PDF User Manual

Metal Detector

43149

Set up anD operating inStructionS

Distributed exclusively by Harbor Freight tools

®

.

3491 Mission Oaks Blvd., Camarillo, CA 93011

Visit our website at: http://www.harborfreight.com

 read this material before using this product. 

Failure to do so can result in serious injury. 

SaVe tHiS Manual.

Copyright

©

 2000 by Harbor Freight Tools

®

.  All rights reserved.  No portion of this manual 

or any artwork contained herein may be reproduced in any shape or form without the 

express written consent of Harbor Freight Tools.  Diagrams within this manual may not be 

drawn proportionally.  Due to continuing improvements, actual product may differ slightly 

from the product described herein.  Tools required for assembly and service may not be 

included.

For technical questions or replacement parts, please call 1-800-444-3353.

Manual revised 09c

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Page 2

  SpeciFicationS

Stem Length 15” -  27-1/2”

Coil

8” Diameter

Power Supply Qty 3, 9 Volt Batteries

Built-in Battery Tester

Audio

3 distinct sounds for different 

metals

Weight

3.25 lb.

Save this Manual

You will need the manual for the safe-

ty warnings and precautions, assembly 

instructions, operating and maintenance 

procedures, parts list and diagram.  Keep 

your invoice with this manual.  Write the 

invoice number on the inside of the front 

cover.  Keep the manual and invoice in a 

safe and dry place for future reference.

SaFety WarningS anD 

precautionS

Warning:

 When using tool, basic safety 

precautions should always be fol-

lowed to reduce the risk of personal 

injury and damage to equipment.

read all instructions before using this 

product!

Handle the tool carefully at all 

1. 

times

.  Dropping the Tool can cause 

damage  to circuit boards and the 

case, which can cause the product to 

work improperly.

only use and store the tool in 

2. 

normal temperature environments.

Extremes in temperature can shorten 

the effectiveness of electronic devic-

es and melt or damage plastic parts.

avoid electrical shock. 

3. 

Any metal 

detector may discover underground 

power lines, explosives or other items 

which when struck could cause per-

sonal injury.  Do not use this product 

in areas where there might be under-

ground electric lines or pipes buried 

at shallow depths.  Never search in 

military zones where bombs or other 

explosives may be buried.  Avoid 

striking any line known or suspected 

to be carrying electric power.  Do not 

search any pipeline, particularly if 

it could contain a flammable gas or 

liquid.  In areas of uncertain condi-

tions, use reasonable caution before 

using the Tool.  If there is any ques-

tion about a condition being safe of 

unsafe, do not operate the Tool.

Keep the tool clean.  

4. 

Wipe the 

housing after each use.  The search 

coil is washable and can be fully sub-

merged.  Never submerge the control 

housing.  Protect the control housing 

from rain, blowing surf and heavy 

mist.  Disassemble the stem and 

wipe it clean after use in sandy areas.

Dress properly

5. 

.  Do not wear loose 

clothing or jewelry as they can be 

caught in moving parts.  Protective, 

electrically nonconductive clothes 

and nonskid footwear are recom-

mended when working.  Wear restric-

tive hair covering to contain long hair.

use the right tool for the job

6. 

.  Do 

not attempt to force a small tool or 

attachment to do the work of a larger 

industrial tool. There are certain 

applications for which this tool was 

designed. Do not modify this tool and 

do not use this tool for a purpose for 

which it was not intended.

Stay alert

7. 

.  Watch what you are do-

ing, use common sense. Do not oper-

ate any tool when you are tired.

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Page 3

check for damaged parts

8. 

.  Before 

using any tool, any part that ap-

pears damaged should be carefully 

checked to determine that it will oper-

ate properly and perform its intended 

function. Check for alignment and 

binding of moving parts; any broken 

parts or mounting fixtures; and any 

other condition that may affect proper 

operation. Any part that is damaged 

should be properly repaired or re-

placed by a qualified technician. Do 

not use the tool if any switch does not 

turn On and Off properly.

replacement parts and acces-

9. 

sories

.  When servicing, use only 

identical replacement parts. Use of 

any other parts will void the warranty. 

Only use accessories intended for 

use with this tool. Approved accesso-

ries are available from Harbor Freight 

Tools.

Do not operate tool if under the in-

10. 

fluence of alcohol or drugs

.  Read 

warning labels on prescriptions to 

determine if your judgment or reflex

-

es are impaired while taking drugs. If 

there is any doubt, do not operate the 

tool.

