AT PRO going nuts

[handsoap]

So, in all, I've put about 20 hours in with the AT PRO and have had no problems, and am picking up on the learning curve fairly quickly. Today, I did a buddy's front yard though and my machine went nuts. The numbers on the VMI started rapidly shifting up and down up and down, and wouldn't stop. I factory reset, changed batteries, replugged everything, and it was still going nuts with all the numbers. Changed the batteries again, respun the cable. Now it seems to have calmed down, but it feels like I'm getting a lot of falses. It got dark before I could do any more, so I've given up for the day.

It's important to mention that all of the places I've detected previously have been free of power lines and electricity. I know exactly which spot the thing got nuts, and my gut is that there may be a DSL or some other line under the ground-- will ask my buddy later. Perhaps this is EMI-- or do you think it may be something else?

Thanks!

EDIT: I also tried re-balancing a number of times, and changing sensitivity and ground balancing.

 

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[Chug And Red]

Same issue here, On Friday!!! I moved to the other side of a Small Dirt berm and everything Was Great !!! When I moved towards the top it started again!!!

When we were walking down the Path to a New area I saw it The power lines were Almost level with My Coil before moving down!!! that's the only time this Has Happened HH Chug

 

[RobRieman]

Power lines, wireless routers, security systems and such will effect different detectors in different ways. If it only does it in one area I would say you found some interference.

 

[handsoap]

I'm going to take it to different location today, and I will keep everyone updated with the results.

Any other AT PRO people have similar issues? I know a bunch of you have them...

Thanks!

 

[dirtydig]

i have on two occasions in spots i have hunted before, not sure what is up but it went away and then came back later. any info would be appreciated

 

[handsoap]

i have on two occasions in spots i have hunted before, not sure what is up but it went away and then came back later. any info would be appreciated

Does it still do it, or is it only occasionally?

 

[nelsongrigg]

yeah my fisher gold bug pro, does the same in diffrent locations ,,,, I just able to move away and re ground bal..... good luck

 

[lisfisher]

By any chance is there an underground dog fence / wire in the yard? I ran into this last fall, my minelab went berserk.

 

[Bottlecapbill]

There could also be underground lines in the area. There is power/phone/sewage going to every single building, be it over head or under ground. Plus all the wireless tech people have talked about.

Another possibility is you're leaving your detector in the vehicle too long and it's overheating. When it's hot, it will act up a lot. Keep the machine at normal air temperature and see if that helps.

Last but not least, I've noticed in areas where there may be manufactured gravel or sand base that's loaded in various minerals the machine can also go crazy. It's pretty much trying to lock onto hundreds of small bits of minerals in the ground. All you can really do in that situation is lower your sensitivity, ground balance often and try to pick out he good stuff from the background noise. I find in these cases it's best to dig everything decent since even good targets will be jumpy and all over the board.

 

[golden sluice]

It might be broken and degradated terra-cotta mixed Into the soil. That can make your metal detector freak out. I have the at gold and theres one area in my back yard that has number fluxations like you described. I dug up the soil and kept finding red terra-cotta grinds in the mix. Hope its the soils and not your metal detector.

 

[RobRieman]

I'm going to take it to different location today, and I will keep everyone updated with the results. Any other AT PRO people have similar issues? I know a bunch of you have them... Thanks!

One school I go to is impossible to hunt with the ATPro. I think it's the security system that drives it crazy. I can only take the V3i there.

 

[handsoap]

Update: Before going back to the "bad" location, I took it to a local park. Everything seemed okay. Went back to location that made it go nuts, and asked the landowner if there were any underground wires or anything that she knew of. She said, no, but that there was a fairly complex "irrigation system" used to water the lawn with pipes/sprayers spread pretty frequently across the lawn. My guess is that that's what set it off to go crazy. I was just confused because yesterday after it started going haywire I reset everything (fact. reset, new batteries, cleaned under coil cover, re-wired everything) and went to another location down the street I'd already hit with no problems and it was STILL going nuts. The VMI looked like the beginning of the matrix with numbers jumping all over the place up and down nonstop. Had me worried, but I HOPE everything is okay now. I will just have to keep on taking it out in the field to make sure.

Thanks everyone. I will update if it starts up again, or if I have to contact Garrett.

Happy digging!

 

[Beach Pirate]

I've had my AT Pro go nuts several times... always power lines (overhead and burried) or hot rocks in the soil. One occasion, turned out to be a bad coil. When resetting the machine (hold down power button) and double checking connections (coil connection & battery's) failed to fix the problem, I switched out my large coil with my small one. Presto, all was well again. I called Garrett and has a free replacement coil a arrive a few days later. Garrett has outstanding customer service!

 

[2TallHunter]

Same here. This is always power lines when ever my AT Pro goes crazy. There is this old park I would love to hunt, but can't because there is a power station right next to it.

 

[dirtydig]

didnt do it on the last hunt but i did change freq. i think it is a moisture problem. condensate can cause problems with all electronic devices and its always happened late in the hunt. if it happens again im calling garrett.

 

[Metal Detecting Stuff]

Make sure your coil connector is tight. I have a park near me that the 60 HZ floodlight transformers make my detectors chatty.

Wayne

www.metaldetectingstuff.com

 

[Dig-N-VA]

Hey MDS

Looking down onto the coil from the top, Should the coil wire be wound clockwise or counter clockwise?

 

[RobRieman]

Hey MDS Looking down onto the coil from the top, Should the coil wire be wound clockwise or counter clockwise?

Doesn't matter which way you wind it. Just make sure it's not flopping around.

 

[Dig-N-VA]

Thanks Rob

I have mine wrapped clockwise, starting about 8 + inches from the coil and taped with electrical tape in several places, so there is no flopping wire


Thanks for the response

 

[RustyGold]

Clockwise over the shaft and make sure there is no sand or debris between the coil and coil cover! Change the frequency setting! Best of Luck!