Cen Tech Pinpointer

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Nolifeking
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Cen Tech Pinpointer

#1 Unread post by Nolifeking »

I just thought I'd write up a little review on this pinpointer. This would be the model that is found both on harbor freights website and in their stores. I bought one today from a local store and I'd have to say so far it is pretty great! In air tests it seems to perform about the same if not better than my whites bullseye 2 pinpointer. The only downside to this pinpointer that I can see and that others have seen is that it isn't very durable. There has been a lot of problems with it breaking, components wearing out, ect. Most issues seem to have a quick fix online. One huge one being the on/off switch which is really cheap and apparently doesn't last long. It is a cheap enough fix I believe just a couple bucks for a better switch at radioshack. Another factor is that this unit is extremely sensitive to water or even just humidity so I have heard of a lot of people waterproofing them in one way or another. This would include the tip with is not waterproof! Some other more minor things would be that it doesn't have a volume control so it is loud. A piece of tape over the speaker hole fixes this. And along with it being loud is the reason why I don't like it. Noise attracts attention and people. When I'm metal detecting around a lot of people I try to keep a low profile and my bullseye has a setting to make the unit vibrate instead of making noise. The cen tech does not have this feature....unless you add it yourself by "jimmy rigging" it in. I know that it sounds like it's barely held together, but this unit seems pretty solid in hand although it is a little awkward in hand. There also seems to be a way to increase the range of detection on it too. Some guys on another forum figured out. If you google cen tech pinpointer improvements you should be able to find all improvements as well as fixes to common problems. I hope this helped give you guys some insite and any future fence sitters a little more info on whether or not to buy. I will put up a more detail air test comparing exact ranges for a few common coins for both the cen tech and the bullseye. Later this spring depending on how long the cen tech holds up I'll give some in field results for the two. Look for my next thread about how to improve signal strength on certain pinpointers. This one is a neat trick.

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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#2 Unread post by TCOYEN »

I bought one of these yesterday at my local harbor freight and I think it works good as well, although I have not used it out in the field yet cause I have to wait for the snow to melt and the ground to thaw out. :l
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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#3 Unread post by Nolifeking »

TCOYEN wrote:I bought one of these yesterday at my local harbor freight and I think it works good as well, although I have not used it out in the field yet cause I have to wait for the snow to melt and the ground to thaw out. :l
Yeah I hear you there. I've been researching a ton of new spots which include: fur trading posts, indian villages, old houses from the 1880's, some ghost towns from before the 1900's, and about 30 one room school houses. I want it to be spring NOW!!! :l If you get what I mean.

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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#4 Unread post by TCOYEN »

Well I was going to put a ear phone jack in mine but after opening it up there is really no room for one anywhere..... :swear
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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#5 Unread post by Nolifeking »

TCOYEN wrote:Well I was going to put a ear phone jack in mine but after opening it up there is really no room for one anywhere..... :swear

Why would you want it in your pinpointer? A good tip to go by with metal detecting is that you want to have headphones for your metal detector(if your detector has a headphone Jack). this is because you need to be able to hear those faint beeps only made by deep targets. You'd be surprised, but this really makes a difference! Having to take headphones on and off from detector to pinpointer would be a pain. A better modification to make to the pinpointer would be to fit it with a vibrator motor. This I know is possible because I have seen a guide to do it for the cen tech pinpointer. You need to make room but nothing too drastic. This is just my opinion and preface of course. :D I hope it helps

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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#6 Unread post by TCOYEN »

Well I was planning on to use the same jack that my whites detector has so I would be useing the same headphones but I do think that the vibrator idea would be much better....
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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#7 Unread post by Nolifeking »

Here is a link to the site to do the modification to make it vibrate. I want to try this sometime too if and when I actually get a break from classes. If you do the mod let me know how it goes and I'll do the same when I get it done.