Maintenance

11. 

.  For your safety, main-

tenance should be performed regu-

larly by a qualified technician.

People with pacemakers should con-

12. 

sult their physician(s) before using 

this product.  Electromagnetic fields 

in close proximity to a heart pace-

maker could cause interference to, or 

failure of, the pacemaker.
WARNING: Handling the cord on 

13. 

this product will expose you to lead, 

a chemical known to the State of 

California to cause cancer, and birth 

defects or other reproductive harm. 

Wash hands after handling. 

(California Health & Safety Code § 

25249.5, 

et seq.

)

Warning: the warnings, cautions, 

14. 

and instructions discussed in this 

instruction manual cannot cover 

all possible conditions and situ-

ations that may occur. it must be 

understood by the operator that 

common sense and caution are 

factors which cannot be built into 

this product, but must be supplied 

by the operator.

unpacKing

When unpacking, check to make 

sure all parts shown on the Parts Diagram 

and Parts Lists are present.  If any parts 

are missing or broken, please call Harbor 

Freight Tools at 1-800-444-3353.

preparing to operate

assembly

Figure 1

Figure 2

1.  Turn the lock nut on the stem clock-

wise to loosen (see Figure 1).
Adjust the length of the stem so that 

2. 

when you stand upright with the tool 

held in your hand, the search coil is 

level with and about 1/2 to 2 inches 

above the ground (see Figure 2).

reV 07f; 09c

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Page 4

Turn the stem’s lock nut counter-

3. 

clockwise to lock it in place.
Unscrew the knob on the search coil 

4. 

and take off the knobs and connector.  

Insert the stem and align the holes on 

the search coil bracket and the stem.  

Push the connector through the holes 

and tighten the knob.

Figure 3

5.  Wind the search coil cable around the 

stem.  Make sure you leave enough 

slack in the cable to allow for adjust-

ment when you are using the Tool on 

uneven ground (see Figure 3).

Figure 4

6.  Plug in the search coil’s plug into the 

search coil jack on the Tool’s control 

panel.  Make sure that the pins on the 

plug align with the holes in the jack 

(see Figure 4).

note:

  The search coil’s plug fits into the 

connector only one way. Never force 

the plug; the plug could become dam-

aged.  To disconnect the plug, never 

pull on the cable;  always take hold of 

the plug and pull it out of the connec-

tor.

Loosen the knob at the search coil’s 

7. 

end, then adjust the search coil’s end, 

then adjust the search coil to the de-

sired angle.  The search coil should 

be parallel with the ground.  Tighten 

the knob enough to keep the search 

coil from rotating or wobbling.

Figure 5

8.  To insert the arm support (see Figure 

5), loosen the knob at the base of the 

handle.  Insert the arm support and 

tighten the knob to hold the arm sup-

port in place.

Battery installation

The Tool is powered by three, 9 Volt 

batteries.  Battery installation is described 

below:

Figure 6

1.  If the Tool is on, turn MODE to OFF 

(see Figure 6).

2.  Press the right battery compartment 

cover’s tab and slide 

the cover in the direc-

tion of the arrow (see 

Figure 7).  
Place one 9 Volt bat-

3. 

tery into the battery 

compartment on top 

of the ribbon.  Place 

Figure 7

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Page 5

the battery so that it matches the 

polarity symbols (+ and -) that are 

marked inside the compartment.
Replace the right battery compart-

4. 

ment cover.

5.  Press the left battery compartment 

cover’s tab and slide 

the cover off in the 

direction of the arrow 

(see Figure 8).
Place two 9 Volt bat-

6. 

teries into the bat-

tery compartment on 

top of the ribbons, 

matching the polarity symbols (+ and 

-) marked.  Replace the left battery 

compartment cover.

note:

  The life of the batteries can be 

extended by using headphones (not 

included), which require less power 

than the built-in speaker.  See the 

section on headphones below.

caution!

  Always remove old or weak 

batteries;  old batteries can leak 

chemicals that can damage electronic 

parts.  If you do not plan to use the 

Tool for a week or more, remove the 

batteries.  Use only fresh batteries 

of the required size.  Do not mix old 

and new batteries or different types of 

batteries.

testing Batteries

Test the battery power when the Tool 

does not turn on, or has weak volume, or 

will not tune properly or operates errati-

cally.

