Questions about AT PRO use in salt water

[alabama11]

Hello all,
Thanks for viewing the thread.
Would like to ask others about use of AT PRO in salt water.
Should the threaded connection be treated with something to prohibit corrosion? At what water temperature is the unit most sensative. Any other pointers would be appreciated. I am a big fan of AT PRO
and have had wonderful results in standard all metal mode. Trying to learn more. Best,

 

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[gamiller]

Some people do fine with the atpro . I am not one of them. I much prefer a detector dedicated to Beach detecting. For maintenance I would consider coating the detector with food grade silicone, Trident or Mcnett are 2 brands commonly used for scuba equipment.

 

[gamiller]

Probably should repost questions in Beach and swallow sand section to get better responses.

 

[Sandman]

AT Pro is advertised as All Terrain when in fact it really sucks at salt water beaches in the wet sand it being only a single frequency detector. Not all beaches are the same as to salt content or black sand. What works at one location won't work at another. As to connection, Gamiller gave good answer.

 

[DiggerinVA]

I am a huge fan of the AT pro....but Sandman is right....they do suck in wet sand and salt water. For the average person on vacation once a year it will suffice, just run sensitivity low and deal with chatting and falsing. I spend sevetal weeks a year on the beach so i purchased a Minelab Sovereign GT for my wet sand use as i dont get in the water too deep. It works wonderful.

 

[BigWaveDave]

One of my 'Honorable Mentions' was a salt water find, (granted it was a HUGE ring), along with another gold, and silver jewelry finds. The trick is hunt in standard mode, zero discrimination, and keep the sensitivity at a minimum. Also, I use silicone grease on the O rings, as well as the battery compartment. I use the Grey Ghost amphibian head phones as well.
Most important to also thoroughly rinse the machine with fresh water immediately after the hunt.

There are a lot of guys who will poo poo the At pro, but for the most part, they are only repeating what they've read. Yes, there are machines that are more specific for salt water, but I have no desire to be a detector collector.

 

[Normsel]

I have used my ATP at the beach and n shallow salt water and the key is lower your sensitivity, I have hunted in both pro and standard mode. It's a matter of preference and success. I try all different things to see what gives me the least chatter and the best results but as a beach and salt water machine I have to agree with Sandman. I am 71 and detecting in the water is just to darn tiring for me.

 

[ColonelDan]

Keep in mind that all beaches are not the same in terms of mineralization. Our central Florida beaches are much less mineralized than the black sands of Hawaii. In fact, you can sometimes walk 1/2 mile or less on the same beach and find a noticeable difference. Therefore, some who say that the AT Pro works on a saltwater beach are right. Some who say the AT Pro doesn't work well on a saltwater beach are right. It depends on the beach.

The AT Pro is one of the detectors I own and I very much like it. Having said that, I also own two Excalibur IIs that are far better for saltwater environments than the AT Pro regardless of the beach in question. It was simply designed for that style of hunting.

The key is to use the right tool for the job and environment at hand. If you want to drive nails, use a hammer not a screw driver and you'll get a more harmonious outcome as the saying goes. If you want to detect in saltwater, use a detector designed for that purpose...there is no one size fits all in this hobby and to try and make it so ends in less than optimal outcomes.

Just the view from my foxhole...