Tesoro SILVER µMax Operator's Instruction Manual

SILVER µMax OPERATOR INSTRUCTION MANUAL

CONGRATULATIONS!

Your new Tesoro Silver µMAX metal detector is part of a new series of detectors designed to
provide you with many happy hours of enjoyment in the most rewarding hobby I can think of—
treasure hunting. Ahead of you lie fascinating and exciting experiences as you step into the
past—uncovering artifacts lost by past generations, or as you take pleasure in the great outdoors
with family and friends searching for precious metals. I wish we could share these experiences
with you, and all of us at Tesoro wish you the best of success.

Your Tesoro detector is capable of meeting your needs in a wide range of treasure hunting
situations. As with any other metal detector, familiarity with this instrument is probably the
limiting factor in determining how successful you can be. I recommend that you read this manual
and fully understand how to operate this detector before attempting to use it in the field. As you
become more familiar with your detector through practice, your rate of success will increase
dramatically.

The Silver µMAX is a precision electronic instrument that will last for years if properly cared
for. Treat it right and it won’t let you down.

Good Hunting! Jack Gifford

GETTING STARTED - UNPACKING THE BOX

Your Silver µMax was shipped with these parts:

1 Upper Pole Assembly

Fully assembled, including upper pole stem with handle grip, padded arm bracket and control
housing.

1 Middle Pole Assembly With Pole Lock

1 ABS Lower Pole Assembly

Fully assembled, complete with two friction washers, mounting screw, and thumb nut.

1 8" Round Concentric Searchcoil With 3’ Cable

1 9 Volt Alkaline Battery

1 Operator Instruction Manual

1 Tesoro Warranty Card

If any of these items are missing, contact the Tesoro Authorized Dealer where you purchased
your detector immediately.

Assembly of the Silver µMax is simple and requires no special tools. Just install the battery,
mount the searchcoil on the lower pole assembly, connect the pole assemblies together, wrap the
excess cable around the pole and plug the cable into the control housing. Finally, adjust the pole
length and searchcoil angle and you're ready!

INSTALLING THE BATTERY

Your Silver µMAX is equipped with an automatic battery test circuit so that you can always be
sure you are getting top performance. The battery should be checked after the detector has been
on for about 10 minutes and then periodically when used for long durations.

To install or replace the battery, first make sure the SENSITIVITY control is set to POWER
OFF—turned completely counterclockwise past the “click.” Remove the battery door from the
back of the control housing. Do this by pressing your thumb firmly on the louvered square—at
the bottom of the battery door—and sliding the battery door upward in the direction of the arrow.

Check the polarity on the battery and on the diagram inside the battery compartment. Make sure
that they match and simply drop a fresh 9 volt alkaline battery into the compartment.

Replace the battery door by sliding it into place making sure the upper mount slots are in line and
the lock tongue is snapped in place.

(Above photo depicts the Eldorado model; however, battery installation is the same for the
Silver µMax.)

ASSEMBLING YOUR DETECTOR

1. On the lower pole assembly, remove the mounting screw and thumb nut from the black

nylon pole tip.

2. Insert the pole tip between the mounting ears of the searchcoil and align the holes of the

pole tip and washers with those of the mounting ears.
Note: The pole tip should fit very snugly into the mounting ears.

3. Insert the mounting screw through the holes in the mounting ears and pole tip—entering

from the side opposite the cable connection.

4. Install the thumb nut on the mounting screw and tighten by hand.

Note: Do not overtighten the thumb nut. It should be snug but not too difficult to
loosen up.

5. On the middle pole assembly, depress the two spring buttons and slide the middle pole

assembly into the upper pole assembly until the spring buttons click into the holes, thus
locking the two assemblies into place. Tighten the pole lock to secure the two assemblies
together.

6. Slide lower pole into middle pole until spring buttons click into the first set of adjustment

holes. Turn pole lock to tighten, thus locking the assembly into place.

