Ace 250 help

[Mattkoz]

Hi, im not new here, i was previously Alkoz but thats my dads name and he is getting a metal detector( Ace 250 also) so I can have my own username so we both can post here. But my question is about my ACE 250 metal detector. I've had it for a few months and am having trouble with it ( plus im 14 so i dont have much patience). When i get a signal it will bounce around to at least 4 different metals. And when i sometimes get a coin signal it wil end up being a nail or piece of iron or foil. It is really comfusing so any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[ohiochris]

If it bounces around in just the coin range it is usually a coin but if it bounces around between coins and other targets it is usually junk. Unless I am looking for gold rings, I will only dig solid repeatable coin signals. here is a link that can help most ace users understand the machine a bit better.


http://www.findmall.com/read.php?32,273775,273824

 

[Tank69]

good link thanks chris

 

[Mattkoz]

Thanks for the help.

 

[Tank69]

for what its worth I've found if its a real strong sounding signal the id will be right on the money if its trash it will not be loud an it will be choppy , just what I seem to find

 

[Xraywolf]

Rusty nails, foil & trash are just facts of life of detecting, with any detector.

Foil/tabs ring up in just about the same way a gold ring would, nothing you can really do but pick up alot of foil/tabs before you hit gold.
Do it enough, its not a question of if, but when, you score.
I've got dozens of gold/silver rings, bracelets, necklaces, trinkets in 4 [seasonal] years of detecting ,,, And have no way of knowing how much trash I picked up to find them.

That said, you can minimize trash simply by hunting a variety of areas - Some are prone to trash, some hardly have any.
At 14, maybe easier said than done, I know.

Just for kicks, you can also go in custom mode and notch out everything but, say, dimes & quarters.
Its called "cherry picking", for guys that want to maximize their chances are finding silver coins - And knowing in advance you will not likely find any nickels or gold.
That doesn't mean that every hit you get, you will now get a dime or quarter - Some objects trigger false alerts in that range also, but the 250 is often surprisingly accurate in that range.
Too, you might just fine some quarters, but they might well be clad.
As you progress, add [un-notch] halfs & pennies.
Wouldn't suggest you do this often, as you might be passing up old pennies, nickels and gold rings ,,, But its just another tool to use at certain times, may ease your frustration, and help you to get to know the machine a bit better.
If you use it enough [any machine] you will find it is telling you things you are not aware of now.

As far as rusty nails, that is another fact of life in ground digging.
The rust forms a "halo effect", and is fiendishly clever at duplicating a coin signal.
Once you dig, and that halo has been broken, the signal will often disappear, and will not signal at all, since iron is usually notched out [unless you are in all metal mode].
Again, not much to be done about it but to expect it to happen every so often, then go on and try again.
There is literally nothing you can do about it, with any machine - So since its out of your hands, don't get worked up ,,, Expect it to happen from time to time, then move on.

 

[Skywola]

One of the things I have noticed that has helped me tell the difference between trash and coins is, don't just listen to the frequency of the sound, (hertz) but listen to the rapidity of the sound . . . when you hear "ding, ding, ding, ding, ding" in rapid succession, then it's usually a coin. I have been learning to listen to the sound more than rely completely on the visual display, I think that helps you.

When I get a hit, I decrease the sweep, so I am just sweeping over the target, if it then narrows down to one specific coin type, rather than jumping around, that is also a good sign that you have a coin.

Combining these two things help you ID the target, not perfectly every time, but with a greater deal of certainty.

Another thing I do, is carry a penny, dime, nickel, and quarter with me, and if I am having trouble,
I throw down what I think I have found, and listen and compare the two signals . . .

 

[spartacus53]

It will take a little while to get used to the tones, but once you have mastered the sounds you will be pulling coins like nobody's business. Also remember that if you have a strong pull tab ring, that may be gold, or just a pull tab. I am new to the hobby, but I love my Ace 250

 

[JoeMoto]

Be sure to turn 90 degrees to the target if you think you have a coin. The 250 will show a pretty solid coin indication both ways if it's a coin. They are definitely coin finders!

 

[Tank69]

heres a lil tip if you get a week signal try it from different sides , you'd be suprised how many become strong signals .

 

[ricknaks]

i got my 250 on the 25th of august and had a real problem with every thing as posted above.

and then i read that if you turn down the sensitivity,this simple change made it work like a champ.

now i can really find coins and know what they are before diging.

i found 2 nickles 4 inches apart,and it locked on nickles.

thanks to all of you that posted,you have mad my day.

