Sunray probe for GTI 2500? TEST RUN AND EVALUATION INCLUDED! SCROLL DOWN

[Monty]

I have been looking at adding a Sunray probe to my GTI 2500 since I use an AutomaxII probe now and can't live without it!? It is exensive, running about $180.00 plus shipping.? But, since I am not apt to upgrade from my 2500 any time soon, it may prove valuable for my "serious" detecting work. Here's what I have found out about it.? First, they have been making this product for Minelab detectors almost exclusively in the past.? So, it is a new diversiion for them.? It is actually more than just a probe.? It is really a miniature detector and the part that you probe with is a miniature searchcoil.? ?It will reach a depth of about 4", and should eliminate some of the guess work on shallow targets. My Automax only reaches an inch or less depending on the size of the target.? It should also help on those ghost targets or the ones that seem to disappear after digging quite a ways down.? The Sunray probe works off the electronics of your detector and will display the information right on your machine's LCD screen.? It plugs into and mounts on the shaft of your detector and the probe is easily removable with enough cord to reach into most any hole. It is very light weight and the extra weight is hardly noticeable, or so Sunray says..? Unless switched on it does not interfere with the operation of your detector at all.? Email fro Sunray tells me it does not give you the target size as does your normal searchcoil.? But then neither does the little 4 1/2 inch Stinger coil made by Garrett.? Ralph at Sunray also tells me that the depth may be a little off due to the tiny size of the coil.? The depth is usually a little off on most detectors anyway so that is no biggie. Ralph also says there is a Sunray probe in the works for the ACE 250 and it is being tested now.? My thought is that they are going to have to do some price adjusting or you will wind up paying as much for the probe as you did for your ACE!? That remains to be seen however.
? ?So, if anyone has a Suinray probe on their GTI 2500 I would like to see an objective evaluation.? If not, I am seriously considering buying one and will do it myself!? Monty

 

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[jeff of pa]

Re: Sunray probe for GTI 2500?

Altho I can't Help with the One For GARRETT, I can Tell you The SUNRAY probe, Will give you a Discriminating Probe & in Effect, the? Equivalent.
of a 1 inch Search Coil for your Garrett.

 

[eric in ks]

Re: Sunray probe for GTI 2500?

I've been useing the sunray probe on my 1500 for a couple months now and really enjoy it. Although my Garrett is heavy enough as it is, I hipmount my battery pac so you really don't notice the extra ounces of the probe. It really is nicely balanced. One thing I like is that if I dig a deep iffy target, the probe won't belltone on small iron once I get it out of the hole. That seems to help me if I think I'm still chasing a coin or have popped a chunk of iron. It is definately well built and I'm not afraid to stick it in a pile of dirt or run it around a hole. It also helps recovery of small targets that we all chase around the dirt pile. A lot easier than running the coil over your pile of dirt. I don't think I've ever read anything bad about one, and if you used one once, you'd probably never want to hunt without it again. Chuck at Clevenger's has them for 174.95 w/ free shipping. HH, Eric

 

[jeff of pa]

Re: Sunray probe for GTI 2500?

a TIP :

Find a Water Bottle CAP that will Fit Snuggly on the End, Like a Coil Cover. it Wont Effect Depth.

I used My First Probe SO HARD, Scraping in Holes,? I actually Wore the End Sidways.

It took a few Years, But I did do it.

 

[jeff of pa]

Re: Sunray probe for GTI 2500?

THE OLD ONE

 

[eric in ks]

Re: Sunray probe for GTI 2500?

Nice tip Jeff. I'm going to do the same with mine. Thanks, Eric

 

[Monty]

Re: Sunray probe for GTI 2500?

I did order the probe from SunRay and it was the same price as mentioned above. I just put it on and went out in the yard for a few minutes to see if it functioned right. It is a little steep in price for a pinpointer but It seems to be a mini detector as well? It is not an imaging instrument like some of the extra coils are however. That's probably because of the ultra small size? Mine seemed to work ok but I really haven't had time to test it further to see and write an evaluation. I talked with the factoriy rep and he said they were testin a model fo the ACE series of detectors. Now, paying $174.95 for a probe for my ACE 250 is about what the ACE cost me in the first place. Doubt if I will go that route! There will have to be an awful big price adjustment to make it sell I would imagine. Will comment further when I have a chance to use it more. Monty

 

[SHERMANVILLE ILLINOIS]

Re: Sunray probe for GTI 2500?

Monty,

please keep us posted on how the unit works for you.

When using it do you get the same info on your screen, as if you were using a regular coil? Target size, depth?

Would appreciate any info.

Thanks

have a good un............

 

[Monty]

Re: Sunray probe for GTI 2500?

