GOT MY GARRETT ACE 250 TODAY AND WONDERING.......

[NewYorker]

I got my ACE 250 today, and i was wondering how you read the display. It seems to freak out a lot when it comes across something. I do not understand the manual, as it does not help that much. i did the bench test, and tried different coins and jewelry to hear the sounds, but it does not help much. Sometimes when I go over something in the ground it will read gold, then 5 cents, and then in between. I tried the discrim button and can't tell when it is on or off and do not know exactly what I am doing. I found 2 things today (junk of course) and passed quite a bit in my yard (think it may be sewer and water lines), but that is about it. My wife thought metal detecting was a waste of time, but after she tried it, she was HOOKED, and wanting to dig up everything I came across (ha ha ha), so I think her and I are going to have fun. I just would like to get the hang of what the display means a little more, so it will be a little more enjoyable to me. Thanks guys


Chris

 

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[DirtDiggerDaveinMD]

I got my ACE 250 today, and i was wondering how you read the display. It seems to freak out a lot when it comes across something. I do not understand the manual, as it does not help that much. i did the bench test, and tried different coins and jewelry to hear the sounds, but it does not help much. Sometimes when I go over something in the ground it will read gold, then 5 cents, and then in between. I tried the discrim button and can't tell when it is on or off and do not know exactly what I am doing. I found 2 things today (junk of course) and passed quite a bit in my yard (think it may be sewer and water lines), but that is about it. My wife thought metal detecting was a waste of time, but after she tried it, she was HOOKED, and wanting to dig up everything I came across (ha ha ha), so I think her and I are going to have fun. I just would like to get the hang of what the display means a little more, so it will be a little more enjoyable to me. Thanks guys


Chris

Chris,

Does the cursor bounce around and emit a broken up tone when you scan the ground? If so, it could be that your machine is discriminating out trash, or you may have your sensitivity set too high. Try lowering your sensitivity to around 1/4 to 1/3 of the maximum and try again. If you still have problems, check your batteries. Whenever your machine is having problems, always check your batteries first. If you machine locks onto a good target, you should hear the bell tone, and cursor the should position itself under one of the icons.

Now on the gold/nickel/foil issue. These metals are similar in conductivity, so they usually read within a few segments of one another on the scale, and emit a medium to low tone.

It can be a bit confusing at first, but you will get the hang of it.

Don't hesitate to ask if you need further assistance.

Dave

 

[NewYorker]

DigginD and Dave, You all are helping me A LOT. Seriously. The more info I have the better. And yes, I did have the cursor jumping around. it probably was junk then huh? Well I have oly heard 2 tones from mine so far. the low tone which i guess is garbage, and the medium tone, which worked on my gold ring and change. Is there a 3rd tone? Do not worry about confusing me. i find info a lot easier to understand coming from an everyday guy than a book that was written by some College kid (not that it is bad, but easier to understand every day language ) Keep the helpful hints coming. They are GREAT. Thanks so much guys. Your like family to me!!!!!

 

[KevGA]

Hi guys,

First, I am very sorry that you are having difficulty with the 250, as one of the biggest proponents of this machine I feel bad and hope that with time your troubles will be resolved. I've been reading this posting and D's other and have seen some great suggestions that will hopefully lead you in the right direction.

Concerning the scattered tones, I have found that when this happens it is 95% of the time garbage. When you hit a coin there is a very difinitive "ding-ding" and the target id on the screen for the most part has been right on for q's, d's, p's, n's and pulltabs. I have yet to find any gold or silver, but my searches have been mostly confined to an elementary school playground so this is not a big surprise. I have done some airtests with gold and silver jewlery and the hits have been very solid as well.

Pinpointing: I have in past posts indicated the hot spot to be just on the inside point of the inner coil. The more I have dug, I would expand that to about 1" back towards the "center" of the coil. As you keep pressing the pinpoint button, experiment by moving around and away from the strongest tone (most bars on the screen) and by changes your position relative to the target. Watch the display; while there is a tone volume difference, once you get close it is very difficult to differentiate so use the display. There have been very few targets that I have not been able to get it all the way up to all the bars, and the few that have not been solid have turned out to be trash. Coins will generally lock right on.

As you have seen and commented on, the jewlery mode seems to function the best. I started out in all metal, but it is just too chirpy and sensitive, even with the sensitivity turned down. The jewlery mode seems to calm it down but still allows for all the "good" notches so all you are realy losing is the far left (iron) on the scale, which seems to coincide with the super sensitive crapola in all metal.

One frustrating thing I have found on the playground is even with the sensitivty turned way down I have not been able to successfully hunt under and around swingsets and other metal playground equipment; it is just too damn sensitive and picks up an almost non-stop solid .25 range hit, with a never ending pinpoint tone. I am convinced there must be some combination of settings that will work, but have thusfar not been able to find it.

Well, I hope you grow to like the 250 a little more. good luck and happy hunting.

 

[lonewolfe]

One frustrating thing I have found on the playground is even with the sensitivity turned way down I have not been able to successfully hunt under and around swingsets and other metal playground equipment; it is just too damn sensitive and picks up an almost non-stop solid .25 range hit, with a never ending pinpoint tone. I am convinced there must be some combination of settings that will work, but have thusfar not been able to find it.

Well, I hope you grow to like the 250 a little more. good luck and happy hunting.

Try setting the machine in [ coin mode ] then work/swing your coil parallel with the metal bars, etc. approx. 2 inches from it/them. This will allow the machine to ignore the monkey bars, and other playground metal toys, etc. for the most part unless you get too close.

 

[KevGA]

Thanks lonewolfe, I'll give that a try next time I go out. The worst of it is trying what should be a great spot... under those metal dome type bars. I know my kids hang upside down all the time, so there should be plenty of clad to be had under there. If this works I'll be a very happy camper.

HH