 

[MeanGene]

Thanks for all this info as well.

I have been battling with my ACE250 at about 10 different cellar holes.

So far I havent turned up ANY coins. I have a jelly jar full of nails tho.

The tip about the HALO around the nails which disapears when the ground is brocken is an awesome tip. It didnt click until I read it but it made perfect sense, I have experienced that and wasn't aware somehow.

Here is a question.

In a supremely trashy area like a cellar hole. Is the ace250 less suited than say a fisher f-5.

Is it easier to navagate the massive amounts of iron without digging with a more expensive machine?

Thanks
GENE

 

[Xraywolf]

In a very trashy area, try "cherry picking" in custom mode, as detailed in post # 6.

 

[alkoz]

Don't let Matt scam you, as his dad I see how well he uses the Ace 250. He must be following all the advice given. The other night, we hunted together at a playground for 45 minutes. I got a penny while he scored 47 cents. He's turning into a real pro.

 

[MeanGene]

I understand the cherry picking mode of searching a site. Sounds like a good way to help my situation.

BUT what if I want to maximize finding all things possible?
Is it worth it for me to invest in a more detailed machine such as a Fisher F-5 or F-70?

I just want to know if the ACE250 is the wrong tool for the job, specifically cellar holes?

Thanks
GENE

 

[Xraywolf]

Gene, any detector you get is going to have a learning curve, no way around that.
The 250 is pretty much "point & shoot", no doubt about it .... But give it, or any decent detector, a bit of time in hand, and it will tell you things you had no clue of before - And things not necessarily written in any manual.
Like anything else, you get what you put into it.

That said, as a beginner, your are not doing yourself any favor trying to nail down a challenging area that could well frustrate someone with more experience.
I personally have walked away from quite a few areas ,,, Some I returned to, some not.
You should try hunting in a less trashy area first, to get some swinging time under your belt, and to get more of a feel what the detector is trying to tell you in various scenarios.

A more advanced detector might increases your odds, or it might frustrate you even more.
I upgraded to a $1,000 model a couple years ago, didn't like it at all, sold it at a loss and went right back to the 250.
If you've got $$ to burn, might be worth a try.

 

[MeanGene]

Xray. Thanks for the reply. I appreciate the dialog we have going.

I am in agreement I need to give my machine some time. I have been using is probably 100 hours now.

I am starting to learn the difference between nails and other metals.
It seems nails that are curved, in a U-shape seem to throw off alot of ringing. But I have noticed the type of ring it gives off. Most times anyway hoping it is a nice relic. That was how i found an old iron spoon. Very cool.

I can definitly notice the different ringing when i pass over iron versus a piece of tin or copper. The ringing is very distinct. And just today i was figuring out some of the mixed signals of RINGING it will throw off when mutliple items are around each other causing mis-id's. For instance a bullet in the same hole as an iron nail and a old can bottom shaped in a circle.

Thats is another thing i have noticed, anything metal shaped in a circle makes the machine light up bigtime.


Are there any other inside tips like the ones i have figured out so far?

cya
GENE

 

[Xraywolf]

One thing I like to do, to determine simply if the metal object is large or small, is lift the coil a bit.

Say it is reading quarter at 4 inches, lift the coil an inch or two.
If the signal dies, it is a weak signal, presumably coming from a small [coin sized] object.
If its still ringing loud and clear, lift a bit more. If its still ringing while your swinging half a foot over the ground, you know it is much larger than a coin sized object.
Still might be something interesting, most likely not ,,, But if you are a coin shooter, this method works well for saving you time from digging up old rusty cans and car parts that are very good at imitating coins.

 

[CanadianTrout]

One thing I like to do, to determine simply if the metal object is large or small, is lift the coil a bit.

Holy crap. Thanks Xraywolf. That is a great tip and I'll definately be trying that next time I'm out.

 

[Woodland Detectors]

I haven't read any one else's post's but, here what I want to help you with. First, Your machine is doing the best it can. It's detecting metal. If your digging soda tops, that's good. Dig everything. discriminate as little as possible and every now and then you will find something good. I have a couple of machines myself I have paid way too much money on that do the same thing. I find just as much stuff with my older machine than I do the new ones. I dig just as many soda tops etc... My Colonial buttons ring up as trash. My digging partner's machine does as well. Just comes with the territory. It can be frustrating but if you must, turn your sensitivity down and use some discrimination and stay away from power lines. But, remember that's what everybody else does so, that's where the good stuff is! Treasure "hunting" is work. And Treasure "finding" is your reward for the hard work. I wish you luck!