CZ21 in freshwater

[JackalopeZL1]

Looking on getting another diving machine. I sold my Excal last year. I have read the CZ is in Saltwater mode all the time? How is this machine in freshwater? Also what kind of battery life are you getting out of the 9v's? That could add up in cost real quick. thanks

 

[adamBomb]

If I were getting a freshwater only machine it would not be a CZ21 or Excal...it would be a freshwater machine like the tiger shark or fisher 1280x. Sure the excal/cz21 will work in freshwater but a machine made for freshwater will perform better.

 

[JackalopeZL1]

Thanks for the input. My excal kicked but in fresh water. I would regularly dig coins at a foot deep and I would have a hard time believing a tiger shark could do that. Seemed like it did as good or better in fresh water so I am doubting your comparisons. But I have read the cz21 doesn't do well with its settings in fresh. Anyways I am asking specifically to the cz. I am looking for cz21 info experiences not what everyone thinks. Thanks

 

[T.J]

I have the CZ-21

This past week I found a 18k diamond ring and another Sterling Silver ring about 20 feet apart on a sand bar under water in my Local Lake here in Lake Orion Mi.

I find coins, tabs and other stuff. I can't compare to another because I have no other. Tone is low to mid range.

 

[T.J]

Battery life has been good. I can't give you how many hours but, I can say I have never thought to myself. Boy this really eats batteries.

 

[adamBomb]

Thanks for the input. My excal kicked but in fresh water. I would regularly dig coins at a foot deep and I would have a hard time believing a tiger shark could do that. Seemed like it did as good or better in fresh water so I am doubting your comparisons. But I have read the cz21 doesn't do well with its settings in fresh. Anyways I am asking specifically to the cz. I am looking for cz21 info experiences not what everyone thinks. Thanks

I was thinking of gold not coins...but if you are after coins then sure the cz21 will work great. Small gold...no. I have held plenty of gold chains and rings right under/touching the coil of my cz21 and excal and neither will make a peep...because they are designed for salt environments.

 

[JackalopeZL1]

Gold too. Hardly any machine including the Excal are worth a darn on the tiny gold or chains. Rings on the other hand light up just about any machine. Again I am asking about Freshwater performance vs salt on the CZ21. not about other machnes.

 

[Dave J.]

The CZ21 does (and doesn't) the same things in fresh as it does in salt. As some have pointed out, that means that it's pretty dead on the tiniest stuff, but has good response on relatively small stuff that wouldn't be regarded as tiny-- especially small rings.

In the case of gold chains, if the links are tiny it won't matter very much how many links there are.

These same principles apply to any metal detector that ignores salt water, including regular VLF's balanced to salt on beaches that have no iron mineralization.

 

[scubadetector]

I have a Tesoro Tiger Shark with the interchangeable 8 and 10" coils and I have a CZ-21 with an 8 and a CZ-21 with a 10.5" coils. I think BOTH are fantastic machines and BOTH have their place. I hunt at least 4 days a week in Michigan and I have used both over the same spots. I am in a spot almost exclusively that had a huge swim area, a huge "H" shaped dock and two water slides. Because of all the iron nails in the place, sometimes it is almost impossible with both machines to sort out the good from the trash. I have never used a 10" coil here. Just the two machines with the 8".

I find because of the iron that I can sometimes pull silver from the iron with the Tesoro the CZ has missed and vice versa. I think the Tesoro hits nickels deeper as long as you listen to the very faint signals.

I am having a blast at this underwater park. In the last 3 months, I have pulled:
17 Half dollars , 70 Quarters , 152 Dimes , 22 war nickels, and 36 gold from that spot. I haven't even totaled my silver jewelry finds yet.

The Tiger Shark WILL pull silver out of the muck and sand at a foot deep. However, you really have to know the machine and listen. I dive with both machines exclusively.

 

[adamBomb]

I have a Tesoro Tiger Shark with the interchangeable 8 and 10" coils and I have a CZ-21 with an 8 and a CZ-21 with a 10.5" coils. I think BOTH are fantastic machines and BOTH have their place. I hunt at least 4 days a week in Michigan and I have used both over the same spots. I am in a spot almost exclusively that had a huge swim area, a huge "H" shaped dock and two water slides. Because of all the iron nails in the place, sometimes it is almost impossible with both machines to sort out the good from the trash. I have never used a 10" coil here. Just the two machines with the 8".

I find because of the iron that I can sometimes pull silver from the iron with the Tesoro the CZ has missed and vice versa. I think the Tesoro hits nickels deeper as long as you listen to the very faint signals.

I am having a blast at this underwater park. In the last 3 months, I have pulled:
17 Half dollars , 70 Quarters , 152 Dimes , 22 war nickels, and 36 gold from that spot. I haven't even totaled my silver jewelry finds yet.

The Tiger Shark WILL pull silver out of the muck and sand at a foot deep. However, you really have to know the machine and listen. I dive with both machines exclusively.

Sounds like a tiger shark and CZ21 are a dangerous combo in fresh water. I wonder if a PI would add anything to the mix.

 

[Frank in NH]

A PI would add a lot of nails and bobby pins!

 

[scubadetector]

A PI would add a lot of nails and bobby pins!

AND every single piece of rusty metal it could be put over. NO WAY would I try a PI at this spot. I keep the CZ-21 at "0" discrimination and the iron signals sometimes drive me completely up the wall

A PI has no place here or in most fresh water lakes