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Got the Ace 250 on Sunday and..

A

Anonymous

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did the first modification on Monday, attached an inline female phone plug adapter to the bottom of the arm rest so the earphones can be pluged into the back and out of the way. Next is making external volume controls when using the clip on ear buds as they are too loud. HH Ken
 
Hi Ken,
That's a good idea, I am considering a 250 and I can't seem to get the PDF manual to download so my question is does the 250 have just one tone for all objects?
I was gonna go with a Prizm but the Ace 250 has what appears to be better options for about half the money of a Prizm IV <img src="/metal/html/wink.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=";)"> . It gives you a custom option and the Prizm doesn't. All other features are basically the same from what I seen.
Any opinions on this detector so far?
Thanks for any help you can give me..
Jeff
 
LOL, sorry Ken... I just read it... tone I.D. 3 levels.
But can you give me any opinions on this detector so far?
The price is a big factor for me right now so I don't have alot of options.
Thanks Ken,
Jeff
 
I own an Explorer II and decided I needed a second machine so I could draft family and friends to hunt with me.
Well, the long story made short, at least where I've been able to detect the 250 sees everything the ExpII does, usually nothing deeper than 6" or so.
It is very light, swings easy, is well balanced, and offers far more performance than it's pricetag would lead you to believe is possible. It has incredibly fast detection, it is impractical to move it fast enough to miss a target and ID it properly. Impractical, not impossible.
Just like any other detector, it can be faked out by rusty nails, bent nails, screw caps and the like, but there isn't much you can do when the signal exactly mimics a good target. It is plain killer on coins, and a real joy to swing.
It is also very easy on batteries, remarkably so. And since it uses 4 AA's, your battery budget won't be so extreme as those units that use the mega-expensive 9V variety.
One thing to be aware of is to keep the gain down with the stock coil, most guys run 4 or 5 bars. In good soil and a nice tight wrap of the coil cable to the shaft, I can run the sentitivity at max or one step below, but frankly the little demon works fine at mid-scale for coin sized objects.
In all metal mode and max gain, I have found spent bb's in my yard, now you tell me, how's that for performance? I can't stress enough the need to tightly wrap the coil cord around the shaft, and put a piece of electrical tape near the first turn down by the coil. As with most Garrett's sensitivity is an issue, and if you get flakey results while swinging, make sure the cable is immobilized but leaving only enough slack to allow the coil to reach a suitable set of angles.
It is far more machine than I expected, even after having pounded the internet forums for info. No, it can't keep up with my ExpII, but it is lighter, is easier on batteries, and it makes swinging the dang thing fun.
One last thought, this thing is LOUD with no means for adjustment. The only quiet tone is during pinpoint on deep objects, so if you plan on using headphones they pretty much must have volume controls. For headphone-less opperation, it is still loud enough to where I found it neccessary to block off the speaker "vents" with electrical tape, and there is still plenty of volume for me.
DAS
 
Thanks Varmint,
I really appreciate you taking the time to comment.
Sounds like this will fit into my detecting needs just right. I will mostly just be picking coins out of parks and such.
I have a pair of Grey Ghost Deep woods, all they have is limiter switch to control the volume level so I may need a different pair, well I do have a cheap pair from Radio shack that have separete volume controls.
I will make sure I wrap the coil cable tight as you said.
A while back I had a Soveriegn Elite an I did the same with it.
Thanks,
Jeff
 
Varmint has done a good job telling you about the Ace 250. I agree with him 100%. I have been using detectors for 30 years and the 250 is an unbelievable machine for what it does for the bucks. I haven't had a chance to use it yet as we are snowed in for a while, but can't wait to use it what testing I have done with it I am realy impressed. I am 73 and need a light machine to swing and one that is well balanced and easy to operate with good depth and the 250 fits all these requirements. Hope you will enjoy it as much as I know I will. HH Ken
 
Wow thank you for that post....got my ace 250 a couple days ago and am getting a lot of what seems to be false signals and I have it on the coin setting. Can't wait until I get some free time so I can try your suggestions. Sounds like you nailed exactly what needs to be done. I've been looking for help quite a bit and you've simplified things and covered all the bases at the same time...again GREAT post! thanks
 
