Vallon VMH3CS Mine Detector

[kingswood]

Very nice Kingswood. If the VALLON can handle the soil would definitely scream on that nugget. Good luck to you.

Carolina

Absolutely! Its pretty mild colluvial wash so the Vallon would be fine. I plan to spend some time there to see what else is around, so the Vallon will be used. I like it for pushing the coil right in under branches etc where the 7000 coil is just to big

[Carolina]

Very nice Kingswood. If the VALLON can handle the soil would definitely scream on that nugget. Good luck to you.

Carolina

[6666]

Good work !

[kingswood]

My largest nugget to date 1.74g. Found with the 7000 in some colluvial wash....Annoyed because it was literally 1cm under the top soil....If I had of been using the Vallon it would have screamed on it!! Its a new spot that my research identified.. There are quite a lot of broken branches and leaf litter....Planning to take the Vallon after exploring with the 7000 to use the neat Vallon coil to get in and under where the 7000 wont fit

[smiley]

I'm getting the 'Broken Search Head Cable' error; but cable is fine back to circuit; resistance of coil at circuit is 4 to 4.1 Ohms... any ideas?

[Carolina]

Hi Nelson: As you see I am not Eric. I can answer your question though. From the factory, the VALLON can be submerged up to 6 feet of water depth before the water pressure starts to depress the tactile switches. Now, can your VALLON be safely submerged? Maybe yes maybe no. The VMH3CS coil is water tight and yours probably is OK. Inside the locking collar of the upper shaft is a 0 ring that seals the connection between the upper and lower shaft. Sometimes this ring is missing. A slight smearing of dielectric grease is fine. Be sure the silver guide pin is in good shape and orientation. The upper shaft is made to flood so don't be alarmed of that. The tactile switches are sealed so this too can be submerged if in good shape. The control housing has a date year seal and if it has not been broken, then the housing should be OK. You can tighten two bolts holding the cover on the housing for extra precaution. There are two 0 rings for the battery compartment. One inside the cap and one behind the compartment. If they are fine then that leaves one last point of water entry. There is a small black tube that transfers the coil cable from the upper shaft into the detector housing. This tube screws into the body and seals by way of a rubber grommet. I am told by Vallon this is typically where water enters the machine.
Vallon performs vacume test on the coil and body of the VALLON VMH3CS to determine water tightness. I have had my VALLONS tested by VALLON and submerge mine regularly without instance. Can your VALLON be submerged? I would suggest checking the 0ring in the locking collar and only submerge up to the body, keeping that black tube well out of the water. This machine was designed to clear irrigation ditches of mines for troop movement and could go deeper than 6 feet were it not for the tactile switch issues. Hope this answers your questions and Eric has posted pictures of all these parts in earlier posts. Good luck to you.

Carolina

[nelson]

Hi Eric

I just want to onow if vallon is waterprof?
I got two units and i will like to left one for underwater search. Any ideas?
Vallon has never oppened, just the cup fror battery replecement that has oring on it.

Thaks in advance and have a nice day.

Regards
Nelson

[Ferric Toes]

Thank you! Any recommendations on sealant replacement?

Unless you are going to submerge the whole detector, I wouldn't bother.

The control panel housing is designed to flood as there is no seal from the edge of the control panel to the molded housing. The three self tapping screws into the handle can be sealed with silicon rubber sealant. Check that the two small drain holes in the housing where it joins the handle are clear. These are often blocked with dust. Also a smear of silicon grease on the rubber gasket is a good idea.

I make sure that everything is clean before reassembly by brushing the dust off with an artist brush.

Eric.

[smiley]

Thank you! Any recommendations on sealant replacement?

[Ferric Toes]

Hi,
Could anyone provide instruction on how to remove/re-install the control panel on a VMH3CS?
Thanks in advance for the help!

First, you need to remove the two screws on the underside of the molded panel housing. The panel will then lift out clear of the housing, but still attached by it's lead to an inner plate. Note that for well used units there is usually a good coating of fine dust inside this housing.

You will now see three angled screws holding the molded housing to the handle. These screws can be removed, but a special hexagonal tool is needed. The sealant around the screws easily comes away. Do not touch the big screw in this plate. When the three angled screws are removed, the molded housing and the control panel on the lead can be lifted off the handle. A little careful leverage may be needed as there is a rubber gasket between the handle and housing.

A connector will now be visible which will disconnect the whole assembly from the internal cable. Rocking the connector side to side helps to unlatch it.

It is a bit of a Chinese puzzle but the panel with the rubber seal and the male connector can be pushed through the hole in the housing to separate the two if needed.

Eric.

[smiley]

Hi,
Could anyone provide instruction on how to remove/re-install the control panel on a VMH3CS?
Thanks in advance for the help!

[Ferric Toes]

Yep outer collar jammed solid. ...I have replied to your pm..

Hi Harv, See another PM with suggestions.

Eric.

[Harv]

Yep outer collar jammed solid. ...I have replied to your pm..

[Ferric Toes]

What exactly has jammed? Is it the outer threaded collar? See my PM.

Eric.

[Harv]

Thanks for that Eric. .obviously I was hoping I was just being stupid...I am going to have to try and get the coil apart to get it back in the box lol....I will buy another one when I can..
Thanks again for the info Eric.