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PIranha OPERATOR INSTRUCTION MANUAL
CONGRATULATIONS!
Your new TESORO Metal Detector was designed to provide you with many happy hours of enjoyment in the most
rewarding hobby I can think of – treasure hunting. Ahead of you lie fascinating and exciting experiences as you step into the
past – uncovering artifacts lost by past generations. I wish we could share these experiences with you, and we wish you the
best of success.
Your TESORO Metal Detector is capable of meeting your needs in any conceivable treasure hunting situation. As with
any detector, operating skill and familiarity with this instrument are probably the limiting factors in determining how successful
you will be. We recommend that you read this manual and understand fully before attempting to use the instrument in the
field. As you become more familiar with your detector through practice, your rate of success will increase dramatically.
The TESORO Metal Detector is a precision electronic instrument, which will last for years if properly cared for. Treat it
right and it won't let you down.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The PIranha is high performance metal detector which utilizes state of the art Pulse Induction technology and a
revolutionary new kind of Printed Spiral searchcoil. The PIranha will satisfy the requirements of the serious detectorist,
whether they are experienced or not, by incorporating simplicity and convertibility together. Don't be fooled by its simplicity,
the PIranha is capable of delivering peak performance by eliminating troublesome adjustments and complicated features
creating an extremely simple to operating light weight detector. The PIranha is the first of its kind. Not only does it offer a
totally new concept in searchcoil design making it more responsive to fine gold coins, jewelry, and nuggets, but it is also the
first to offer interchangeable searchcoils in a variety of sizes. The PIranha is packaged in an all new waterproof housing,
making it ideal for wet weather use, beach hunting, or diving in fresh or salt water. It is convertible to body/belt mount and
requires no special tools.
As a Pulse Induction instrument the PIranha will provide mineral free operation in virtually all ground mineral or salt water
environments. Equipped with auto tuning the PIranha is a motion based All Metal detector. Though the searchcoil must be
moving when pinpointing, due to the auto tuning, the amount of motion is so slight that pinpoint is easily accomplished.
Designed as a turn on and go all purpose detector, the PIranha requires no special ground adjustments or complicated
set up. A variety of optional searchcoils provides the operator greater versatility and a wider range of site selection. A guide to
selecting the proper optional coil is included in the section for Field Use.
Be sure to fill out and mail your warranty registration card to validate your warranty.
ASSEMBLY
Assembly of the PIranha is very simple, and requires no special tools. In fact, the only assembly necessary is to mount
the searchcoil to the end of the lower stem and connect the lower stem and the upper pole together.
1. Take the lower stem (the one with the black isolator pole tip), and remove the screw and nut. Put two of the friction
washes into the recessed slots provided on the pole tip (where the screw fits through). Two sizes of friction washers are
supplied, one thick set and one thin set. Using the washers that fit best, insert the pole tip between the mounting ears of
the searchcoil and align the holes of the pole tip and washers with those of the mounting ears. The pole tip should fit
snugly.
2. Insert the coil mounting screw through the ears of the searchcoil and pole tip, if the cable is in the way reverse the
direction of the screw and insert it from the other side.
3. Install the thumb nut on the screw and tighten by hand.
4. Depress the two buttons on the upper end of the lower stem, and slide it into the upper pole section. Push the lower
stem up so that the buttons click into the third set of holes from the end of the upper pole.
5. Wrap the searchcoil cable around the pole making sure it is snug to the pole, leaving just enough slack near the
searchcoil to permit coil adjustment. Then connect the searchcoil connector into the matching connector found at the
back of the control box. Tighten it by hand.
