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Table of Contents
Deus XP MI 6
The Deus XP MI 6 (nice brand name!) is waterproof and can go up to 20 feet underwater. So it is IP 68.
It is the only pinpointer I know that can go that deep. This is very interesting if you are a scuba diver.
The majority of pinpointers are powered by a 9 V battery. But this one runs on a rechargeable lithium battery.
The charger is not included. But any USB charger would be fine. So you can use your phone charger or you can use your laptop to do that.
It needs approximately 3 hours to be fully charged. The battery life depends on the chosen settings.
If you use the LED, the speakers and the vibration, it will drain faster than if you chose only one of them.
It has also another innovative feature. You can pair it with the remote control of a DEUS metal detector or with DEUS headphones.
This means that the pinpointer will be linked wirelessly to devices from the same brand.
In the case of the remote control, you will be able to adjust the setting of the pinpointer remotely.
If it is paired with the WS4 or WS5 DEUS headphones, the audio will be transmitted wirelessly.
If the pinpointer detects a target, it will vibrate and it will emit a beep. You can chose turn ON or OFF the audio signal and keep the vibrations.
Here is a more detailed review of the Deus XP MI 6.
Garret carrot
The Garret carrot or the Garrett propointer AT is waterproof pinpointer that can be submerged up to 10 feet underwater.
It has a clearly visible orange color like a carrot. You can tune it to shrink the detection field.
To do that, grab a piece of metal and place it in front of the probe. Move back and forth. If you are satisfied with the range, press the button.
The ground balancing is automatic. You only have to poke the probe in the dirt and press the button.
It has a scraping blade and a ruler (in inches and centimeters) molded into the outer casing. The scraping blade is useful but the ruler isn’t that important.
It is powered by a 9 V battery. It a has an LED lamp. And it will vibrate and/or emit audio signals depending on the settings.
Nokta pinpointer
The Nokta pinpointer is IP 67 compliant, which means that it is waterproof up to 3 feet (or 1 meter) depth for 30 minutes.
This should enough for most of the detectorists. You can this pinpointer in creeks and shallow water.
After unboxing the Nokta pinpointer, you will find a case that can be attached to a strap to carry it around with the pinpointer and its accessories inside.
It comes with a holster that can be attached to a belt or you can clip it on your pocket pants.
You will also get a pouch that contains two plastic tips to cover and protect the probe. One of them is smooth. The other has a scraping blade molded into its exterior.
You can scratch the surface of the ground with it. But don’t use it as your main digging tool.
The color of these two plastic cover is orange to ensure high visibility. That way it can be distinguished easily from the surrounding dirt and mud. The battery compartment is also orange.
It has a 360° detection probe which means that the tip and the sides of the probe can detect metal objects.
Like the previous models, it is fitted with an LED flashlight and a lost alarm which consists in LED flashes and beeps.
The alarm will be triggered after 5 minutes of inactivity. And it will last for 5 minutes. Then the pinpointer will be turned OFF automatically to save battery life.
It has two buttons to adjust the settings instead of one. But, they are at the back of the pinpointer.
This is not very comfortable to use like the other models. Their buttons are on the side. You can simply draw it from the holster and press the button easily with one hand.
The speaker is on the back. That’s a good thing. That way you won’t cover it with your hand and it will not be covered with mud. These two things reduce the volume of the beeps.
It has 10 sensitivity levels and a low battery indicator. Depending on the quality of the battery and other factors, the 9V battery could last for 30 hours.
GP-Pinpointer
The GP-Pinpointer looks like the Garret carrot previously mentioned. But, only the tip of the probe below the LED is waterproof.
This means that you can use it to detect metals only a few inches underwater.
It runs on a 9 V battery which is not included. However, it comes with a holster, a retractable hanging wire, and the owner’s manual.
In addition to the shallow depth this pinpointer could go, its performance is low compared to other models.
How to know whether the pinpointer is waterproof or not?
The term waterproof is vague. It could mean that the pinpointer is submersible or it could mean that few drops of water couldn’t ruin it.
That’s why we need something objective to quantify the term waterproof. This way, we will know exactly what the manufacturer means by saying that his pinpointer is waterproof.
And this thing is the IP rating. So when you buy a pinpointer, don’t just ask whether it is waterproof or not. You have to check the IP rating too.
What is the IP rating?
IP (Ingress Protection) rating is a number that tells how effective the sealing is in protecting the electronics inside the pinpointer against foreign bodies and water.
It is defined by international standards. And it is composed by the letters “IP” followed by two unrelated digits.
The first digit tells how resistant the pinpointer is to dust and the second indicates how waterproof it is.
This way the manufacturer provides a more accurate information about the product than just simply saying that it is waterproof.
If the pinpointer is submersible, you will find that it is IP 67 or IP 68 compliant.
The number 6 means that it protected against dust. So you can poke it in the dirt without a problem. (It is generally safe to assume that a waterproof device is protected against dust intrusion)
The number 7 means that it is submersible up to one meter (three feet).
The number 8 means that the pinpointer can be immersed underwater beyond 1 meter. The manufacturer has to specify how deep could the device go.
So make sure you check the IP rating and the depth that the pinpointer can withstand.
For more info about the meaning of the IP rating, you check out this article.
How to keep the pinpointer safe?
To maintain the pinpointer fully operational underwater, there are certain rules that we need to respect:
*We have to respect the specification. If the pinpointer is IP 67 compliant, don’t use it under 2 meters (six feet) of water because it can only be submerged up to one meter.
*When you replace the battery, remember to close the cap tightly.
*Inspect the O-ring. Make sure it is not damaged and there is no sand, dirt or other debris on it or on the interior of the battery cover and on the treads of the pinpointer casing.
*Use silicone grease to lubricate the O-ring and the threads of the pinpointer.
*You can wash waterproof pinpointers with water and soap to remove all of the dirt and the mud on it. However, avoid using abrasive chemicals when you clean it.
*Inspect the outer casing and look for deep scratch and cracks. This could damage the electronics inside.
In some models, this means that the pinpointer is no longer waterproof. However, it is not completely useless, you can still use it to pinpoint targets on the ground.
Other models are designed to allow the user to replace the shell easily.
*A pinpointer is made out of plastic don’t use as a digging tool to avoid breaking it.
Now you know the meaning of the term waterproof. It’s time to pick a pinpointer. I listed 4 brands to chose from with different IP ratings and different depths.
Conclusion
In this article, I explained what waterproof exactly means and the meaning of the IP rating, which is a more accurate way to tell how waterproof a pinpointer is.
And, I gave a few tips to preserve the pinpointer and to keep it protected against water.
I also ranked four pinpointers based on how deep they can be used underwater.
You have the DEUS that can go up to 20 feet underwater, the Garret carrot waterproof up to 10 feet, the Nokta submersible up to 3 feet and the GP-pointer that only its lower part is waterproof.
Being able to go deeper doesn’t mean necessarily that it is the best one on the market. You have to take into account the price, the performance along with other features.
I recommend picking the Garrett pro-pointer AT.