Tweet
First post after a long time wondering about PI kits and technology. I hope to spend a bit of time around here on all sorts of projects and issues but my immediate interest is an Aquascan AQ1B I have poured too much money into and is still causing issues.
After having the batteries repacked it worked fine for a while, then I cooked something after my charger strangely started pumping out 17v instead of 12. I just had a local electronic repair place check it out and $150 later it was back and once again working fine. About that time my other water detector, a Sand Shark broke down which is back in the US for repair so I bought some more coils for the AQ1B hoping to use that for the jobs I had coming up. However 30 seconds into the next water task the AQ1B once again started playing up. So I now have 5 expensive coils for a non-working detector and I need to work out what I am going to do. Options are:
I like the machine as it works really well at depth, is non motion so I can size objects with it, uses slow pulse delay monos so I can say make up a 1m x 1m square coil for it easily but I am not overly keen in investing too much more in it atm.
So my question for you learned folk is this, Which of the readily available kits is will fit in a AQ1B housing, can use mono coils designed for slow pulse delay PIs, and is non-motion? I also don't have a oscilloscope atm but I guess can buy one if I can account for the purchase with time it will save and knowing I will use it in the future.
On a related note, I have a non working AQ1B coil here I am prepared to cut open if anyone wants to see what is inside and the AQ1B case is open if anyone wants to see the board. Thanks
After having the batteries repacked it worked fine for a while, then I cooked something after my charger strangely started pumping out 17v instead of 12. I just had a local electronic repair place check it out and $150 later it was back and once again working fine. About that time my other water detector, a Sand Shark broke down which is back in the US for repair so I bought some more coils for the AQ1B hoping to use that for the jobs I had coming up. However 30 seconds into the next water task the AQ1B once again started playing up. So I now have 5 expensive coils for a non-working detector and I need to work out what I am going to do. Options are:
- Buy a new AQ1B control unit (pricey, not sure I can find enough soon to make it worth while)
- Spend more on another repair
- Learn enough myself to repair it (hoping to do this anyway)
- Research on which PI kit is a suitable replacement so I can drop a say Surf PI/ Baracuda or similar in the AQ1B housing and use with current coils
- buy another underwater detector and cut my losses
- see if there is a AQ1B donor machine out there cheap
- see if a replacement board is available
- learn enough to trace the fairly simple looking AQ1B board and make one
- something else
I like the machine as it works really well at depth, is non motion so I can size objects with it, uses slow pulse delay monos so I can say make up a 1m x 1m square coil for it easily but I am not overly keen in investing too much more in it atm.
So my question for you learned folk is this, Which of the readily available kits is will fit in a AQ1B housing, can use mono coils designed for slow pulse delay PIs, and is non-motion? I also don't have a oscilloscope atm but I guess can buy one if I can account for the purchase with time it will save and knowing I will use it in the future.
On a related note, I have a non working AQ1B coil here I am prepared to cut open if anyone wants to see what is inside and the AQ1B case is open if anyone wants to see the board. Thanks
Comment