7. Wrap the cable around the pole leaving enough slack near the searchcoil to permit

searchcoil adjustment. Note: Do not allow the cable to flop loosely over the searchcoil.

Since the detector is sensitive enough to “see” the tiny wires in the cable, a floppy cable
can cause false signals as the searchcoil senses the moving wires.

8. Plug the male cable end into the female connector on the control housing and tighten the

cable thumb nut. You are finished!

Note: You will want to adjust the pole length and the searchcoil angle to your
preference.

(Above photos are shown using the Eldorado model; however, assembly procedures are
the same for the Silver µMax.)

ADJUSTING THE P OLE & SEARCHCOIL

The pole length should be adjusted so that the detector does not
become uncomfortable or tiring after long periods of use. The
detector grip should rest in your hand with your arm relaxed, your
elbow straight but not locked, and with the pole extending out in front
of you at the approximate angle shown in the photo.

You should be able to swing the detector back and forth in front of
you—using relaxed shoulder movement—while keeping the
searchcoil as close to the ground as possible. This swinging
movement is often called a “sweep.”

The searchcoil should not touch the ground during your sweep. The
pole length should be adjusted to allow this without having to lift the
detector with your elbow or shoulder. The searchcoil should rest
about one inch above the ground while you are standing erect. The
angle of the searchcoil should allow the bottom to be parallel to the
ground.

The pole length is adjusted by depressing the spring buttons and extending or shortening the pole
until the spring buttons click into the set of holes that give you the most comfortable pole length.

To adjust the searchcoil angle, simply loosen the searchcoil thumb nut slightly and move the
searchcoil into the desired position. Tighten the searchcoil thumb nut by hand so that the
searchcoil will hold in place.

QUICKSTART

The Quickstart is designed to teach you how to use your new Silver µMax. It provides a quick
and easy means of learning your detector and the concepts behind all of the functions.

You will need the following items:

1. Your fully assembled Silver µMax.

2. An iron target (a small nail or screw will do), a nickel, a quarter and a couple of different

pull tabs.

3. A nonmetal table top or counter.

Here’s what you will do:

1. Perform Audio Battery Test

2. Adjust the SENSITIVITY

3. Perform Air Test in DISC Mode

4. Perform Air Test in ALL METAL Mode

Prepare for the Quickstart

Place your assembled Silver µMax on the nonmetal surface. Make sure that there are no metal
objects near the coil and remove any jewelry from your hands and wrists.

Start with the controls like this:

1. SENSITIVITY and DISCRIMINATE LEVEL knobs turned completely

counterclockwise.

2. MODE switch in the center position.

Perform Audio Battery Test

Turn the SENSITIVITY knob from OFF to about 7 or 8. You will hear a quick double beep tone.
This is the detector letting you know that it is turned on and ready to go. Push the MODE switch
to the left and release. The switch is spring loaded and will pop back into the center position. If
the battery is fully charged, you will hear 6 or 7 beeps.

When you hear only 1 or 2 beeps, it will be time to replace your battery. This test can be
performed at any time while the detector is turned on.

Adjust the SENSITIVITY

The Silver µMax uses two channels or sets of circuits for all of its detecting modes. The two
channels are amplified, processed and compared before the detector can make the appropriate
response. In the ALL METAL Mode, the detector compares the signals and discriminates out
most of the noise from changes in the ground mineralization. This allows hunting all metal
without a lot of annoying ground chatter. The DISC Mode compares the two channels and will
filter “good” targets from unwanted targets depending on the setting of the DISCRIMINATE
LEVEL knob. The SENSITIVITY knob will change the sensitivity and gain settings for both the
All Metal and Discriminate Modes on your Silver µMax.

The SENSITIVITY knob is used to raise or lower the power to the operational amplifiers, which
changes the gain. Gain is a measurement of how much a signal is amplified. The higher the gain
the more depth and sensitivity to small objects a detector has. Unfortunately, any small
interference that is amplified can cause the detector to become erratic. The SENSITIVITY
control is used to find the best gain setting in any location without letting the detector become
unstable.

