Help required to waterproof my Mirage, bult by Sven.

[TowySalmon]

Dear All,
I am the proud owner of a Mirage, built by Sven.

Unfortunately, the case is not rain/water proof. I do not have even the most basic of skills, so I am hoping someone can take on this project for a fee.
The detector will be used on beaches, but only the coil may occasionaly be submerged.
I hope that someone could transfer to a waterproof case and change the location of the knobs (and replace for waterproof if needed) as currently coat sleeve brushes agains knobs and settings are changed, with gloves on changing delay can also result in threshold changing. I carry the detector in right hand so I imagine a better location for knobs would be on the offside to my body like this:

This is how the current setup looks like.

I look forward to hearing from anyone capable and willing to help me out.
Thanking you in anticipation.
Roger

[MartinB]

Have a look at the Mirage posts here on the forum. Elliot, the designer, made a water-proof version.

[TowySalmon]

I am sorry but maybe I did not make things clear. I am in UK and I see Elliot is in Australia. I am hoping someone in UK can do the job for me. I was going to message Sven himself, but his website is no longer. I have watched videos on Youtube of a guy in Australia with a redish box Mirage build, plus a waterproof detector with a name I do not recognise.

May I also confirm, that I cannot even do a solder joint, that is why I am prepared to pay to have it done.

Or should I just forget the idea and take the Mirage to the beach in summer sunshine, with T-shirt and no need for gloves?

Maybe, if someone is capable and would like the job, perhaps getting in touch via PM may be better.
Thank you.

[kt315]

a way in needed folder is

# MET_DET\#hotchpotch\underwater water proof

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EIo...usp=share_link

[TowySalmon]

kt315, I am sorry, but I do not understand: "a way in needed folder is # MET_DET\#hotchpotch\underwater water proof" and what am I meant to do with the link? What is it for?
People...I can detect, but I am totally lacking in knowledge in building detectors.

[nickel_n]

I am hoping someone in UK can do the job for me. I was going to message Sven himself, but his website is no longer.
Thank you.

try this link
https://treasurelinx.geotech1.com/Main/index.html
it works

[TowySalmon]

nickel_n, many tanks, very much appreciated.

[kt315]

i give a digest on whole waterproof matter detailed collected from forums. the files in the folder. pictures, links, texts.
or, there is good way, to use SEARCH engine of the forum.
DRIVE GOOGLE COM is just a place for keeping of files. you can use your MY DRIVE too.
pleasure

[TowySalmon]

I had a friend analyse critically why my settings changed every time I dug a target with the Mirage. I thought it was my sleeve of baggy coat. No, not always. Periodically, the bungee at end of harness rubbed against the Threshold and Frequency knobs and periodically the cable from headphones rubbed against them. Even worse....each time I dig, being that the harness is attached to me and I do not put unit on the ground whilst digging, it is suspended from harness, the unit turns and rubs against the outside of my right leg, or right buttock resulting in the knobs being moved. Bearing in mind this unit is so fine tuned, just a movement of a fraction of an incriment of aforementioned knobs and the settings are changed and it takes up to a minute to reset. There is no joy in that whatsoever.
So for now, the Mirage will be temporarily retired as I cannot use it like this.
Picture shows the unit just prior to rubbing against right leg+buttock during digging.

[SVEN1]

Hi,
Took a look at your post at Geotech after reading your email.
I did sell off all my electronics gear and bench power tools. That make as it impossible for me to do a conversion.
Also, could not find a suitable waterproof case in a small form factor for water metal detector use. So I no longer made any more water units.
The original cases worked well but, were actually a little on the small size, made it difficult to fit everything within thoses cases.

Currently I do not have any simple solutions for you. If you can find some on eto do a conversion, all the pots and switches, speakers, battery etc. attach to the circuit board with
plugs. No desoldering necessary. You would need some amp waterproof seals for the pots and boots for the toggle switch. The frequency switch would have to be switched out for a
larger Bourne, Clarostat 10 turn pot. Waterproof coil and control box connector would also be needed.
Soory that I can't help you out at this time.

[TowySalmon]

Thanks Sven, email sent in reply to yours.

[Elliot]

Like many on this forum, I took on the challenge to design a fully submersible machine, but it was too challenging in the end without having very expensive solutions (eg submarine pots that cost about $100 each!). I ended up with a splash proof version that I called the Aqualand - can be used both in the rain and on land. It is my heavily modified version of Sven's original Mirage design. It uses the highly regarded Ultrabox case and has weatherproof seals on all variable controls, switches and jacks (for dual headphones/charging port, and search coil). It includes the following controls: On/Off, LED Battery Test, Volume, Delay, Gain and Threshold. The box is small and light weight and I dropped the frequency control due to case space limitations for another pot. Because of the rubber variable control seals used, the pots need a firm hand to adjust them, so any brushing of pants or sleeves was no issue whatsoever. Field testing on a beach near power lines proved no problem whatsoever with EMI (Field Test video link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1b__o20ziJw&t=204s). The other tricky part was finding a solution to getting a demountable bracket that fitted the arm stem and this specific control box. I ended up designing a custom 3D printed set of clip-on bracket that works a treat (you can see them in the video). Another great feature is the volume circuit design. No matter where the volume control is set, the minimum volume that you hear is always at maximum amplitude, which is great for noisy environment such as at beaches with the wind.

Air test video with a small 6 x 8" Sadie Coil is found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8t00yl2Q5A

Field test comparison in a park of Aqualand Mirage and Minelab Equinox 800: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmGORWpQMog

As far as converting over Sven's machine to a waterproof case, that is something you're best to try arrange locally I'm afraid.