Set the 

MoDe 

to 

VlF

 (very low 

frequency).  To test the 

batteries in the left battery 

compartment, set 

Batt 

teSt 

to 

B1

.  To test the 

battery in the right battery 

compartment, set 

Batt 

teSt

 to 

B2

 (see Figure 9).

Figure 10

If the pointer on the viewmeter is 

within the 

Batt

 scale’s green area, the 

batteries have enough power.  If the point-

er is not within the green area, the batter-

ies need to be replaced (see Figure 10).

Meter adjustment

Figure 11

Set 

MoDe

 to 

oFF

.  Using a screw-

driver, adjust the alignment control until the 

pointer lines up with 

o 

 on the scale (see 

Figure 11).

Figure 8

Figure 9

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Page 6

earphone use

Figure 12

Stereo earphones (not included) can 

be connected to the Tool.  Using ear-

phones saves battery power and makes 

it easier to identify changes in the sound 

patterns.  Earphones are connected to the 

ear jack on the side of the Control Housing 

(see Figure 12).

When using earphones, protect your 

hearing by:

Set the volume to the lowest setting 

a. 

before you begin listening.  Adjust 

the volume to a comfortable level.
Never listen at extremely high vol-

b. 

ume levels; permanent hearing loss 

can result.
Once the volume is set, do not 

c. 

increase it.  Over time, your ears 

adapt to the volume level, so a 

volume level that does not cause 

discomfort might still damage your 

hearing.

operation

This tool distinguishes between fer-

rous and non-ferrous metals.  Ferrous 

metals contain iron.  Non-ferrous metals 

do not (examples:  gold, silver, copper, 

platinum, aluminum, lead, and zinc).

When the Tool senses a metallic object, 

the meter reading changes and the de-

tector might sound a tone.  The reaction 

depends on what metal is detected.

Basic operation

Set the 

1. 

Batt teSt

 to 

operate.

2.  Hold the detector comfortably, then 

as shown in Figure 13, 

rotate 

MoDe

 to the 

desired position.

Set it to 

• 

VlF

 to test 

the battery power 

and adjust 

tune

 and 

grounD 

(see direc-

tions below and on 

page 8).
Set it to 

• 

tr1

 to de-

tect extreme differences in metals, 

such as between gold and iron.  The 

difference shows on the meter (iron 

as a ferrous metal, gold as a non-

ferrous metal).
Set it to 

• 

tr2

 to detect finer distinc

-

tions between metals.  For example, 

between aluminum and gold.

tuning

tune

 fine tunes the balance be

-

tween the tool’s receiver and the transmit-

ter circuitry, to provide consistent pointer 

and tone indications.

Figure 14

Figure 15

To Tune, do the following and see Figure 

14 and 15, above:   

Rotate 

1. 

VoluMe

 to the 10 o’clock 

position.
Set 

2. 

MoDe

 to 

VlF.

Figure 13

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Page 7

Set 

3. 

grounD

, 

DiScriMination

, 

and 

SenSitiVity 

to mid-range.

Figure 16

4.  Hold the search coil at least 1 foot 

away from the ground and any metal 

object.  Hold down the red button on 

the handle and slowly rotate 

tune

until the viewmeter pointer rests at or 

near 0 (see Figure 16).
As you use the Tool to search for 

5. 

items, you can fine tune by using the 

other control (see Fine Tuning the 

Tool on page 8).

note:

  To return the pointer to the center 

of the viewmeter at any time, simply 

press the red button on the handle.

teSting tHe tool

You must first test the detector to find 

out how it reacts to different metals.  It can 

be tested indoors or outdoors.

indoor testing

Figure 17

1.  After removing watches, rings or any 

other metal jewelry, place the de-

tector on a wooden or plastic table.  

Adjust the search coil’s angle so that 

the flat part faces upward (see Figure 

17).

note:

  Never test on a floor inside a build

-

ing, as it may have a type of metal 

present.
Set 

2. 

MoDe 

to 

tr1

.  Move a sample 

of the material being tested (example:  

coin or gold ring) about 2 inches 

above the search coil.

note:

  The Tool will not detect without mo-

tion.  You must move the object since 

you are not sweeping the Tool.
If the Tool detects the material, the 

3. 