The SENSITIVITY knob is numbered from MIN to 10 and then has an orange area called the
Max Boost Zone. For normal hunting, anywhere in the numbered zone will work very well.
However, the Max Boost will allow you to increase the power to the operational amplifiers to the
point of overload.

This may cause your detector to become unstable and force you to turn the SENSITIVITY knob
to a lower setting. An overload situation will not hurt your detector, but it will maximize the gain
that is used by your detector. This can, in certain conditions such as low mineralization in the
soil, cause your detector to penetrate deeper into the ground and become more sensitive to small
targets.

Take some time to try waving targets in front of the coil with different sensitivity settings and in
either mode. Notice that the higher the sensitivity setting, the farther away from the coil that a
target can be and still respond with an audio signal.

Perform Air Test in DISC Mode

As discussed before, the Discriminate Mode is used to filter unwanted targets from good targets.
The principle behind this is pretty simple. The detector sends out a signal and then receives it
back creating a small electronic field. As metal passes through the field that the detector
generates, it causes a change in the received signal.

The amount of change that each type of metal causes is fairly constant; therefore, we can tune
our detectors to miss targets that we don’t want to find. The change is based on the type of
conductivity that each target has. The general list of conductive targets is as follows: iron, foil,
nickels, gold jewelry, pull tabs, screw tabs, pennies and silver coins starting with dimes and
working up to silver dollars. This list is meant to be a guide only. There is a point that some pull
tabs, nickels and gold jewelry overlap. Also the depth of the target and its orientation in the
ground can change the received signal. A coin that is flat to the coil will produce a better signal
than a coin that is on edge. Take some time to try different combinations of depths and
orientation of your targets and find out how your detector responds.

We are now ready to discriminate targets from each other. We will start with the
DISCRIMINATE LEVEL at MIN and the MODE switch in the center or DISC position. Please
notice that the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL knob has words that correspond to the items that are
discriminated out.

All four targets (the iron, nickel, pull tabs and quarter) will respond with a good audio signal at
the MIN setting. Next, we will turn the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL up to IRON. This should be
high enough to knock out the iron target and still get a positive response on the nickel, pull tabs
and quarter. When you are done with the IRON level, turn the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL to the
5¢ setting. This level is high enough to knock out the nickel.

At this time the iron target and the nickel should give no response, while most of the pull tabs
and the quarter will give a solid response. Next, turn the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL knob just
past the TAB marking. At this time most or all of the pull tabs should not give any audio signal.
Only the quarter should give a strong signal. Now roll the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL all the way
to MAX. Notice that the quarter is still responding. The discrimination will not go high enough
to lose most of the silver coins.

This Air Test was designed to show you quickly how your Discriminate Mode works. Each
machine may be a little different from all of the others, so you may want to take some time and
try different targets to find responses of your machine. At a later date, you may want to build a
test garden to test your detector in the field.

Perform Air Test in ALL METAL Mode

Push the MODE switch all the way to the right. It will lock into the ALL METAL position.
Check all of your targets and you will get a positive response from all of them. You may also
want to set the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL knob at various settings and notice that the detector
will still give a positive response. In the ALL METAL Mode, the DISCRIMINATE LEVEL
knob does not change any target signals. Take some time to try all of your targets.

Conclusion

Congratulations, you have just finished the Quickstart for your new Silver µMax detector and in
the process have learned quite a lot about your detector. But experience is the best teacher. I
would recommend that you get out and practice with your detector as much as possible. Any
time spent using your detector will give you valuable experience.

OPERATING TEC HNIQUES - FIELD U SE

Handling Your Detector

The detector should be held in a position that is comfortable for you as shown in the "Adjusting
the Pole & Searchcoil" section in "Getting Started." Swing the detector from side to side in

about a three foot arc, overlapping succeeding strokes well. This motion is called a “sweep.” The

Silver µMax was designed to get maximum depth without the frantic pace required of earlier
motion detectors, so go at a pace that is comfortable for you. In fact, trying to hunt too fast may
even cause a loss of depth in heavily mineralized locations.

