Iron check...everything is iron?

[Nunavut]

Hi guys,

I have an ATX and I use it on mineralized soils, no sand. I noticed this behaviour: pressing iron check button over high or low conductivity buried targets, I can hear the grunt of iron...but it's not iron! Maybe the iron check works like a VLF circuit? Have you ever noticed a similar behaviour? In air tests it works perfectly! I bought the ATX because of its ability to discriminate iron. But in my case iron check is totally useless! My soils are mineralized but aren't the worst on the planet. ATX borns for high mineralized grounds...it's weird! Please let me know your experience. Thanks!

 

[John-Edmonton]

Mmmmmm. Ground balanced? Sensitivity too high? The iron check only works in the top 5 inches or so for a coin sized objects. So far, mine is doing well. I know that if I use the machine with extreme temperature changes I have to re - ground balance the machine. My guess is that the inductance changes on the coil with the shrinking/expanding coil. Also, before I use it, I move the coil off, away from the target, puch and hold the iron check button and wait a second or two for it to program itself, then I slide the coil back and forth over the target. Are you doing anything different?

Here's a vid which might help. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-Dg9s3rpyU

 

[Nunavut]

Hello John and thank you for your answer.

The machine was well balanced and the temperature was normal, not too high or too cold. I have to contact my seller because I'm afraid that something is wrong with the coil!

 

[Nunavut]

I think that iron check should work in a conservative way and not to give a grunt response. I find a buckle, lo-hi tone: pressing iron check I could hear the grunt. There's something wrong. Testing on air, instead, iron check works perfectly...

 

[John-Edmonton]

There is always a possibility that there is a problem. Good luck! Garrett has excellent customer service.

 

[Nunavut]

If you have free time and if you want, try with good targets buried in a hole of 3-4 inches. Soil or sand must be mineralized. Press iron check and please let me know! Thanks in advance!

 

[frog21]

I have had the same issue in highly mineralized ground, here in Virginia but it works well in ground with lower mineralization.

 

[Nunavut]

Thanks for your answer frog.

So, it's not a problem of my coil. This is a simple VLF circuit! It's obvious that in, mineralized soil, non ferrous targets give the grunt. I'm very sorry about that, I thought that iron check was a pulse circuit too. In this case, for me, is useless...

 

[SRLance]

I am mostly retired from detecting, but am looking to maybe buy at the ATX to detect for nuggets on a high bench above a river. I recall the decay rate is also dependent on the size of the metal. Hence if I get the ATX I would dig all deeper signals in this low trash bench area. If I am on shallow bedrock the iron discrimination may work though I would use my experience of the local conditions.