Can electrical current increase metal detector depth?

[ericwt]

I have an odd theory. I was working with someone to build a Earth Resistivity Meter and when we turned on the power after pounding in the stakes. Basically we were seeing how hard it was going to be to pound those stakes into the ground. While doing this I remembered to my childhood days when my dad made this rod attached to a battery. You stuck it into the ground and in about 10 minutes nightcrawlers would start crawling out of the ground. My engineer friend wanted to see this as he fishes. So we left the power on. At this point we do not have the interface or the laptop for the ERM, so I pulled out my cz70 with the small coil.

Long story short my depth seemed to increase rapidly. Then later I seem to recall about sometime about 10 years ago I remember a probe that directs current into the ground to increase metal detector depth,advertised in a treasure magazine.Do not remember what it was called.

Am I nuts? Just curious.

Ericwt

[Darren in NC]

Hey Eric - it was called a Depth Doubler. Made by Compass (not the MD company, but another company by the same name). I have been trying to find out for years if the dangbusted thing worked, but I only get vague reviews. Some swear it did, others say it was junk. No one else has come out with any imitations, so you wonder...

Anyone else have one and use it?

[Carl-NC]

I have two of 'em, c'mon over to Greensboro and give it a go.

- Carl

[Darren in NC]

I'd really like to, Carl. I've been wanting to meet you personally anyway. You have a lot of great things to offer thunters. I'll PM you and work something out

[ericwt]

I would like to personally thank everyone for their imput. Keep it up! If anyone can post any information on this DD,here on this fourm.

I need ideas on how it works-if it works-can it be improved-best construction plans-any ideas.

As treasure hunters we need to realize a few things. There is more than enough treasure for everyone, so it is in our best interest to share information. Technology is our freind and by masterminding together we can use technology in new ways for our own individual projects.

Ericwt

[BuffaloBob]

Here are some current links for the Compass Depth Doubler:

Electronics P.O. Box 543 Forest Grove, Oregon 97116 (Owners manuals for new and older model Compass detectors) $11.00 per manual, $3.00 shipping. Checks or money orders only. Send only to the P.O. Box ...
Compass Metal Detectors -
http://www.compassmetaldetectors.com...ss_contact.htm
They may manuals for the older DD that will give some info. Operates on a 12v auto battery I believe.

This is an Italian/English site that has some description of how the DD works.
cerca metalli, metal detector, Schatzsucher, detecci?n de metales, d?tecteurs de m?taux
http://www.emors.com/compass.htm

[Wild Boulder Bill]

You know guys I have not seen one of these work,but my intuition has some trouble with this as a electrician and instrumentation guy. The metal detector is just electical energy shot into the ground. If you put a current into the ground and try to detect thru it that would seem to me to cause a problem. In instrumentation we call this electrical interferenc noise, because any time our primary circuit hits electrical energy rom another source it creates noise in our wanted signals. That is why you see a lot of instrumentation run in rigid pipe. It is to decrease the noise. A lot of loop cabling and shielded cabling all to reduce the noise. So my gut feeling is how are you going to introduce noise and get amplification. It just doesn't work in my head.