Minelab Eureka Gold Instruction Manual

The Minelab

Eureka Gold

L A U N A

M N

I T

C U R

T S N

MINELA

WARNING

THIS DOCUMENT CONT AINS

MINELAB ELECTRONICS PTY L TD

LIMITED RIGHTS TECHNICAL DA T A, OR

RESTRICTED RIGHTS DATA, OR BOTH.

This work is copyright. Ap art from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process

without written permission from

Minelab Electronics Pty Ltd,

1 18 Hayward A venue,

Torrensville SA 5031, Australia.

4901-0046-1.1 January 2003

The Minelab Eureka GoldPage 2

Minelab Eureka Gold

Instruction Manual

CONTENTS

Page

1. Introduction.............................................................................4

2. List of Parts .............................................................................5

3. Assembling the Detector ....................................................... 6

3.1 Armrest/Upper Shaft Assembly ................................................. 6

3.2 Lower Shaft Assembly ..............................................................6

3.3 Completing the Shaft Assembly................................................7

3.4 Shaft Mount ...............................................................................7

3.5 Rear Shaft Mount ......................................................................8

3.6 Hipmounting/Chestmount .........................................................9

4. Batteries ................................................................................ 10

4.1 Installation of NiMH Battery Pack ............................................10

4.2 Installation of Alkaline Batteries ............................................... 11

4.3 Low Battery Warning and NiMH Recharging.............................12

4.4 Using your NiMH Chargers........................................................12

5. The Eureka Gold Controls ..................................................13

5.1 V olume Control........................................................................13

5.2 Threshold Control ..................................................................13

5.3 Sensitivity Control ..................................................................15

5.4 Frequency Switch ...................................................................16

5.5 Signal Switch ..........................................................................16

5.6 Balance Switch .......................................................................17

5.7 Mode Switch ........................................................................... 17

5.8 T one...........................................................................................18

5.9 Headphones..............................................................................18

5.9 Coils..........................................................................................19

Page 4 The Minelab Eureka Gold

6. Quickstart Operating Instructions......................................20

6.1 Best Setup Positions.................................................................21

7. Detector Sounds ..................................................................22

8. Operating Instructions - Fundamentals .............................23

8.1 Operating the Eureka Gold........................................................23

8.2 Ground Balance.........................................................................24

9. Detecting Techniques .......................................................... 25

9.1 Sweeping...................................................................................26

9.2 Pinpointing the T arget................................................................27

9.3 Digging the T arget......................................................................28

9.4 Automatic Ground Balancing.....................................................29

10. Discrimination .......................................................................31

10.1 Discrimination of Iron T argerts ............................................... 31

10.2 Discriminating in ‘Hot’ Ground ................................................31

10.1 Discriminating within Holes ....................................................32

11. Prospecting Tips .................................................................. 33

1 1.1 Mineralisation and ‘Hot’ Rocks ................................................33

11.2 Clay Domes ............................................................................ 34

11.3 Charcoal ................................................................................. 34

1 1. 4 Gold Lore ................................................................................35

12. The Coil and Skidplate ......................................................... 36

13. Environmental Concerns ..................................................... 37

14. Care of the Detector ............................................................38

14.1 Trouble-shooting Guide ...........................................................40

15. Warranty and Service ........................................................... 41

16. Specifications .......................................................................42

17. FCC Compliance and EC Conformity Notes ...................... 43

18. Minelab Service Repair Form .............................................44

Page 5 The Minelab Eureka Gold

1. Introduction

Congratulations on purchasing Minelab’s Eureka Gold prospecting detector. The Eureka Gold can constantly and automatically adjust the Ground Balance to keep it at the correct setting. This will ensure that the detector is always operating to its optimum strength, reducing operator fatigue and allowing more ground to be covered in a day’s detecting.

For sensitivity to a wide range of targets, the Eureka Gold has a choice of three operating frequencies:

• 6.4 kHz

• 20 kHz

• 60 kHz

Further refinements include target detection with pitch variation, better signal-to-noise ratio in the electronics, and a 10” (25cm) Elliptical Double ‘D’ coil as standard equipment.

This manual has been arranged with QuickStart instruction for inexperienced users. More detailed notes about assembling the detector , how its controls work and methods of detecting are also included and well worth reading by all operators.

As always at Minelab Electronics, we strive to provide you with the best metal detection equipment possible. With that in mind we present the Eureka Gold - the best continuous wave prospecting detector available today.

If you have any questions or comments we would like to hear from you. Please contact your local authorised Minelab Dealer or write to us direct.

We wish you every success in your prospecting and treasure hunting.

Since there may be a range of options available in this detector

type, equipment may vary according to the model or country of

issue. Certain descriptions and illustrations may differ (in this

manual) from the exact model that you have purchased. In addition, Minelab reserve the right to respond to ongoing

technical progress by introducing changes in design, equipment

and technical features at any time.