NON-FERROUS and FERROUS indi-

cators flash and the pointer moves to 

FERROUS or NON-FERROUS while 

the detector determines the type of 

metal it is detecting.  If it detects non-

ferrous metal, it also sounds a tone.
If the Tool does not detect the materi-

4. 

al, check the battery power and verify 

that the search coil is properly con-

nected.  Also, you might need to fine 

tune the detector (see next page).

outdoor testing

Locate an area outdoors where there 

1. 

is no metal present.  Place a sample 

of the material to be tested (coin or 

gold ring) on the ground.
Set 

2. 

MoDe

 to 

tr1.

With the search coil being held ap-

3. 

proximately 1 to 2 inches above the 

ground, slowly move the search coil 

over the area where you placed the 

sample.  Sweep in a side to side mo-

tion as follows:

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Page 8

Figure 18

4.  Sweep slowly to avoid missing tar-

gets.  Never raise the sweep coil 

while sweeping;  sweep back and 

forth as if it was a pendulum (see 

Figure 18).
If the Tool detects the item, it sounds 

5. 

a tone and the pointer moves to the 

type of metal it found.  After detect-

ing metal, switch 

MoDe tr1

 to 

tr2

to determine the quality of the metal.  

If nothing was detected, try again 

(make sure the search coil is being 

moved properly).
The detector will respond strongly 

6. 

when it detects most valuable metal 

objects.  If the signal does not repeat 

after being swept over the target a 

few times, the target is probably junk 

metal.
False signals can occur from elec-

7. 

trical interference, large, irregular 

pieces of junk metal, or finding trash 

on the ground.  False signals usually 

occur broken or are non-repeatable.

After finding a metal item, wait a few 

8. 

seconds after the tone stops before 

continuing;  this allows the detector 

time to reset.  You can also press the 

red button on the handle to return the 

pointer to the center of the viewmeter.

Fine tuning

Once you practice with the unit, you 

can fine tune it to make it more selective in 

what is found.

adjusting SenSitiVity 

To adjust the search coil’s ability to 

detect objects at different depths in the 

ground, rotate 

SenSitiVity

 between 

Min

and 

MaX

.  For maximum detection depth, 

leave

 SenSitiVity

 set as high as pos-

sible.  If the Tool begins to “chatter”, de-

crease 

SenSitiVity 

until the noise stops.

adjusting grounD

For accurate operation, it is criti-

cal that you take the time to correctly set 

grounD.  grounD 

tunes out false sig-

nals from mineralized soil.

Figure 19

To set 

grounD

:

Set 

1. 

MoDe

 to 

VlF

 and lower the 

search coil to 1/2 to 2 inches above 

the ground.
If the pointer swings to the right, turn 

2. 

grounD

 to the left. 

If the pointer swings to the left, turn 

grounD

 to the right.

Lift the search coil about 12 inches 

3. 

from the ground and press the red 

button on the handle.  The pointer will 

return to the center.  Repeat these 

three steps until the pointer stays 

close to the center each time you 

lower the search coil to the ground.

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Page 9

After setting 

4. 

grounD

 the Tool is 

ready for the soil type at that particu-

lar site.  It will not need to be reset 

until you move to a new location.

adjusting DiScriMination

Discrimination is the Tool’s ability to 

differentiate between types of metal.  This 

setting determines whether the detector 

will distinguish between different types of 

ferrous and non-ferrous metals.  If 

MoDe

is set to 

tr2

, start with 

DiScriMination 

set to mid-range.  While the Tool is being 

used, adjust 

DiScriMination 

to the best 

position.  As you set it higher, the detector 

becomes more sensitive to the differences 

between large aluminum and gold pieces, 

for example, but other valuable items such 

as coins and small rings, might be over-

looked.

As you set 

DiScriMination

 to 

higher levels, the detector first does not 

detect small pieces of silver paper, then 

thick foil, and finally metal objects like cola 

pull tabs.  Each time you change areas, 

you must reset 

DiScriMination.

False Signals and Detection Hints

As you sweep the search coil back 

and forth over the ground surface, you will 

recognize the difference between signals 

that occur at random and signals that 

are stable and repeatable.  The key is to 

dig only for those targets that produce a 

strong, repeatable signal.  This will prevent 

you from wasting time focusing on trash 

induced signals.

No metal detector is totally accurate.  

Many conditions influence the success of 

metal detection.  Among the factors that 

influence results are the angle at which the 

object rests in the ground, the depth of ob-

ject, the amount of iron the object contains 

and the size of the object.