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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#8 Unread post by TCOYEN »

Ya forgot the link..... :D
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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#9 Unread post by Nolifeking »

By golly I did. I guess that's what happens when your girlfriend keeps pestering you to go get something to eat :l here it is http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=21525

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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#10 Unread post by TCOYEN »

yes I do understand...Well thanks for the link I am not real good with small electronics so I don't fully understand about the whole 51 ohm thing well I do a little but I am going to look into it.
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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#11 Unread post by TCOYEN »

well I decided to just save my money and time I just clipped the wires from the beeper and clipped the terminals from the led and hooked the wires from the beeper to the led with the black to the terminal on the side next to switch and the red to the other. It works pretty good and is pretty easy to do for most anyone......although I don't know if the input voltage range is the same for the led as it is for the output voltage of the wires from the beeper but the light worked fine for a constant 5 minutes without burnning out. If it does I will replace it with one that has the proper voltage range.....:thumbsup:
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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#12 Unread post by Nolifeking »

That would be a good idea also. The only downside to that design is that sometimes that light is useful when searching in a dug hole. Also like you stated it may have too much current right there. All a resistor does is change the current. So for example if the vibration motor had 50 mA stamped on it then that means it's requires a current of 50 milliamps. I don't know how to check for this besides using an ammeter but it doesnt seem hard to do. If I tear mine apart and doing the vibration motor looks to complicated I may just do the light trick that you did. Thanks for sharing it. I also just wanted to point out that farther down in the link that I posted the author of the thread has a detailed wiring diagram that I thought looked extremely helpful just in case you missed it.

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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#13 Unread post by TCOYEN »

I did not see that wiring diagram to me wiring is simple but when you get into the ohms and resistors and adding the numbers for different color rings on them to figure resistance I am totaly lost I can replace anything but the trouble shooting part is best left to the experts.
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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#14 Unread post by Nolifeking »

Resistance and ohms are related. Ohms is the unit for resistance just like feet or miles is a unit for distance. If you ever want to make a another go at trying to put in that vibrating motor just let me know. I may be able to talk you through it better. I might try to do mine this weekend time permitting. :l

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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#15 Unread post by TCOYEN »

Cool....I think useing the light will work fine for me....well for now anyway....I have never metal detected before so I will find out what I will like better after a little time in the field......I have always been one to try something different good or bad till I find the best way that works for me...... :D :D :D
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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#16 Unread post by TCOYEN »

Well I got A new cell phone today....I decided to take the viberator out of the old one and see what it consisted of and found out it was a smaller diameter than a dime and as thick as a half dollar also runs on the same voltage as the beeper on the cen-tech pinpointer pretty cool cause of it's size I can put it anywhere in the case of the cen-tech pinpointer.... :thumbsup:
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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#17 Unread post by TCOYEN »

well I installed the viberator from the cell phone and played with it and my detector today the ground is still kinda frozen but I found $0.46 better than nothing I guess....
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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#18 Unread post by Nolifeking »

I'm jealous I haven't got mine taken out yet. I don't really have any place good to dig up here everywhere is froze solid still :( Have you been doing any research for good spots before the ground is thawed?

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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#19 Unread post by TCOYEN »

No not really yet looked into good places....been getting warmer here but ground is pretty frozen.. I have been hitting the parks and schools playgrounds where they use wood chips and mulch the top inch or two is not froze but under that is solid as a rock....found $2.51 today but there was lots I could not get to cause the ground is froze. :swear But i am thankful for what i did find and ready for the thaw :D
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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#20 Unread post by Nolifeking »

It don't really matter how much you find it's just good that your getting out with it and getting some practise. Keep it up the important thing now is to learn your detector. Might not be a bad idea to try different items and see how they read.

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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#21 Unread post by TCOYEN »

OH TRUST ME I have found loads of trash, railroad spikes, nuts and bolts, foil gum wrappers, car fuses, zipper pulls, hot wheels, etc., etc., etc... I am getting a feel for the detector oh yeah. Was fun at the coal miners park here today can't wait till I get to go deeper when the ground thaws.
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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#22 Unread post by Nolifeking »

Don't you just love finding trash? :l have you had any problems locating items in the holes?

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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#23 Unread post by TCOYEN »

No most of the stuff I have hound has been only like an inch deep....BUT OH MY THE FIND I GOT TODAY......Found a gold chain 14kt Weighed 3.2dwt I Did real well today. Also I found $2.76 in change....
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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#24 Unread post by Nolifeking »

Nice find!!!! I've yet to find any jewelry but I don't look really hard for it either. When your at a 1800's jewelry pickings are slim :l I'd love to find some gold sometime though!

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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#25 Unread post by TCOYEN »

When your at a 1800's ????????????? :ponder: It is nice to find gold. I have never metal deteced before I bought my white detector two weeks ago. I kinda like it but man you have to hunt your tail off to find something... :w
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Re: Cen Tech Pinpointer

#26 Unread post by Nolifeking »

sorry 1800's house. Yea it's a lot of work. Once you get better at it you will dig less trash which means that you'll have more time to find the good stuff :trophy:

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