Test on how XP DEUS Lite perform in high mineralisation evironment

[WM6]

From debates to tests

Debates usually only strengthen opponents on opposite sides.
On question: which detector is best?
The right answer is: "Test!"

It is hard to someone individual, to test all possible detectors that maybe suit to his needs.
So we need selection on basis of existed info, promo material, more or less independent reviews and experiences of others.
After that, after our end-decision, after purchasing something, we are on real test for ourself.

I am for a quite some time intrigued by XP Deus. Partly due to interesting posts and reports of our friend ivconic, partly due impressive fact that XP Deus do not need any cable nor between main "control box" and coil, nor between control box and headphone. Even more, we do not need those "control box" at all and we can still have fully functional XP Deus. This fact extremely suit to my way of detecting.

Usually I combine detecting with mountain hiking. This mean a whole day of hiking with trekking poles in hands and interim detecting. During those intermediate detecting become those two trekking sticks completely superfluous. How to overcome this? I decided to replace detectors rod by trekking sticks. Results of such decision you can see here on photos:






Yes, there was snow two days ago, when I tested XP Deus on the nearby hill, for general depth detecting check on buried BEER can.

As you can see, no cables, only coil, wireless phone and hiking sticks and this is whole working XP Deus "very Lite"detector.

[WM6]

How detectors was tested

There are different approach to test metal detectors.

One of easiest way, but usually pretty far from "in field reality" is air test. Air test can tell us if detector work properly, but cannot tell us how it perform in real field.

Other widely used and pretty close to real in field condition is test with (usually in backyard) buried targets. Quite real test, but has his cons: problem with targets position after time, soil is a living thing and target can be mowed by water streams, rodents etc., we cannot assure constant soil conditions as humidity, mineralisation, micro-biotic system status etc, therefore results obtained in bigger time intervals are not comparable.

So we need something like standardised soil to assure equal testing conditions and comparable results over different time intervals. After testing different possibilities, I decided to use for this purpose expanded clay by brand name LIAPOR. Web site of producer: http://www.liapor.com/en/basic.php?n=0101

This expanded clay granulate, born in fire, is equal to very high mineralised soil. So near to usual prospecting soil conditions. If we remember famous Roman brick, made out of clay too, so this two materials have much in common.

Using expanded clay as testing substrate I can assure equal testing conditions to all tested detectors no matter of time intervals between tests and in such way comparable results.

My first testing plant was someway limited regarding coil sweeping space over it, which can lead by some GEB sensitive detector to some unwanted instability:



With new testing plant I overcome those coil sweeping limitations:



Testing targets are fixed to the end of tailor meters and can be easily immersed by hand in testing substrate and then slowly pulled out, till clear detecting in both coil sweeping directions:



My standard testing samples are:

- 1.1gram genuine gold nugget
- 1.1gram gold pendant 15mm of diameter
- silver coin 30mm in diameter



I perform cache (hoard) test by using 5.5kg of different coins in ceramic pot placed under 50cm of expanded clay substrate:



Additionally as regular test I perform general depth capability test on buried beer can in field at depth of 55cm:

[WM6]

Test results

As previous mentioned my XP Deus Lite consist of standard (small) coil and wireless headphone.

It is really "Lite" and nice but without remote control unit I am fairly limited in approach to useful Deus functions and settings (as per example: no-motion/pinpoint functionality, notch settings, Ferro discrimination settings, soil mineralisation info, threshold settings etc.). By headphone units I can change on factory pre-set 9 programs this parameters: discrimination, sensitivity, working frequency, tone select and volume.

For first test (some more tests will follow later) I decided to use factory pre-set 9 programs unchanged. The only exception I done with GMPower program for which I added to test modded GMP program too (with changed discrimination and sensitivity).

On new testing plant was XP Deus Lite tested in "Saloon equipped" version:



Gold nugget test results you can find here:

http://australianelectronicgoldprosp...6280/#msg26280

[WM6]

Based on testing experiences with other previous tested detectors, I am satisfied with testing results of XP Deus Lite.

Are there still some brave detector which would like to be tested? Tests are free.

[Davor]

I might drop by some time - we are just 170km apart. Only I must obtain a highway vignette for Slovenia.

[ivconic]

Bravo WM6!
Finally you got it!
Nice results too.

Now you should get remote control, at least just for few minutes, to input Thames program by RiversRat.
I think Thames will outperform other programs on your test.
Cheers!

[WM6]

I might drop by some time - we are just 170km apart. Only I must obtain a highway vignette for Slovenia.

You are welcome Davor. Over the weekend I am usually in Maribor, but on "working days" mostly at home. We can even negotiate your "pick-up" somewhere at the border with my low-consumption car, to not waste money for those not really cheap vignette.

[WM6]

Bravo WM6!
Finally you got it!
Nice results too.

Now you should get remote control, at least just for few minutes, to input Thames program by RiversRat.
I think Thames will outperform other programs on your test.
Cheers!

Thank you ivconic.

Agree, "Remote" can open a whole new dimension in XP Deus settings. I hope one will land in my backyard.

[Davor]

...to not waste money for those not really cheap vignette.

It is not expensive at all if you are often visiting Slovenia, but for a single trip ... too much. Heck, Ljubljana has more fast roads than the rest of Slovenia together.
Croatia is the other way around, bearable for a single trip, but murder for regular travels.

I'll most probably give it a go because of the tax free shopping by the next summer.

[WM6]

How do I establish degree of my testing substrate mineralisation?

My conclusion on very high mineralised test substrate lead from previous tests with detectors (Whites, Garrett) that can measure relative degree of mineralisation in ground. Par example: I tested Garrett AT Gold which can measure such ground conditions (preciselly Ferro mineralisation). According AT Gold Manual we can determine level of Fe-mineralisation using this table:



In my testing plant applied clay substrate achieve ground balance with AT GOLD (the same AUTO or MANUAL GEB) at number 68, which is according Garrett Fe mineralisation table at "Highly Ferrous". Of course there are a lot of space between degree 68 and degree 99 which is maximum according those table, so it is not worst possible soil conditions that I emulate with my testing substrate.

[ivconic]

Bravo WM6 and THANK YOU for involving effort to do such detailed tests!
...
Here is what i would like to point you on too:
take some wire, preferably bronze, brass or Cu. Let's say with 1mm diameter.

Quil it in to spiral shape (like on photo below).

Bury it at some depth and perform detection test on such target.

Here is exact data that i can suggest:
* make spiral with 8cm diameter using 1mm Cu wire.
* bury it at 40cm in medium mineralized soil.
Make tests.
I am sure you will notice that such spiral shaped item will present very tough target.
We already do know that ring is very good target.
Broken ring is tough target.
But spiral will present even tougher target!?
I experienced this today on the field with real spiral target.

[6666]

Interesting tests
just for a simple comparison I have two detectors, different brands, both vlf , one is fixed frequency other is multi freq
both same size DD coil, one runs on 6v the other on 12v, both useing head phones.
Both can detect a CRUSHED 375mL aluminium drink can, at least 47-48 cm in wet surf sand and damp to dryish sand
and still plenty of signal to go.
As I said just for a simple comparison.

[WM6]

Here is exact data that i can suggest:
* make spiral with 8cm diameter using 1mm Cu wire.
* bury it at 40cm in medium mineralized soil.
Make tests.

Thanks for proposal ivconic.
Yes spiral can be interesting testing medium cause of its wideband frequency response.
I am planning more Deus tests with his program modifications (of course in limitations allowed with earphone unit).
Glad to include from you proposed spiral test too.
Awaiting on better weather, it is "Sandy" right now on a visit here (again).