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 foot arc, overlapping succeeding strokes well. This motion is called a “sweep.” The Toltec 80 was designed to get maximum depth without the frantic pace required of earlier motion detectors, so go at a pace that is comfortable for you. An easy pace is preferred. In fact, trying to hunt too fast in Discriminate may even cause a loss of depth in heavily mineralized locations.
It would be helpful to bury some coins and trash metal junk items in an area that you know is clear of other metal objects, and then try the unit in its various modes. Check the area in All Metal Mode first to be sure its clear of trash then bury the targets at least a foot apart, and from 2 to 6 inches deep to start. Make a map of the test bed to be sure you know what each target is and how deep it is. Practice on these targets to familiarize yourself with your detector’s target response. This will also help you learn the proper sweep rate for best operation.
In ALL METAL mode operation, keep the detector tuned so that there is a slight threshold buzzing of sound. Regardless of which mode you are using try to keep the coil height constant and close to the ground. Most people tend to raise the coil at the end of a sweep, much like a pendulum, especially if they are hurrying. Try to avoid this, as any increase in height will cause a corresponding loss of depth.
In areas with well kept lawns, the easiest way to maintain a constant searchcoil height is to allow the coil to rest on the grass as you sweep from side to side. In rough and rocky areas it is best not to “scrub” the coil on the ground, as the rocks will act like abrasives, and wear away the coil housing. Should wear through occur, it will usually destroy the searchcoil beyond repair, so it is always best to keep a scuff cover on the coil, they are available from your dealer. Sweep the coil as close to the ground as possible without touching. Hitting the ground or rocks may cause a false signal much like a desired target would. The higher you hold and sweep the coil above the ground the less depth you'll be able to obtain.
When operating in the Discriminate Mode, some “false signals” may be caused by heavy concentrations of trash metal objects, by very large trash items, or by electrical interference. These signals will sound different than good target signals because they are generally short, choppy sounds. At the end of your sweep, as you the reverse the coil direction, the detector is most susceptible to trash induced noise. There are two ways to tell whether these sounds are good deep signals or trash “noise.” The first is by repeatability. Trash induced noises will not be regular as you sweep the coil over the suspected target several times, whereas a good target response will be repeatable at the exact spot with each sweep. The second method is to switch to All Metal Mode and check the target response sound. If the response is weak, it may well be a deep, good target; but if the response is very strong, it is probably trash. Note that a coin close to the surface can give a double beep sound, but it is regular and repeatable. Raising the coil an inch or two will restore the single beep on surface targets.
If there is any doubt whether a target is good or not, DIG IT. For this same reason, in the Discriminate Mode, it is best not to use a higher DISC LEVEL setting than necessary. Nickels and most smaller rings are rejected when the DISC LEVEL is set to reject pull tabs on any metal detector that is a TR Discriminator like the Toltec 80. If you don’t dig any junk at all, you are surely passing up a lot of good finds as well. Set the DISC LEVEL only high enough to suit the conditions where you are searching.
When using the Target ID features in very trashy areas, it will probably be necessary to reduce the sweep length to just a few inches as you pass directly over the target. Since the Toltec discriminator is based on very slow motion, a long sweep in a trashy area will just read all the combined signals rather than just the desired target.
PINPOINTING
The sweep speed of the Toltec 80 is slow enough to allow pinpointing in the DISCRIMINATE mode, but will require a little more practice. Move the coil slowly from side to side and then from front to back over the target. Raising the coil slightly and slowing the sweep directly over the target will narrow down the detection area enough that it's easy to tell where the coil center is at the instant of sound.
To Pinpoint in Normal mode does not require any motion, so may be easier for most people. To pinpoint a target that doesn't saturate the audio, just move the coil forward and back, and side to side until you get the strongest sound. The target will be directly below the coil center. If the audio saturates over a large area, simply push the tuning button momentarily over the area to detune the detector. This will narrow its field of response to allow you to once again seek the area of strongest response. It may be necessary to retune more than once with this technique. The coin depth meter is also a good pinpointing tool, since it doesn't saturate under normal conditions. Simply switch to Normal to the side of the target, move the coil over the target, and move it until you get the most forward deflection of the meter. This will not only tell you your target center, but depth also if you did not tune over a target.
BATTERY REPLACEMENT
The Toltec 80 is provided with a manual battery test features so that you can always be sure that 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 Battery Test, simply turn the ON/OFF mode switch to the Batt Test position. The remaining strength of the batteries is displayed on the meter. When the meter reads in the red area marked REPLACE BATTS, it's time for new batteries.
To replace batteries, just pull on both of the nylatch fasteners on the battery door at the lower rear of the unit. The entire door will pop off. Remove the two battery packs one at a time, by disconnecting the clip leads, and remove the batteries from the pack. Replace the batteries, observing the polarity indicators on both the battery pack and batteries. Replace the pack in the detector and fasten the clip lead, taking care to ensure that the cip leads fit tight on the battery pack. When both packs have been changed, replace the battery door by putting it in place and depressing both nylatch fasteners to lock them in place.
Should you desire to do so, rechargeable Nickel-Cadmium batteries can be substituted for the standard AA penlight cells. Individual AA size cells are readily available at most electronic stores, as well as the chargers for them, and they can be inserted into the standard holders used in the Toltec. The initial battery test reading will be lower than normal, but will not drop as fast with use, until the batteries are completely discharged.
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.
LIMITED LIFETIME 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.