Garrett Ace 350 battery compartment wont open?

[Minimal]

Garrett Ace 350 battery compartment won't open?

I have a Garrett Ace 350 and it's been raining a lot where I live in Oregon, so I haven't been able to go out digging recently. I decided to take out the batteries as a precaution because I don't want leaking but I've ran into a problem. The darn battery housing cover won't come off! No matter what I've tried, it won't come off. I just don't want to try too hard and break it. Does anyone know how to fix this?

 

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[releventchair]

Ha! Tried mine setting empty and it is being stubborn too.
Stand the detector on your thigh when seated. Put both thumbs on the indentation in cover , your fingers wrapped around shaft behind control box.
Both thumbs nearest the center of it side by side.
Press away from you towards the control box with thumbs a little, a few pounds pressure , then pull downwards with your thumbs still pressing a bit away from you...pulling downwards towards your leg.
I use a Swiss army knife blade when it gets really stuck , and while putting light tension downward on the cover with one hand , set the blade in the gap and centered approximately below the second R in the GARRETT sticker. Be careful if you are not familiar with sharp knives though! You may have enough gap to get a butter knife in.
It only takes a slight turn(an eighth inch maybe.. downward from it's original horizontal position) of the blade to loosen the cover.
Once removed you should be able to see where cover was contacting the case and maybe a light silicone could lube it. I leave it dry though.
H.H..

 

[SusanMN]

A tiny flat screwdriver works too and you are less likely to stab yourself.

 

[Minimal]

Thanks I was able to pry it open with a screwdriver.