Major ACE 250 issues

padigger · Dec 28, 2008

Lessoned learned for me too! I started with sensitivity up all the way and was getting pings all over the ground... after the 2nd hole of emptiness, I toned it down a bit and while I wasn't out long, and didn't find a coin (still learning

) I wasn't getting ping ping pinnnng's.

Just gotta learn the detector and would expect that no two detectors are alike!

padigger

mellowcheddar · Dec 28, 2008

I'm with FelinePeachy on the "boo-hoo this sucks" at the beginning sentiment. The 250 is a tricky one. I have found that the biggest pain in the butt was getting the wiring to go up the shaft right. A little too tight or a little too loose and you're going to have lots of dirt under your nails and pop-tops in your satchel!
My Bounty Hunter was a lot easier to deal with but had far fewer bells & whistles. And it's gone now. So oh well. :tongue3:

Cheers- keep at it
~mellowcheddar

relichunters · Dec 28, 2008

I spend about 6 hours with it today and did good. Found some nails, clad, boyscout/cubscout items, a horse stirrup, etc.

I am getting a little better with the pinpointer, but still not 100% correct. I run at 5 Sens. on either All Metal or Jewellery settings.

The problem with it seems to be the depth. I use the stock coil and 5 Sens. and it seems the deepest I can find is 6" deep. My bounty hunter will pick up 10" - 14" things with no problem. If the ACE250 detects 8" I can barely pick up a single signal. So I won't be able to find anything old with it (before you disagree with me) in depth range, unless the dirt is plowed.

khouse · Dec 28, 2008

Your bounty hunter picks up coin sized targets up to 14 inches?

Felinepeachy · Dec 28, 2008

How did Jay do today with his Ace?

relichunters · Dec 29, 2008

Yes it was 14" under a large root. It was a small belt buckle about the size of a half dollar. I love my BH.

Feline, he liked it, I wanted to tell him about how to use it, but he thought he would try on his own, then like 5 minutes later, he calls my name :tongue3:

explained how to pinpoint with it and all. :thumbsup:

Monty · Dec 29, 2008

By all means don't get rid of that BH, it's the deepest reading machine I have ever heard of. Well, except for a couple of the very expensive Minelabs. I have owned 3 BH products, one of them top of the line and they did very well at around 4", sometimes at six or seven inches in damp soil. I have got signals at deeper than 6"" on very large iron objects but never anything near 14" on a small object. Toss that 250 right now and go back to your BH. M

nty

relichunters · Dec 29, 2008

Yeah it was incredible, the Quicksilver may be one of the best BH's on the market. I still want to learn how to use the ACE250 better.

So my plan is to use the Garrett in clad areas, like playgrounds and stuff, and then use the BH in old historic areas.

twistidd · Dec 29, 2008

I guess Bounty Hunters are all built differently, because the one I had couldn't pick up a quarter at four inches. I got fed up with it after a few years and gladly parted with it!

Joe

relichunters · Dec 29, 2008

Maybe you had the settings wrong or it was broken.

JP · Dec 30, 2008

The first Ace 250 I bought I didn't like. Then my son said he wanted one to go hunting with me at the beach (drysand). I tried his out and really loved the little machine. It's very light weight and after using it a few times found out that if offers a lot for such a small and lower priced detector.

The first thing I noticed is to turn down the sensativity, especially on the beach.

I still love my GTI 2500 a lot more, but it costs almost 4 times the amount.

relichunters · Dec 30, 2008

I notice that the ID is usually correct on the ACE 250. Like it says Foil, and it is indeed foil, it says bottle cap, and it is a bottle cap.

One thing is, the old old fashion drink tops come up as 10c/25c back and fourth and beeps really quick lots of times. It scares you, it's like OMG A COIN!

JP · Dec 31, 2008

relichunters said:
I notice that the ID is usually correct on the ACE 250. Like it says Foil, and it is indeed foil, it says bottle cap, and it is a bottle cap.

One thing is, the old old fashion drink tops come up as 10c/25c back and fourth and beeps really quick lots of times. It scares you, it's like OMG A COIN!

You are right on the money. The id seems to be correct most of the time. Yeah it does get exciting when you realize that the tone and id state that it is a coin. The happiness when you dig up that dime or quarter. I found that if it jumps between the two and doesn't lock on then it most likely is junk. I haven't found a nickel with it yet, I notch out the nickels because of the pull tabs. I know some will complain about this that I might be missing thin band gold rings, but when you are in an area flooded with pull tabs..... A penny shows up well. I did find one ring with it that showed up somewhere in the middle range. I was so happy, I saw diamonds and gold.....and then a few minutes later I saw that it was turning green....gold plated, but at least a ring.

twistidd · Dec 31, 2008

relichunters said:
Maybe you had the settings wrong or it was broken.

Nope. Setting were correct and the machine was in great working order. Cheers!

Joe

melvin_it · Jan 1, 2009

I have the ACE since two years. It found a lot of stuff and is sensitive, rough and reliable. By my search way a lot of his features are useless, though, in fact I just run in all metal or coin mode. No pinpointing. It loves caps (less) and screwcaps (a lot) but is the same for the BH. All I can say is that worth the price, but I think you'll not find a huge improvement than your BH. I bought a TIV two months ago just to store it in the trunk of my van, with the idea it was a toy not comparable with the ACE. Wrong! TIV is less sensitive in the air but not in the ground, and sometimes it outperforms the ACE. Then notches out iron better than the ACE.

For the best of what I know - but I'm not an expert as the guys here - a Garrett GTP or a BH 3300 they are a step over the ACE, if you want to upgrade. If not, yeah, the ACE is a goooood choice.

HAPPY NEW 2009 to everybody there in the States, Canada and Rest of the World!!!!!!!!!! :icon_jokercolor:

M.

Uncle Willy · Jan 14, 2009

First of all you have to be smarter than the detector

Turn your sensitivity down to four bars and leave it there. You're not going to find much of anything except junk with the sensitivity maxed out. Sensitivity is NOT a depth control. The 250 belltones on good targets, not beeps. If it is beeping it's telling you it's over a junk target or a nickel. One trick is to run your cable straight up the shaft for about a foot and tape it or fasten it down with velcro or electrical ties. Scan slow and take your time. This is the most sold detector on the market. It didn't gain that status by finding only junk.

Bill