Pro-Find 35 schematics?

[Kennert-333]

When I try to turn on my pro-find35, the LED starts flashing very quickly, and it does not stop until I disconnect the battery. It was working fine one day, and then it started doing the blinking. It just blinks, and most of the time there are no beeps and no vibrations.

After I manually rotate the vibration motor on the circuit board and I turn it on, I get the LED blinking AND a slight beep. Then it just blinks, and I disconnect the battery.

I am a novice with electronics, but this just 'feels' like an issue with the power, rather than the electronics that need to use the power. I checked the main power rail and it has 9 volts, or very close to it. So I might venture to think that this issue will be on the 5 or 3.3 volt rail, which I am assuming runs the LED. I know there is a 5 volt and 3.3 volt rail because its printed on the circuit board. I can see no visible issues with the board or any components.

Are there any schematics of this, or any other pro-find models out there?

Could anyone confirm if this is more than a 2 layer board or not? There seem to be some vias that do not go through the entire board.

Anyone want to help me diagnose this problem?

Is this a common problem?

[Kennert-333]

The pro-find 35 is a Minelab pinpointer. I should have listed that in the title of this thread.

As I was checking voltages on the board the other day, it started to work. When I pushed the power button, the LED turned on, it made a short beep, and the LED stayed on and did not blink. Meaning it was acting normally. I cycled it off and on a few times.... and then is went back to the broken state, where the LED flashes when you turn it on.

My voltage check seemed to tell me the 9, 3.3, and 5 volt rails are active.

[Carl-NC]

It's likely that the flashing LED means something. Did you put in a fresh battery?

[Kennert-333]

Yes. Two different ones. Volt meter shows them to have 9.05 volts in each.

I will see if the documentation says anything about the flashing light.

[Kennert-333]

Yes, the docs say a flashing LED indicates low battery. I'd better get some other ones and test again. (Boy do I feel silly if it ends up just being batteries.)

[Kennert-333]

Although 9 volts on a volt meter should be a good battery, I will get a new and test it just to be sure I am using a good battery.

[Kennert-333]

It's not the battery. I just tested with a brand new 9V battery, name brand, and it still just blinks. But I am making some progress diagnosing the circuit that provides power the LED. If I find anything conclusive, I will post it.

[Sean_Goddard]

It means the Cyclic Ventibulator is malfunctioning or some made up Minelab term.