Unlocking the Secrets of Elliptical Coil Settings for Successful Metal Detecting
Metal detecting is an exciting hobby that can lead to the discovery of hidden treasures buried beneath the soil. One of the most important components of a metal detector is its search coil, which plays a crucial role in detecting metals. An elliptical coil is one type of search coil that has become increasingly popular among metal detector enthusiasts due to its ability to cover more ground and detect smaller objects.
However, adjusting settings for elliptical coils can be challenging for beginners who are not familiar with their features and settings. In this post, we will provide you with helpful tips on how to adjust your elliptical coil settings for better results during your treasure hunts.
Understanding Elliptical Coils
Elliptical coils are specially designed to provide wider coverage than traditional circular search coils. They are ideal for covering large areas, such as parks or beaches, and can detect small targets like coins and jewelry that may have been missed by other types of detectors.
Elliptical coils come in different sizes ranging from 4×6 inches to 15×18 inches, providing various depths and sensitivity levels that suit different types of environments. Smaller elliptical coils are suitable for searching narrow spaces like crevices while larger ones offer better depth penetration compared to smaller models.
Adjusting Sensitivity Settings
Sensitivity refers to the level at which your detector responds when it detects a metallic object. It is essential always to adjust your sensitivity setting according to the environment you’re searching in because high sensitivity levels can cause false signals in highly mineralized soils or near power lines.
To achieve optimal performance with your elliptical coil, start by turning down your sensitivity level until you stop getting false signals. Next, slowly increase it until you begin picking up targets at a comfortable depth range without experiencing any interference from electrical sources or natural minerals in the ground.
Ground Balance Adjustment
Ground balancing helps eliminate interference caused by minerals found within the soil’s surface layers; this allows the detector to detect deeper targets. An improperly balanced detector can lead to a lot of false signals, making it difficult to distinguish between metals and mineralization.
Most metal detectors come with an automatic ground balance setting that adjusts itself according to the soil’s mineralization levels. However, if your detector doesn’t have this feature or you need more precise control over your machine’s ground balance adjustment, you can do it manually.
To manually adjust the ground balance on your elliptical coil, start by selecting a quiet area free from metallic objects or electrical interference. Hold your detector slightly above the ground while pressing and holding down the “Ground Balance” button until the device emits a beep sound.
Slowly lower the search coil towards the ground while keeping steady pressure on the button until you hear another beep. Release the button; now, your detector is correctly balanced for that specific location.
Adjusting Discrimination Settings
Discrimination refers to how selective your metal detector is when detecting different types of metals. It allows you to choose which metals you want your detector to respond to based on their conductivity levels.
Elliptical coils are sensitive enough to detect even small objects like bottle caps or pull tabs; this can be frustrating because they’re not valuable finds compared to coins or jewelry items. To avoid digging up unwanted targets during treasure hunts, adjusting discrimination settings is crucial.
Most detectors come with pre-set discrimination modes such as “All Metal,” “Coins,” and “Relics.” The All-Metal mode responds equally to all metals regardless of their conductibility level meaning it will pick up everything from iron nails to precious gold rings. On the other hand, Coin mode focuses on detecting high-conductivity targets such as copper pennies and silver quarters while Relic mode ignores modern coins and instead detects historical artifacts made from brass or bronze alloys.
Therefore when using an elliptical coil in coin hunting mode set a higher discrimination level so that smaller less valuable items are ignored. Conversely, if you are treasure hunting for relics that could contain precious metals remember to lower your discrimination level so that the detector can pick up even less conductive objects.
Conclusion
Metal detecting is an exciting hobby that requires some degree of expertise and experience to master. Adjusting settings for elliptical coils is essential in ensuring optimal performance during treasure hunts. By adjusting sensitivity levels, ground balancing, and discrimination settings, you can increase your chances of detecting valuable items while reducing false signals caused by mineralization or electrical interference.
Remember always to read the user manual before using any metal detector; this will help familiarize yourself with its features and functions making it easier to adjust settings based on the environment you’re searching in. Happy hunting!