Scribd
Upload
52 views5 pages

Metal Detector (E) : HN Prolcct$ F or THC Hloilmcnbr

This document describes a simple metal detector circuit that can be built to locate metallic objects buried underground or hidden inside walls. The circuit uses an oscillator and search coil to detect changes in electromagnetic fields caused by nearby metals. When metal is passed over the coil, it alters the oscillator frequency in a way that is audible through a radio speaker. The circuit diagram and instructions for building the metal detector coil are provided, along with examples of experiments that can be conducted with the device.

Uploaded by

tihomiho
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
52 views5 pages

Metal Detector (E) : HN Prolcct$ F or THC Hloilmcnbr

This document describes a simple metal detector circuit that can be built to locate metallic objects buried underground or hidden inside walls. The circuit uses an oscillator and search coil to detect changes in electromagnetic fields caused by nearby metals. When metal is passed over the coil, it alters the oscillator frequency in a way that is audible through a radio speaker. The circuit diagram and instructions for building the metal detector coil are provided, along with examples of experiments that can be conducted with the device.

Uploaded by

tihomiho
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 5

forthcHloilmcnbr

HnProlcct$

(E)
METALDETECTOR
Youcan use this simplemetaldetectorto locateplumbingpipes,electrical
wiringinsidewalls,find a lostwatchor coin at the beachor evena treasure
with goldcoinsburiedyearsago by pirates.
whereyoucan showthe magnetic
Youcanalsousethe circuitin experiments
propertiesof materials.The betweenparamagnetic,
ditferences diamagnetic,
and nonmagneticmaterialscan be shown.Interestingexperimentscan be
conductedusingthe metaldetectordescribedhere.

This circuitwill detectthe presenceof metallicobjectsthroughany noncon-


ductivematerialsuchas dirt, wood,stone,plasteror plastic.

With a littlepractice,you will be able to detectmetallicobjectsto depthsof


overseveralinchesand will giveyou a fairlygoodideaof theirsize.
methodto detectan object.
Our circuitusesthe beat-frequency

Thefrequencyof the searchcoiloscillatorchangeswhenthe conductance in


the field of the searchcoil changes.Therefore,when metalscomewithina
shortdistanceof thecoil,thefrequencyis changed,whichin turnchangesthe
pitchof the audiblesound.

The soundis producedby the speakerof a commonAM receiverthat tunes


the coiloscillator.

A schematicdiagramof the MetalDetectoris shownin Figure 1. Observe


Youcan also use a
oscillator.
that the circuitis a very simpleone-transistor
general-purpose PNPsilicon the
inverting
transistor, power supplypolarity.

The physicalarrangment of the electroniccomponents, usinga terminalstrip


as chassis,is shownin Figure2.Thecritical part of this projectis the search
coil.

The searchcoil is woundin a large6-inchplasticFrisbee.Beginby securing


one end of the enameledmagnetwire form (18 to 22 AWG)with masking
tape.On thetenthwrap(haltway) forma loopin the magnetwireforthe center
tap,thencontinueuntilyou completethe 20 turnsof wire.
rcbct l5 tcfirl !0bcbr

c1
22AOpF

Figure 1

Figure2

ttE
lunPnlec$lorlltcHlcrlmcntor

to securethe coilwirefirmly,as one looseloopin the coil


It is veryimportant
willcausethe detectorto be unstable.

To use:

Fix a smallportableradiocloseto the oscillatoras shownin Figure 3.

Tunethe radioto a freepointof the rangebetween550and 1,600kHz.Adjust


CV in thesearchcoiloscillatorto tunethissignalas a whistle.lf youcan'tfind
the oscillatorsignalin theAM band,reduceor enlargethe searchcoilby a few
turns.

Passingthe searchcoil over a metallicobjectwill changethe pitchof the


whistle.Whenthe mostpronounced changeoccurs,you shouldbe directly
overthe metalobject.

Figure3

2t6
PnFGrt5 ftfiilromau

PartsList - MetalDetector
Q1- 8C548general-purpose
NPNsilicontransistor
Ll - Searchcoil- seetext
CV- 365pF - anyvariablecapacitor
(fromnonworking
AM radio)
C1 - 2,200pF ceramiccapacitor
C2- 0.1uFceramiccapacitor
Rl - 10,000ohm,114W,5%
resistor
51 - SPSTslideor toggleswitch
81 - 6 or 9V - fourAA cellsor 9V baftery

ldeasto Explore
Togetbetterperformance
or to learnmoreaboutthecircuit:
o Makeexperiments withditferent
kindsof materials
to seehowthe
detectorworkswitheachone.
o Explain whathappenswhena metalobject is introduced
in a mag-
neticfield.ls thereanywayto identifythe metalbeingdetected?
o Thecircuitcanalsobe usedas an RFsignalgenerator. Togetthe
signalfromthisoscillator,
connecta probeto thecollectorof thetran-
sistorwitha 1,000pF capacitor
andan alligator
clipto theemitter.

m
forhc trncilmcmcl
IunProiecls

Scienceprojectsand uncommonapplications:
o Severalexperimentsinvolvingmetaldetectioncan be conducted
usingthissimplemetaldetector.An examplewouldbe a workto show
betweenparamagnetic,
the differences andnon-magnetic
diamagnetic
materials,as suggestedearlier.
o The searchcoil can be modifiedto applyRF signalsto plantsor
animals.Experimentsto find the effectsof RF (RadioFrequency) on
seedgerminationor plant growth can be made with this circuit.

218

You might also like