Hey Varmint,
I was thinking and a couple of years ago when I had the Soveriegn there were some people who shortened the coil cord as much as possible but yet could still take it apart. Whats your take on doing this?
I thought about it, just taking it to an electronics shop who can do a proffesional job of putting another connector on it.
The people who have done this say that it does help and with a Soveriegn the wieght loss was nice too.
I know the wieght isn't a problem with this unit but it would most likely help with the sensitivity of the coil. I heard some say "why do that, the cord is protected from interference with its plastic or rubber coating" well you know thats just not true because if the cord can move or worse if it is overlapped you will get interference.
I figured that when I put the sections back together all I would need to do is spin the coil 1 or 2 turns and snap it in place to where the cord is snug on the rod but also have the cord at the bottom and top end zip tied fast so it doesn't pull or move out of place.
Any thoughts on this?
p.s.
If I would do this I would first do some air tests while the cord is at it's normal length and then under the exact same circumstances air test it after the cord mod is done.
Thanks,
Jeff
 
All it takes is a tiny bit of slack down at the bottom, just enough to let the coil move through a useful range of angles. On mine, the first turn begins in the top of the shaft per Garrett instructions, that's where I pu the 1st piece of tape.
I then wound the cable VERY tightly up the shaft at a pitch that looked right given the length, and it left me with just enough length to get the connector to plug in. I then put another piece of tape on the upper part with a tiny bit of slack in the cable to take pressure off the connector.
Reasaon why I WOULD NOT shorten the cable:
1). Expense, tape is VERY cheap.
2). I have no way of knowing if the GARRETT transmitter or receiver design "needs" to see a specific series restitance (I/R loss in the section of cable you would be removing).
3). If you want to lengthen it for a taller buddy that would like to tag along one day, you simply CAN'T. And if you want to shorten it for someone else, now you've got the problem that was so easily solved in the beginning with obe or two pieces of tape (or velcro straps).
DAS
 
Varmin't's exactly right!! One thing I like on the 250 is the fact that the controls are rocker switches and not menu items like on the GTI's and GTA's. If you want to bump the Sensitivity up or down, its right at your finger tips. Same with Modes, Pinpoint and Notch Elimination. I use the Notch quite often when I get in an area of a park with a bunch of screwcaps. I might miss some zincs and other goodies, but after you've dug a ton of screwcaps, it seems like a fair trade. The 250 is one nice machine and for the low price tag, you can't go wrong.
 
Good point about the resistance, I will give it a few test runs before I consider taking the steps to mod the cord.
Thanks agian Varmint!
Jeff
 
You guys make me feel better about spending my money on a $200 dollar machine!
I can't wait for spring!
Jeff
 
I had looked at the Prizm IV and it is a nice unit but I figure since I am spending my money and not yours <img src="/metal/html/biggrin.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":D"> ... why not spend about $175 less of it!
Thanks for your comment!
Jeff
 
Spring keeps coming and going around here. Yesterday and Monday is was sunshine and 70
 
Does the Ace 250 come with a coil cover or do I need to order one?
Thanks,
Jeff
 
but I understand Garrett has, or is about to, make them available. I'm not sure they would include one on such a low cost machine anyway, so time will tell.
As far as needing one, I'm not really a big fan of covers only because the only cover that makes sense for me is a closed bottom one so the "spiders" of the stock coil don't get hung up on stick, stems, and other stuff poking through the ground.
If you plan on hunting a lot of beaches and gravel parking lots you might want to consider one, but I would put covers in the "luxury" class, not "must have".
DAS
 
Thanks Varmint,
I with you on the problem of sticks catching in the coil, my Minelab had the same problem.
So I really don't need one for hunting in grass for the most part.
I seen where some have talked of putting epoxy on the coil so they don't need to bother with a cover and the epoxy provide's a degree of protection for the coil, what are your thought's on doing this?
I guess that's another question <img src="/metal/html/lol.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":lol">
Thanks Varmint!
You have been very helpful for me in taking the time to bother with my questions..
Jeff
 
The Rhino coils are pretty tough. I've got a 7 x 10 on my 1250 and the 6 x 9 on my 250. I've had the one on my 1250 since they began offering them, seems like about a year and a half ago and the only damage to it is the chunk I knocked out of it when I whacked it(hard) into a big rock accidentally. It still functions great. I'm on my 4th set of batteries in the 250 and the 6x9 hardly has any scratches on it. If you are hunting at the beach, you wouldn't want one on there cuz sand and saltwater would collect in it and could possibly cause falsing.
 
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