Ace 250 versus higher dollar Garret please help

[gallileo60]

To all who have the 250, and a better, more expensive Garret, what are the advantages of the better unit?? The Garret people (a tech on the phone) told me the next 2 models up will go no deeper...My thing is I seem to get alot of false beeps from my 250 even if I turn down the sensativity...I dont think i raise the coil at the end of a sweep...Am gonig to get a sniper for it, as some of the areas I work are a bit trashy...I would love to hear from some of you guys who have used both....What about pinpointing? What about Id'ing Do the more expensive units do either better.......I am the worst pin pointer in the world..Hell I end up digging craters sometimes, sometimes I just give up...BTW, have been doing this for years, but this is the first unit i've had this trouble with...Maybe it is the oval shaped coil, maybe its just me.I hope the sniper helps, Thanks for any replys on this subject, and feel free to brag about your machine.Tom

 

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[Keppy]

I have the 250 and the 1500 i have no problem pin pointing with either one the 1500 goes deeper the reason is that it uses bigger coils and it has ...Power master Circuitry for 20% more depth..also has the...GTI... ( Graphic Target Imaging. I just ordered the 4.5" ACE SNiPER i am going to put that on the 250 and leave it there and use the 1500 with all my larger coils..... 8) 8)

 

[Keppy]

On Id'ing i think that no matter what you pay for a detector that has ..Id ..they all work about the same my 1500 Id showe's the same that my 250 does but my 1500 has that ..GTI..that tells you a little more....

 

[khouse]

How do you have the coil cable wrapped? The first 12 inches should be strait up and tight to the shaft. Leave just enough extra cable next to the coil so it can pivot some. Make sure your cable connection is tight also.

 

[Jeffro]

I get false beeps from my Fisher, and after lowering the sensitivity (if its bugging me) I sweep over it a couple more times to make sure it real. Or even cross it from 90 degrees in the other direction.

If its solid and repeatable, I dig it. If it beeps sometimes and not others, I walk away most times. There are times when the sound I get just seems a little off from most trash, and they pay sometimes.

I guess its just that I've used this unit so much, I've learned to trust it more.

In the beginning, I dug everything. And I still give that advice to newcomers. Its solid advice. After the first couple of thousand targets retrieved, you get a pretty good idea of whats trash and whats not.


Another thought that comes to mind is these targets can be just on the threshold of what you are discriminating out. I run with iron rejected, most all the time. I will get signals that sound like coins from iron nails, however. But they won't be solid and consistant.

Each area is different, and I do not use this as a blanket policy. I'll dig a few of those falsies at each place I go to, just to see if I should trust myself and my machine. After proving the falsies are just that I generally ignore them, unless one sounds just a little different....

 

[Sandman]

The advantages of a "better unit" are the features and depth. More expensive cars have more power, speed and toys inside as an example. Pinpointing are more exact as are some of the id features. The ability to ground balance is a major advantage.

As was stated, make sure your connector is tight and the wire is along side the shaft straight up for a ways before you wrap it around the shaft. Don't detect in steel toed shoes. Sometimes the location will make the detectors talk to us as things like power lines and radio interference can upset the coil field.

 

[rayredditch]

Most ground tests (as opposed to air tests) give all newer models of the Garrets the same depth. Basically you seem to be paying for the extra circuitry, and display, as well as finer tuning/more options. I prefer simplicity and depth, so I wouldn´t have anything other than XP or Red Heat detectors nowaday´s. The Minelabs go the deepest in your normal price bracket, but are too heavy for me (Lots of joint problems and arthritis), and these others all allmost as deep, but are only just over 2 lbs weight.

 

[gallileo60]

How do you have the coil cable wrapped? The first 12 inches should be strait up and tight to the shaft. Leave just enough extra cable next to the coil so it can pivot some. Make sure your cable connection is tight also.

Yes have it that way, it just may be me......Im tired of digging craters.......

 

[gallileo60]

Most ground tests (as opposed to air tests) give all newer models of the Garrets the same depth. Basically you seem to be paying for the extra circuitry, and display, as well as finer tuning/more options. I prefer simplicity and depth, so I wouldn´t have anything other than XP or Red Heat detectors nowaday´s. The Minelabs go the deepest in your normal price bracket, but are too heavy for me (Lots of joint problems and arthritis), and these others all allmost as deep, but are only just over 2 lbs weight.

You are right about the air test........

 

[dahut]

I have a 1350. I have it because that Imaging stuff is fluff, IMHO and the 1350 offers what you really need... some idea as to size. More than that and you are looking for reasons NOT to dig, instead of recovering targets - which is your rightful purpose.

