Ace 250 settings questions.....

[njnydigger]

Hi All,


I own an MXT300 by Whites. Recently ordered the Ace 250. Should be here any day now. I purchased it so I can "clean out" the top layer of finds in my hunting spots before going over the area again with my MXT for the deeper goodies. Here's the questions I have for all you 250 pro's:

1. What is the best program to run in - coins, jewelry or all metal? Please keep in mind that I ONLY search for coins and jewelry. No relics whatsoever. Nor do I beach hunt. So, which setting will get the most depth while NOT missing coins and/or jewelry?

2. I have heard that pinpointing can be a problem sometimes. Especially with the stock coil, which I'll be using for a while. Any tips on how to fix this problem? Also, keep hearing guys talking about "de-tuning" the machine when in pinpointing mode. Can someone explain?

3. On the stock coil, where does the target normally lie? Directly under the inner circle, or, towards the tips of the coil?

4. I have done a fair amount of studying on the 250 already. Have heard one needs to be VERY conservative on the sensitivity or the machine will false a lot and be very chattery. What is a decent sensitivity level to run at for medium tough east coast soil with low mineralization?

5. Lastly, what is the REAL meat and potatoes depth that you guys are getting from your Ace's? I've heard folks say they can get 7, 8 or even 9 inches. Is this just in sand or sandy type soils? Seems like a lot for regular dirt soil. Other folks have said you'd be lucky to get 5 inches in regular old dirt. What's the dealio?

Appreciate all your help in advance. I do LOVE my MXT. However, a bit heavy for long hunts. And also not needed when first hitting a spot since the top layer needs to be cleared out first. I think the Ace should be perfect for this. I am very excited to see if this machine lives up to all the hype. Thanks guys!

 

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[Monty]

I think you are making it harder than it is. It's a turn on and go machine. Set the sensitivity at about 4 bars and put the thing on Jewelry mode and go. I have never had a hard time pinpointing with mine. Some of the other users have. Apparently all coils aren't the same. Best thing to do is figure it out by using a coin laying on the ground and see where it is when you hit pinpoint mode. I have dug a silver dime at nine inches in just plain old dirt soil. But most of my finds have been 4 to 6 inches and the depth icon is pretty accurate as opposed to some detectors. The only falsing problems I have had is under power lines. Never tried it on the beach. Your MXT is a more sophisticated machine that's a fact but you might be surprised at how good the ACE 250 is. Monty

 

[savant365]

1: If you want to find gold you need to run it in jewelery mode.

2: The pinpoint has worked fairly well for me. If you get a large area when you pinpoint it is probably not a keeper. You want a tight sharp pinpoint area and then dig it.

3: If it is a tight sharp pinpoint it's usually dead center unless the coin is on edge.

4: You are going to have to learn that for yourself. It all depends on where you are hunting. Most places you have to run it at 4 or 5 bars but non trashy you can go to 6 or 7 bars.

5: I have found objects as deep as 12 inches with mine but it depends on the soil type and the object. I would say the average depth for coins here is 4 to 5 inches. One thing you will notice also is when you dig your initial plug and then rescan the target, if it is still in the ground you will likely get a more accurate reading the second time. But the one thing I have learned is that beer/soda cans are gonna ring up as a coin no matter what. The same will be true with screw caps, they are almost always read as dime/quarter.


I can't really help you out on the de-tuning but I will be interested to hear more about that too. I hope this helps a little,

HH Charlie

 

[Monty]

If you get a coin signal and it seems to cover too much ground , it probably is a can. And you can lift the coil about 6" and if you still hear it, it is probably a can. If you can't hear it then it is most likely a coin. Monty

 

[ColoradoGoldman]

Here is little vid on Pinpointing. You most likely want have any trouble with your experience.
Part 3:
Pin Pointing Video
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?0nzrziyu2gw
My wife just got her Ace 250 and she is killing me with the 250. She has the 10X14" EXcelerator coil and she is digging dimes at 10"
I'm switching from my boat anchor GTI 2500 to the Ace 250 with the Excel coil. It in the brown truck right now!
Oh set it jewelry Sen: 4 and dig everything.
CH

 

[X-Terra70_TreasureHunter]

Yep those are the 3 videos i uploaded into my MediaFire folder,
that john did on the Ace 250 .....John is a friend of mine + he is
a electronical engineer.

How i set up my Ace 250 is this method:
#1 turn on the machine and switch from coin mode to the jewelery mode and make note
of what is accepted in that mode then switch to the customs mode and make it look just
like the jewelery mode.

#2 now throw a zinc penny on the ground and scan it then notch it out, don't worry you
will still find them but they will show up as being in the dime location on the indicator
scale.

#3 you want every jewelery notch accepted + coin notch accepted prior to discremenateing
out the zinc penny while being in the custom mode, the reason for useing the custom mode
is the machine stores the settings and if you turn it off you don't lose any of your settings
you just scroll back to the custom mode and your ready to hunt.

Dave

 

[Monty]

That's good advice too. Whew , maybe it is harder than it first appears! Actually thes little tips just go along with learning your machine. I take advantage of most of them without even thinking I have done it so much. Kinda' like riding a bicycle. Monty

 

[Tank69]

I agree with hat everyone has said so far, an I agree if you get anywhere around electrical wires you'll know it the 250 dont like em an lets ya know,I'll throw out there that you can get coins in the jewelry mode an I mostly use just that mode , I'll also say I use mine in fresh water which you can do just DO NOT I repeat DO NOT get the head unit wet or you will kill your machined the head unit is NOT water proof , the 250 does work rather well in shallow water tho ,I've dug in sand 7-10" on normal Arizona hard dirt about 5-7" just depends on your soil your diggin an I run the 4 " sniper coil

 

[Yellowhouse]

Ok, I just got a 250 to go with my MXT. What is the machine doing differently in the jewelry vs coin mode? And I didn't fully grasp the desire to notch out a zincoln.