Page 6 The Minelab Eureka Gold

2. List of Parts

The box in which the Eureka Gold is shipped should contain the following items. When you first receive your Eureka Gold check that all these items are in the box:

• Eureka Gold Control Box

• 10” (25cm) Elliptical Coil with Skidplate attached

• 2-Piece Shaft Assembly including fibreglass lower shaft

• Aluminium 2-Piece Armrest (including nuts and bolts)

• Control Box Rear-mounting Bracket

• NiMH Battery Pack

• Mains power NiMH Battery Charger

• Neoprene Armrest Cover

• 2 Piece Armrest Strap

• Velcro Straps (2)

• Teardrop Washers

• Warranty Card

• User Manual

• Detector Stand

Please enter the required details on your warranty card and mail it to Minelab Electronics Pty Ltd. It is extremely important that we receive your warranty card within 14 days of date of purchase to register your new detector on our warranty file.

The following accessories are also available to further improve your detector:

• 12v NiMH Battery Vehicle Charger

• 11” Round Double ‘D’ Coil

• 15” Spider Double ‘D’ Coil

• Hipmount Bag

• Alkaline Battery pack

• Padded Cordura Detector Transport Bag

• Minelab Cap

• Minelab Polo shirt

• Minelab Jacket

Page 7 The Minelab Eureka Gold

P0588-A

3. Assembling the Detector

Please follow these instructions to assemble the Eureka Gold. Refer to the drawings to identify parts and how they are positioned. Please contact your Minelab dealer for further instructions should any difficulties arise.

3.1 Armrest/Upper Shaft Assembly

a) Place the two armrest halves (4) on either

side of the upper shaft (2) and ensure that the bolt hole is aligned.

b) Slide the nylon bolts through the bolt holes

and screw the nylon wing nuts (12) onto the bolts with a couple of turns (do not tighten).

Figure 2 - Armrest/Upper

Shaft Assembly

c) Slide the detector stand (7) into the

runners of the armrest (4) and tighten the nylon wing nuts by hand.

d) Attach the armrest straps (6) using the press studs on both sides of

the armrest.

P0570-A

e) Push the armrest straps through the slots in the armrest cover (5) and

push the cover over the armrest.

3.2 Lower Shaft Assembly

a) Remove the tape on the lower fibreglass tube

(3) that is holding the black teardrop washers (10) in place.

Note: Ensure the washers do not fall out after removing the tape.

b) Remove the black nylon wing nut (12), and

bolt (11) from the coil (9).

Figure 3 - The Coil and

Lower Shaft Assembly

Page 8 The Minelab Eureka Gold

c) With the teardrop washers in place, push the lower tube (3) into the

coil bracket so that the holes line up.

Note: Ensure that the black nylon spring clip near the top of the fibreglass tube is pointing toward the rear of the coil.

d) Push the black nylon bolt (11) through the holes in the bracket on the

coil from the cable entry side, put on the spacer (19) and tighten the wing nut (12) by hand.

3.3 Completing the Shaft Assembly

a) Slide the lower shaft assembly (3) into the Aluminium upper shaf t (2).

Note: The black plastic locking nut (18) may need to be loosened to position the lower shaft assembly correctly.

b) Set the length of the shaft by locking the black nylon spring clip

into one of the holes provided, then tighten the plastic locking nut.

P0585-A

Figure 4 - Completing the Shaft Assembly

3.4 Shaft Mount

a) Position the control box so that the recess in the control box (1) is aligned

with the leading edge of the mounting clip (8). Push the forward section of the control box upwards until the trigger ‘clicks’ indicating the control box is secured (see figure 5).

Page 9 The Minelab Eureka Gold

P0572-A

b) Firmly wind between 17 and 20 turns of the cable around the shaft until

it reaches the control box.

Note: Leave enough slack at the bottom of the cable near the coil to adjust the coil position without straining the coil cable.

c) Connect the coil connector (13) to the plug on the rear of the control

box (14).

d) Use VelcroTM tabs to secure cable in the

correct position on the shaft maintaining slack at coil and control box.

Note: Weather Protection - The hipmount bag is designed so that it can be used to weatherproof your control box while detecting in inclement weather. The new design allows the

Figure 5 - Mounting the

Control Box on the Shaft

hipmount bag to protect the control box while still on the shaft. The control box is positioned into the hipmount bag with the slot for the mounting bracket positioned at the back. The velcroed panel is then wrapped across the top of the stem. The hipmount bag is available from your supplier as an accessory item.

3.5 Rear Shaft Mount

The Eureka Gold provides the option of mounting the control box at the rear of the shaft (2), beneath the armrest.

In order to mount the control box (1) in this position:

a) Loosen the nylon wing nut from the armrest

and remove the detector stand.

Figure 6 - Mounting the

Control Box to the Rear

of the Shaft

P0573-A

Page 10 The Minelab Eureka Gold

b) Slide in the black plastic rear control box bracket (8). c) Tighten the nylon wing nut on the armrest.

d) Clip the control box onto the rear mounting bracket (see figure 5). e) Firmly wind the cable up the stem using the Velcro

tabs to hold in

position.

f) Connect the coil connector (13) to the plug (14) on the rear of the control

box.