Note: Do not allow the cable to flop loosely over the searchcoil. The PIranha is sensitive enough to see the tiny wires in
Good Hunting! Jack Gifford
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Summary of Contents for Tesoro PIranha
- Page 1 Product PIranha OPERATOR INSTRUCTION MANUAL Detectors Coils Accessories CONGRATULATIONS! Catalog Your new TESORO Metal Detector was designed to provide you with many happy hours of enjoyment in the most Dealers rewarding hobby I can think of – treasure hunting. Ahead of you lie fascinating and exciting experiences as you step into the Information past – uncovering artifacts lost by past generations. I wish we could share these experiences with you, and we wish you the best of success. Frequently Asked Your TESORO Metal Detector is capable of meeting your needs in any conceivable treasure hunting situation. As with Questions any detector, operating skill and familiarity with this instrument are probably the limiting factors in determining how successful About Tesoro you will be. We recommend that you read this manual and understand fully before attempting to use the instrument in the field. As you become more familiar with your detector through practice, your rate of success will increase dramatically. Manuals The TESORO Metal Detector is a precision electronic instrument, which will last for years if properly cared for. Treat it Field Tests right and it won't let you down. Articles Good Hunting! Jack Gifford Testimonials Customer Finds GENERAL DESCRIPTION Forums Service The PIranha is high performance metal detector which utilizes state of the art Pulse Induction technology and a revolutionary new kind of Printed Spiral searchcoil. The PIranha will satisfy the requirements of the serious detectorist, Warranty Repair whether they are experienced or not, by incorporating simplicity and convertibility together. Don't be fooled by its simplicity, the PIranha is capable of delivering peak performance by eliminating troublesome adjustments and complicated features Contact Us creating an extremely simple to operating light weight detector. The PIranha is the first of its kind. Not only does it offer a ...
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Page 2: Specifications
Stereo Piezo Headphones Weight (may vary slightly) less than 4.5 lbs Battery Requirement (8) AA DC (alkaline) Battery Life (typical) 10 to 20 hours Optimum Temperature Range 30° to 100° F Motion (auto tune) Operating Modes All Metal Maximum Depth Rating 200 ft. TESORO Electronics, Inc., reserves the right to modify or improve the design without further notice. CONTROLS The PIranha has been specially automated so that only two controls are needed to make adjustments, one mounted on the front panel of the detector and the other is mounted inside the control housing. 1. ON/OFF BATTERY TEST THRESHOLD CONTROL. This control is used to perform several functions: It turns the instrument's power on and off. Turning the knob completely counterclockwise until it clicks disconnects the batteries from the circuit, shutting the instrument off. When the knob is first turned on (clockwise), the detector will automatically test its batteries, and give you a visible indication of their connection. Fresh batteries will cause a green LED to illuminate for about 3 to 5 seconds. As the batteries age and become weaker, the illumination will be weaker and, and decay more quickly. When the response is no glow from the LED it is time for new batteries. It is recommended to always use alkaline batteries. The Threshold function of this control TUNES the detector to Threshold. This adjustment will be explained further in the TUNING section of the manual. 2. SIGNAL INDICATOR LIGHT. A red light identified on the front control panel as "SIGNAL" will illuminate each time the searchcoil is passed over a metallic object indicating the presence of a target. It is important to make sure you do not have the Threshold set so sensitive that the detector responds to ground variations, hot rocks, other ground mineralization, or electrical interferences as the SIGNAL light will illuminate even when the detector produces a false signal caused by these. 3. BATTERY TEST LAMP. The PIranha features an automatic battery check that occurs each time the detector is turned on. A fresh set of good batteries should illuminate the lamp for 3 to 5 seconds. As the batteries age the light will become dimmer and its duration of illumination will shorten. If only a short, quick flash occurs or no light is present it is time to replace the batteries. The PIranha requires 8 AA size alkaline batteries. 4. VOLUME CONTROL. The PIranha is equipped with a set of stereo piezo headphones that are hardwired to the ... -
Page 3: Field Use
