Question about my ACE 250, ghost signals?

saltfisher · Mar 8, 2009

I got a ACE 250, and have found some clad with it. I have a few questions. I used it on a lake beach, and put it on coins setting. Sometimes it would give me a strong signal, and i would dig and seem like whatever it was disapeared. It would be there, and then be gone after i start digging. Ghost signals? Also... sometimes it would beep when going over a target, and then the display would jump around. It would say its a coin, and then jump to foil. Then back to coin, then back to foil. Does this meen its junk? Seems i found out you shouldnt dig items when the display jumps all around. Seems I need to dig items that are a constant target. Anyone else figure this out? Why was i getting ghost signals in dry sand? I would scoop where the signal was, and hold my plastic scoop past the coil, and when it would beep I would know it was in my scoop. Sometimes I would check the scoop then and there wouldnt be anything there. Any ideas? This was on either coin setting, or jewlery setting.

Thanks

Lowbatts · Mar 8, 2009

Sometimes US gold coins do this. Other times nails do.

garrettman64 · Mar 8, 2009

I have one also have one and the Silver goes off just like the the Bell at the Ny Stock Exchange.

the coins such as copper go off good as well read manuakl good and wach the dvd.

michigan michael · Mar 8, 2009

Thanks for this post. I will be watching this one. I am looking at buying an ace 250. I kind of like the Fisher F2 but have read more bad reviews on the F2 than the ACE 250.
thanks mm

saltfisher · Mar 8, 2009

My dad has a whites prizm 4 and think the readings are a little more accurate and his doesnt jump all around. When its a dime, it stays on dime, and so on. Seems the ACE 250 likes to jump on all targets. At least mine does. I have about 15 hours into it so far, and will keep using it and see if I can figure this out.

Johnnysan · Mar 9, 2009

I have an ACE 250 and this is my experience so far: the sensitivity may be too high if you get a lot of single pings (hits that cannot be repeated)--try using the setting at 4. Raising the coil during the swing may cause a reading; this may be difficult to control if you are not on level ground. It should be noted that the depth readings are 2, 4, 6 and 8 inches; it would have been more accurate to label the detector 0-2, 2-4, 4-6 and 6-8 inches.
I have never had a repeatable signal and dug an empty hole; something is always there. It might be a tiny piece of foil, but it's there. I've also had varying signals with iron (display jumping around), especially with odd shaped items. Should you pass these by? Well, no. Until you really learn your machine you should spend at least a little time digging the strange signals. My Whites is not like my Garrett, but I like them both. It may well take 100 hours to get used to your MD.

rmptr · Mar 9, 2009

All detectors might give you a mixed signal, or one that is not quite clear.
The Little Yeller Feller does not have particularly good audio like the Tesoro does.
And then you have to listen to the Bong when it thinks it's a coin!

A good signal will be repeatable. Try from a different approach.
If signal remains, it should be good.

The Little Yeller Feller does not have particularly good response and recovery time.
If targets are close to each other, one may confuse another.

They are fun machines, though.

Best
rmptr

Sir Digs-A-Lot · Mar 9, 2009

I have a 250 and, like you, got crazy ghost signals at the beach. I learned from many nice folks on this site that my sensitivity was too high. Try setting it at 4 notches on the scale and see what happens. Then test it at 5, etc. I was using it today on dry soil and had it at 6 with no ghost signals. I was pulling stuff from 6-7 inches. Then I moved to sensitivity 7 and found deeper stuff with no false signals. I frequently get signals that bounce around - don't shrug those off - could be a coin near a nail, etc. As you put time in with the machine you will learn, just don't be afraid to set sens. to 4. It's a very good machine and has excellent pinpointing ability. Good luck!

-Dan

garrettman64 · Mar 9, 2009

Yes the sensitively to high if it its it does jump, However swinging low to the ground brings up good treasures . I found these 3-6 in below serface and My tone bell sound went off just like the Bell at NYSE.

My Finds as of 3-8-09
8)

a 1952 silver dime and a 58 wheat cent at the depths I spoke about

Bearharold · Mar 12, 2009

I as well use a Ace 250 and it does sound like you have the sensitivity to high I run mine about 3 or 4 here in Missouri soil . I don't do any beach hunting so can't advise you on the sand ,you will have to lower or raise it to what ever level will work in the sand for you . Good Luck

Tom_in_CA · Mar 12, 2009

It's pretty hard to diagnose that in print, because things like sounds, tones, swing speeds, and repeatability are next to impossible to describe in print. It can't be done, it has to be shown and seen. Maybe you can hook up with an experienced 250 user in your area, and trade off on flagged targets. Watch how he swings, what he is listening for, why he would or would not pass certain targets, etc...

I knew a fellow once who sent an XLT back 3 times for "repair" because signals kept "disappearing", (ghost signals, etc....). He just assumed it was broken. The 3rd time they sent it back and said "there's nothing wrong with it", he was fit to be tied! He was very irate that they were telling him he must be operating it wrong. He'd read the instruction manual a dozen times, and insisted he was no dummy, and was operating it exactly by the instructions. Imagine his surprise when he met up with me, when I showed him that motion was required when in disc. mode. He simply had no idea. He'd read that part in the manual many times, but figured "well yeah, of course 'motion' is required. How else is someone supposed to progress through the field if they're not moving, walking, swinging, etc...?" So each time he'd hear a target, he'd slow down to hear it better, and presto, it would disappear! Now you can see in that case, no amount of printed text, or his describing the problem, could've diagnosed his problem. It had to be shown and heard. Not even Whites or me knew what he was talking about, till I watched him, and he watched me.

The same could be for whatever problem you're having. It may be one of those things where you have to hook up, in the field, with a proficient user, and trade off signals.