Vallon VMH3CS Mine Detector

[Ferric Toes]

Good morning out...
No gold, lots of trash!
Starting a fishing lead making business soon...so much lead!!....I guess thats a good thing as most detectorists would dig lead, so it means that where I am going hasnt been extremely well detected!...And if the Vallon can ping lead, it should ping gold too

What you need to do is build a nuclear reactor using all the lead you have found to make the shield; relax, wait awhile, have a few beers, then Voila!.
From a UCLA report - There is an earlier report (1972) in which Soviet physicists at a nuclear research facility near Lake Baikal in Siberia accidentally discovered a reaction for turning lead into gold when they found the lead shielding of an experimental reactor had changed to gold.

Eric.

[kingswood]

Good morning out...
No gold, lots of trash!
Starting a fishing lead making business soon...so much lead!!....I guess thats a good thing as most detectorists would dig lead, so it means that where I am going hasnt been extremely well detected!...And if the Vallon can ping lead, it should ping gold too

[Carolina]

My returned parts are two o rings. One appears to be the size of the ring that seals the cap and the other is a smaller diameter
and thinner in appearance. I assume the battery cap seal is one of them as a foot note from VALLON warned me the cap may be harder to screw down now ( and boy that's putting it lightly ) and the other must be Errics #3 that seals the front of the tube to the electronics box. In any case I would think care should be taken in removing the tube.

[Ferric Toes]

Thanks TH'r to have pointed out your solution.

TH'r's solution is a good one and doesn't involve any machining. I tried the same idea using spiral cable wrap and that works too.

Eric.

[Ferric Toes]

Altair:
Eric has warned me in order to remove the arm rest you must break the battery tube seal. Another location water could damage the unit. Part of my VALLON service shows (2) battery tube o rings. One I can see for cap itself. The other may be the seal to the body? Eric would know. The next line on my VALLON report reads, battery tube tightened to body plate. All screws tightened with Loctite.

There are in fact 3 O rings associated with the battery tube. 1) is for the battery cap sealing. 2) is for a seal behind the threaded outer sleeve onto which the battery cap screws i.e. it seals the battery tube to the rear mounting block. 3) is a thinner O ring that seals the front end of the battery tube to the body plate of the electronics box.

Eric.

[Carolina]

Altair:
Eric has warned me in order to remove the arm rest you must break the battery tube seal. Another location water could damage the unit. Part of my VALLON service shows (2) battery tube o rings. One I can see for cap itself. The other may be the seal to the body? Eric would know. The next line on my VALLON report reads, battery tube tightened to body plate. All screws tightened with Loctite.

[Altair]

Alternatively, look at my post #550, IMG_3600.

Thanks TH'r to have pointed out your solution.

[Altair]

Altair:
I did not perform the vacuum test. This was done by VALLON. I sent the detector to a authorized VALLON rep. to have it
checked out. The test was performed before servicing in the original state I received it in. I was told that the majority of leaks
come from the grommet that the black tube that carries the coil wire into the body screws into. Eric has discussed this grommet and assembly in earlier post. Prior to sending the detector off, VALLON had told me there should be no issues hunting in the surf with
The detector taking an occasional wave. If the seal on top of the body of the detector that shows the manufacturing date is not broken, then most likely the body has not been opened. If the overlay on the tactile switches has no holes or punctures then I would say the switches are still sealed. I AM NOT A VALLON REPRESENTATIVE so what I say should be taken with a grain of salt. I am only repeating what I have been told. If you could find a VALLON rep. in your area I would send the unit to them. Otherwise, it's a roll of the dice on anything else.

Carolina, thanks for explanation, now it's clear for me.
Your shared report is greatly appreciated.

[Altair]

The way I have fixed it is to drill and tap a hole in the side to take a short M8 nylon bolt This then tightens on the side tab and locks the armrest firmly. Accurate drilling is needed though to locate the bolt in the middle of the groove and tab. It would be hard to do without removing the armrest from the detector and holding it square and level in a vice. I have a mill drill which makes the job easier.

Each of the four tabs has a strip of sponge rubber behind it and it seems that prolonged use in dust and heat causes it to collapse and the armrest becomes loose.

Is your armrest of this type, or the later wide one?

Eric.

[ATTACH]39910[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]39911[/ATTACH][ATTACH]39911[/ATTACH]

Thank you Eric.
Very good explanation.
My arm rest is the same as in pictures.
I will apply your suggestion before next field test.

[Carolina]

Altair:
I did not perform the vacuum test. This was done by VALLON. I sent the detector to a authorized VALLON rep. to have it
checked out. The test was performed before servicing in the original state I received it in. I was told that the majority of leaks
come from the grommet that the black tube that carries the coil wire into the body screws into. Eric has discussed this grommet and assembly in earlier post. Prior to sending the detector off, VALLON had told me there should be no issues hunting in the surf with
The detector taking an occasional wave. If the seal on top of the body of the detector that shows the manufacturing date is not broken, then most likely the body has not been opened. If the overlay on the tactile switches has no holes or punctures then I would say the switches are still sealed. I AM NOT A VALLON REPRESENTATIVE so what I say should be taken with a grain of salt. I am only repeating what I have been told. If you could find a VALLON rep. in your area I would send the unit to them. Otherwise, it's a roll of the dice on anything else.

[TH'r]

Alternatively, look at my post #550, IMG_3600.

[Ferric Toes]

Arm rest of my Vallon goes down while I use it , what could be done to fix this annoying thing?
Are there some tips to dismount it?

The way I have fixed it is to drill and tap a hole in the side to take a short M8 nylon bolt This then tightens on the side tab and locks the armrest firmly. Accurate drilling is needed though to locate the bolt in the middle of the groove and tab. It would be hard to do without removing the armrest from the detector and holding it square and level in a vice. I have a mill drill which makes the job easier.

Each of the four tabs has a strip of sponge rubber behind it and it seems that prolonged use in dust and heat causes it to collapse and the armrest becomes loose.

Is your armrest of this type, or the later wide one?

Eric.

[kingswood]

The only tone difference I hear is in the depth of the signals and the double blip from shallow targets. This could be me though.

Maybe thats what I am hearing too....To me, the aluminium doesnt sound as harsh as the metal does...I will listen more closely

[Altair]

Arm rest of my Vallon goes down while I use it , what could be done to fix this annoying thing?
Are there some tips to dismount it?

[Ferric Toes]

The test on the full submerging of the VALLON lasted 4 hours 10 minutes without any problems in waist to chest deep water.
I retrieved a number of targets including coins, jewelry, and trash. I have had no luck posting a picture though but will try again.
I have not noticed any tone difference between gold, silver, nickel and trash. The only tone difference I hear is in the depth of the signals and the double blip from shallow targets. This could be me though.

Carolina emailed me a picture of his finds with the VMH3CS so I have taken the liberty of posting them for him. Not bad for a 4 hour stint in the water.

Eric.