3.6 Hipmounting/Chestmount

Hipmounting is an alternative to mounting the detector on the shaft and significantly reduces physical strain, enabling longer search time without undue fatigue. A hipmount bag is available as an accessory item for this purpose.

a) Check that there are charged batteries in the control box. b) Place the control box into the hipmount bag with its control panel

facing outwards (see figure 7).

c) Place the hipmount bag in your preferred

working configuration. The hipmount bag can be worn on the belt or over the shoulder.

Note: If mounting the hipmount bag on the chest, a belt can be thread through the belt loop and around the chest to hold the bag in position.

d) Wind about 5 turns of the cable around the

shaft. This will reduce the amount of excess cable.

P0582-A

Figure 7 - Hipmounting

the Control Box

Page 11 The Minelab Eureka Gold

P0586-A

Note: Leave enough slack at the bottom of the cable near the coil to adjust the coil position without straining the coil cable.

e) Use Velcro

tabs to secure the cable in position at the base of the shaft and where the cable leaves the shaft.

f) Take the excess loose coil cable and wind it

through the belt bracket of the hipmount bag

Figure 8 - Hipmounting

the Control Box

prior to connecting onto the control box (see figure 8).

g)Connect the coil connector to the socket on the rear of the control box

and tighten the locking nut.

4. Batteries

Your Eureka Gold is supplied with a rechargeable 12 Volt NiMH battery pack and mains charger. A car charger is also available as an accessory item from your authorised Minelab Dealer.

4.1 Installation of NiMH Battery Pack

a) Ensure your NiMH pack is fully charged. b) Place the base of the battery pack at the rear

of the battery compartment (A). Push the front edge of the battery pack into position (B). The two battery clips will “click” into position to hold the battery pack in place (see figure 9).

Note: The NiMH battery pack is factory sealed and does not open.

Figure 9 - Installing

the Battery Pack

Page 12 The Minelab Eureka Gold

4.2 Installation of Alkaline Batteries

A 12 Volt battery pack to hold 8 ‘AA’ alkaline batteries is available as an accessory item. These are useful to have as back-up if ever your NiMH batteries are flat.

a) Ensure the detector is switched “Off” before opening the battery

compartment.

b) Slide open the lid on the battery pack. c) Place 8 “AA” alkaline batteries (16) into the

base of the alkaline pack (15). Ensure they are aligned as shown in figure 10 and as indicated inside the compartment.

Figure 10 - Replacing

d) Slide the battery lid closed.

the Battery Lid

e)Place the base of the battery pack at the rear of the battery

compartment (A). Push the front edge of the battery pack firmly into position (B). The two battery clips will “click” into position to securely hold your battery pack in place (see figure 9).

Caution: Good quality alkaline batteries will power the Eureka for about 10 to 15 hours and should always be used instead of standard carbon batteries. Alkaline batteries should be removed from the detector if it is to be stored for extended periods to avoid damage caused by leaking batteries. Using headphones will extend battery life.

Page 13 The Minelab Eureka Gold

4.3 Low Battery Warning and NiMH Recharging

When the batteries are reaching the point at which they will no longer operate, the Eureka Gold will emit a distinct sharp “pip” from the speaker, approximately every 30 seconds. Shortly after this, the threshold will increase to a loud continuous signal that cannot be reduced by the threshold control. When this tone is heard, it is recommended that the NiMH battery pack be recharged or alkaline batteries be replaced as soon as possible to avoid missing any targets. The NiMH battery pack can be recharged using either the supplied mains powered charger or a 12V charger (available as an accessory) that can be plugged into the cigarette lighter of your vehicle.

Caution: Check the mains charger voltage. Only use the appropriate mains charger for the country you are in.

4.4 Using your NiMH Chargers

Plug the charger into the socket on the rechargeable NiMH battery pack, and plug the charger into the power source and switch on. The car charger has a red light that indicates that it has power. A green light will appear on the battery pack during charging. A completely flat battery will take approximately 12-14 hours to fully charge. The green light on the battery pack will fade/dim once it is fully charged. A fully charged NiMH pack will give between 15 and 20 hours detecting time, depending on the number of targets found.

Figure 1 1 - Car and Mains Battery Chargers

Page 1 The Minelab Eureka Gold

5. The Eureka Gold Controls

This section gives detailed descriptions of the controls of the Eureka Gold detector and their functionality . Having knowledge of these controls means that you will be able to achieve the best performance from your detector. As you gain experience with your detector it may be useful to refer back to this section.

Figure 12 - The Eureka Gold Control Panel

The Control Panel of the Eureka Gold has been carefully designed, especially the placement of the controls, so those you will need to use most frequently are at your finger tips (see figure 12).

5.1 Volume Control

The Volume Control incorporates the On/Off switch. It is off when the control is fully counter clockwise. Turn the Volume Control clockwise and the Eureka Gold ‘clicks’ on.

This control sets a maximum limit on the loudness of the audio signal obtained from various targets. If the Volume Control is close to the maximum, the audio signal is proportional to the target signal level (see figure 13). However, if the Volume Control is turned down, the audio signal is the same for a smaller target, but limited for a bigger target.

+ 31 hidden pages

Minelab Eureka Gold Instruction Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual