Waterproof Ace 250 "Lake Looter"

[khouse]

It was a 6 Beer project. I'm going for fresh water GOLD!

[Sandman]

Neat idea, and I like the way you mark time with the amount of beer needed. Let us know if it leaks.

[Minelab Ron]

Hey...that's cool beans there!!! Let us know how it works...I have an Ace 250....if you test it out before 26 August...please post. May try to put something together before we head to Arkansas....then I can get out in the lake where we will be camping. I'm bookmarking this topic

Happy "Water Tight" Hunting,
Annmarie

[khouse]

I had $30.00 pelican case that failed my over night submersion test. This polycarbonate box passed. Also the lid locks down on all 4 sides where the other cases only lock on one end. This box has a silicone seal too. I will be using it hard Sat and Sun at a fresh water beach.
The # is hlc313
https://www.elocknlock.com/merchantm...6101f0620917a9

[SC_hunter]

Alright khouse...we are waiting to hear how it worked out?

[khouse]

OK, so my family went on a short trip over the weekend. First off I hunted the water for a total of 9 hours over two mornings. I would guess to say that 6 of those hours the detector was completely under the water. Not a drop seeped into the box I housed the 250 into. Also the detector would float with about 1.5 inches above the water when released. The 250 worked flawlessly in the fresh clear water. Not ever having detected deeper that my knees I have some thoughts that you water hunters already know.
1st. Fish love to swim around the coil.
2nd. Fish love to eat the fines that fall from the sand scoop.
3rd. Fish love metal detectorists!
4th. As you proceed to deeper water you body and movements are increasingly in slow motion.
5th. When you are chin deep in water it's hard to push the scoop into the sand. Also if a wave hits you then you loose you balance easily.
6th. You need a very LARGE scoop. I have a very nice stainless steel laser cut long handled scoop. It's 5 inches in diameter and round. I found that this scoop is too small. I will be building me the ultimate scoop myself.
7th. When it's dark you need a head lamp to look into the scoop and the bottom of the lake.
8th. Take some beef jerky as you get hungry fast.
9th. When you have been walking in the deep water for 3 hours it's hard to walk in the shallow for a while.
10th. It's good to have your permit on you when the park ranger tells you that you have to leave!
11th. You use your scoop handle as a crutch to keep your balance in the deep. Make sure your handle is extra long.
12. Make a floating screed with 1/4 inch mesh. I had about a dozen good hits that fell through my scoop.
13. Square tabs seem to have great swimming abilities. I chased some for at least 2 feet as they would move everywhere. Sometimes they floated around and sometimes my scoop just moved them around. I think my mega scoop is going to help on this one.
14. Remove the electronic device from your keys. Only take the key itself into the water in your supposedly water proof bag!
15. Take a towel to place your wet butt in the drivers seat.
16. Too many zippered pockets on your swimming suit is a good thing.
17. Goose poo doesn't break up easily as your coil grinds over the top of it.
18. Even though it was 95 degrees after hours in the water you butt and thighs feel ice cold for hours after the hunt.
19. Nickels look like half dollars in the water at 5 feet deep.
20. Most of my jewelry finds were from waist to chest high.
Just a couple of things I put together for those who haven't water hunted or the ones that getting ready to.

I found 6 rings 2 are junk the others are not
4 jewelry items
1- .925 earing
12 quarters
13 dimes
12 nickels
25 cents
23 tabs and foil finds
I imagined every one of my nickel and foil digs to be rings as I shook my scoop.

Kenny
mowerdog@gmail.com

[SC_hunter]

Man...you did "gud" and your hands were so nice and clean...lol Looks like you need to patent that idea. BTW...you need to take a net with you instead of a big scoop...you would be eating fish about now.. Thanks for the report and very nice finds.

[Dinkydick]

Hi khouse:

I would like to know where you purchased the wire cable
seals and what you paid for them?

Thanks for any help and good luck in your finds.

Dinkydick

[khouse]

I bought the cable direct from Garrett for 10.00 But I know that they are getting 20.00 for them now plus shipping. The watertite connectors are Heyco brand. www.heyco.com

[Ricardo_NY1]

You made out good with that "Lake Looter"! Congrats on the finds and the ability to be so innovative man!

[Larsmed]

Khouse

Is it possible to waterproof the housing on top of the pole instead of moving it?

Awesome idea by the way, you should make an invention or soemthing.

Larry

[khouse]

You could make a bracket an put it where ever you want.
Kenny

[robert roy]

Hi Khouse:

Looks like it would work really good.

This Sunday was actually a warm day in Indiana ( today its 25 degrees!!! Go figure ). It was warm but we had some drizzel that later turned to rain. I wrapped the contro box on the Ace in cellophane wrap. I made sure it covered the coil connection as well and then wrapped a piece of utility tape around it to keep it on. The control box stayed dry in the drizzel. Picked up some clad at the park. When the drizzel turned to a harder rain I got the heck outa there!

Regards
Robert R

[khouse]

At least you gave it your best effort!

[DaChief]

That is a Popular Mechanics article waiting for a place to happen!

Nice job on the waterproofing. I believe we all learned the things you have learned about water hunting. Everything you said is what I have experienced at some point or the other minus the Goose Poop. I hunt salt water only right now but I can substitute Stingrays for fish. Those Stingrays love my coil for some reason.

When you build that scoop, let me know. I want to see that bad boy!

Great finds on your water hunt. I spent almost 20 hours in the water my first water hunting weekend. Got myself sick because I had no wetsuit. Got one now!

Take Care.

DaChief

[khouse]

I wanted to make a stainless steel scoop. But all I have is a stick welder. So I think I'm going to make it out of steel and paint it for now. I have two cool versions I want to make. If I could get into my garage for all the crap in it I might be able to make it!

[ringfinder]

Man that's a great Idea. Hope you make more of them and sell them. I'll take TWO!!!

I water hunt all the time in the summer and even when the water gets warm here in
Ohio, I still wear a shorty wet suit and when the water is chilly in the morning hours I wear a light
weight wet suit full body. After you hunt in the water for 6 to 8 hours your body gets cold without a wet
suit on.

HH, Ringfinder

[khouse]

Ringfinder,
You can make your own with a few tools. It would be a good winter project.

[Larsmed]

Khouse

Thajnks for the help. I am slowly putting this together, stillhavin trouble with the whole inline connector waterproofing..lol..I am not very mechanical. It also looks like you used a torch to melt the stand so it would flatten out for the control housing.

[khouse]

You could use a torch if your careful. I use a heat gun. Extending the coil cable is the hardest part. You have to buy a coil cable from Garrett and solder it together. Then you use 3M dual wall shrink tubing to waterproof the connection. Post some pictures of your progress.