Need help or good advise

newfiedigger

Tenderfoot
Apr 2, 2013
6
0
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
this is the second time I have posted with this problem. The first time most advise was to continue using the machine until I got used to it, well the season here in NFLD. is half over and I don't have the stomach to go out at it again. The problem is my Euro Ace, it just does not live up to it's reputation at all. My machine is very erratic, I will find a target, pinpoint it and dig, target is not there, dig a bigger hole target is still not there, start all over find target again pinpoint again might be 6 inches to a foot away from original spot, dig the hole nothing, pin point again sometimes it is in a different spot sometimes it is not there at all. Just today I dug six different targets found nothing in the holes, doesn't sound like much to get upset about but try doing this for six months, digging phantom metal is no fun. I have replaced the batteries, did the factory reset and read the owners manual inside out,and just for giggles today I found that the audio doesn't work anymore without the head phones plugged in. My 12 year old step son is finding lots of target with a discovery 1100, when I check his "hits" most of the time the Euro Ace will not even register those either. I am thinking about going back to my old Sears model prospector 100 it doesn't discriminate, does not pinpoint and does not I.D. targets but at least if I spend the day digging holes there will be something there to find. A good example of how erratic it is, when air tested a target will show up as non ferrous check it a couple of seconds it will either show up a ferrous or sometimes just bounce all over the scale. If this is normal than I must be missing something the cheap machines are dead on every time with the Air test. I have written Garrett about this but as of yet have got no reply, so I am turning to you guys again maybe someone here has the same machine or has experienced similar problems. HELP I feel like wrapping this machine around a tree and giving up the hobby. Thanks
 

roadrunner

Bronze Member
Jan 28, 2012
1,230
520
Pinal Mountains,Arizona
Detector(s) used
Garrett Groundhog-2012-1st MD.
White's Goldmaster V/Sat-2nd-MD-2013
Tesoro Lobo-2015-3rd
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Where are you from first of all?
Next,did you call Garrett? Batteries won't do that erratic thing most of the time. It will work,or won't work on my Garret Groundhog.Not an in between mode.
Next,loose fitting on coil, or box.
Wiggle the connections on the coil and bnox.Also see if the connection behind the plugin,inside the box is ok.
Check the cord for any bad spots,or kinks.
If some one else has the same machine as you,swap coils, and see if it does the same on there machine.
Bad coil maybe.
Or one of the knobs is bad.Did you take it to a dealer around you,or to a dealer you bought it from.
 

Sandman

Gold Member
Aug 6, 2005
13,398
3,992
In Michigan now.
Detector(s) used
Excal 1000, Excal II, Sovereign GT, CZ-20, Tiger Shark, Tejon, GTI 1500, Surfmaster Pulse, CZ6a, DFX, AT PRO, Fisher 1235, Surf PI Pro, 1280-X, many more because I enjoy learning them. New Garrett Ca
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
You step son's MD might be running at a different frequency while yours is picking up some EMI fields. Is your cell phone turned off when you detect? Have you cleaned the dirt out of the coil cover. Is there an electric dog fence buried or a security system? Are all the batteries inserted correctly? You could also have a cracked mother board or a simple solder joint broken. Might be time to upgrade if you don't wanna pay to have it fixed.
 

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newfiedigger

Tenderfoot
Apr 2, 2013
6
0
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
hello roadrunner, thank you for the reply. I have e-mailed Garrett but have not received a reply yet maybe tomorrow, i know the batteries were a long shot but desperate times call for desperate measures LOL. All the connections as far as I can see are good and the cable is snugged so it's not flopping around. I live in Newfoundland, Canada and metal detecting is not a big thing here so no dealers to check it out, and of course I know of nobody else in the hobby either. The machine is only 6 months old and has been acting like this right out of the box, hopefully Garrett will do something for me, I hear good things about their warranty service. thanks again.
 

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newfiedigger

Tenderfoot
Apr 2, 2013
6
0
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Sandman thank you for the reply, living here in Newfoundland gives me plenty of room to get away from anything emitting EMI fields, same with the security and dog fences, both really good ideas to look into though. the cracked mother board or solder joints are the best I could come up with also but I don't want to void the warranty by taking it apart to check, still waiting for a reply from Garrett. Thanks again
 

JunkShopFiddler

Bronze Member
Feb 15, 2013
1,053
1,059
SW Indiana
Detector(s) used
Garrett GTP 1350
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I have only used Garretts for 30 years...they have the best customer service there is...I had the exact problem you described with my ATPro and they offered me an entirely new detector... I told them I was sick of the ATpro and wanted a GTP 1350 (same price machines) and they sent me a new 1350 even swap and I love it...the ATPro Has a great reputation, mine just didn't didn't like me. Keep after Garrett and be patient until they respond, they will get you straightened out. HH
 

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newfiedigger

Tenderfoot
Apr 2, 2013
6
0
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
thanks junkshopfinder, good thing to keep in mind, thanks for the heads up on the exchange possibility.
 

bikermike

Full Member
Jul 14, 2012
151
82
Stillwater, OK
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace 250, 6.5x9 coil, 4.5 sniper coil, 5x8DD coil, Garrett AT Gold, Centec pinpointer, Garrett pro pointer, Ames digger.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I don't know if this was suggested in your other thread, but have you reduced the sensitivity? I had the same problem when I first started. Back off to 3 or 4 bars and retry. Good luck. Mike
 

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newfiedigger

Tenderfoot
Apr 2, 2013
6
0
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
yeah tried with the sensitivity up and down to almost nothing same result. Now that I have realized that the audio is working only with the headphones I feel it is most likely a problem with the machine itself, so I am stuck waiting for a reply from Garrett as to what to do next. thanks for the tip though
 

Normsel

Bronze Member
Sep 10, 2012
1,191
813
D'Iberville MS
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
E-Trac
Equinox 800
Equinox 600
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Unplug the coil connector from the box and the rewind your cable snuggly and connect the coil to the box again making sure you have tighten it all the way. It sounds more like a loose connection than anything. mine did hat the 1st pl times I used it but I rewound the cable and securely tighten the connector and worked great. Make certain you batteries are good.
 

roadrunner

Bronze Member
Jan 28, 2012
1,230
520
Pinal Mountains,Arizona
Detector(s) used
Garrett Groundhog-2012-1st MD.
White's Goldmaster V/Sat-2nd-MD-2013
Tesoro Lobo-2015-3rd
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Also, not sure if it matters on your machine,or any machine but when you wrapped the cord,from the coil,on the first turn,did you go under the rod,or over top of the rod?
Check your manual.
In other words,did you wrap counter clockwise,or clockwise.
 

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