Everything but target size, just like the Stinger coil. The instructions say the depth may be off, but you can get the approximate depth from your regular coil before you use the probe. If your imaging coil says size B at 6" and you dig six inches and don't find it, you should be close and the probe just lets you know if it is still in the hole. Also, it will pick up any target off to one side a few inches. It also is sukpposed to help elminate the halo effect. So, if you get a silver reading and then dig down and insert the probe and it shows iron.....it's the halo effect or you have already dug up your original object .....or so the ad says. That's all I know about it for now and can't really verify that until I give it a workout. Monty

 

[Monty]

Re: Sunray probe for GTI 2500?

I Finally got the Sunray probe out for an initial test run yesterday afternoon. I went to the local middle school where I know there is apt to be some clad at different depths to test it on. In all fairness, this was by no means a really good test or wringing out so to speak. It was just a sure fire easy target acquisition site.
My first target came ringing in on my GTI 2500 as a dime sized coin at one inch deep. After pinpointing with the detector using the standard coil, I switched on the Sunray unit and located the coin with it to confirm my pinpoint accuracy with the 2500. Both signals coinsided so I used the point of my Gator tool to pop the dime out from under a grass root. So what does that tell me? It proves that the Sunray unit is at least as accurate in locating a shallow target as the coil on my 2500. But, it is no more accurate on this one shallow target than my $39.00 Automax II.
My next target was showing a coin sized object at 2" deep. The signal was bouncing between the nickel and pull tab icons on my 2500's display. After pinpointing with the detector itself, I dismounted the Sunray probe, switched it on and proceeded to relocate the target with the probe. Again the location of the target was the same, but slightly smaller in estimated area than with the detector's pinpoint. The indicator on the detector's LCD display settled on the nickel icon with the probe, depth at 2". I dug down two inches and didn't see the coin, so I checked the hole with the Sunray probe and not finding a signal, moved it to one side where I located a nickel entangled in the roots of some Bermuda grass. The coin was more shallow than either unit indicated, but I was able to find the coin already dug out of the hole when I used the Sunray probe. Again, nothing I couldn't have done with the much less expensive Automax II probe.
I forgot to switch the probe off and was receiving a really loud steady tone screaming over my earphones. It took just a second to figure out what I had failed to do. If you forget and leave the probe turned on, it lets you know right quick!
Now is a good time to explain how the Sunray unit is mounted on the detector. I mounted the box or brains of the unit under the shaft on my detector by using a supplied plastic or nylon clip and a bolt that goes through the adjustment holes on the shaft. It is out of the way but easy to reach with one hand when needing to switch the unit on by means of a small toggle switch. The diminutive size of the toggle switch makes me wonder how sturdy it will be under constant use? The probe itself is held onto the top of the shaft of the detector by two plastic tension clips, secured with nylon or plastic bolts through the expansion holes in the detector's shaft. It should be mentioned that the clips have very sharp corners and if you aren't paying attention to what you're doing it can cause a nasty cut on your fingers! I think I will take a file and round off the corners on mine as it did "bite" me a couple of times. The probe is otherwise sturdily mounted but easily dismounted and remounted by pulling it out of the clips. There is a sufficient length of electrical cable to reach your dig area with the detector itself laid on the ground beside the hole. It is a little awkward to use the probe and view the LCD screen at the same time however. The weight of the Sunray unit doesn't seem to be noticeable nor does it upset the balance of my GTI 2500 when in use. So on with the test run.
The next target was a coin sized item at 4" indicated by the detector, bouncing between the nickel and pull tab icon. I pinpointed the target with the detector but was unable to locate it with the probe! I dug an approximate 2" deep plug and reinserted the Sunray probe into the hole. This time I did get a similar target signal with the probe, but still showing it to be another 4" deeper. I dug down another two inches and didn't see a target so once again, in went the probe.....which was still showing a target at 4" deeper! After another dig of two inches, six inches total, I quit the dig, the probe still showing a target at 4". In checking around the plug and hole with the probe, I found half a pull tab in the lose dirt. Apparently I had dug out the original target and somehow missed it with the probe. I am guessing the probe was signaling a larger target even deeper, possibly ferrous in nature? (The Halo Effect)? I had the detector's program set to discriminate ferrous or iron targets. This situation was puzzling as the Sunray probe should have had the same amount of discrimination as the detector itself. Since I didn't continue to dig beyond 6", I don't know what the secondary target was or if there was a legitimate secondary target. The detector was originally giving off a nickel/pulltab tone while the probe was sounding a much softer tone. More than likely I can chalk this one up to operator error? Until I think about it some more, I just don't know.
After that one puzzler I dug up several clad pennies at 4" or less, the probe being accurate in backing up what the detector coil was indicating, although better narrowing the exact location of the coins in most cases. The probe did reach down a full four inches to pick up the deeper pennies. The Automax II pinpointer will only reach a depth of about one to one and a half inches at best. With the detector itself all the clad pennies were bouncing between a penny and a dime on the LCD display. With the probe they tended to steady at either a dime or a penny. From experience I knew the target wasn't a dime because of the absence of the bell tone signal. On my particular GTI 2500 a dime is very distinct, giving off a very loud bell tone as opposed to the penny signal that will emit a soft bell tone one way and a usually a definite penny signal the other way as the coil passes over it. My first target was a dime and there was no mistaking it for a penny.
So, that was my very first real test for the Sunray probe. When I got home and cleaned up the pennies I found I had recovered a 1951 wheat cent somewhere and that was confusing.....except I remembered I had dug up a wheat cent on another site and it was still in my pouch! I wish I had dug up the wheat cent on this outing just to see what signals it gave off compared to the clad pennies and the dime.
Due to poor vision, I find a pinpointer a necessity for me to TH without wasting a lot of time looking for a target that has already been unearthed. The Sunray probe is definitely a time saver in that respect. For those of you that have trouble pinpointing, it should prove a Godsend for shallow targets, especially for those in the two to four inch depths. (I am speaking of coins only as I have not tested it on other targets). For coin targets very near the surface I don't think it is any better than any one of the other much less expensive pinpointers on the market. The only advantage I see for very shallow targets is it's accessability, being there on the detector itself. You don't have to carry around an additional tool to probe or pinpoint.
In reading this evaluation you must remember it's based on only one outing with very liberal controls and interpretation, and is just my initial impression of the Sunray probe. As I test it further and gain more experience I may find additional advantages or disadvantages to its use. I reserve the right to change my mind based on these considerations. Monty

