desoldered from a pot which is then attached to the toggle switch and then three wires soldered to the pot. Everything other part of the mod does not touch the original detector. I did disconnect the frequency switch on the Vaquero and on the Silver Sabre I drilled a hole for the discrimination toggle.
************************************************** *******
Here is the Silver Sabre uMax Mod
Picture 1: Completed
Picture 2: This is the completed mod before closing. The two Blue Trim Pots are attached with two sided tape and the adjustment screws are at the top for ease of future use.
I had initially planned a more ambitious modification for this Vaquero but since the 3D Silver Sabre uMax has performed so well I limited this one to basically the same mod I performed a couple of months ago on the Silver Sabre uMax. I have taken a better set of photos this time in the attempt to show the process better. Some of this post is a rehash of the previous mod but at least I’m plagiarizing myself.
THE PURPOSE OF THE MODIFICATION: I added a 3 position momentary switch that returns to the center position when not activated. 1. First I set the detector to discriminate out foil. This is the center and default setting of the toggle. 2. Pressing down the toggle activates the Nickel and below discrimination. When released the toggle pops back to the center position. 3. Pressing up on the toggle activates the Zink and below discrimination. Again, when released the toggle pops back to the center position.
SO THIS HOW IT WORKS: 1. The first signal means a target above foil is under the coil. 2. Press down on the toggle. If the signal goes away chances are the target is a Nickel, Can Slaw or a Gold Ring. 3. If the signal did not go away Press the toggle up. If the signal does not go away it’s probably a non-zinc coin or silver. If it did go away it’s probably a pull top or zinc.
Components used:
1. One 3P3T Switch that I purchased from Digikey. Part No. M2026ES1W01, cost was less than $8.00.
2. Two 100K OHM trimmer Potentiometers that I got off eBay. I got a pack of 5 for $4.59.
3. Wire was the third item used in the Mod. I bought 28 gauge for this mod but once I thought I was finished the machine didn’t work. I found that the 28 gauge wire had broken in two places. So I dissembled everything and went back to the 24 gauge wire I had used on the Silver Sabre. By better planning the routes the wire would take I was able to minimize the lengths of the wires and ended up with a much better final product. I only had black and white colored wire so the lengths that need to be red I colored white wire red with a marker.
VERY IMPORTANT: TAKE LOTS OF PHOTOS OF WIRING AND CIRCUIT BOARD AS SOON AS YOU OPEN THE COVER. Two wires came loose from the circuit board while I was doing this mod. I was able to locate where they went from the photos I took and reconnected them.
Picture 1: shows the wiring schematic on the left and the switch connections on the right.
Picture 2: The parts used are shown in the top half of the picture. The bottom half shows the wires attached to the switch. In the background is the hook up shown by the switch manufacturer. Picture 2: The parts used are shown in the top half of the picture. The bottom half shows the wires attached to the switch. In the background is the hook up shown by the switch manufacturer.
Picture 3: It turns out the best location for the toggle switch for me is centered at the bottom of the detectors faceplate. Since I never use the frequency toggle that comes with the Vaquero I decided to use that position for the discrimination toggle. The frequency switch is an On-Off-On toggle. So when it is in the center Freq 1 position it is actually Off. So I just cut the wires grouped them together with a piece of heat shrink and abandoned them in the housing. I left a tiny bit of the wire on the switch so I can reattach the wires if I ever decide to return the machine to factory condition.
Picture 4: This shows the mod wiring, switch, and trim pots in place. There are annotations that hopefully helf explain what I did.
Picture 5: This one just shows how careful thought to routing of wire and placement of trim pots resulted in a fairly neat easy to close assembly.
Picture 6: TaDaa! One Vaquero 3D - Triple Discrimination metal detector.
The great thing about this mod the circuit board is not involved at all (unless you screw up, cause a wire to pull free, and have to reattach it. Only one wire is taken desoldered from a pot which is then attached to the toggle switch and then three wires soldered to the pot. Everything other part of the mod does not touch the original detector. I did disconnect the frequency switch on the Vaquero and on the Silver Sabre I drilled a hole for the discrimination toggle.
************************************************** *******
Here is the Silver Sabre uMax Mod
Picture 1: Completed
Picture 2: This is the completed mod before closing. The two Blue Trim Pots are attached with two sided tape and the adjustment screws are at the top for ease of future use.