Regardless of which mode you are using, try to keep your searchcoil height constant and close to
the ground. Most people tend to raise the coil at the end of a sweep—much like a pendulum—
especially if in a hurry. Try to avoid this, as any increase in height from the ground will cause a
corresponding loss of depth.

In areas with well-kept lawns, the easiest way to maintain a constant searchcoil height is to allow
the coil to rest on the grass as you sweep from side to side. In rough and rocky areas, it is best
not to “scrub” the coil on the ground, as the rocks will act like abrasives and wear away the coil
bottom (an optional coil scuff cover will protect against this). Sweep the coil as close to the
ground as possible without touching. Hitting the ground or rocks may cause a false signal much
like a desired target would. Sweeping the coil too high above the ground results in a loss of
depth.

Planting a Test Garden

To better learn how your detector will perform in the field, it would be helpful to bury some
coins and trash metal items in an area that you know is clear of other metal objects. Check the
area with DISC LEVEL set at MIN to be sure it's clear of trash, then bury the targets at least 1
foot apart and from 2 to 4 inches deep to start. Make a map of the area to be sure you know what
each target is and how deep it is. Practice on these targets to familiarize yourself with your
detector’s target response. This will also help you learn the proper sweep speed for best
operation. This type of practice area is often called a “test garden” or “test bed” and is one of
best tools to help you develop your metal detecting skills.

Recognizing False Sig nals in Discriminate Mode

When operating in the Discriminate Mode, some “false signals” may be caused by 1) heavy
concentrations of trash metal objects, 2) very large trash metal objects, or 3) electrical
interference. These signals are generally short, choppy sounds and sound different than “good
signals” (good target response sounds).

At the end of your sweep, as you reverse the coil direction, the detector is most susceptible to
trash-induced noise. There are two ways to tell whether these sounds are good deep signals or
trash “noise.” The first is by repeatability. Trash-induced noises will not be regular as you sweep
the coil over the suspected target several times, whereas a good target response will be
repeatable. The second method is to switch to ALL METAL Mode and check the target response
sound. If the response is weak, it may well be a deep, good target. But if the response is very
strong, it is probably trash. Note that a coin close to the surface can give a double beep sound,
but it is regular and repeatable. Raising the coil an inch or two will restore the single beep on
surface targets.

When searching in the Discriminate Mode, it is best not to use a higher DISC LEVEL setting
than necessary. Nickels and most smaller rings are rejected when the DISC LEVEL is set to

reject pull tabs on any metal detector that is a TR Discriminator like the Silver µMax. If you
don’t dig any junk at all, you are surely passing up a lot of good finds as well. Set the DISC
LEVEL only high enough to suit the conditions where you are searching. If there is any doubt
whether a target is good or not, dig it.

Recovering a Target

If the target is shallow and the soil is soft, you may be able to “probe” and find the exact location
of the target before you dig it. Since filling all holes after you recover the target is so important,
digging a small precise hole is best. If the target is deep, you may need to dig a larger hole. As
you dig, occasionally check the hole with your detector to see if you have moved the object, can
probe it or have already dug it. Be sure to fill all holes after you recover the target. Two methods
are shown on the next two pages that work most everywhere. Be sure to protect your hobby by
leaving the site cleaner than you found it and with all holes filled!

RECOMMENDED RECOVERY METHODS

GENERAL INFORMATION - CARE AND USE

Basic Care

The Silver µMAX is a sturdy instrument, but it is not designed to withstand abuse. In caring for
your Silver µMAX, there are several important “DO NOTs” to remember. DO NOT use it to pry
rocks loose or to beat bushes out of the way. DO NOT drop the machine into water. DO NOT
use it unprotected in the rain. DO NOT leave it exposed at night where dew could form on it. DO
NOT store it in places that could get extremely hot (next to a woodstove, in an attic). DO NOT
leave it in the trunk of a car or in the back of a hatchback-style car where high temperatures
could build up. DO NOT store it with the battery installed as batteries may leak. DO NOT spray
lubricants such as WD-40, or any type of cleaners, solvents, sealants or other chemicals into or
onto the electronic parts, switches or controls. And finally, DO NOT attempt to modify or repair
the detector’s electronics as this will void your detector's warranty.