3. BATTERY TEST LAMP. The PIranha features an automatic battery check that occurs each time the detector is turned on. A fresh set of good batteries should illuminate the lamp for 3 to 5 seconds. As the batteries age the light will become dimmer and its duration of illumination will shorten. If only a short, quick flash occurs or no light is present it is time to replace the batteries. The PIranha requires 8 AA size alkaline batteries. 4. VOLUME CONTROL. The PIranha is equipped with a set of stereo piezo headphones that are hardwired to the instrument for waterproof purposes. Because the instrument will be operated in different environments where the ambient noise level varies, such as: near the crashing surf at ocean beaches, wearing head gear or listening over a regulator when scuba diving, or detecting near a serene lake creates the need for a variable volume control. The volume control for the headphones is found inside the control housing. To access this control simply unlatch the draw bolts holding the control panel secure to the housing. Always make sure the control box is dry before opening. The volume control is found on the left, the opposite side from the battery compartment. You will notice a small shaft used to adjust the volume level. TUNING Since the most troublesome adjustments of standard detectors have been automated in the PIranha, or are not necessary with Pulse Induction, the tuning procedure for this detector is simply a matter of setting the desired Threshold tone and headphone volume. Pulse Induction does not require special adjustments in order to ignore the effects of wet salt or ground mineralization. However, proper tuning is essential. To tune the PIranha, the Threshold control should be adjusted so that there is a barely audible tone. If the tone is set too low or silent, some of the deeper or weaker targets may not be heard. If the tone is set too loud, some deeper or weaker targets may not be heard due to audio masking. Setting the Threshold for silent operation will cause some loss of depth, but may be necessary in extreme conditions in order to achieve smooth operation. A silent Threshold may be necessary in some areas where gold nugget hunting in order to maintain a stable operation over hot rocks. Since depth may be scarified, the PIranha should only be used as a nugget hunter when not other system is able to be operated at the site. You should not hear a change in the Threshold tone when lowering the searchcoil toward the ground. If a change occurs, or you obtain an audio increase when lowering the searchcoil into saltwater, simply hold the coil still for a moment allowing the auto tuning time to retune the instrument back to Threshold. Do not let the searchcoil raise at the end of your sweep as this may cause some false signals. Always hold the coil parallel with the ground. Pulse Induction will allow signal filtering once the desired signal is recovered from the pulse. However, for proper operation, the pulse generator, searchcoil and input amplifier must be of very wide bandwidth. This makes the detector susceptible to picking up any sources of electrical interference, such as 60 cycle power transmission noise. An absolutely smooth Threshold may not be possible in my locations, and some rumble or motorboating may be present when the Threshold is adjusted to the proper point. This is inherent in the design of a Pulse unit. Adjusting the Threshold either louder or quieter is the only way to control this problem. FIELD USE The detector should be held in a position that is comfortable for you. Swing the detector from side to side in about a three ... -
Page 4: Battery Replacement
SELECTING THE RIGHT SEARCHCOIL Selecting the right searchcoil for the type of detecting you're doing will add greatly to your success. The PIranha come with a standard 8" Printed Spiral coil which is a new and revolutionary design developed by Tesoro specifically for the PIranha. This is an excellent overall coil since most people who operate PI instruments are usually searching large sandy beach areas where targets are easy to dig and there is usually not an over abundance of trash. This coil will detect very tiny targets for its size and provides excellent target separation while giving more ground coverage. However, it is not always the right coil for the job. Therefore Tesoro has made it possible to interchange coils, and has developed a variety of its unique Printed Spiral searchcoil in a selection of sizes. In addition to the standard 8" open center searchcoil, two optional coil sizes are available for the PIranha. The 10 1/2" open center coil is designed for areas where digging is easier, and where junk targets may not be too numerous. The 7 inch coil will be particularly useful when searching for smaller targets, such as gold nuggets. PINPOINTING Move the coil slowly across the target from side to side and then from front to back at 90 degree angles. Raise the coil slightly, slow the sweep speed, and shorten the sweep to narrow detection area enough that it's easy to tell where the coil center is at the instant of the sound as you crisscross the target. Another easy method is to sweep the coil from side to side across the target in very short sweeps, as you slowly move forward and backward across the target, crisscrossing the target until you just barely