DigiTrak SE Locators And Refurbished Sondes

In horizontal directional drilling, productivity lives or dies on your ability to keep the bore on line and on grade. When the locating system fails, everything stops. For thousands of contractors around the world, DigiTrak SE locators are still a familiar everyday tool, especially on small to medium utility projects.

If you run an SE system today, your biggest practical questions are usually not about theory. They are about reliability, backup gear and cost control. How many locators and sondes should you keep on hand? When is it time to upgrade, and when is it smarter to extend the life of your current fleet with refurbished transmitters?

This article walks through the role of the SE locator on site, the importance of having the right transmitters in your toolbox and how refurbished sondes help you stay profitable without sacrificing safety or accuracy.

What the DigiTrak SE locator does on your jobsite

The DigiTrak SE is a walkover locating system designed to read the signal from a transmitter sonde installed in the drill head. The basic workflow is simple and time tested:

1. The sonde in the housing sends a coded electromagnetic signal at a fixed frequency.
2. The SE locator on the surface picks up that signal.
3. The locator displays depth, pitch, roll and other data for the locator hand.

This data then guides steering decisions. The locator hand communicates with the driller, and together they keep the bore at the correct depth, avoid existing utilities and land the exit point where the plan requires.

An SE setup is attractive for many crews because it is straightforward, rugged and focuses on the core functions you actually use on typical utility bores. There are fewer settings to confuse new operators, and experienced hands often know the SE’s signal behavior almost instinctively.

If you are looking to add another unit to your fleet or replace a worn device, you will usually search for a DigiTrak SE locator for sale that includes the receiver, charger, carry case and basic accessories.

Why your transmitters matter as much as your locator

Even the best locator is only as good as the signal it receives. That signal comes from the transmitter sonde in the drill head. If the sonde is weak, water damaged or unstable, every reading you see at the SE locator becomes less trustworthy.

Typical problems when transmitters are failing include:

• Depth readings that jump up and down for no clear reason.
• Pitch that does not match the actual behavior of the drill.
• Signal dropouts in places where you normally have no interference.
• Overheating warnings or unexpected shutdowns during a bore.

These issues are not just annoying. They slow crews down, increase the risk of line strikes and can force you to pull back or even abandon a bore. That is why serious HDD contractors treat sondes as critical parts, not disposable accessories.

A simple way to protect yourself is to keep a small pool of tested spare sondes for every rig. Instead of losing a day waiting for a shipment, the crew can swap in a spare and continue drilling. For many companies that is the main reason to invest in refurbished transmitters.

If you want to build or refresh that pool without buying all new OEM hardware, you can Click for refurbished DigiTrak sonde transmitters that are already tested and warrantied.

New versus refurbished: what is the real difference

When you shop for sondes compatible with the DigiTrak SE, you will usually see three broad categories:

1. Brand new OEM sondes straight from the manufacturer or an official dealer.
2. Professionally refurbished sondes that have been tested, repaired where necessary and sold with a warranty.
3. Random used sondes from classifieds or auction listings with no testing or guarantee.

The price gap between these categories can be significant. New sondes give you peace of mind but may feel expensive, especially when you need multiple units as backups. Raw used sondes look cheap on paper but often become the most expensive option once you factor in failures, downtime and the cost of troubleshooting on site.

Professionally refurbished sondes sit neatly in the middle. A responsible refurbisher will:

• Pressure test the housing to check for leaks.
• Inspect and clean internal components.
• Verify signal strength, depth and pitch readings against a reference system.
• Replace worn caps, o rings and seals.
• Run the transmitter under load to confirm stable operation.

This process does not turn an old sonde into a brand new one, but it does give you predictable, tested hardware at a more comfortable price point. For an SE fleet that you plan to keep in service, refurbished sondes are often the most economical way to stay fully equipped.

How to design a smart SE locator and sonde strategy

If you run one small rig with an SE system, it is tempting to think that one locator and one transmitter is enough. In practice, that setup leaves you one failure away from a full stop. A better approach is to design a simple strategy for locators and sondes that matches your real production.

Think in terms of three questions:

1. How many rigs use SE
   Count how many active rigs in your company rely on the SE system as their primary locator.
2. What is the cost of downtime
   Estimate how much it really costs when a crew loses a day due to a failed sonde or locator. Include machine time, crew wages, penalties for delays and the risk to your reputation with the client.
3. What balance of new and refurbished gear makes sense
   Decide where you want guaranteed new hardware, and where tested refurbished units are more than good enough.

A common pattern looks like this:

• Each rig gets one primary SE locator, plus one spare in the company that can be delivered quickly if needed.
• Each rig carries at least two good sondes, one primary and one backup.
• Additional refurbished sondes are kept at the yard and rotated as needed.

When to consider upgrading beyond SE

SE can serve you well for many years, but there are situations where a more modern DigiTrak system earns its keep:

• You routinely drill in heavy interference from power lines or rebar.
• Your projects involve deeper or longer bores where SE’s capabilities are at the edge.
• You want wideband frequency options and advanced features such as data logging or enhanced remote displays.

In those cases, upgrading at least one rig to a Falcon or later F series system can be a smart move. That does not mean the SE equipment must be retired. Many contractors keep SE locators as reliable backup units or assign them to simpler utility jobs where their straightforward operation is an advantage.

Even if you do upgrade, the core habits you develop around transmitter care, testing and spare inventory will still serve you well, regardless of which DigiTrak platform you run.

Practical tips to get more life from your sondes

Whether your transmitters are new or refurbished, the way you treat them in daily work makes a huge difference. Some simple best practices:

• Test before every bore
  Always test the sonde in the drill head, in the yard, before traveling to the job or starting a new pilot bore.
• Protect against water ingress
  Clean and inspect o rings, threads and battery caps. A tiny piece of grit or a twisted seal can let mud or water inside and destroy electronics.
• Handle batteries correctly
  Use recommended batteries, avoid mixing old and new cells and remove batteries when storing sondes for longer periods.
• Avoid temperature extremes
  Do not leave sondes baking in a closed truck or freezing overnight when you can avoid it.
• Document performance
  Encourage locator hands to report any unusual behavior early. A sonde that starts to drift or lose signal intermittently should be pulled and tested, not forced through another week of work.

These habits cost little but can extend the life of both new and refurbished transmitters, which keeps your budget under control and your rigs turning to the right every day.

Conclusion

DigiTrak SE locators remain a solid choice for many HDD contractors who value simplicity, familiarity and reliability. The key to getting the most from an SE fleet is not just buying the locator, but building a smart, affordable transmitter strategy around it.

By equipping each rig with a dependable receiver, stocking enough spare sondes and combining new units with professionally refurbished transmitters, you protect yourself from costly downtime and unexpected failures.