E Trac false signals

[mark v]

Every time I detect with my E Trac I come across targets that sound good and seem deep according to the depth display, depth display reads from halfway down or deeper, but when I dig there is nothing there or I dig and dig deeper and deeper and never find the source. I can dig for 10 minutes or more and not find anything and the whole time the audio sounds real good and the display shows a high Co number. This happens a lot more often if I use any manual sensitivity and it still happens in auto sensitivity. Does anyone else experience this and what causes this? Are there any ways to prevent this?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Minelab PRO-FIND 35 Waterproof Pinpointer Metal Detector for Experts with Tone ID & Adjustable Sensitivity - Grab it through Amazon!

[Jason in Enid]

So many possibilities, but without watching a video of a target signal it's only guessing. First whether or not it's a solid signal. Iron can give you an erratic good signal. Or, it could be a very large item that is 12+ inches deep. Your machine will read giant targets as much shallower than they really are and can cause this. Or, how wide are your holes? Angled and on-edge coins will pinpoint many inches to the side of where they really are.

Lastly, which depth reading are you referencing? The one you see while in discriminate mode or the one while in pinpoint? The pinpoint is much more accurate.

One more thought, how high are those CO numbers? if you are talking 48-50, then you probably have an iron false.

 

[mark v]

My holes are wide. Sometime wider than I like.I can spend 10 minutes or more digging and not find anything. I have found some coins on the side of the hole. My handheld pinpointer found them so I have experienced this. I'll have to pay attention to which depth meter I'm using and concentrate on the pinpoint meter.
The numbers I get will be something like 20 or so Fe and 44-45 on the Co. I know this is not a great Fe number but I believe the deeper an item is the higher the FE number will be in mineralised soil. Right?
Something else about this is I'll use my handheld pinpointer in these situations and it either beeps everywhere, which I assume is iron or heavy mineralisation, or it does not beep at all but the detector keeps telling me there is something there and it sounds good.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Pinpointers won't respond to minerals, if it's responding, then there is metal close by. I have found coins 4 - 5 inches away from the center of the pinpoint spot, but I have also given up on holes because I didn't want to tear up the sod any more.

One thing to remember is that the depth gauge is calibrated for a dime - quarter sized object, and it's pretty dang accurate. So if it says a dime at 6 inches, you should be expecting some pretty close to that. If you are down to 8+ inches in your hole and have nothing it's most likely large junk much deeper.

 

[Sovereignelite]

I have dug 10-12" items that veer off to a different direction at the bottom. Very difficult to pinpoint sometimes especially with a shaft sensitive pinpointer. I've given up on a few myself and have dug some DEEP nails. Recently dug a round brass fitting that was larger than a silver dollar at about 13 " (up to near my elbow ) the hole veered off as I dug to about 3" from the center.

 

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

Yes very hard to answer this. MANY MANY things could be the culprit.

 

[Petrie502]

Send it to Minelab

 

[Jackalope]

Mark v, a target that you can never find but continues to register on the machine is probably underground piping or large sheets of buried iron. You wouldn't want to dig it anyway. I've dug down to cables and wiring - didn't want any piece of that. I've found underground sprinkler heads, buried grommets attached in concrete, buried storage tanks - just about anything you don't want is buried more than a foot down. But usually it is a horizontal nail at 14"+. Since the ability to return a signal from that deep is difficult, and to do so with strength remaining at the surface is really something only iron can do - coins can't muster that much return energy (unless it's both really big and really conductive). Iron can easily hit from great depths "as if" it were a more shallow coin-sized target.

You gotta figure the best the E-Trac can do on a coin-sized object in the ground on a good day (no EMI and neutral soil) is about 12-13". The entire length of the Lesche digger is about 12", if the target isn't revealed by that point it's staying in the ground. I'll leave the imagined pirate treasure for the guy with the shovel. I've got enough railroad spikes at 20" to last a while.

 

[mark v]

Mark v, a target that you can never find but continues to register on the machine is probably underground piping or large sheets of buried iron. You wouldn't want to dig it anyway. I've dug down to cables and wiring - didn't want any piece of that. I've found underground sprinkler heads, buried grommets attached in concrete, buried storage tanks - just about anything you don't want is buried more than a foot down. But usually it is a horizontal nail at 14"+. Since the ability to return a signal from that deep is difficult, and to do so with strength remaining at the surface is really something only iron can do - coins can't muster that much return energy (unless it's both really big and really conductive). Iron can easily hit from great depths "as if" it were a more shallow coin-sized target.

You gotta figure the best the E-Trac can do on a coin-sized object in the ground on a good day (no EMI and neutral soil) is about 12-13". The entire length of the Lesche digger is about 12", if the target isn't revealed by that point it's staying in the ground. I'll leave the imagined pirate treasure for the guy with the shovel. I've got enough railroad spikes at 20" to last a while.

Good explaination. Thank You.
I remember having a similar situation with an old detector I have when I first got it. I feel now that probably more experience with my E-Trac will reduce these nuisance signals.

 

[docbars]

Remember the old 3 S rule. Sound, shape and size.

Running to hot in manual sens. will give you more iron wrap too.
Minelabs like iron as much as all the others. It just takes time (many hours) and experience. Lots of experience on the forums take notes in what they are saying and good luck.
p.s.
Don't give up to much on the holes when pulling out iron, the one thing I can tell you, you will find nonferrous targets in among the iron with the Etrac and the F75's. That is what they do.

 

[windage]

some tricks found in LOTS of books; 1) does it pinpoint in the same spot in disc and all metal, or did it move? yes it moved=iron. 2) turn down the sensitivity, did it null out (on a target down to 6")? yes = iron. 3) does your handheld pinpointer tell you it's on the surface when the Etrac says 3" and more? Yes = iron. Hint; less power = more "discerning" descrimination.

 

[CoinandRelicMan]

I have found that the 15 inch WOT coil is capable of getting tin or brass roofing at 4 feet down in fields before, and have learned to listen carefully in all metal for size, I use the sizing mode instead of the pinpoint mode it gives more information.

 

[Born2Dtect]

A pin pointer is a must. Go to all metal mode (no discrimination) if you are having trouble locating a target. Also try raising the coil, if you still get a reading after raising the target is large and deep. target on edge can play havoc. If you keep getting a good solid signal try pin point again, then try digging 4 inches out on all sides. I have had what appeared to be good targets absolutely disappear. Old iron, halo effect what ever it does happen.