get a response at one spot. Slow down the sweep rate and shorten the sweeps until you just barely get a response at one spot. Again the target will be directly below the coil center at the instant of response. Caution: this method will require some practice as well in order to get used to not having your eyes follow the searchcoil. Typically it is easy to miss the spot by a fraction causing you to dig a large hole in order to find the target is off to one side from where you started. BATTERY REPLACEMENT The PIranha is equipped with an automatic battery test circuit so that you can always be sure you are getting top performance from it. The batteries should be checked after the detector has been on for about 10 minutes, and then periodically as you are using it for long periods. To activate the batter test circuit, simply turn the detector off momentarily and then back on. To test, follow the procedure described in the control section of this manual. When testing the batteries, be sure that the Mode Switch is in the Disc position, so that the All Metal threshold signal doesn't add to the battery test signal. The detector should beep loudly for about 4 or 5 seconds, with the sound slowly fading into silence, if the batteries are fresh. As the batteries age, this sound less intense, and fades out quicker. When you just hear a brief buzz, or not audio at all, replace the batteries. To replace the batteries, pull the large knob on the battery door on the rear of the unit. The entire door will pop out. Remove the batteries from the detector. Replace the new 9 volt batteries into the snaps, observing the polarity indicators. Slide the batteries back into the detector, making sure that the battery clip lead is connected. Install the battery door flange into the top of the cutout in the chassis, making sure that the plunger is still pulled out. Then push the plungers back in to lock the door in place. Should you desire to do so, rechargeable NickelCadmium batteries can be substituted for standard 9 volt cells. Individual 9 volt size cells are readily available at most electronic supply stores, as well as the chargers for them, and they can be inserted into the standard holder used in your PIranha. The initial battery check reading will be slightly lower, but will not drop as much with use, until the batteries are completely discharged. ... -
Page 5: Warranty & Service
Protect your detector from dust, moisture, and extreme temperatures during storage. Avoid storing it in places such as attics, basements, or garages. When shipping, use the original factory carton or similar heavyduty container; a one inch minimum clearance of padding around the detector must be provided when shipping. Treat your detector as you would any sensitive electronic instrument. Though ruggedly constructed and designed to withstand the demands of normal treasure hunting applications, it is not intended to be improperly operated or abused. WARRANTY SERVICE Your Tesoro metal detector is covered by a Limited Lifetime Warranty, the terms of which are listed below. If your metal detector should require service, you may return it to the Tesoro factory, or tone of the factory authorized service centers. Contact the factory for the name and address of the nearest service center. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact the factory. WATAERPROOF METAL DETECTOR WARRANTY This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may have other rights which vary from state to state. This instrument is warranted to be free of defects in material and workmanship as long as it is owned by the original consumer purchaser. This warranty is not transferable, and is valid only if the warranty registration card has been completed and mailed within 10 days of purchase. During the first two years, TESORO will, at its option, repair or replace any instrument covered by this warranty, without charge, except for transportation charges, at its factory in Prescott, Arizona, or at one of its authorized repair centers. After two years from date of purchase, TESORO will replace defective parts at no charge except a nominal labor change and transportation charges. This warranty excludes batteries, damage caused by leaky batteries, cable breakage due to flexing on body mount units, and wear of the searchcoil housing. Also excluded are instruments which have been abused, altered, or repaired by an unauthorized party. If warrant service should be necessary, contact the factory for nearest repair center. Under the copyright laws this documentation may not be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any electronic or machine readable form, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of Tesoro Electronics Incorporated, except for the private use of a PIranha owner or operator, or in a manner otherwise described in this documentation. © 19951996 Tesoro Electronics Incorporated. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States. Home Tesoro Electronics, Inc. 715 White Spar Road Prescott, AZ, USA 86303 19287712646 ...