How to Replace the Battery in a Minelab Equinox 600 or 800

Yes, you can replace the internal battery in a Minelab Equinox 600 or Equinox 800 yourself. Minelab publishes the replacement procedure, rates it Easy, and estimates about 10 minutes. The part is the official Minelab replacement battery, part number 3011-0405, and you need a 3 mm hex driver, a 2 mm hex driver and needle nose pliers. The one real risk is water ingress if the sealing bung goes back in crooked, so follow the steps exactly. If your control pod is still under warranty, Minelab advises having an Authorized Service Center do the job so the warranty is not affected.

How do I know the Equinox 600 or 800 battery needs replacing?

The Equinox 600 and 800 use an internal lithium-ion battery that Minelab rates at approximately 12 hours of runtime on a full charge. Minelab's own manual says battery performance drops over time with normal use and that the battery may need replacing every few years. The signs are simple: a full charge no longer gets you through a normal session, the battery indicator drops from four bars to one much faster than it used to, or the detector shows the low battery code bF and shuts off well short of 12 hours.

Before buying a battery, rule out the charger. Minelab specifies a full charge from flat in about 4 hours using a charger that supplies more than 1.7 A at 5 V. A low-power USB port charges much more slowly, and charging with the detector switched on takes longer still. If the detector has been charged on a weak source, give it a full 4 hours on a proper charger first. If runtime is still far short of 12 hours, the battery is the problem. Our Equinox charging guide covers the charge LED and charging troubleshooting in more detail.

Which battery fits the Equinox 600 and 800?

The correct part is the Minelab Equinox 600/800 replacement battery, part 3011-0405. It is a 3.7 V, 5000 mAh lithium-ion pack and it is the same battery fitted at the factory. It fits the Equinox 600 and Equinox 800 only. The Minelab Equinox 900 and Minelab Equinox 700 use a different control pod. Minelab publishes no battery replacement guide for them and lists no user-replaceable battery, so do not buy this part for a 700 or 900. A 700 or 900 with a worn battery goes to a Minelab Authorized Service Center.

Minelab's parts site does not list the replacement battery for walk-up purchase. We stock it as an authorized Minelab dealer.

Tools you need

Minelab's procedure calls for three tools and nothing else:

• 3 mm hex driver (H3), for the four M4x16 screws that hold the control pod to the upper shaft
• 2 mm hex driver (H2), for the single M3x8 screw that secures the battery bung
• Needle nose pliers, to grip the extraction pin and draw the bung out

A small torque driver is useful but not required. Minelab gives torque limits for both screws and they are low, so the usual "snug, then stop" with a hand driver is fine as long as you do not lean on it.

Minelab's procedure, step by step

This is a summary of Minelab's published procedure for the Equinox 600 and 800, with Minelab's own step diagrams. Work on a clean dry surface, because the battery compartment is part of a waterproof housing. The numbers in brackets refer to the callouts in the diagrams.

Step 1: Open the battery compartment

Remove the four M4x16 screws [1] with the 3 mm driver to separate the control pod from the upper shaft. Then remove the single M3x8 screw [2] with the 2 mm driver. Rest your thumb on the bung assembly [3] and draw it out slowly with the pliers gripping the extraction pin [4]. Use your thumb to control the pace. Slow and steady matters here.

Step 2: Remove the old battery

Ease the bung [3] and battery out only until the wiring loom connector [5] is at the mouth of the compartment. Minelab warns not to pull the connector beyond the compartment entrance, because that can cause irreparable damage to the control pod. Hold the connector firmly, press the latch [6], unplug the old battery, then pull the bung off the old battery [7].

Step 3: Prepare the new battery

Inspect the bung assembly [3]: two O-rings present and free of dirt and grit, and the Gore vent [8] present and undamaged. Do not touch or tamper with the vent. Fit the foam disc [9] to the bottom of the new battery, then push the battery into the bung with the guide marking [10] lined up to the notch [11]. Apply the 20 mm foam tape [12] across the battery 5 mm from the top, centered on the bung tab [13].

Step 4: Install the new battery

Plug the battery cable into the control pod wiring loom without forcing the white connector back past the compartment entrance. Slide the bung and battery into the handle with the tab [13] aligned to the slot [14]. It should go in easily; only the last 5 mm may need a firm push.

The bung must sit symmetrical in the handle. A crooked bung is the cause of water ingress. Fit the M3x8 screw [2] by hand with the 2 mm driver, no more than 0.5 Nm, taking care not to strip the threads. Confirm the bung did not move while tightening and is still symmetrical when tight.

Step 5: Reassemble

Refit the control pod to the upper shaft with the four M4x16 screws [1] using the 3 mm driver, no more than 1.0 Nm. Charge the detector fully before the first use. A new lithium-ion pack is not shipped at full charge.

Step diagrams courtesy of Minelab Electronics.

Does replacing the battery myself void the Equinox warranty?

Replacing the battery yourself can affect the control panel warranty. Minelab's own wording is that any Authorized Service Center can do the replacement if you prefer to have it done without the possibility of voiding your control panel warranty. The practical reading: if your Equinox 600 or 800 is still inside its warranty period, send it to a service center or ask us about service. If it is out of warranty, which as of October 2026 is the case for most 600 and 800 detectors given the model's age, there is nothing to lose by doing it yourself as long as you follow the sealing steps.

Minelab gives the original internal battery a 6 month warranty from the detector's purchase date. Our Minelab warranty guide covers the detector warranty periods.

Common mistakes

Three mistakes account for nearly every failed Equinox 600 or 800 battery replacement we hear about:

• Pulling the wiring connector out of the compartment. The lead is short on purpose. Pulling it past the entrance can damage the pod beyond repair. Unplug at the mouth of the compartment, not on the bench.
• Refitting the bung crooked. If the bung is not symmetrical in the handle when the screw goes in, the seal is compromised and the next wet hunt can flood the pod. Check it after tightening, not before.
• Touching or cleaning the vent membrane. The small vent in the bung equalizes pressure. It is not a plug to be poked or wiped. Leave it alone.

A fourth, smaller one: overtightening. The M3x8 screw limit is 0.5 Nm. Stripped threads in the handle are an avoidable repair.

Replace the battery or upgrade

For an Equinox 600 or 800 that otherwise works, a battery is a cheap fix that restores the full 12 hour runtime, and the job takes ten minutes. Replace it. Minelab also lets you run the detector from a USB power bank through the charging cable, so a tired battery is not a reason to stop detecting while the new one is on its way, as long as the pod is not submerged while connected.

The upgrade question is separate. The Equinox 800 was replaced by the Equinox 900 and the Equinox 600 by the Equinox 700. If your detector has other problems, or you want the 900's improvements, that is a different decision than a 10 minute battery swap. Our post comparing the Equinox 600, 700, 800 and 900 covers what changed.

What to do next

Order the 3011-0405 replacement battery, gather a 3 mm and a 2 mm hex driver and needle nose pliers, and set aside a clean bench. If the detector is still under warranty, contact us about service instead.