Please help me decide on a metal detector!

[chaselarkin123]

Hello everyone,

I am completely new to the beach metal detecting world. I have met some cool people that hunt for treasure in Florida(where I live), so I decided that I am going to purchase a PI metal detector tomorrow before my first metal detecting outing this weekend. They are avid divers and treasure salvagers, and use aquapulse aqb1 units. I had originally debated going all out and also purchasing since this is going to be a lifelong hobby for me. After reading some information from forum members, it sounds as if the aqb1 is not as adequate for smaller targets or lower karat rings(commonly found from 1715 fleet). They mentioned that the higher (delay?)wont pick up lower karat and smaller items, but will detect larger and deeper objects. Can anyone confirm or deny this allegations? After reading this I'm wondering if I should just buy a entry level such as the Tesoro Sand Shark, since I will be searching wet sand and surf in florida 75% of the time and diving with it mayne 25%. Is anyone familiar with the specific units that work best with the specific mineralization of south florida waters? Thank you and any advice would be great as I am completely new and I'm only basing this off of what I've read. Thank you!!

 

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[Treasure_Hunter]

I have used the 10" stock and the WOT, and I am able to get far more depth out of my WOT than the stock 10" coil. I dig targets well over 15" with WOT some at 20" in all metal mode...

 

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[chaselarkin123]

How do I determine the current voltage of that battery? Do I need to purchase a voltage tester?

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

How do I determine the current voltage of that battery? Do I need to purchase a voltage tester?

Why are concerned about the voltage on new battery? You can buy a cheap volt ohm meter....Only way to know is to measure voltage.

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

you czn replace the rechargeable crappy battery by a LiPo 4c of a similar size running over 16v when fully loaded. You will have around 45H of detection....

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I get 14-16 hours out of my NiMh battery which is plenty as there is only about 12 -13 hours of daylight. I can recharge it in about 2 hours...

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

I get 14-16 hours out of my NiMh battery which is plenty as there is only about 12 -13 hours of daylight. I can recharge it in about 2 hours...

Hey TH, need to extend your detecting hours to increase your finds I need 45H of battery for a 24h hours journey...

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

If you are buying new, buy the Excalibur ll with the 8 inch coil (actually 7.5" diameter) - Excall ll 800
for the following reason(s):

First and foremost, it is far easier to accurately determine where the target is with an 8 inch (small field) DD search coil as it sees one half of the volume/area under the coil that a DD 10 inch (large field) search coil. Unless you are naturally gifted in being able to accurately determine where a target is, it will take considerable time to develop the necessary pinpointing and target retrieval skill.

Second: The 8 inch DD search coil is ideal for detecting where there is a lot of trash, the first trough in the water, is usually a high trash area, there is often a lot of trash on dry sand and in eroded areas - these areas are often highly productive (target rich).

Third: The smaller diameter coil is easier to control in swift currents (less drag) and can get between rocks which are closer together than a larger diameter search coil can.

Fourth: It is very difficult to find a used Excalibur with the 8inch DD size search coil.
I gave up trying after a year and one price rise in the purchase price of the Excalibur ll (sigh) and bought a one time used Excalibur ll 1000 (10 inch DD Search Coil) which I will have to modify.

If for some reason, you do not like using the 8 inch search coil, I will be glad to swap the Excalibur ll 1000 (used twice) for it, it costs approximately $70 to insure and mail to Hawaii.

That thing looks awesome! They sell both the 8" and 10" models at Kellyco where I'm going. It's going to be a tough call on which one to use!
Definitely post some videos of that little ROV in action!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

The more beach you cover per hour the more targets you locate.. Bigger coils cover more beach per swing. I can pinpoint and locate target quickly with15" coils with no issues at all.....

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

The more beach you cover per hour the more targets you locate.. Bigger coils cover more beach per swing. I can pinpoint and locate target quickly with15" coils with no issues at all.....

Look at the size difference, there is no need to make a definitive choice...just change when you need to..

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Once I went to 15" coils I could never go back to the tiny coils, I tried10" for couple hours and it drove me nuts. If I'm hunting beaches give me 15" coil every time...

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

15" is great for areas that are not too trashy. A large coil with many targets under it drives you nut for sure.

It really depends of the soil and condition.

Rocky areas : 8" is perfect
Trashy areas : 10"
Large areas with low trash, surface to cover : 15"

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

15" is great for areas that are not too trashy. A large coil with many targets under it drives you nut for sure.

It really depends of the soil and condition.

Rocky areas : 8" is perfect
Trashy areas : 10"
Large areas with low trash, surface to cover : 15"

I land hunt parks with 15 " coils, recovered many coin spills... Found many coin spills at beach as well, 6-10+ coins with no issues...There is no sod and I use 8-10" scoops. Florida beaches are not clean, too many tourist..

 

[penzfan]

Well.........while I may not be as experienced as many of the other members on this forum, I can tell you I prefer my 10" DD over my 15" WOT for the following reasons:
The 10" swings easier in and out of the surf, pinpoints MUCH more accurately, stores/travels easier and finds just as many targets per trip as the WOT. I hunt primarily clean beaches in Florida, with 90% of my time spent in wet sand or salt water...

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Well.........while I may not be as experienced as many of the other members on this forum, I can tell you I prefer my 10" DD over my 15" WOT for the following reasons:
The 10" swings easier in and out of the surf, pinpoints MUCH more accurately, stores/travels easier and finds just as many targets per trip as the WOT. I hunt primarily clean beaches in Florida, with 90% of my time spent in wet sand or salt water...

Like everything else in life to each his own, I'm the opposite as you penz, I have no trouble swinging my WOT coil in the water, been doing so for almost 8 years now, but I'm only 67 so maybe that is why...

I can hunt in the water with WOT all day, done so many times, my short hunts are 4-6 hours and long hunts 8-12 hours. I have no problem pinpointing with the WOT either and pulled many targets well over 15 inches with it.... No way I could ever go back to 8-10" coil...

I haven't used any coil smaller than 15 " to beach hunt in 7 years, even when I hunt with my Sov GT I use a WOT or my SEF 15x18" butterfly coil....

 

[frogmaster-riviera]

I was the same before, always using large coils but did came back to smaller coil when I found I was missing surface targets and targets next to trash.

I am not able to swing the 17" of the CTX or the 15" WOT underwater. I use the WOT only for straight translation. Most of the time the underwater soil (scuba detection) is not sand, so 15WOT makes the targets harder to find when time matter.

But again like TH says, it's a personnal feeling and I didn't want to make a definitive choice so I can swap the coil on my Excalibur and always bring with me the coil (at least in my trunck or on the boat).

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I was the same before, always using large coils but did came back to smaller coil when I found I was missing surface targets and targets next to trash.

I am not able to swing the 17" of the CTX or the 15" WOT underwater. I use the WOT only for straight translation. Most of the time the underwater soil (scuba detection) is not sand, so 15WOT makes the targets harder to find when time matter.

But again like TH says, it's a personnal feeling and I didn't want to make a definitive choice so I can swap the coil on my Excalibur and always bring with me the coil (at least in my trunck or on the boat).

Your talking different environment when scuba diving vs wading, whole different ball game, I can see where it would be a problem when your diving.......

 

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