Ever get to the beach with a detector that had dead batteries?

[Sandman]

Sandman did it again...

I went to bed early so I could get up early. Made my coffee and took extra with me for the +30 miles to this one beach that has been closed to metal detecting and I just got permission. On arriving and getting suited up I took a couple steps away from the car only to learn my CZ-20 was already turned on an now had dead batteries. Naturally I didn't have my spare 9 Volts with me. I had the AA batteries though. Some how the detector got turned on while in the trunk for a couple days. I took out the CZ-20 and replaced it with the Tiger Shark for tomorrows hunt. The Excal is on the Charger again.

What blunders have you pulled?

 

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[bill-USA]

Inland beach
1280-X
Working fine on entry
One or two early hits, and of course it responded to the scoop, so I got head down serious detecting (probably about the time the batteries quit).
Couple hours and I'm thinking boy this place must have been hit really hard. I'm in waders with 1280 and scoop bag etc.
Finally, in disgust I sweep the scoop again. Not a sound and no light. Hit battery test with the switch and nothing............
Walked back to the car, put in batteries, walked back to water. By now, being a geezer, I'm bushed. The hill from the beach to the bathhouse is 45 degrees and must have been 120 steps up, then a 1/4 mile across the lot to car. I had already worked this sucker for a couple hours (slowly) and chest deep so the climb was only part of the punishment.

I have never returned to that particular beach since.

I think now if I did it again I'd put eight alkaline in a small pelican and carry it with me. I usually have extra batteries but never thought it would be so much work to get them installed and working again. Mostly it's not. I try now to avoid those long walks to the water.

Net was minor clad.

Best luck to y'all!

 

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[ziphius]

I once showed up at the beach, turned on the machine, got no response and realized I had left the batteries in the recharger unit back at my office. Gave up on that day and came back prepared the day after, pulled my heaviest gold ring ever. Thanks for sharing your story Sandman. - Jim

 

[Sandman]

Way back when I was a newbie I used a 1280 when they first came out. Before I floated my ADS-7 on a raft with a water coil which at that time you could buy one with a 9 foot cable. By using the 1280 I had no meter to tell if I wanted to dig or not as I only dug what showed as a pull tab or nickle. I would talk to other hunters and turned my detector off so they wouldn't talk to each other. Naturally about 15 minutes or so later while searching I learned I never turned the dang thing back on.

 

[erikk]

Nope. With my excals I always charge them the night before and NEVER put in the battery plug till I get to the hunting site. I also always carry spare fully charged pod & extra batteries for my others. I also ALWAYS take 2 detectors

 

[Dirt Fishin Dale]

Just dont lock your keys in the car before you get you detector out.

 

[artyfacts]

I returned to my truck from the beach at 1:00 in the morning to discover I had taken the wrong keys off of my d-ring. Triple AAA on the way, 2:15 just lovely.

 

[OBN]

Left my cell phone in my PFD, which has chest pockets, figured I was not going out to far so I would be safe...waist deep...I forgot that when you bend over to pull the scoop up your chest gets donked...saltwater and eletronic's don't mix...
New Phone now, Just got my Aquapac's for my cell and Kodak zi8 today..think i'm safe now....

 

[Michigan Badger]

I always stayed paranoid about dead batteries so never had any dead on arrival.

I didn't do much water hunting; mostly dry land.

I did have troubles with detectors though. When I was using Nautilus I got used to showing up at a site and the darn thing wouldn't balance. I had some issues with my Whites too. That's where a back-up is a mighty good thing. I finally changed over to Tesoro and never had a time when the machine didn't work.

Badger

 

[nuggetshooter]

I have forgotten my headset and lately I cannot find one of my Nuggetbusters headset - I am sure I will find them, but it is puzzling. Went dredging with a friend of mine one day, and he forgot the Jet tube! Luckily it was a highbanker/dredge combo, so the prospecting trip was not an entire failure!

 

[Deepdiger60]

I had batteries go dead while detecting but i always have spares my biggest problem was i drove all the way to the Southfork to hit the wet sand ocean beaches and when i got there i realized i left my MD home

 

[Alan Hassell]

im rolling on the floor almost peeing myself laughing too about some of the tales you guys tell...
I can tell none of you were in the boy scouts, there motto is be prepared lol hehehe
I used to recharge my ordinary batteries and always had a spare set with me everytime I went into the water you never know when they are going to give up on you.
I ALSO know who frustrating it can be to travel miles and forget something then have to go back.
Its a hard lesson we all learn from hehehe Oh i have made mistakes myself like leaving the wet suit behind lol.
Never did that again lol thanks for sharing it was funny hehehehehe