 

[SHERMANVILLE ILLINOIS]

Monty,

thanks for the post.

Sounds like it is giving you a good 4 inches when used; that is a deffinite improvement on the low priced unit I use.

Any problems with the wires, hanging off the detector? I spend a lot of my time in the wood, and sometimes
it gets really thick. Do you see any major problems hooking onto branches any other nasties?

Again, thanks for the information. Thinking of getting one for my hunts next season, you info is important.

Will be following your posts.

have a good un...............

 

[Monty]

It would be bothersome but I suppose you could wrap the lilne aroiund the shaft just like you do the main cable. It would slow you down because you would have to unwrap it every tme you needed to use it. Four inches on a penny in the hard pan soil I was digging in was the absolute maximum and I had to do some careful listening to get that. It would be a misnomer to say I absolutely get 4" depth every time. Monty

 

[jeff of pa]

Make shure The Clips to hold the Probe and the wire are on the Side that is Closest to your Hip.

IF right Handed , Facing Left IF Left Handed Facing Right.

This way It's Protected From Brush Catching the Wire.

 

[warsawdaddy]

Could a springloaded recoil wheel be mounted to the shaft and then the wire loaded onto it,so that you could easily pull it to the length needed and when finished,it would recoil back (wind back on)? I have seen those spring-loaded wheels in various sizes.

 

[Monty]

The cable may be too stiff for one of those recoil thingys, but I don't know that for sure. Who has them, Radio Shack? They seem to have everything! Monty

 

[eric in ks]

Hey everyone, I really don't think one needs to worry about a recoil wheel for the probe. I've attached a pic of my 1500 to give an idea of how the cable lays. I really haven't had problems with it, but I don't hunt in the woods either. None the less, like Jeff said, keep it toward your inside hip and it shouldn't be a problem. I've only had my sunray probe for a few months, but I've used it enough to know that I don't want to hunt without it. It's just that nice. I'd about bet a beer that about everybody else who uses one wouldn't want to hunt without one either. While I realize the price is considerably higher than the handheld models, the quality of the product is cosiderably higher. I don't want to start an argument with the handheld guys, but isn't not having to lug around another peice of equipment reason enough ? Throw in high quality and different tones and you just make it that much better. Hope life is good for you, Eric

 

[tallpaul]

.? Now, paying $174.95 for a probe for my ACE 250 is about what the ACE cost me in the first place.? Doubt if I will go that route!? There will have to be an awful big price adjustment to make it sell I would imagine.? [/quote]


yep,, this is where garret will be hoping to get more money back on a machine i reckon they never thought would sell so many,, as they priced it a little low,, from what i hear its an excellent machine,, i must use this machine sometime and see for myself,,.

 

[Monty]

Garrett won't be earning a dime from the Sunray probe, it's sold independently by Sunray Electronics. I might ad that if the ACE 250 had a manual ground balance and a volume control there would be little need for anyone to move up to a "better detector"? Monty

 

[Willy]

It's a common enough practice to add GB controls to preset detectors. Usually it's just a pot on the circuit board which is replaced by a remote one. I've done it with other detectors& it's not too big of a job. A volume control can be approached by, essentially, the same method; add a pot inline with the headphone line. ..Willy.

 

[Monty]

In spite of the big write up I did on the Sunray Probe, I am beginning to wonder if it is worth the price I paid?? My 2500 broke and I had to send it in for repairs.? Since then I have been using my ACE 250 with just the Automax probe and doing fine!? Second guessing maybe?? I'll just take a wait and see attitude and use it a little more when the weather improves.? Meanwhile my automax will be going along as backup.? The probe for the ACE is way over priced as I feared.? No way!? JIM