THE WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER DAMAGE RESULTING FROM AN
ACCIDENT, NEGLECT OR ABUSE.

Protecting Your Investment

Often detectorists are disappointed when their new detector slowly becomes less and less
responsive and seems to have lost some of its original peak performance. You can help prevent
this from happening to your detector by following these basic care and protection guidelines.

• Operate your detector exactly as recommended in this Operator Instruction Manual.

• Use only high-quality alkaline batteries of the correct voltage. Never substitute a different

voltage. When using a Ni-Cad battery, always use a separate convertible pack with the
proper voltage output for the detector’s design.

• Remove the battery from the detector after each use. This will prevent damage to the

detector if the battery leaks.

• The searchcoil cable is hard-wired to the searchcoil and protected by a strain relief.

Inspect the strain relief frequently to make sure it is firmly attached and intact.

• Keep cables properly wound around the pole stems and protect them during use. Floppy,

pinched, or cables that become snagged during use may short, causing erratic noises or
unnecessary replacement of the searchcoil.

• Sweep the searchcoil carefully, especially when using around rocks and building

foundations. Avoid hitting the searchcoil against hard, solid objects and surfaces.

• Keep your searchcoil slightly off of the ground during the sweep, especially when using

in gravel or hard, rocky dirt.

• Always use a properly designed protective scuff cover on the searchcoil. (See "Optional

Accessories" in the next section.)

• Remove and clean out scuff covers periodically to avoid buildup of mineralized dirt

particles which will affect performance.

• The searchcoil is waterproof and can be submerged in either fresh or salt water. After the

searchcoil is used in salt water, rinse it and the lower stem assembly well with fresh water
to prevent corrosion of the metal parts.

• The searchcoil is waterproof but the electronics are not, so always prevent any moisture

or water from entering the control housing and never allow the cable connectors to
become submerged in water.

• If working in or near water, or if there is a possibility of rain, use a protective weather

resistant pouch or plastic bag to cover the control housing. Make sure it can "breathe" in
order to ensure against condensation buildup inside.

• After each use, clean the detector with a soft cloth to remove dust, moisture, or other

contaminants.

• When transporting the detector in a car during hot weather, store it on the floor of the

passenger compartment if possible. Using a carry bag gives additional protection. In any
case, never allow the detector to roll around unprotected in the trunk or back of a pickup
truck.

• Protect your detector from dust, moisture, and extreme temperatures during storage.

• When shipping, use the original factory carton or similar heavy-duty container and

provide a minimum one inch of padding around all parts.

• Treat your detector as you would any sensitive electronic instrument. Though ruggedly

constructed and designed to withstand the demands of normal treasure hunting, proper
care is essential.

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES

Tesoro metal detectors and genuine Tesoro accessories are sold only through independent Tesoro
Authorized Dealers, who are almost always metal detectorists themselves. They can answer your

questions about your Tesoro detector, what accessories may be helpful and about metal detecting

Tesoro Part #

Description

COIL-4RC

4" round concentric (closed center, white)

COIL-7RC

7" round concentric (closed center, white)

COIL-7RW

7" round wide scan (closed center, white)

COIL-8.5RW

8½" round wide scan (closed center, white)

COIL-9 x 8

9 x 8" concentric (spoked)

COIL-10.5RC

10½" round concentric (closed center, white)

COIL-11RW

11" round wide scan (closed center, white)

COIL-12x10-CL

12 x 10 concentric (spoked, white)

in general. See your Tesoro Authorized Dealer for more information and prices on optional
accessories.

Scuff Covers

We highly recommend using a scuff cover to protect your searchcoil at all times. The scuff cover
for the Silver µMax fitted with the 8" searchcoil, is Tesoro Part # SCUF-8R-B.