To accurately pinpoint a target:
Once the detector detects a target 

1. 

that is buried, continue to sweep the 

search coil over the target in a nar-

rowing side-to-side motion.
Stop the search coil directly over the 

2. 

spot on the ground.  Then move the 

search coil straight forward away 

from you and straight back towards 

you.  Make a mental note of the exact 

spot on the surface where the detec-

tor beeps.  Repeat these steps in 

an X pattern.  The target should be 

directly below the X at the area where 

the loudest response is heard.

trouBleSHooting

problem

Suggestion for cure

False signals are being 

displayed

Sweeping too fast or at the wrong angle.

1. 

Heavily oxidized metals are detected.  Pinpoint the target from several 

2. 

different angles.  If the detector does not display and sound the same 

signal each time, the target is probably heavily oxidized metal.

Once a target is found, the 

display does not show the 

correct metal type

May be more than one target in the area.

1. 

If target is heavily oxidized, an incorrect reading may occur.  This does 

2. 

not signify a problem with the detector.
It may be a type of metal which is not recognizable to the detector.

3. 

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Page 10

pleaSe reaD tHe FolloWing careFully

THE MANUFACTURER AND/OR DISTRIBUTOR HAS PROVIDED THE PARTS DIAGRAM IN THIS 

MANUAL AS A REFERENCE TOOL ONLY.  NEITHER THE MANUFACTURER NOR DISTRIBUTOR 

MAKES ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY OF ANY KIND TO THE BUYER THAT HE OR SHE 

IS QUALIFIED TO MAKE ANY REPAIRS TO THE PRODUCT OR THAT HE OR SHE IS QUALIFIED TO 

REPLACE ANY PARTS OF THE PRODUCT.  IN FACT, THE MANUFACTURER AND/OR DISTRIBUTOR 

EXPRESSLY STATES THAT ALL REPAIRS AND PARTS REPLACEMENTS SHOULD BE UNDERTAKEN 

BY CERTIFIED AND LICENSED TECHNICIANS AND NOT BY THE BUYER. THE BUYER ASSUMES 

ALL RISK AND LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF HIS OR HER REPAIRS TO THE ORIGINAL PRODUCT OR 

REPLACEMENT PARTS THERETO, OR ARISING OUT OF HIS OR HER INSTALLATION OF REPLACE-

MENT PARTS THERETO.

note:

  Some parts are listed and shown for illustration purposes only and are not avail-

able individually as replacement parts.

Warning!  Service

 and maintenance should only be performed by a qualified 

technician.

part

Description

Mfr’s part no.

1

Control Box Top

SQC6.116.042

2

Meter

M3006

3

Loud Speaker

YD-50 

16 ohm 0.25 W

4

Fixing Board

SQC8.610.154

5

Screws ST2.9 x 6

GB845-85

6

Lining Board

SQC8.683.031

7

Main PCB

SQC2.908.526

8

Screws ST2.9 x 8

GB845-85

9

Handle

SQC6.465.033

10 Screws ST3.9 x 16

11 Nut M6 x 0.75

GB808-76

12 Nut M8 x 0.75

GB808-76

13 Control Knob

SQC8.337.334

14 Control Box Button

SQC6.116.044

15 Potentiometer B-10K

R1710N16K

16 Nut M6 x 0.75

GB808-76

17 Control Knob

SQC8.337.330

18 Stereo Earphone PCB

SQC5.566.003

19 Nut M6 x 0.5

20 Aluminum Stem (19mm)

SQC8.009.002

part

Description

Mfr’s part no.

21 Stem Lock Ring

SQC8.225.012

22 Stem

SQC6.336.001

23 Screw M3 x 10

GB819.85

24 Stem Lock Nut

SQC8.225.011

25 Stem Lock Ring

SQC8.220.081

26 Screws M4 x 28

27 Cover (Stem)

SQC7.852.078

28 Cover (Large)

SQC6.170.030

29 Cover (Small)

SQC6.170.031

30 Search Head

SQC5.939.000

31 Head Knob (Screw)

SQC6.354.021

32 Head Knob (Nut)

SQC6.354.022

33 Bracket

SQC6.154.001

34 Socket PCB

SQC5.566.004

35 Aluminum Stem

SQC8.009.001

36 Board

SQC8.610.157

37 Flat Washer

GB848-85-3

38 Spring Washer

GB859-87-3

39 Nut M3

GB6172-86

partS liSt

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Page 11

partS DiagraM