Nevermind, my feeble brain cell figured it out. The default coin mode notches out pull tabs while the jewelry includes them....no brainer.

Maybe I'll figure out why to notch out a zincoln by morning.

 

[extractor]

Here is little vid on Pinpointing. You most likely want have any trouble with your experience.
Part 3:
Pin Pointing Video
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?0nzrziyu2gw
My wife just got her Ace 250 and she is killing me with the 250. She has the 10X14" EXcelerator coil and she is digging dimes at 10"
I'm switching from my boat anchor GTI 2500 to the Ace 250 with the Excel coil. It in the brown truck right now!
Oh set it jewelry Sen: 4 and dig everything.
CH

The EXcelerator coil is awesome

 

[spartacus53]

Here is little vid on Pinpointing. You most likely want have any trouble with your experience.
Part 3:
Pin Pointing Video
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?0nzrziyu2gw
My wife just got her Ace 250 and she is killing me with the 250. She has the 10X14" EXcelerator coil and she is digging dimes at 10"
I'm switching from my boat anchor GTI 2500 to the Ace 250 with the Excel coil. It in the brown truck right now!
Oh set it jewelry Sen: 4 and dig everything.
CH

I have to agreee, I've upgraded to the 14" x 10" and covering ground was never so easy. It will cut your hunt time in a big way due to the superior coverage.

 

[allen]

why do people keep saying the ace 250 has no depth to it?
ive found coins down to 9+ inches and bigger items more thasn a foot.

 

[savant365]

why do people keep saying the ace 250 has no depth to it?
ive found coins down to 9+ inches and bigger items more thasn a foot.

Ditto!

 

[Trackerman]

The Ace is a fricken great machine. I have found gold in Coin mode strangley enough. But mostly hunt in Jewlry mode. I usually run it at 6 bars seems to work pretty smooth. I try to dig all foil nickels and pull tabs. Plus all dimes and quarters. The Ace will find you some good stuff. Its got a nose for coins and jewrlry.

 

[Xraywolf]

Don't have time to read through replies so this may be redundant:

1 - I use coin mode when coin shooting, might go to jewelry if the site is very clean

2,3 - No problems pinpointing, its deadly accurate and a breeze to learn.
The "hotspot" is the tip on the inner coil.
Coins on edge & deeper targets can significantly throw this off - This is where hands on time, and a hand held pinpointer, comes in handy.

4 - Jack it up as much as conditions allow - I often use full.
If you are in a trashy area and/or getting false, back it off until the negative symptoms stop.
In some case, such as electrical interference, you have no option but to find another spot.

5 - 6 inches max for a coin sized metal object

 

[ivan salis]

I use custom mode mainly * because its the only mode that "remembers" where you set it at --all other modes once you turn it off --reverts back to its "stock" setting and you have to reset "the notches" in them unless you want to hunt as is in the stock setting for the mode.

how one sets up ones "custom" mode -- depends upon ones "mindset" --- if you are one thathunts for gold jewelry and wants to miss "nothing" of value then one needs "tabs" to be in --like it is in jewelry mode--since some gold 14 kt rings up like "pulltabs" ( so then of course you must dig tabs -- and be in the" dig it all to miss nothing of value" mindset ) --however if one is willing to forgo some items -- one can set it up like "coin mode" is and one will still find most 10 kt / larger gold items (since they ring up like nickles do ) with out as many pull tabs --its a trade off -- dig all tabs and thus miss nothing -----or--- dig a lot less tabs but risk miss a few things -- only you (and the area your detecting) can decide that --- now under coin mode --you might want to cut out "zinc" cents to aviod digging crappy half eatten zinc cents by notch out cents at a tot lot place --fine --as the pre 1983 copper cents will still come up but under the dime icon --but be warned cutting the zinc cent --also cuts out the IH cents too --so if your in a spot where indain head cents are likely to be found you want "zinc" in if you want to find em. -- 4 to 5 bars of sensitivity normally is fine -- run as high as you can as long as the machines stable --if it falses a lot --beep --beep --beep bring her down a bit slowly till she calms down .

depth I can get copper cents / clad dimes at 8 inches

good luck.

 

[Trackerman]

Also the Relic mode works great its seems to hit coins hard in the relic mode and for some reason ids better too in that mode.

 

[ivan salis]

relic is basically very much like all metal --most detectors strongest mode is all metal * it seems t be the most powerful and deepest seeking mode --down side is the massive amount of trash you find while in it --- some hunt in one mode to find like (all metal /relic) then switch to another mode to assist in IDing.

 

[heartslayer2001]

i was using a bh pioneer 101 for the longest time, then decided to get the ace 250. Once i started using it, the tones were different so i set up a garden of coins and things. i then swept it in all modes.hearing the different tones. i have found that jewelry modes works well for i beach hunt, coins and whatever else i hit. The biggest difference is the speed of the swing, the slower you go with the ace the more accurate it is. i have tripled my coin count since i have had the ace, i bought it in the spring, april. woo hoo

 

[ivan salis]

the 250 is a slow mo --coin killer no doubt about it.