How Metal Detectors Work

A good metal detector consists of four parts - the control box, the stabilizer, the shaft and the search coil.

Parts of a Metal Detector:

Control Box

The control box contains everything which makes the metal detector work. It's like the metal detector's brain - it contains the batteries, chips, circuits and speakers.

Stabilizer

Stabilizers, though optional, are very important for an enjoyable treasure hunt. They are the soft handle at the top of a metal detector where you put your hand into for greater comfort. I personally do not recommend purchasing a metal detector which does not have this feature.

Detector Shaft

This is the long stick traveling from the coil to the control box. It is usually adjustable so you can use your metal detector based on your own height.

The Coil

This is what makes a metal detector find buried objects. It senses a metal and then sends a signal through the detector shaft onto the control box.

As you can see, with the exception of the stabilizer, every piece is interdependent.

Metal Detector Technologies:

There are three technologies currently available used on metal detectors. They are divided in the following categories: