GTI 2500 woes

[Bum Luck]

I hate to start the first post out with belly aching, but since I am an old guy who has little time left, I got to ask:

The machine is set for Factory defaults, except for visual ID = on.

I've had my 2500 for about 6 years now, and just got the new board and a new coil at the factory.

1: The target ID seems to jump around quite a bit. The ID will go from (my pet peeve since I've never found any) silver dollars to gold to finally iron. Is there just too much trash and some good stuff, or is the machine just doing this?

2: I get some bongs that I can't repeat all the time. What's with that? I dig and there's nothing there.

When I get a good solid signal, it does repeat and I find shallow coins, and for the most part, the ID works OK. So I can't say the machine doesn't work at all.

I don't seem to find anything deeper than 4" (6 on the machine) except large targets that light up the display. The machine does detect at the proper depths in the air.

Soil around here is black sand, so stuff migrates down through it.

My last machine is a Tesoro Golden Sabre, and it worked well for me. I scratched a mark where the pull tabs were, and hunt with the discrimination below them. When I get a hit, I turn the discrimination up until the signal disappears, and that lets me know what it is. Pretty accurate for nickels too.

 

[Bernie]

I have the same problems with my 2500 that I have had for a couple of months. On your problem #2, my wife also has that with her X-Terra and we expect that it has a lot to do with the mineralization of the soil here in Vermont. Is is pretty frustrating though. My 2500 will also sometimes fun amok and I will have to go back to the factory settings and reset everything again. I called Garrett and they said that it may be that the battery holders are cracked. I checked and can see no cracks. I also understand that there is a new chip that takes care of high mineralization in the soil. I am going to check with Garrett on that as I think the upgrade doesn't cost anything if you are still under warranty.

Good luck.

 

[Mark652]

I've had my 2500 since 2001. I sent it to Garrett in late June for the upgrades and the chip for the mineralized soil. I also traded in my old white coil---the one I got with it new---for the new black coil. Since getting it back the 2500 has been working smoothly, I do not have any of the problems you are citing. I live and hunt in Northern Virginia, the soil is sometimes red clay and sometimes heavy mineralized, but I am getting good depth----I dug a Confederate flower button, about the size of a quarter, around 8 inches deep two weekends ago and the 2500 was spot on both in depth and with a sweet ping indicating something other than iron.

I think Garrett might not have calibrated your machine completely, I would recommend sending it back with a letter explaining what is going on. I have found Garrett great at standing by their products and I am confident they will make it right by your machine.

Good hunting!

 

[Eu_citzen]

Run sensitivity at about 7 to 8 that should stop the random sounds.

As for Target ID I can't help you, as I'm in Sweden no Dollars here. *Grin*

Regards,
Eu

 

[Uncle Willy]

Where do you run your sensitivity? If it's high jack it down to about 6 or 6.5 and try that. Also scan slow as the 2500 has to much going on electronically to have rapid response and recovery. Keep the coil off the ground - at least an inch when scanning. Tape or fasten your coil cable straight up the shaft for about a foot at least. This should solve most of your problems. Never run at factory settings because no two areas on this planet are exactly the same.

Bill

 

[Uncle Willy]

Forgot to mention - if you don't have the new chip installed get it installed, especially if mineralization is a problem in your area.

Bill

 

[Uncle Willy]

Yeah if you're still under warranty it will be free and will solve all your mineralization problems. The chip was designed at the request of the boys from Australia where mineralization is someof the worst in the world.

Bill

 

[Schlepprock]

I have GTI 2000 and a 2500 and I have the same problem with both. I don't get but 4 or 5 inches depth on either using disc. Neither one has a clue what the target ID is any deeper than 4 inches and even though the 2500 locks on, it is wrong 80% of the time Beings I can't count on the treasure ID I dug targets that set off the bell tone. Unfortunately I found that rusty nails and all kind of other junk set off the bell tone. I talked to Garrett's and sent the 2000 in and was separated from $175.00 and it came back no different, if anything it was worse. It seemed like the depth was worse and the pin pointer has not been accurate since. I've went back to using my White's and my Bounty Hunter, even though the Bounty Hunter don't go as deep as the Garrett they are far more accurate with the target and the depth. I'm with Little Big Man I will never buy another Garrett product again. no matter what I do I'm going to lose a lot of money on the Garrett's. So I might as well keep them and every time I look at them I can be reminded of the lesson I learned buying them. I'm glad the rest of you are happy with yours, but I've talked with many others that feel the same as I do. The problems and the cost of the Garrett GTI's have driven many detectorist's to other brands because of disappointment with the green machine.

 

[liltracs]

Uncle willys advice recommended. Sens. slowmoving and exact pinpointing have a lot to do w/ imaging. Ive dug lots of coins at 7 and 8 inches. They are tricky machines and very sensitive. The best way to say it is now I guess you know why they say Garretts are different from all other detectors.

 

[Bernie]

Thanks for the information. I have had similar problems. How can you tell if the chip is installed? Also, why does it help to have the cord run straight for at least a foot? I am going to try this to see if it helps the false signals. thanks, Bernie

 

[Bum Luck]

I do have the new chip installed, and a new 9.5" coil.