The 1350 is also smoother than the 250 ever will be. It has more useful features, a more expanded DISC range and pinpoints like a dream compared to the Ace 250, too. Deeper? Easier to tell if it is deep, so yes.

Everything about the upper end Garretts is max luxe, where the 250 is just functional. The big deal with the 250 is not how much better than others it is, but how much 'ol Charles managed to pack into a $200 unit. He said he could - he did.
Dont blow it out of proportion beyond that.

I own both. Given a choice, Id take the 1350. In fact if I could only have one land unit for my types of hunting, it'd be a top choice.

 

[VERMONTPACKRAT]

How do you have the coil cable wrapped? The first 12 inches should be strait up and tight to the shaft. Leave just enough extra cable next to the coil so it can pivot some. Make sure your cable connection is tight also.

After reading this I have to wonder (being new to MDing) do I have my cable wraped too tight?? Will this cause "weird readings"
I do alot of MDing at "trashy" spots. Once in a while I will get a nice signal, use my boot to rake away some leaves, now the signal seems to be gone. I am going on the notion that I need to simply slow down and get more practice. Sometimes it is frustrating.
Should I run my cable straight up, wire tie, then wrap ?? Oh, I have the ACE 250
VPR

 

[khouse]

Run it strait up to the head like I do. Then give it a couple of wraps right below the head. Then use velcro every 6 inches to secure the cable. You might try the sniper in your trashy sites. Also if you run the stock coil in trashy sites reduce your sens to 4 bars or less.

 

[hollowpointred]

like sandman said the difference between an ACE 250 and a GTI 2500, ( i have both) is the GTI is deeper and it has nice features like better target id, backlighting,a salt mode, adjustable ground balance, better notch discrim, more available coils, among other things. i agree with the others that your machine falsing probably has more to do with a loosely wrapped coil wire or it could be a faulty coil itself. my 250 is pretty stable most of the time. i guess it could also be highly minerilized soil causing your trouble too since the ACE only has a set ground balance but i doubt it. does it do this at every site you use it in, or just at one particular spot? if wrapping the coil wire tightly doesn't help call Garrett. also if you use a coil cover take it off and clean it out. sometimes black sand and minerilized soil can get trapped in there and drive you crazy.

 

[gallileo60]

UPDATE

The Sniper coil kicks ass....It has really improved the ability to work in trashy areas...Alot less falsing also.....I put the bigger one back on, and then took it right back off...The sniper stays on full time now.....

 

[hollowpointred]

Re: UPDATE

The Sniper coil kicks ass....It has really improved the ability to work in trashy areas...Alot less falsing also.....I put the bigger one back on, and then took it right back off...The sniper stays on full time now.....

only thing to keep in mind with the sniper is that it will get less depth. i usually only use mine in high trash areas. it really does help in that trash!

 

[khouse]

I really like the sniper. But I think a 6 inch coil would be a great compromise between the sniper and stock coil. Still small enough to separate trash but large enough to cover a tiny bit more ground.

 

[gallileo60]

Re: UPDATE

The Sniper coil kicks ass....It has really improved the ability to work in trashy areas...Alot less falsing also.....I put the bigger one back on, and then took it right back off...The sniper stays on full time now.....

only thing to keep in mind with the sniper is that it will get less depth. i usually only use mine in high trash areas. it really does help in that trash!

Yes you do loose a bit of depth, but im going to get a MXT I beleive, and will leave the bigger coil on it, and the sniper on the Ace...BTW in air test there was about a 1 inch loss of depth...You do have to do a much "tighter scan" with the sniper, and use the cone of the scan area..I reall do not like the coil that came with my Ace...Maybe its just me, maybe its the coil being bad, or maybe its just the way it is made...Dont know...I do notide my Ace falses alot...It is a great detector for the money, but you can tell it really strains to pull depth in soil..Went to one NON WORKED 1920's site, and could tell there was stuff there, but the poor little Ace did'nt have the Testes to get to it...Am dying to hit this site with a "Badder Boy"...I have found a ton of stuff with the Ace including a 1942 quater, and a bunch of wheat, buttons, knobs, and a baggie full of clad...BUT if it says coin, and the depth reads 6 inches, forget it, it aint so...

..I do have the results of air testing on a Ace 300, An Ace 250, and a BH Land Star, all done right, and equal if anyone is interested..I did all types of common coins, and both in All Metal, and Disc...Tom

 

[khouse]

The MXT can't notch. What features are you looking for in the MXT?

 

[gallileo60]

I really like the sniper. But I think a 6 inch coil would be a great compromise between the sniper and stock coil. Still small enough to separate trash but large enough to cover a tiny bit more ground.

I do think you are right.........

 

[rayredditch]

The ACE is supposed to be very good with the larger/optional coil (Although pinpointing is less accurate)