Crosshairs
Recalibration
Switch
Power/Mode
Switch
Introduction
The Greenlee SF-780 Metal Locator scans through concrete up to 152 mm (6")
deep and can differentiate between steel rebar and copper pipe. This tool also
automatically differentiates between magnetic and nonmagnetic metal and
reports both location and depth.
Do not discard this product or throw away!
For recycling information, go to www.greenlee.com.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Electric shock hazard:
Always turn off power when working near electrical
wires. Contact with live circuits could result in severe
injury or death.
Eye injury hazard:
In situations involving multiple, closely spaced targets,
this tool may be unable to detect the exact location and/
or depth of each piece of metal. Always use caution and
wear eye protection when nailing, cutting, or drilling in
walls, floors, and ceilings that may contain metal
objects.
Failure to wear eye protection could result in serious eye
injury from flying debris.
• This tool only locates metal objects. Nonmetallic objects such as wood
studs and ceramic or PVC pipe cannot be located with this tool.
• If a magnetic and nonmagnetic object (e.g., rebar and copper pipe) are
positioned side-by-side or on top of each other, this tool may have
difficulty locating them.
• Do not wear jewelry, including watches, when using this tool. The metal
may cause inaccurate results.
All specifications are nominal and may change as design improvements occur. Greenlee
Textron Inc. shall not be liable for damages resulting from misapplication or misuse of its
products.
® Registered: The color green for electrical test instruments is a registered trademark of
Greenlee Textron Inc.
KEEP THIS MANUAL
Greenlee / A Textron Company
Installing the Battery
Slide open the battery compartment door and connect the 9-volt battery to the
battery clip. Insert the battery into the battery compartment and replace the door.
With normal use, one 9-volt battery should last approximately one year.
LCD
Identifying the Display Icons
Battery
Compartment
The display has indicators that indicate status and show information about
detected objects (targets).
There are three status indicators: low battery, audible, and silent icons. The low
battery icon is displayed when the battery has less than five hours of use
remaining. The audible icon will always be on when the unit is in the AUDIBLE
mode. In the SILENT mode, the silent icon will be active.
The remaining icons indicate information about a target:
• The magnetic icon is displayed whenever the unit detects magnetic material,
• The depth bars represent the depth of the target. Depth is indicated in both
• The plus sign indicates that you are moving toward metal, while the minus
Turning the SF-780 on and off
The three-position mode select switch turns the unit on and off and selects
either audible or silent operation.
Turn the unit on by moving the mode switch to either the AUDIBLE or SILENT
position. This should be done in air and away from any metal.
The SF-780 performs a calibration immediately after it is turned on.
Note: If the unit fails to calibrate, you will hear a long, low-pitched tone and all
the depth bars will be displayed. If this happens, check the area for any large
metal objects and remove them or move the unit to a different location. Then try
turning the unit on again.
To turn the unit off, move the mode switch to the OFF position.
The auto power off feature turns off the unit after five minutes of inactivity. After
it turns off, the unit loses its calibration.
2
1
7
6
5
1. Depth range numbers
2. Silent icon
3. Audible icon
4. Low battery icon
such as iron. If nonmagnetic material (e.g., copper) is detected, the icon will
show a line through the magnet. Neither icon is displayed until the SF-780
detects metal at less than 152 mm (6") deep.
inches and centimeters. The bars begin from the bottom of the display and
sequentially turn on as the SF-780 gets closer to the metal. The depth
numbers correspond to the depth to the top surface of the metal target.
sign indicates movement away from it. If the unit is stationary, the icon
indicates the most recent movement. When a target is passed, the plus sign
changes to the minus sign and the SF-780 beeps (in the AUDIBLE mode).
4455 Boeing Dr. • Rockford, IL 61109-2988 USA • 815-397-7070
SF-780
2
3
4
5. Depth Bars
6. Magnetic/nonmagnetic
icon
7. Plus/minus sign