Garrett ACE 250 in AZ? Was told it may not work?

[SirAmmoDog]

GREETINGS! I am new to this site, and jsut ordered my first metal detector today and anxiously awaiting it's delivery by the end of the week.

ANYWAY, I did a bit of research and had talked to SEVERAL distributors and read a LOT of articles. However, I recieved a response today from a dealer (after purchasing my Garrett ACE 250 TODAY and getting a response 5 DAYS LATER!) that the Garrett 250 will not work well in Arizona due to the high mineral content in the soil. DOes anyone know anything about this? Can anyone give me a better idea of if I made a bad purchase and will need ot look at returning it and going to a different system altogether? Any help woudl be GREATLY appreciated.

THANK YOU!

Kyle R.

 

[Neil in West Jersey]

The ACE 250 is preset at the factory with a ground balance that is good for most areas, however if you are in an area with higher than average ground mineralization, it can be an issue. Garrett claims that the ACE series will work well in these environments as well, but speaking from experience I can tell you that it is somewhat sensitive to "hot rocks". I have used it in the same area that I have used the Garrett CXIII, which has an automatic ground balance, Ground Track (adjusts ground balance to changing conditions), as well as a manual override. Using the Automatic settings, the unit ignores hot rocks.

My advice would be to invest the extra dollars to for a machine that will give you better performance for your ground conditions.

Another thing to consider is the fact that you have gold deposits in AZ. I do not think the ACE 250 would be the best choice. You may want to consider a unit like the 1350 or 1500 or (can I say it in here?) Minelab X-Terra 50 or 70. They are all more money, but they have settings for prospecting as well as coins and relics. Another good choice might be the Garrett Gold Scorpion which retails for $550.

I hope this helps!

 

[Uncle Willy]

What will you be hunting for and in what kind of area. I would check with Mary Penson at Garrett maryp@garrett.com and see what she has to say. I use mine here in Oregon ( volcanic soil ) with no problems. UNless you're going to be out in the mountains or desert looking for gold you really shouldn't have to many problems.

Bill