Searchcoils

The 8" concentric searchcoil provided with the Silver µMax is designed for best all-around
performance. Optional searchcoils may add to your detector's performance.

Smaller searchcoils give better “target separation”—that is, more distinct target response for
metal objects buried closely together—which is very useful when hunting trashy sites. Very
small searchcoils can deliver the best response and depth to small targets such as fine gold chains
with some sacrifice in depth on larger objects. Larger searchcoils give a wider sweep, covering
more ground, and provide greater depth especially on larger objects; however, they may not
detect some very small objects such as half dimes and will have difficulty in very trashy areas.

Wide scan searchcoils ignore ground mineralization better than concentric searchcoils and may
offer improved performance in extreme ground conditions.

Selecting the right optional searchcoil depends on factors such as what you are searching for and
search site conditions. No one searchcoil is better than all the rest. Several optional
interchangeable searchcoils are available for the Silver. They are all easy to mount and require
no special tools. See the following list of these searchcoils with the Tesoro part # and
description.

Tesoro Searchcoils

Optional scuff covers are also available for any Tesoro searchcoil.

Headphones

Most metal detectorists prefer to use headphones instead of the detector's built-in speaker.

Operating Frequency

10.6 kHz

Searchcoil Type

Round, open center concentric

Searchcoil Size

8" diameter

Cable Length

Approx. 3’

Audio Frequency

Approx. 630 Hz

Audio Output

1½” speaker and headphone jack

Headphone Compatibility

¼” stereo plug

Weight (may vary slightly)

2.2 lbs.

Battery Requirement

One 9 volt DC (alkaline)

Battery Life (typical)

10 to 20 hours

Optimum Temperature Range

30° to 100° F

Optimum Humidity

0 to 75% R.H.

No-motion All Metal

Silent Search Discriminate

Silent Search All Metal

Headphones help block out background noise (such as wind) and make it easier to hear faint
signals. Headphones with a built-in volume control will allow you to adjust the sound volume to
your preference.

SPECIFICATIONS

Operating Modes

METAL DETECTORIST'S COD E OF ETHICS

1. Always check federal, state, county and local laws before searching. It is your

responsibility to “know the law.”

2. Abide by all laws, ordinances or regulations that may govern your search and the area

you will be in.

3. Never trespass. Always obtain permission prior to entering private property, mineral

claims, or underwater salvage leases.

4. Do not damage, deface, destroy, or vandalize any property, including ghost towns and

deserted structures, and never tamper with any equipment at the site.

5. Never litter. Always pack out what you take in and remove all trash dug in your search.

6. Fill all holes, regardless how remote the location. Never dig in a way that will damage, be

damaging to, or kill any vegetation.

7. Do not build fires, camp at or park in non-designated or restricted areas.

8. Leave all gates and other accesses to land as found.

9. Never contaminate wells, creeks, or any other water supplies.

10. Be courteous, considerate, and thoughtful at all times.

11. Report the discovery of any items of historic significance to the local historical society or

proper authorities.

12. Uphold all finders, search and salvage agreements.

13. Promote responsible historical research and artifact recovery and the sharing of

knowledge with others.

WARRANTY SERVICE

Your Tesoro metal detector is covered by a Limited Lifetime Warranty, the terms of which are
listed below. If your metal detector should require service, you may return it to the Tesoro
factory at the address below.

LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANT Y

This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may have other rights which vary from
state to state.

This instrument is warranted to be free of defects in material and workmanship as long as it is
owned by the original consumer purchaser. This warranty is not transferable and is valid only if
the warranty registration card has been completed and mailed within 10 days of purchase.

TESORO will, at its option, repair or replace any instrument covered by this warranty, without
charge, except for transportation charges, at its factory in Prescott, Arizona.

This warranty excludes batteries, damage caused by leaky batteries, cable breakage due to
flexing on body mount units, and wear of the search coil housing. Also excluded are instruments
which have been abused, altered, or repaired by an unauthorized party.